1. What do you mean by smoothing out the paint? What are you doing to smooth it out?
2. How long are you waiting to wet sand tha paint after applying a coat?
2. How long are you waiting to wet sand tha paint after applying a coat?
"Paint your car for 50 bucks" I am going to try it.
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By smoothing out the paint I mean sanding it. When the paint dries, it has a tendancy to be a little rough and orange peelish. Running over it lightly with sandpaper removes the peices of grit (most likely small dust particles). The paint is tacky after a few minutes, and I wait about 10 minutes between each coat, putting on 2 coats and then sanding/smoothing. As far as the bubbles, if you let the paint tack up for a minute, and go over it again really lightly with the roller, it will smooth out beautifully and level itself.
I figured I would follow up.....
For those of you thinking about attempting the roller brush paint job, please reconsider. The time spent trying to make it look good is better spent at work, so that you can afford to buy an HVLP spray gun and spray the rustoleum on. I will not even bother with pictures because I already sanded the car back down to its primer. Not only will the spray gun work/look better, but it will take less time.
Don't get me wrong, the roller job can look good! I just don't have the time/patience/energy to sand sand sand wetsand buff buff buff sand sand sand all the imperfections out. I am convinced you could paint your car with a sock this way, but honestly the time is better spent working to buy a cheap HVLP gun. Now that I will have no problems posting pictures of the results of, using the same rustoleum and 50/50 mixture of mineral spirits. It will just takes a LOT less time, and be a LOT less of a PITA.
But for all intents and purposes, the roll on paint job works. Just be prepared to spend a lot of time getting the mixtures right, rolling rolling and rolling it smooth.
Oh... and for god sakes don't even attempt a black. red works fine, white does too... but black is hateful and will look like poo no matter what you do
For those of you thinking about attempting the roller brush paint job, please reconsider. The time spent trying to make it look good is better spent at work, so that you can afford to buy an HVLP spray gun and spray the rustoleum on. I will not even bother with pictures because I already sanded the car back down to its primer. Not only will the spray gun work/look better, but it will take less time.
Don't get me wrong, the roller job can look good! I just don't have the time/patience/energy to sand sand sand wetsand buff buff buff sand sand sand all the imperfections out. I am convinced you could paint your car with a sock this way, but honestly the time is better spent working to buy a cheap HVLP gun. Now that I will have no problems posting pictures of the results of, using the same rustoleum and 50/50 mixture of mineral spirits. It will just takes a LOT less time, and be a LOT less of a PITA.
But for all intents and purposes, the roll on paint job works. Just be prepared to spend a lot of time getting the mixtures right, rolling rolling and rolling it smooth.
Oh... and for god sakes don't even attempt a black. red works fine, white does too... but black is hateful and will look like poo no matter what you do
Platonic Solid
Founding Member
At which point you might as well go one step further and use BC/CC instead of rustoleum.
a couple of things....
I have done some extensive research into this rust-oleum paint job and i have a couple of comments.
1. waiting a few minutes between coats isn't going to do you any good. Each coat should be allowed to dry for atleast 8-12 hours, i would advise 24 hours. You could definitely sand it at the 8-12 hour mark. The orange peel is normal and should lessen between coats.
2. you can get a cheap polisher at Wal-Mart for about 20 bucks right now. I think it would be plenty good as long as you get the appropriate polishing compounds for your car. One of the most critical steps in finishing your paint job is your polishing compound.
I have done some extensive research into this rust-oleum paint job and i have a couple of comments.
1. waiting a few minutes between coats isn't going to do you any good. Each coat should be allowed to dry for atleast 8-12 hours, i would advise 24 hours. You could definitely sand it at the 8-12 hour mark. The orange peel is normal and should lessen between coats.
2. you can get a cheap polisher at Wal-Mart for about 20 bucks right now. I think it would be plenty good as long as you get the appropriate polishing compounds for your car. One of the most critical steps in finishing your paint job is your polishing compound.
!0 minutes is not nearly long enough to wait in between coats AND certainly not long enough for you to sand! Read the back of the rustoleum can, it will give you time frames for adding coats, and you need to wait for a full cure before sanding otherwise you'll likely damage the soft paint.
RogerC62
Founding Member
The tradeoff here is time/labor vs money/traditional paint process. Those of us who don't want to or can't afford to spend the money on a more traditional paint job would rather spend what we do have, time, for a decent paint job. I don't know if DJ didn't do any research before going into this but it sounds like his expectations of the time required to accomplish the job was unrealistic. By all means if you're impatient, forget this path, it's not for you. What I've read so far has you waiting a minimum of 8 hours between coats with most people waiting 24.
As far as quality is concerned, I've seen far worse paint jobs come from professional shops than what I'm seeing come from people willing to work at it using the roller method. At work last thursday we got a van back from a paint shop where we had them shoot a particular shade of red for one of our customers. The orange peel was horrendous. Quality is tied more to the effort being invested in the job and not the method in which the paint is applied. My advice, research before attempting. Know what you're getting into. Read the entire moparts thread, all 3 of them.
