Catalyzed Acrylic Enamel

[caf]

Just thought I would put this out here ,,,, been working in the body shop business since 75,and back then as u all know catalyzed Acrylic Enamel and lacquer were what was mostly used ,,then when Base coat clear coat systems hit and single stage urethane became popular I never looked back and havnt sprayed AE since then probably early 80s then buddy of mine about a year ago asked me to spray his VW for him he already bought Acrylic Enamel for it,,,anyway spray it and his prep was mediocre but all in all I thought damn that thing looks good!

So anyway decided to use AE on my 38,,bought 3 gallons of this guy out of mid west roughly $105 per gallon kit! Got to say I am thrilled with the outcome so far,,not sure but guessing between the primers and new HVLP guns have improved so much I don't remember getting these results back in the day..
Also notice it takes about 3 days to become pretty much rock hard so slower there then the new stuff but no where near the die back or shrinkage even finish sanding with 320 (per instruction)

 

[3quarter32]

Looks pretty darn good to me. I used AE back in 1974 and it fairly decent for a daily driver. Used mostly lacquer back then. Last few years used BC/CC. May have to give the AE a try on my next project.

 

[caf]

Hi 3quarter for a non metallic appears to work great ,,,if I do buff it at all it will be just a quick over with 2000 grit at a later date

 

[Newc]

A supplier out West has Russian single stage gloss urethane with hardener for about $125 a gallon! I have 5 gallons now. Red white and blk- they all can be tinted. Newc

 

[caf]

Do you have a link to it? curious who that is

 

[TomT/Williamsburg]

TCPGlobal makes all the old colors in Urathane Enamel. They used to do AE and I bought a gallon about 15 years ago and another gallon about 12years ago. It is an 8:1 mix of paint and hardener - nothing else. I also used the cheap harbor freight gun and it works great. My only change was to add PPG hardener in a 1:1 ratio with the paint then the hardener since I wanted a duller finish for my wife’s non-stock late 50s early 60s shop truck 40 pickup. It’s a real simple home system, perfect for the home painter who has never painted a car or paints very infrequently. Some pics of the truck are attached .... the color is a 39/40 Ford/Merc Blue Poly. With the flattener it looks almost metallic. I am very happy with the result. Only my front fenders and headlight doors are left to paint .....

 

[caf]

TCPGlobal makes all the old colors in Urathane Enamel. They used to do AE and I bought a gallon about 15 years ago and another gallon about 12years ago. It is an 8:1 mix of paint and hardener - nothing else. I also used the cheap harbor freight gun and it works great. My only change was to add PPG hardener in a 1:1 ratio with the paint then the hardener since I wanted a duller finish for my wife’s non-stock late 50s early 60s shop truck 40 pickup. It’s a real simple home system, perfect for the home painter who has never painted a car or paints very infrequently. Some pics of the truck are attached .... the color is a 39/40 Ford/Merc Blue Poly. With the flattener it looks almost metallic. I am very happy with the result. Only my front fenders and headlight doors are left to paint .....

Tom I used TCPs products,there about a half hour from my house,the Acrylic enamel is the 8 to one I used on my buddy's VW nice shine out of that but is alot thinner the the AE I bought off Ebay.. also used Restoration shop single stage urethane ,,super shiny but struggle with it was really slow tack time ,,Your truck parts look real nice the color is a good fit for the truck.. Not sure what you meant you said with the AE you used PPG hardener 1to1 ratio? not the 8 to one? I never tried that does that give you a flat finish?

 

[mrlaser]

This is the last car that I shot with Centari AC and hardener. I did not color sand in an attempt to reproduce an original style factory finish. Even with that, the finish was amazing. This was 4-5 years ago.

 

[mrlaser]

That's AE not AC

 

[TomT/Williamsburg]

Tom I used TCPs products,there about a half hour from my house,the Acrylic enamel is the 8 to one I used on my buddy's VW nice shine out of that but is alot thinner the the AE I bought off Ebay.. also used Restoration shop single stage urethane ,,super shiny but struggle with it was really slow tack time ,,Your truck parts look real nice the color is a good fit for the truck.. Not sure what you meant you said with the AE you used PPG hardener 1to1 ratio? not the 8 to one? I never tried that does that give you a flat finish?

