Question about paintjobs

[JAKES 68GMC]

I've got a question about re-painting my truck. My paint now is flat for the most part and really chalky. So I'm planning to paint it gloss hunter green Rustoleum sometime in the near future. It won't be a perfect paintjob, but I'm hoping it will look good and last awhile. (it's a long shot, I know ) So, my question is, as a daily driver, how long would it be before the paint starts to fade and get chalky?? I probably won't add a clear coat, but I may add some hardener to get a better finish. Thanks for the replies.

[jimmydean]

Are you talking rattle can? It's not worth the effort. I rattle can'ed mine last year just to get it one color and it looks bad and doesn't bead water.

If you do the proper prep work, you can get a nice paint job from Macco or some other $200 shop that will look good and will last you a lot longer. The key is a good prep for any paint job.

[Towstrap]

i painted my truck about 3 years ago with Rustoleum and it still looks good DO add harder the thing about this paint it does take some time to dry i didnt us clear its a mud bogger and its hold up pretty gooooood

[Longhorn Man]

jimmy.... I think he is talking about doing it like I did;
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=214871
Jake.... I haven't seen any good photos of your truck... at least, none that i recall, however, if it is a decent paint job, just aged and chalked...try your hands with a buffer first. Hit it with a buffer ans dome rubbing compound and see what you have.
However, if it is an old nasty beat up paint job, then I say, GO FOR IT MAN!

I do recomend going with the automotive reducer and hardner rather than the mineral spirits like I did.... mine smelled like we paint for a week, and hardener would have been a good addition to the top coat.
As mine sits, i have found it to be quite chip resistant, however, light scratches are easily put in the paint. Had some idiot write WASH ME in the hood, and I had to was it to get rid of the fine scratches left in the hood...I was highly p!ssed.
But this is a very good alternitive to an expensive paint job, and if you do it right, not only will you learn a bunch, but you'll have a decent... if not a good looking truck.

[jimmydean]

Sorry, Longhornman. I forgot about the awesome job you did on yours. Mine is going to be the same process only using John Deere paint.

[wolfthing2000]

Personaly, I would use a good acrylic enamel for the durability and shine.. Rustoleum , to me , is not a very good choice. But that is each of our choices. The acrylic will run you about 3 to 4 times the price of Rustoleum, but for all of the prep work it is definetly worth it in the long haul. IMHO

[bodyman9174]

Originally Posted by wolfthing2000

Personaly, I would use a good acrylic enamel for the durability and shine.. Rustoleum , to me , is not a very good choice. But that is each of our choices. The acrylic will run you about 3 to 4 times the price of Rustoleum, but for all of the prep work it is definetly worth it in the long haul. IMHO

I agree and on top of that if u ever want to repaint that u will have to strip it back down to bare metal.U can buy a can of painters pride with hardenerfor like 70 bucks.

[jimmydean]

My John Deere paint is $9 a quart

[Towstrap]

thats what ithink im going to do burb that color maybe

[msgross]

Originally Posted by jimmydean

My John Deere paint is $9 a quart

Rustoleum is < $25 a gallon....

[chopper103in]

i would try buffing it first
i let mine sit outside for a number of years and it looked like it couldnt be saved----basicly looked like crap
but had it buffed and it looked 200% better
still needs paint and body work but i can live with it now

[wolfthing2000]

I do dis, you do dat!

[Longhorn Man]

you gotta remember... Jake is a kid, I'm assuming paying his own way on everything... gas, insurance, parts, a $70 gallon of paint, $30 reducer, $10 in hardner on top of all the prep stuff... hell, I can't even afford that.
There is nothing wrong with doing what you can to make things better.
If "doing it right" was the only way to do it, there'd be plenty of people who couldn't afford to play.
One man's budget bolt on.. is another man's entire budget.
Rustoleum is a high quality paint. It can be buffed to a shine that would fool the best of critics, and it is an enamel paint. In all reality, you can put a sealer over it, and paint it again one day with your "doing it right" kind of paints.
I would way rather drive something with "not done right" paint... than go around town in a circus wagon lookin jalopy. This can be done easily, and low buck, and look good.
Take some cake, and eat it too.

[rstewart09]

If your not going for a show finish and just want something that will look good for a cheap price, you can try the $50 roller paint job discribed here http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/...0&fpart=1&vc=1 There is around 100 pages of info and some of these people got amazing results. I believe it has been discussed on this board before and some here have tried it. I tryed a test on an old hood and it really did come out pretty good. I have sprayed a few cars in the past with not any better results than this. As others have said its all about the prep.

