johnr9q@yahoo.com
Senior Member
Does anyone know anything about painting my car with spray cans. I watched this Eastwood video and it looks like you can get a pretty good job.
Spray Can Paint Job (Aerosol)
- Thread starter johnr9q@yahoo.com
- Start date
You can but it'll cost a ton. 2K activated spray paint is the same as regular bc/cc. But you'll need both base and clear, or a single stage if you can find it... But many Model A's were painted with lacquer which really needs special consideration and preparation before any re paint
johnr9q@yahoo.com
Senior Member
Matt, Wouldn't it be best to get down to bare metal with either chemicals or mechanical? What is "bc/cr"
Go to TCP Global website in S>. CA. Bc /cc is base coat / clear coat. TCP has Model A Formulas, but as stated , very little paint in an aerosol can, most content is propellant. Depending on colors, a few quarts may be needed with the proper thinners, catalysts, etc. The 2K single stage formulas are fine for small areas or touch up.TCP sells lacquer ( for non VOC states or locations) which dries fast but needs special prep as stated. Base / clears/ single stage require dust free areas for a good result.
As we know, factory paint was lacquer bodies, dipped enamel for fenders ,splash aprons, wheels, etc.
As we know, factory paint was lacquer bodies, dipped enamel for fenders ,splash aprons, wheels, etc.
Phil Brown
Well-known member
I think your finger is going too be sore, a long way around a car with a spray can 
Bob Bidonde
Well-known member
A Model "A" is a thing that is prone to nicks & scratches in its paint. They are unavoidable. For this reason, I would not use a clear coat on a Model "A" because it complicates touch-up. Clear coat is especially bad on black & dark colors as it shows every scratch. The best finish in my opinion is single stage urethane.
We did my '72 Impala with cans in college. Between primer and paint, I think it was a couple dozen cans.
And it didn't work very well, even with triple layers along the "ridged" portions (which was where most of the rust from the factory paint had been).
It blistered, badly, within a few weeks.
So we sanded it down again, and . . . an unexpected storm crossed the mountains headed my way!
With only an hour or so to heavy rain, I managed to get to Gemco, buy paint, and apply with a brush!
The paint held, but the texture was rather ugly. In hindsight, I should have sanded that and sent it to Earl Scheib, or maybe put spray over it.
Then again, it was a $400 college car. It was my mother who for some reason came up with the sanding and painting project and pulled everyone else in her wake. (she hated driving; I remember her learning when I was four or so. She said that the best part of moving to luxury senior/assisted living was giving up the keys!)
And it didn't work very well, even with triple layers along the "ridged" portions (which was where most of the rust from the factory paint had been).
It blistered, badly, within a few weeks.
So we sanded it down again, and . . . an unexpected storm crossed the mountains headed my way!
With only an hour or so to heavy rain, I managed to get to Gemco, buy paint, and apply with a brush!
The paint held, but the texture was rather ugly. In hindsight, I should have sanded that and sent it to Earl Scheib, or maybe put spray over it.
Then again, it was a $400 college car. It was my mother who for some reason came up with the sanding and painting project and pulled everyone else in her wake. (she hated driving; I remember her learning when I was four or so. She said that the best part of moving to luxury senior/assisted living was giving up the keys!)
philosofriend
Member
You can divide painting into two stages. A person willing to work hard and not give up can learn how to do the first stage. The second stage is more of a skilled operation.
The first stage is to get the surface perfectly smooth, covered completely with one product, and all totally one color. Metal work, fillers, sealers, surfacers, primers, guide coats are some of the products that may be needed. All along the way there are clever practical ways to undo any mistakes you make. You can keep working until the surface is perfect.
The second phase is to apply the color (and the clear coat if that is the system you are using). To simplify, you are trying to achieve even coverage while avoiding the opposite problems of orange peel and runs. Too little paint on the surface = no flow-out= orange peel. Too much paint = runs. Fixing orange peel and runs is labor intensive and changes what should be a quick job into an extremely long one. In the case of metallics, true candies, pearls, and color-changing paint it is much harder to spray the stuff and difficult to impossible to fix mistakes.
A reasonable way to get a good paint job is to first find a local painter who will talk to you, ask him what products he wants you to use for phase one, then have them spray the color.
If you want to do it all yourself, use one company's products all the way through the process. The company should have someone you can call for advice about your problems. If you are mixing products from different companies, you can't blame the tech adviser for not being able to help you. The chemists are constantly tinkering with ingredients to keep their products working well with their other products (not their competitor's products).
Get something like a junked hood, wash it good and try spraying it with a spray can. You will probably find out quickly if you enjoy it and it looks good, or else you will realize that it would take too just too much expensive annoying practice to get good at it.
The first stage is to get the surface perfectly smooth, covered completely with one product, and all totally one color. Metal work, fillers, sealers, surfacers, primers, guide coats are some of the products that may be needed. All along the way there are clever practical ways to undo any mistakes you make. You can keep working until the surface is perfect.
The second phase is to apply the color (and the clear coat if that is the system you are using). To simplify, you are trying to achieve even coverage while avoiding the opposite problems of orange peel and runs. Too little paint on the surface = no flow-out= orange peel. Too much paint = runs. Fixing orange peel and runs is labor intensive and changes what should be a quick job into an extremely long one. In the case of metallics, true candies, pearls, and color-changing paint it is much harder to spray the stuff and difficult to impossible to fix mistakes.
A reasonable way to get a good paint job is to first find a local painter who will talk to you, ask him what products he wants you to use for phase one, then have them spray the color.
If you want to do it all yourself, use one company's products all the way through the process. The company should have someone you can call for advice about your problems. If you are mixing products from different companies, you can't blame the tech adviser for not being able to help you. The chemists are constantly tinkering with ingredients to keep their products working well with their other products (not their competitor's products).
Get something like a junked hood, wash it good and try spraying it with a spray can. You will probably find out quickly if you enjoy it and it looks good, or else you will realize that it would take too just too much expensive annoying practice to get good at it.