Considering a quality paint job is pricing out at over $2000 professionally, I'm considering just buying the equipment myself and learning to paint. If I had the equipment, I have a car and a boat that both need painting.

On a budget of about $500-$750 for the tools and paint, could one equip themselves with good enough equipment to do a quality paint job on their street car? I'm looking to paint the entire car, moldings, stock skirts, etc.

Why am I thinking of this? I have a black front bumper on a green car, and the back half of the car is two shades lighter green than the front half due to bad body shop paint four years ago. I also want to get a 98+ rear bumper, which will need paint too. Price quotes for just the bumper have ranged from $250 to $500! Price quotes for the entire car, doing a quality job, have been between $2000 and $2500.

How many times would I likely need to paint, strip, and repaint until I built my skills up enough to be satisfied with the result? How many hours do you estimate are involved in painting a car? I'd want to do the door jambs and engine bay too if possible, in the end I want to have a steel grey blue color instead of the current OEM dark green color.

Am I crazy, or resourceful? Where to get the tools and paint? What brands/kind to get? Books to read? Anyone want to help? Help me paint mine I'll help you paint yours. I'm in Maryland.

Thanks!
Ben

 

I'd love to hear responses to this

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AccidentproWn &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'd love to hear responses to this </TD></TR></TABLE>

 

OK, first step I ordered John Pfeanstiehl's book, "Automotive Paint Handbook: Paint Technology for Auto Enthusiasts and Body Shop Professionals". The book was $13.27 at Amazon.com, bringing my costs so far to:

$17.26 &gt; &gt; Book

This might be fun.

Ben

 

lewt me remind you that it is illegal to paint a car in a house garage(here in Cali... not sure for your state but I would check)...

rent some booth time at a local body shop.

good luck

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by b.cruz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">lewt me remind you that it is illegal to paint a car in a house garage(here in Cali... not sure for your state but I would check)...

rent some booth time at a local body shop.

good luck </TD></TR></TABLE>

if you have a huge garage, clear everything out. wash the floor down with a hose, and just close your garage. dont forget the mask so u dont pass out

 

I have a two car garage. I could clean everything out, sweep and mop the whole thing, and plastic sheet the walls... but how good is that for the environment? If I'm dumping serious pollutants into the air then I don't want to do it.

Ben

 

I had the same idea and took a class in my local community college. That's when I found it is much more complicated. Professional results will need professional equipment. The gun itself is a lot. I would suggest to take a class and you could work on your car there using their equipment.

 

Well i apoligize in advance for this not making sense, cause its just coming out of my head in no particular order.
first thing youd need is a air compressor tha will supply enough air. Meaning that you wont have to sit & wait for it to build more air. Without the proper amount of air flowing all the time, the pattern of the piant, atomizing of the paint, & clear will be blotchy(sp).
materials & tools:
-sander
-paint gun(makes sure its a hvlp, gravity feed gun)
-sand paper, depending on what you are gunna be doing. Just painting over the previous paint, or fixing dents. For just straight painting, youd need 320-400 grit.
-red 3m scuff pads
-wax & grease remover
-masking tape
-masking paper.
-sealer, paint, clear coat (this can cost alotta $$$, cause youd need the hardeners/reduces/activators to go with)
I think thats it for tools & materials
procedure:
-wash car
-remove all moldings, bumbers, lights, mirrors, etc...
-degrease the car.
-sand the complete car down with 320, or 400 grit sandpaper. (this doesnt have to be to the metal, but just to get the shine out of the paint)
-with the red 3m scuff pad in your palm, go over the whole car again. this takes care of areas that the sander would have missed.
-blow car off, & mask car for paint
painting procedure:
-first coat is the sealer(1 coat is good), this is like a thin primer coat to fill in light scratches that will show up.
-basecoat(actual color), as many coats til complete coverage is obtained.
-clearcoat, 2 or 3, however many you want.
*keep in mind flash times in between all coats of paint & clearcoat. depending on the products & temp it is out side, it varies.

anyquestions feel free to IM me, or im on aim- c1hatchb

 

you forgot to mention to wetsand after every 2-3 sets of painting....this is to even things out

 

Don't practice on your whole car. Just get some body panels or bumpers from a collision shop to work on until you are confident enough.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Soup **** &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you forgot to mention to wetsand after every 2-3 sets of painting....this is to even things out </TD></TR></TABLE>
wet sand between coats??? your crazy.

 

Yeah you are crazy, no wet sanding between base coats, unless the paint lifts or something along those lines. If you gonna buy a gun dont be cheap, a good gun is very important. Get a SATA.