As far as quality is concerned, I've seen far worse paint jobs come from professional shops than what I'm seeing come from people willing to work at it using the roller method. At work last thursday we got a van back from a paint shop where we had them shoot a particular shade of red for one of our customers. The orange peel was horrendous. Quality is tied more to the effort being invested in the job and not the method in which the paint is applied. My advice, research before attempting. Know what you're getting into. Read the entire moparts thread, all 3 of them.
Here's my stupid question.....
I got that pane done and I wet sanded it and now I need to buff it.
Um.... How do you buff a car?
I got the buffer and some Turtle wax buffing compound.
What is the process?
Just compound?
Add water?
When have I done enough?
Never done this part before and it seems like it is key.
A step by step from begin to end would be nice here.
Thanks.
I got that pane done and I wet sanded it and now I need to buff it.
Um.... How do you buff a car?
I got the buffer and some Turtle wax buffing compound.
What is the process?
Just compound?
Add water?
When have I done enough?
Never done this part before and it seems like it is key.
A step by step from begin to end would be nice here.
Thanks.
1. Please address my question above.
2. I just went out and bought HOT Rod magazine and read this month's article on rolling the car and at the end of the article it says:
"High speed buffers (Makita Sander Polisher) like ours are pricey but you can buy polishers that will get the job done as cheap as $30 and you can also rent one from a tool supply shop. If you have a random orbital buffer, it can be used with the right pads."
I am confused as to the difference between a random orbital buffer and why he would say "It can be used w/ the right pads" I thought that is what they were meant for. Just wondering why he would differentiate. I had planned on going to Home Depot on Pay Day and getting the Ryobi random orbital for $25.
Just wondering the difference between "It can be used" and "Use It"
so where he says "but you can buy polishers that will get the job done as cheap as $30" Is that not referring to what I had planned on getting this weekend? If not, what should I be looking for in that price range?
2. I just went out and bought HOT Rod magazine and read this month's article on rolling the car and at the end of the article it says:
"High speed buffers (Makita Sander Polisher) like ours are pricey but you can buy polishers that will get the job done as cheap as $30 and you can also rent one from a tool supply shop. If you have a random orbital buffer, it can be used with the right pads."
I am confused as to the difference between a random orbital buffer and why he would say "It can be used w/ the right pads" I thought that is what they were meant for. Just wondering why he would differentiate. I had planned on going to Home Depot on Pay Day and getting the Ryobi random orbital for $25.
Just wondering the difference between "It can be used" and "Use It"
so where he says "but you can buy polishers that will get the job done as cheap as $30" Is that not referring to what I had planned on getting this weekend? If not, what should I be looking for in that price range?
you can..
You can absolutely buff your car no problem, but you shouldn't wax it until the paint has had enough time to dry. Six months is definitely good, but some body shop guys would argue that it takes a full year to dry. When we had our Beamer's fender repainted the body shop guy there said a month was good enough.
Does this help?
You can absolutely buff your car no problem, but you shouldn't wax it until the paint has had enough time to dry. Six months is definitely good, but some body shop guys would argue that it takes a full year to dry. When we had our Beamer's fender repainted the body shop guy there said a month was good enough.
Does this help?
Platonic Solid
Founding Member
Buffing is a learned skill and should be approached with extreem caution. It's very easy to burn through the paint at edges and corners. Before buying anything, I'd recommend Kevin Tetz's "Color Sanding & Buffing DVD". Ask your painter exactly what brand of paint he used and contact the manufacturer to find out the recommended cure time before buffing. Another excellent source of info is your local auto paint supplier. You will need multiple buffing bonnets and several grades (grits) of compound.
I have since gave up on the rollers, and went with HVLP sprayers.
I got it primered right now with the same brand rustoleum bare/painted metal primer, and it looks good. I should put the first coat on red on this week, I decided to go with the same red that the thread starter used with his rollers.
Its better to buy/rent the compressor/HVLP sprayer than to kill yourself with rollers, although the compressor and sprayer pretty much makes it impossible to spray your car on the street if you dont have a garage.... unless you are nuts
******edit
I decided to use the HVLP sprayer after looking at a very long VW thread about people using this method on vintage bugs and busses. Sprayer seems to be the way to go
I got it primered right now with the same brand rustoleum bare/painted metal primer, and it looks good. I should put the first coat on red on this week, I decided to go with the same red that the thread starter used with his rollers.
Its better to buy/rent the compressor/HVLP sprayer than to kill yourself with rollers, although the compressor and sprayer pretty much makes it impossible to spray your car on the street if you dont have a garage.... unless you are nuts
******edit
I decided to use the HVLP sprayer after looking at a very long VW thread about people using this method on vintage bugs and busses. Sprayer seems to be the way to go
Let me know how t goes.
I am going to do a bit more research on buffing before I make my next move.
I also recommend going out and getting the HOT Rod magazine with the article in it.
I think Spraying versus rolling won't make a difference in the end (totally guessing here) It seems the idea is just to get the paint on however you can and the final results are a result of sanding it all to one smooth level and buffing. Granted spraying would be faster.
I bet if you just rolled a thick coat of rustoleum paint w/ no thinner, you could make it look great with wet sanding and buffing.