Sorry - I used PPG “flattener“ which is for urethane paints but worked with the TCPGlobal AE. AE has been pretty much taken over by urethane as AE is getting phased out. But either way, I am very happy with the way my truck is turning out. If you need the part number for the flattener let me know ....

Your paint looks amazing and the ease of use and mixing, for the novice/home oak bar jobs, that’s the key to making our old cars “new to us” again .....

 

[PeteVS]

Straightened out a picture.

 

[rotorwrench]

Acrylic enamel with hardener added was in effect an acrylic urethane. I used it but prefered the old PPG Deltron acrylic urethane. That stuff and many other acrylic urethanes were the most forgiving finishes that I've had the pleasure to use over the years.

Things available now certainly ain't what they used to be but some old style acrylic urethane and poly urethane single stage types are still available unless you live in California.

 

[caf]

That's AE not AC

I remember the Dupont Centari ,,had a sort of sweet smell,was my favorite of all the AE lines ,most of my friends that were painters prefer d PPG Delstar ,I remember the Delstar seem to me was a little harder to get to flow but had an edge on the shine....this AE im using resembles Delstar but back in the day I was using a suction feed Binks vs my gravity feed Devilllbis really making it a breeze to spray.

 

[caf]

Acrylic enamel with hardener added was in effect an acrylic urethane. I used it but prefered the old PPG Deltron acrylic urethane. That stuff and many other acrylic urethanes were the most forgiving finishes that I've had the pleasure to use over the years.

Things available now certainly ain't what they used to be but some old style acrylic urethane and poly urethane single stage types are still available unless you live in California.

Yep Im here in San Diego hands are tied ,That Deltron was really nice,flashed quick,,then came PPGs DCC single stage,,I feel best single stage of all time,,,,but the price! Hard to get out here too last gallon kit I got for a buddy about a year ago was over $500 for black,,bought red about 4 years ago was upwards of $800 for a gallon kit

 

[TomT/Williamsburg]

Straightened out a picture.

Thank you!

 

[deuce_roadster]

I agree with Rotorwrench. I have been painting cars for myself and others since the 70s, and only use single stage urethane now. If I had an expensive paint booth I would use base/clear but all the coats needed for that increases the chances of issues. Single stage urethane is very forgiving and easy to touch up. I don't miss lacquer or enamels. One of the cars I have is a 32 5w I painted 40 years ago for a friend. I now wish urethane was available when I painted it. The old lacquer primer is/was junk, modern catalyzed primers are vastly superior.

 

[caf]

I agree with Rotorwrench. I have been painting cars for myself and others since the 70s, and only use single stage urethane now. If I had an expensive paint booth I would use base/clear but all the coats needed for that increases the chances of issues. Single stage urethane is very forgiving and easy to touch up. I don't miss lacquer or enamels. One of the cars I have is a 32 5w I painted 40 years ago for a friend. I now wish urethane was available when I painted it. The old lacquer primer is/was junk, modern catalyzed primers are vastly superior.

deuce_roadster which line of Single Stage Urethane is your preference? agree too on the 4 to 1 primers these days sure beats lacquer primer and air dry glazing putty,, I thinks it plays a part in why im so impressed now in the finish Im getting out of the AE

 

[rotorwrench]

I used the Concept DCC too and it was a lot like Deltron and even had the polyisocyanate odor like the older stuff. I used Imron for a long time too but it wasn't as forgiving. The modern Imron elite SS from Axalta is hit or miss so I don't recommend it anymore. The Sherwin Williams Acryglo & Jetglo is a lot like the old Imron so it's not the best for the beginner but it works. I haven't tried the stuff from TCP Global but they have offerings in the Acrylic Enamel and Acrylic Urethane. I like to buy from a local source so I have some one I can complain to if the paint is crap. The stuff is expensive so a person wants a quality product or at least a company that will back what it sells,