Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Auto Painting Directions

The vast range of different automotive paints on the market can often lead to confusion in making the correct choice of material and applying it to a prepared panel. The increased demand for lower volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions has made water-based products incredibly popular in most major body shops, but there is still a significant demand for solvent-based colors, urethane clear coats and single-staged acrylic paint systems. Although directions for application are largely universal, there are a number of small considerations which need to be applied to ensure a perfectly painted finish.

Instructions

Water-Based Paint

    1

    Activate water-based material at a ratio of 10 parts paint to 1 part of compatible activator. Always strain water-based paints through a filter before adding them to a HVLP spray gun. Ensure the spray gun fluid tip setup for water-based paint is kept to a maximum of 1.2 mm and an ambient spraying temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit should always be maintained.

    2

    Apply water-based paint in three full coats from a distance of 4 inches, allowing a suitable curing time between each one to allow the color to matte. Carry out a full inspection of the final coat to check for transparency and add further coats as necessary.

    3

    Apply a drop coat of color -- once the final full coat has cured -- from a distance of 10 to 12 inches to give an even coverage of metallic contact or straight color integration. Leave to cure for 5 minutes before applying a compatible clear coat.

Solvent-Based Color

    4

    Mix solvent-based colors at a ratio of 2 parts paint to 1 part of compatible thinner. There is no need to add a hardener to solvent-based colored coatings. Mix the contents together thoroughly to allow for the distribution of paint solids and strain the material through a filter into a HVLP spray gun with a 1.4 mm fluid tip setup.

    5

    Apply the first layer of color at medium volume instead of a full coat. The high level of solid content should give effective coverage and a lighter application will provide an excellent gripping surface for subsequent coats. Leave the first coat to cure until it is matte in appearance.

    6

    Apply two full coats of solvent-based material over the grip coat with a suitable curing period between each one. A drop coat can be added on metallic colors from a distance of 8 to 12 inches. Clean the spray gun thoroughly before applying a protective clear coat.

Urethane and Acrylic Paints

    7

    Activate urethane and acrylic paints in accordance with manufacturer data sheets. A 2 to 1 mix with a compatible hardener is usually recommended. Add an additional 10 percent of thinner to promote a suitable flow of material and add the mixed product to a HVLP spray gun with a 1.3 mm fluid tip setup. Spray at an ambient temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

    8

    Spray urethane and acrylic products in two full coats at a distance of 6 inches from the panel surface. Allow 5 minutes between each coat for paint to cure, ensuring that all panel edges have been covered before cleaning out the spray gun with cellulose thinners.

    9

    Force dry urethane and acrylic materials, wherever possible. Ideally, a paint oven set at a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes should be used. Alternatively, leave material to dry overnight at ambient temperature.

0 comments:

Post a Comment