This is all speculation after my limited exposure to this paint method.
In the HOT ROD article, they did the whole thing in 10 days. They painted the car white and red spray paint for stripes.
I am going to do a bit more research on buffing before I make my next move.
I also recommend going out and getting the HOT Rod magazine with the article in it.
I think Spraying versus rolling won't make a difference in the end (totally guessing here) It seems the idea is just to get the paint on however you can and the final results are a result of sanding it all to one smooth level and buffing. Granted spraying would be faster.
I bet if you just rolled a thick coat of rustoleum paint w/ no thinner, you could make it look great with wet sanding and buffing.
This is all speculation after my limited exposure to this paint method.
In the HOT ROD article, they did the whole thing in 10 days. They painted the car white and red spray paint for stripes.
All I know is, its a LOT easier to get a very even coat on with spraying, and zero bubbles. I really don't think I need to wetsand it after I spray the red on, if I do its only to get the little imperfections out. The white primer was awesome going on, and before it dried completely it looked like a nice white paint job, glossy too
xoxbxfx
Founding Member
oh...the $50 paint job... We started one of those on my buddies ugly A** 79 monte carlo... I dont have before pictures but it was UGLY The front end was crappy rattle can primer black from being in a wreck and getting junkyard pieces. The back end was a fading olive green color with a white 1/4 top.... We started with the rollers for giggles and after 2 coats we had enough of that. I got out the HVLP and sprayed the damn car. It was taking WAY to long and I dont have anywhere near that amount of patience. I sprayed the thing with 3 coats and then we started the wetsanding and gave up 1/2 way... well I did anyways...heres how it looked without being sanded..
original ugly green
Was it an improvement..heck yeah it was. It looks decent but Im no way proud of the work. Also have a 66 coupe that needed some color. The bodywork is still lacking and needs professional mud work. I did the best I could but it wasnt enough. Heres some pics of that car.
View attachment 381859
View attachment 381860
Moral of the story..if you can...spray it
original ugly green
Was it an improvement..heck yeah it was. It looks decent but Im no way proud of the work. Also have a 66 coupe that needed some color. The bodywork is still lacking and needs professional mud work. I did the best I could but it wasnt enough. Heres some pics of that car.
View attachment 381859
View attachment 381860
Moral of the story..if you can...spray it
Platonic Solid
Founding Member
The most important painting advice is on the label of the paint can (assuming automotive paint). Stick with one manufacturer for the whole process. The key to reducing orange peal and over spray is using the correct reducer/paint mixture for the temp. and humidity conditions - Apply as much paint as possible, as quickly as possible, without causing runs. Always be conscious of where the paint hose and your body parts are (it's surprisingly easy to casually bend over to move the paint hose out of the way and proceed to stick your butt in the freshly painted wet fender 
Here Goes Nothing!!
Here Goes Nothing!! I am doing the stang
Okay, I learned 2 things.
1. The buffer is your best friend. I bought a Ryobi orbital buffer and used it on the panel I was painting. That thing shines now. Up until this point, I thought the wetsanding w/ 2000 grit was supposed to make it glossy. Nope, it is the buffing afterward.
2. YOU MUST SCUFF THE SURFACE BEING PAINTED OR IT WILL NOT STICK.
After I finished the panel, I redid it again just to test some more but I didn't sand the surface and today I was able to peel off all the paint from my 2nd tests in 1 complete sheet. So I re buffed the remaining paint underneath and it is beautiful.
So I am going to do the stang and I am planning on about 2 months to do it. In the mean time I will be saving for a Macco paint job in case I screw this up royally.
I will keep progress posted here: http://www.bryanswebpage.com/50DollarPaint/
NOTE: I am aware that this will be a 5 Ft paint job. But currently I have a 30 foot paint job I have been driving around w/ for 4 years. This can only be an improvement. I am not looking to win any car shows I just want to stop photoshopping the car whenever I post pics of it on the web
Wish me luck.
Here Goes Nothing!! I am doing the stang
Okay, I learned 2 things.
1. The buffer is your best friend. I bought a Ryobi orbital buffer and used it on the panel I was painting. That thing shines now. Up until this point, I thought the wetsanding w/ 2000 grit was supposed to make it glossy. Nope, it is the buffing afterward.
2. YOU MUST SCUFF THE SURFACE BEING PAINTED OR IT WILL NOT STICK.
After I finished the panel, I redid it again just to test some more but I didn't sand the surface and today I was able to peel off all the paint from my 2nd tests in 1 complete sheet. So I re buffed the remaining paint underneath and it is beautiful.
So I am going to do the stang and I am planning on about 2 months to do it. In the mean time I will be saving for a Macco paint job in case I screw this up royally.
I will keep progress posted here: http://www.bryanswebpage.com/50DollarPaint/
NOTE: I am aware that this will be a 5 Ft paint job. But currently I have a 30 foot paint job I have been driving around w/ for 4 years. This can only be an improvement. I am not looking to win any car shows I just want to stop photoshopping the car whenever I post pics of it on the web
Wish me luck.
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