Have any of you guys painted your own,lets say in your drivway or even your garage, with good results? Just wondering.I may decide to go this route........Any suggestions

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Steve (The Doctor)
66 chevelle(327)
afr 195's(10.3:1)
air gap w/holly 780
comp XE268H
TH350 (2400 stall)
3:73 rear
(383 in the works)

"new short block..$2,500
"nos setup..$400
"odds and ends....$1,00
"The look on your wifes face when the visa bill comes in........Priceless

Yep! I did it!
Would I do it again? Probably not, but if I were younger and arthritis wasn't a factor maybe so.

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ACES member# 5093
Elcaminos are special!
I'd rather walk around with a Chevrolet hubcap in my hand than drive a Ford

Ole Paint (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/olepaint1)

It can be done. In a garage. Just make sure the garage is perfectly clean. Perfect. That includes you. Try and wear lint free clothes.

Later
Steve

WELL VENTILATED GARAGE!!!! USE PROPER SAFETY EQUIPMENT!!!! THESE PAINT PRODUCTS WILL KILL YOU!!!!! yes i am shouting, karl

What do you think about a plastic tent in your garage? I have tried to paint my hood in a plastic tent. I thought it was ok but the static electricity in the plastic held a ton of overspray and seemed to fall off when the plastic moved. I used an old furnace fan to suck the vapors out but.....I have a unfinished garage with PETS and was trying to keep dust and pet hair off of the finish. I don't think I would try the whole car (in this garage).
BTW I did paint a daily driver in my garage at my previous house and turned out OK but not a show quality finish, would have needed wetsanding, buffing. Equipment is important: resporator, air regulator and water seperator, good gun and get one of those tyvek paint suite coveralls.

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71 SS-454 El Camino

[This message has been edited by caddpro (edited 07-22-2002).]

Don't know about your area, but back in Chicago (original home town) the local tech college did a fabulous job on my (ahem...) '66 Mustang. I bought the materials, they shot the paint (with me and the instructor supervising). I don't know if your reason is budget or DIY, but mine was budget.

I got tired of painting "my-self" and started wearing tyvek coveralls, latex gloves and a good respirator. Much easier than scrubbing paint from my hair and fingers...... http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif
Oh... you mean do-it-yourself, in your own garage. That's how I got started in the business. In a garage!
I remember making a "booth" from plastic sheeting and built an exhaust fan box for under the door. I thoroughly cleaned the walls and floor and watered down the floor before painting. Made a big difference in paint quality.
I built an exhaust fan un-expensively from an axial attic ventilation fan. They move quite a bit of cfm and are easy to mount in a simple box for under the garage door.
Just my .02 good luck http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif


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'68 SS-396 (still workin' on it)
"Need a good hobby?? I recommend drinking"
-2 Below Custom Automotive
Fbks, AK.

Base\clear might be your best option to do it in your garage..The base dries fast and less likely to pick up trash..Youll get some in the clear but can be sanded out. My dad paints in one of those plastic booths your talking about with pretty good results.
TAKE HEED to more ambition than brains advice..I spent a couple of day in the hospital getting breathing treatments after painting once due to insufficent ventilation. Its not much fun..

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best regards
Importtech

Hey Karl, you forgot to capitalize the k in your name. he he he http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif Cal

Is it possible to rent time in a professional paint booth on evenings or weekends? I did this many years ago with good results on both my car and my health.

72sselcamino- doing pennance for my volume. karl

At our local technical college it cost $240.00 for a 12 week course, Monday nights, 5:00 to 9:00. You get to use their tools and two paint booths and an expert (teacher) is there to help with any problems you run into. Bring your car and paint it there is what I am doing. I do shoot primer coats in my shop as dust and lint are not problems in the primer. This is a great time with about 10 to a dozen gearheads all doing similar projects.

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Redrum (or Mike)

68 Corvette - 383 CI, 427 HP, 700R4, 12.56 @ 108 MPH
69 SS Chevelle - 502 CI, 610 HP, 2004R, 1320 unknown
97 Z-28 - totally stock still under 14,000 miles

"Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar."
*Drew Carey

I'm in the Air Force, and most active bases have an automotive hobby shop with lifts, and paint booths. Ours has two booths, and for some super nominal fee you can rent it out by the hour or day. They are fully ventilated and setup just for painting. If you know someone who is in the military and can get you on base, that's another option. I'm planning on at least priming my car in one of these.

I was thinking of painting, my car myself, until i found out how much a decent air compressor costs along with a decent gun. What compressors + gun is cost effective than can do the job, without worring about show quality? I just want a nice paint job. Its it possible for under 600 dollars to get all the necessary equipment?

