# car painting / autobody ?



## paintit (Jun 5, 2013)

Question 1

So I am new to paint cars/boats/vehicles only really restrict myself to painting houses. But now I am going to take on fixing a big dent in an old car and repainting it new again.

What I want to know is what type of paint can one choose to uses on a car.
I.E can one just use any exterior paint ... does it have to be oil based or water/latex/acrylic based.

What I am getting at is what distinguishes a paint from being a paint only for a vehicle or using it on a porch / outdoor housing things/items
Or can they most all be used interchangeable for the vehicles that one would uses on the out door furniture/items.

Question 2 
Other then my sanders/grinders and different grades of sand paper (80, 120, 300, 800 and 1000-grit )
I have primer, paint, clear coat and reducer. That an autobody expert told me to uses they are all from the same brand . Which he say's as a general rule of thumb you should abide by since mixing different brands can cause chemical reactions on the surface of the car, even after the paint is sprayed and dried.

I got how to pull the dent out with the dent puller and drilling a few holes.
But what I am curious about is before I use the primer I have to apply the auto body filler (equivalent to putting spackle/joint compound on dry wall)

So my curiosity is what is the difference between the spackle/joint compound and auto body filler can one use these interchangeable ?

Other question is what is the difference between the liquid welding /JB weld and the auto body filler could one use interchangeable?

Or for one more thing auto filler and epoxy ?


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## Susan (Nov 29, 2011)

DeVilbiss GTI, DeKups System. Talk to an autobody shop. Quarts of autobody paint are expensive. YouTube some information.

PM Me and I'll attempt to answer any questions. If you have an airless 'finger', I guarantee, you'll like auto-body better.


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## cdaniels (Oct 20, 2012)

paintit said:


> Question 1
> 
> So I am new to paint cars/boats/vehicles only really restrict myself to painting houses. But now I am going to take on fixing a big dent in an old car and repainting it new again.
> 
> ...


Yep....your ready for this.:whistling2:


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## Susan (Nov 29, 2011)

I am not a scientist. I'll share what I think. Consider..This is an online forum. And I fell asleep typing this..then woke up and finished it..sans coffee.

Many autobody paints are being converted to waterborne.


Each of the products you have inquired about have different chemical properties; they are all going to react differently with each variable. The density of JB weld for example is different than that of an autobody filler, depending on the amount of catalyst added to the first part. Each of those products possesses different characteristics than the next. Gypsum v. epoxy is comparing a harder wood, such as cherry.

I don't know much about epoxies. Autobody filler, such as 'Bondo' requires a catalyst to harden. 

I've used a minwax brand "bondo" for filling nicks in wood prior to stain, which per directions will take nothing more than 100 grit. They smelled exactly the same. Sanded exactly the same. The minwax catalyst was 'brown' and the 'Bondo' catalyst was red.

I've seen green catalyst, grey, purple..

It's all in the prep. Prime before, between, and after. Paint/Clear is always a final. 

Also, there is a difference between a primer and a sealer.

When spraying autobody, the saying goes.."wet on wet, you're all set." It was always explained to me..a 50% overlap, no trigger release, cant stop, won't stop, rocafella records, we get down baby, we get down. Or something to that effect.


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## paintit (Jun 5, 2013)

Ok well I am taking the auto body experts word for the products he gave me right now. If it doesn't work out I will redo.

Few last minute questions though for my understanding
Correct me if I am wrong after the dent is pulled, the auto filler is applied, and the car is sanded/grinded smooth 
The next thing should be 

1) primer 
2) paint
3) clear coat (to finish it off so it doesn't peel off)
First question is how much/how many coats off each do I put on and how long for the wait times? 

When do I put on the reducer if I even need it (how many coats , and why I am I putting it on ) should it only ever be done on the last paint coat before the clear coat?

Also I have another littler problem that I would like to fix if possible there are some scratches on parts of the plastic material of the car. So what is the general procedure for fixing that. I know it is to little of a deal to completely remove and snap new plastic in so do you just paint the plastic with the same paint as I was using on the metal dent. Do I need to do the same step as painting the metal pulled dent or is it different for plastic on a car?