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by JAKES 68GMC

I've got a question about re-painting my truck. My paint now is flat for the most part and really chalky. So I'm planning to paint it gloss hunter green Rustoleum sometime in the near future. It won't be a perfect paintjob, but I'm hoping it will look good and last awhile. (it's a long shot, I know ) So, my question is, as a daily driver, how long would it be before the paint starts to fade and get chalky?? I probably won't add a clear coat, but I may add some hardener to get a better finish. Thanks for the replies.

I would seriously consider going to a place like "Harbor Freight" and get one of their 1 qt HVLP paint guns and an air line filter. It is a cheap investment and it pains quite well. I then would go to a supply house, whether it be for Rustoleum or a mid grade automotive paint and purchase an acrylic enamel single phase paint. That way you have a colored paint and the hardener to match it. Once oyu apply the paint (lay it on slowly and set the gun for a fine spray) let it dry and then invest in the stuff to wet sand it and buff the paint. There are many products on the market that make it easy to buff, but they are not cheap. However the investment is not a waste, because once you figure out how that works, you can use it on anything and keep it shiney. Even the wife's car, when the dang cat walks across it. The buffing material will clean up plastic lenses and headlights also. Invest in a slow speed buffer and some larger 9" pads. That paint job can rival the best of any 3 stage paint, if you put some time in it.

[JAKES 68GMC]

Thanks for the replies, they help a lot. I'm interested in this buffing stuff. Whats to it? Do you just get a buffing wheel, put it on a grinder, and buff the body panels, or do you use a special cream or what? I'm gonna need some details guys.

The only reason I was thinking of using Rustoleum for a repaint is because it's cheap, it looks good (IMO) and it pretty easy paint to spray. And I mean with a HVLP sprayer, not the beloved rattle can . Andy, your paint job kinda kick-started my idea of repainting my truck. You did it cheap and your paint came out good, from the pics I saw of it. We had my dune buggy painted in a tractor enamel paint (A.C. Orange). The guy who sprayed it didn't even thin the paint, just dumped it in the gun and sprayed. Needless to say, it came out beautiful. It's not a mirror finish, but it's pretty glossy. Thanks for all the replies guys, you have no clue how much I appreciate it. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!
Jake

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by JAKES 68GMC

Thanks for the replies, they help a lot. I'm interested in this buffing stuff. Whats to it? Do you just get a buffing wheel, put it on a grinder, and buff the body panels, or do you use a special cream or what? I'm gonna need some details guys.

The only reason I was thinking of using Rustoleum for a repaint is because it's cheap, it looks good (IMO) and it pretty easy paint to spray. And I mean with a HVLP sprayer, not the beloved rattle can . Andy, your paint job kinda kick-started my idea of repainting my truck. You did it cheap and your paint came out good, from the pics I saw of it. We had my dune buggy painted in a tractor enamel paint (A.C. Orange). The guy who sprayed it didn't even thin the paint, just dumped it in the gun and sprayed. Needless to say, it came out beautiful. It's not a mirror finish, but it's pretty glossy. Thanks for all the replies guys, you have no clue how much I appreciate it. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!
Jake

BUFFING 101:
First off, NEVER use a grinder to do the buffing--it turns to fast and will burn through the paint. Use a tool that is designed as a buffer. A good one will have more than one speed, BUT the slowest speed is the most desireable. I started with a Black and Decker "Elcheapo" and now have a couple of good ones.

Second, use a big buffing pad (Example: 3-M sells pads called super-buffs) that are about 9" in diameter and have material on both sides. They require an adapter to mount onto a buffer, but it is worth it.

Third, the buffing is completed by actually applying a rubbing compound and the buffing pad will work it to remove imperfections and scratches. There are many different brands and levels of rubbing compounds. I use the 3-M products "Finness-It" and the 3-M triact compounds, but you will have to see what is available in your area.

Buffing takes time and patience, most of all the patience. Most NEW paint will require a sanding with a 2000, 2500, or 3000 grit wet and dry paper to get the imperfections minmized, then the buffing starts. This can take hours, but the finished product is phenominal.

If you are going to buff tired or "old" paint and dirt, the sanding will probably not be a good idea, but a buffing with a cutting material (like Finness-It) to start and then finish with a glazing compound will bring a lot of dead paint to life. What you are doing is removing the old surface paint and revealing the under-layers. HOWEVER, and I do stress this--don't expect miracles on really old paint and don't just keep buffing at it, because you will soon get to the primer and then you are really done. After awhile you can do it in your sleep.

