Looking for advice from experience painters
 

As we move into colder winter temperatures and working in an unheated garage, I am looking for some advice from experienced painters. I would like to continue working on my build, and I need to continue to paint parts. At this point, it is mostly hardware and odds and ends stuff. No body work or painting large panels. I understand Technical Data Sheets gives optimal painting temperatures. But, I am not really clear on specifics. I am mainly using Eastwood Chassis Black and Primer in a rattle can. I have a turbo heater that takes the chill off while working, but it isn't going to get the garage up to 70 degrees. What effects on the paint will painting in a cold garage have on the end product? Longer drying times? Not as good adhesion? Long term durability? All of the above? If it is drying time, I am not to worried about that; it will just slow the progress down. But the adhesion or durability would be a concern. Any advice would be appreciated.
Rob

Re: Looking for advice from experience painters
 

I’m a PPG master tech, the only advice I’d really give you is just mind your drying times. Too much paint too soon will cause issues down the line 100%. Take your time you’ll be fine, make sure each coat is more than dry before you throw another one on. Heat always helps but you gotta work with what you got.

Re: Looking for advice from experience painters
 

If you're using catalyzed products, you really need to be mindful of lower temps. And what the fully cured window is. The curing process for some products can slow down significantly. Below 60°F. ( epoxies/polyesters love heat ) Some products may continue to cure very slowly. And finish curing once the temps come back up. Some will stop curing completely if they get to cold. And will not finish cross linking, even when temps come back up again.

1k products can be more forgiving of lower than ideal temperatures.

You don't necessarily need to heat your whole garage to an ideal temp. But create a micro climate for the part your working on.

If your painting small parts/brackets. Hang them in front of a smaller heater or heat lamps between coats and your final hard flash. If you're doing bigger parts/panels. Tent them after spraying and run a small space heater to keep them at temp, if needed.

Re: Looking for advice from experience painters
 

This helps. So, light coats with plenty of drying time in between. I am ok with waiting longer for things to dry. I just don't want to stop all together and have to wait till it gets warmer to continue with some of the things I am working on.
Rob

Re: Looking for advice from experience painters
 

So, far I have been using just the rattle can that doesn't have the two part epoxy in the can. I am referring to the type of cans that you have to break the bladder inside to mix the paint and the catalyst. I hope I am using the right terms there.

What I have done which I think would be the same thing as you are suggesting is I group my parts together at the door of my garage with the door closed. I run my turbo heater for a while and puts some heat on the individual/group of parts. I then turn the heater off, open the door enough for a fan to pull some of the fumes out, paint, close the door, and turn the heater back on. I am hoping to start on my cab before winter is over and may have to build the tent as you mentioned to spray. But, I am not sure exactly how I want proceed with the cab.

Rob

Re: Looking for advice from experience painters
 

Sounds like you're doing great.

On the cab, when I'm saying tent. I'm really kinda just saying, to get it covered/enclosed. Tarp/moving blankets/plastic sheating. Not necessarily to build some sort of structure. ( not that you shouldn't if thats easier for you ) So you can use a small space heater to heat the smaller envelope of space.

For 2k products if you look at the TDS. They will usually have a spec for air dry & forced dry. For temperature and time .If your only able to heat your work shop up to air dry type temps. Then you need to keep them at that temp for the full duration of the curing time. But, if your able to get the parts up to forced dry temp. Using your turbo heater or heat lamps. The fully cured time is much shorter. And you technically do not need to keep them heated over night.

You just don't want to struggle to get your shop up to 60°F. Spray a 2k product. Then turn the lights and heat off, and walk away for the night.

Re: Looking for advice from experience painters
 

That makes sense. I was doing a little painting today. I had the heater on and sprayed first and left it on and did other things. I think things are going ok. But, when the bigger stuff starts in the cab, I will need to try and figure something out.
Thanks,
Rob

Re: Looking for advice from experience painters
 

Hello! Along with the other good advice its important to get the metal temp up also for 2k products...your air temp may be 65 but metal temp could be 55.. i use a infratech 14- 1000 curing lamp to take care of that..it will warm up individual panels like a fender,tailgate doors pretty well...you may already have one but one of those handheld temp readers come in handy for checking metal temp. Also check out the SPI paint forum...lots of good lnfo there!..Good luck

Re: Looking for advice from experience painters
 

That's a good point above.

I also keep/store all of my 2k and some 1k products in a insulated & heated cabinet. ( because, I don't heat my shop 24/7 )

Re: Looking for advice from experience painters
 

That lamp looks cool. My next big painting if I am lucking to get to it in the next couple of months would be the inside of my cab. Would I need two of them? One on each side. Or would they not heat up the middle of the cab is they are sitting outside of the cab. Not sure if that question makes sense.
Rob

Re: Looking for advice from experience painters
 

I started bring all the paints I plan to use inside my house and store there.

We haven't had this long of a cold snap in MD for several years. Go figure, the winter I need normal winter temperatures we get extended weeks of below average temps.
Rob

Re: Looking for advice from experience painters
 

Hello! probably be hard to get the light with stand and all in cab....if your windshield is out,you could put it through the opening and point it to inside of roof let it warm up for a bit then adjust it to hit back of cab and so forth...but if you painted dash to this may not work unless you be very careful..if your luck is like mine i would bang up my freshly painted dash..lol

Re: Looking for advice from experience painters
 

Oh, I plan on having a bunch of "oops" when painting considering I have never done anything likes this at scale. I will have the windshield out because mine is cracked anyway.