Thanks for any help


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

I once disassembled my bike and painted the frame. it came out amazing, only problem was I had a bunch of leftover parts after I put it together.


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## paintit (Jun 5, 2013)

That kind of wasn't the answer I was looking for.
I would imagine for painting your bike though you just sprayed it on with no primer, or sealer but maybe I am wrong won't hurt if you did for the smaller semi-outdoor objects I would imagine. 

Like bikes , lawn mowers , wheel barrels , and maybe some large construction objects though I am not sure when you get into back hoes , dump trucks , crans , airplanes ,...etc I would imagine you paint them like a car to some extent


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

ReNt A PaInTeR said:


> I once disassembled my bike and painted the frame. it came out amazing, only problem was I had a bunch of leftover parts after I put it together.


 You need to be in the right frame of mind to be able to get it back in one pc.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

I knew a painter that spot primed his old POS van and just cut in and rolled it with ext satin white... Looked better than it did before. 
I got a close buddy who paints cars. Whole different world than house painting. 
Pretty sure the WB car paint involves using huge force dryers, and the old oil isn't compatible.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Who was the guy (I think on CT) that painted his truck with house paint and a roller ?

paintit,

I am sure there are a some here who are well versed in all the subtleties of auto body repair and painting, but I have a feeling the huge majority knows not enough to be able to give you some great answers.

Have you searched for online auto body repair forums ? From what little I know and have attempted, the two disciplines (auto and house) are vastly different in chemistry, technique, materials, and equipment.


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## wje (Apr 11, 2009)




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## paintit (Jun 5, 2013)

crap the other thing I am thinking of is if I paint the dent correct and successfully. Then will it match the paint color/shade of paint on the other parts of the car ? Or in general if the car is not new do you have to repaint the whole car.

Maybe somebody can help me with this one. Since for houses I always paint everything if the wall was old or not new so it matches. Maybe there is a different way to get around painting the whole thing and still making it look professional.

This is almost important as being able to paint the pulled dent successfully.
Since I could probably apply this principle to other painting objects in general.

:whistling2:


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## paintit (Jun 5, 2013)

And one other thing is when would you uses a dent puller.
Because now that I am thinking about it I could have just used more bondo (auto filler).

Is there a time you would want to uses or need to uses a dent puller over just using more auto filler ?


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

daArch said:


> From what little I know and have attempted, the two disciplines (auto and house) are vastly different in chemistry, technique, materials, and equipment.


Yup. Body guys are more respected


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## davezedlee (May 27, 2012)

There are a few thousand examples online of people who have painted their vehicles with Rustoleum and a 4" roller

Most of them look quite good


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## 1camper (Feb 17, 2013)

The difference between "house" paints and automotive is catalysts. Auto paints and fillers are hardened. This process is complicated and differs between types of paints and primers. I'd suggest finding a procedures manual for whatever product line you choose, then practice on something other than the car.

Advice on how to proceed in this format would be of little use, so many variables. One point I think worth making is that a steel door doesn't know if it is on a house or car. So a good system for cars is also excellent but perhaps overkill for houses. A painter should be able to use a variety paint systems.


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## paintit (Jun 5, 2013)

How about scratches on the plastic of the car. Like a bumper.
Do you usually paint the whole thing again or plastic panel?
Do you do the same procedure on the plastic of a car say sand , then prime ,...paint ,...clear coat... or is it just coats of the same paint for the plastic no primer or clear coat?

*Must you use a sprayer or can you use a paint brush or roller and will it still come out the same?*

Thanks for the advice I went down to ask a few people and my confusion was with the reducer and paint.
The primer and clear coat is general used for any paint you usually pick out.
At first I thought there was a specific primer and clear coat for each color auto paint you pick out but they are pretty much general.
Meaning you pick up primer , clear coat bottles then you get the color auto paint and reducer , then mix the ratio's of paint with reducer. Of course this is the basics and I am sure there are different ratio's and stuff but following this bottles instructions that's all it calls for .


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## 6126 (May 9, 2010)

ReNt A PaInTeR said:


> I once disassembled my bike and painted the frame. it came out amazing, only problem was I had a bunch of leftover parts after I put it together.


That used to happen to me when I was rebuilding old trucks


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