Below is a picture of the hood on my truck and the result of many hours of polishing after the paint work was done. The reflection is of the wall behind it and the light in the overhead o the 12' ceiling.

[72armyswbtruck]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

BUFFING 101:
First off, NEVER use a grinder to do the buffing--it turns to fast and will burn through the paint. Use a tool that is designed as a buffer. A good one will have more than one speed, BUT the slowest speed is the most desireable. I started with a Black and Decker "Elcheapo" and now have a couple of good ones.

Second, use a big buffing pad (Example: 3-M sells pads called super-buffs) that are about 9" in diameter and have material on both sides. They require an adapter to mount onto a buffer, but it is worth it.

Third, the buffing is completed by actually applying a rubbing compound and the buffing pad will work it to remove imperfections and scratches. There are many different brands and levels of rubbing compounds. I use the 3-M products "Finness-It" and the 3-M triact compounds, but you will have to see what is available in your area.

Buffing takes time and patience, most of all the patience. Most NEW paint will require a sanding with a 2000, 2500, or 3000 grit wet and dry paper to get the imperfections minmized, then the buffing starts. This can take hours, but the finished product is phenominal.

If you are going to buff tired or "old" paint and dirt, the sanding will probably not be a good idea, but a buffing with a cutting material (like Finness-It) to start and then finish with a glazing compound will bring a lot of dead paint to life. What you are doing is removing the old surface paint and revealing the under-layers. HOWEVER, and I do stress this--don't expect miracles on really old paint and don't just keep buffing at it, because you will soon get to the primer and then you are really done. After awhile you can do it in your sleep.

Below is a picture of the hood on my truck and the result of many hours of polishing after the paint work was done. The reflection is of the wall behind it and the light in the overhead o the 12' ceiling.

NICE BUFFING JOB

[JAKES 68GMC]

THANKS piecesparts! Would a air sander work to buff with, or do I have to buy a buffer?

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by JAKES 68GMC

THANKS piecesparts! Would a air sander work to buff with, or do I have to buy a buffer?

The answer would be NO. Most air sanders work on an orbital basis and a buffer is circular in operation. You want a buffer, whether or not it is air operated or electrical that runs at a slow speed. Makita, Dewalt, Milwaukee, and Porter Cable make good ones. I have a Porter Cable and a Makita that I use for different things. The Makita has the "Super Buff" pad on it for cutting and pollishing and the Porter Cable unit has the sponge pads for using glazing compunds or detailing spray.

You need to stay away from D&A sanders or the infamous orbital polishers, like the ones that Sears sells a lot of. The Orbitals polishers are just that, you can put wax on with them and polish the paint, but cannot do serious buffing with them. The D&A sanders will only make a mess out of your polishing compound and not accomplish the work. The D&A CAN be used for the 3000 grit sanding [a[er to get the wetsnading started on NEW paint, but the right attachments and paper needs to be purchased for that.

This may be something that you would want to talk to a detail person about. There are quite a few of these guys around, even most body shops do that on the side.

[notmrgoodwrench]

hey there i buff cars all the time i use a craftsman buffer and i use macguires machine glaze it comes in different stages or grits but i use the number 3 on just about everything unless it is really faded if it is really faded then i use 3m super heavy duty buffing compund first then go over it again with the macguires number 3 then go wash the car off at the car wash and let it dry then give it a good coat of wax macguires makes a great wax too but its kind of expensive so i usually use kit wax or nu finish and like was said just take your time and you will be fine hope this helps a little

[70 net440]

If you like the flat black look, John Deere "Blitz Black" sells for about $24.00 a gallon and thier thinner is about $9.00. I painted my son's '67 about a year ago and it still looks good.

[JAKES 68GMC]

Thanks for the help guys. I don't know if the paint is buffable or not, its pretty chalky and faded in spots. My roof is about the worst spot. How much does a cheap buffer usually go for?? Where can I buy the buffing compound?
BTW, if I repainted, I was planning on using JD Blitz black as a primer for the truck.
Jake

[nutsforchevys]

You might check at your local rental store. You might be able to rent a good buffer. Be careful on the ridges and other spots that are not smooth. A good buffer and compound will go to primer quickly on our old trucks. I use 3M compound followed by 3M perfect-it swirl mark remover. I use a wool pad. Good luck.

[wolfthing2000]

You can buff anything. Just like I say and no fingers pointed at any one here..................................











you do dis and i do dat!