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Frank66:
I was thinking of painting, my car myself, until i found out how much a decent air compressor costs along with a decent gun. What compressors + gun is cost effective than can do the job, without worring about show quality? I just want a nice paint job. Its it possible for under 600 dollars to get all the necessary equipment?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes it is possible. You can buy a Sharpe HVLP Platinum remanufactured from Sharpe (www.sharpe1.com) for approx 150 bucks.. that leaves you with 450 bucks to buy a compressor... I have this gun and have painted with a 300 dollar craftsman 6hp 33 gal compressor without any issues and got a show quality paint job out of it.. Of course I only painted a motorcycle with 3 stage paints.. But it held up to the use quite easily...

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X-Ray View of my Chevelle http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif (http://www.normieschevelle.com/sideview.jpg)
Getting Closer (http://www.normieschevelle.com/passfull.jpg)
my baby in primer (http://www.normieschevelle.com/prime/primerdrv.jpg)

[This message has been edited by normie (edited 07-25-2002).]

Look at it this way;
You'd pay someone at least $1,000 in labor alone to paint your car.
You could purchase a true HVLP complete system (with blower that eliminates the need for a compressor) and a great gun for around $800. These systems really cut down on the overspray and are much more of a viable means of painting your own car in your own garage.
Even if you don't save any money, you'll have a quality piece of spray equipment that you'll have and use for a long long time.
You'll also have a better paint job in the mean time and you'll be able to say, "I did it myself", which is very rewarding.

I just tried one for the first time recently and I was really impressed. I have and currently use an HVLP gun with a standard compressor. I will buy one of these true HVLP systems in the future!

Thanx every one for all the input.I will definitly do the job my self,seems worth it to get the system and gun and to have called my own.
Now ,what type of primer and paint have you all used? What would be the best?

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Steve (The Doctor)
66 chevelle(327)
afr 195's(10.3:1)
air gap w/holly 780
comp XE268H
TH350 (2400 stall)
3:73 rear
(383 in the works)

"new short block..$2,500
"nos setup..$400
"odds and ends....$1,00
"The look on your wifes face when the visa bill comes in........Priceless

I use a mail order supply house for all primers and supplies. You can save mucho dinero!
PIVCO 812-479-1117

Primer - MarHyde buff colored urethane primer 1 gallon package is about $45 including hardener. They won't ship thinners or reducers. Ask for a catalog. They have the best prices for sand paper, etc.

Jimmy P, thats why i want to do it myself, i hate to pay someone a fortune just on labor, that complete HVLP system sounds real nice, how much space does it take up, and where can I get it?
I read stories on this site about not getting a craftman, bec it may not be a true 5HP, and 5hp= 220v, you need this power at least in order to paint such a large area,so ive read. I do not have 220volt in my garage, how do you get around this?

Buy a gas engine powered compressor. Ingersoll-Rand, 5.5 HP, 11.8 CFM @ 90 PSI, rated for continuous use; $699.99, Harbor Freight.

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Redrum (or Mike)

68 Corvette - 383 CI, 427 HP, 700R4, 12.56 @ 108 MPH
69 SS Chevelle - 502 CI, 610 HP, 2004R, 1320 unknown
97 Z-28 - totally stock still under 14,000 miles

"Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar."
*Drew Carey

Just be careful with the modern paints. Most of them contain ISOCYANATES, which can kill you!

A regular paint respirator will NOT protect you, only a complete fresh-air supply system. They are also absorbed through the skin and eyes...

Read www.paintucation.com (http://www.paintucation.com) Great Site!

I painted my Monte in my garage, using single stage enamel without hardener (no isos...). Not show quality, but very respectable for a driver...

Pics on www.71Monte.com (http://www.71Monte.com)

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71 Monte 454 HO 5-Speed "FULMNTE"
www.71Monte.com (http://www.71Monte.com)

Pivco has them and I think Harbor freight as well. The 120 V model will paint a car just fine. That's the type that I tried, although the guy who owned it said he was thinking about the 220 V model but he paints everyday.
Shop on line and you'll find one I'm sure. You can get different tip sizes for different paints. That's the main feature to look for in a gun or system that has a gun included. The box itself is small, about 1'x2'x2.5'. The hose is rather large (1" diameter) and takes some time getting used to. But the paint atomization is unequaled. If you've read MartinSr's post on painting, you'll know that's important for a number of things and it's all good. It would make a novice painter look like a pro!

I painted my 64 Elcamino in my Garage. It's not a show car. If I took the time to make it any better I wouldn't want to park it in the Walmart parking lot.Check it out. (http://mediaservice.photoisland.com/auction/Jul/20027307290292440229939.jpg) The emblems are on backorder, the mirrors and turnsignal lenses are on it now.

[This message has been edited by davisrus (edited 07-30-2002).]