Refinishing car paint tips

Car body repair
Arc & spot welding
Automotive hand tools
Automotive priming
Car doors
Car lubrication
Car enamel colors
Car paint colors
Car paint glossary
Car painting problems
Car upholstery
Cleaning car upholstery
Door locks
Equipment
Fender repair
Flock coating
Folder tops
Infra-red paint drying
Interior automotive trim
Metal welding
Metal working
Oxyacetylene cutting
Oxyacetylene rods
Oxyacetylene welding
Painting over paint
Paint surface preparation
Panel replacement
Refinishing paint tips
Refinishing equipment
Safe car spraying
Sanding, striping, rubbing
Shrinking sheet metal
Soldering
Spraying lacquer

Not finished yet:

Usa cars 1955
Brakes
Carburetors
Clutch Fluid Drive
Cooling System
Disc Brakes
Electrical
Engine
Engine 8 Cyl
Fuel Pumps
Generating System
Hy Drive
Ignition
Overdrive
Power Brakes
Power Steering
Powerflite
Propeller Shaft
Rear Axle
Starting System
Steering
Suspension
Transmission

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  • Good work is possible only with good equipment and material.
  • Use thinner of the same brand as the lacquer you are using.
  • Two thin coats dry faster and give better results than one thick coat.
  • In equipping a shop get equipment with sufficient capacity to provide for growth.
  • Cheap equipment is no economy.
  • Pressure variations upset the "pattern" of the spray. The center of the spray is generally the "wettest "—be sure the edges overlap.
  • Read and heed the instructions of the manufacturer of your spray equipment.
  • Read and heed the instructions of the manufacturer of your materials.
  • Keep your air conditioner clean. Drain it daily.
  • A small touch-up gun with an assortment of color in small containers is a good investment.
  • Never put equipment away without cleaning thoroughly. A clean shop is a safe shop.
  • Placing paint tube in thinner and pulling trigger of gun quickly and thoroughly cleans all passages.
  • Steel drums should not be used under pressure.
  • Do not use steel floors. They may cause sparks—and sparks are dangerous.
  • A drop of oil on the working parts of your gun smooths the action and preserves the mechanism.
  • Never use pliers on your gun—use a wrench.
  • A round spray is best for wheel spokes and other small areas.
  • Keep your gun moving if you would avoid runs and sags. Use a fan spray and overlap your strokes when covering panels.
  • Keep your spraying strokes parallel.
  • Low air pressure causes rough finishes.
  • Holding the gun too far from the surface causes excessive dust and gives a poor finish.
  • Holding the gun too close tends to cause sags and runs. Pin holes in the finish are generally due to water or oil in the air lines.
  • Always make the first coat of lacquer light. That seals the under coats.
  • Gas sand lacquers, but not lacquer undercoaters. The gas attacks the gum in undercoats.
  • The longer the last coat of lacquer dries, the more brilliant will be the finish when rubbed.
  • Thinner will quickly remove lacquer from metal parts. Keep your spray booth or room well ventilated but avoid drafts.
  • A cool spray room may cause pitting of the finish.
  • A temperature of 70° is recommended for spraying and drying.
  • Keep lacquers and similar supplies in a steel cabinet—and in a room of about 70°.
  • Excessive sanding or use of coarse paper causes scratches to show when refinishing over old lacquer.
  • Keep the hands off the bare metal or finish of a car. Oil in the skin or perspiration injures lacquer.
  • Paint removers contain wax and this should be wiped from the surface with turpentine before spraying.
  • Use nothing but lights protected with vapor proof globes in a refinishing room.
  • Lacquer spraying is not hazardous if proper precautions are taken against fire.
  • Foam type fire extinguishers are good insurance in any shop.
  • Run your exhaust fan for a few moments after you have stopped spraying.
  • Ground all electric motors, switches, etc., to guard against sparks.
  • Never install an electric motor inside of a spray booth. Place a metal comb, well grounded, so as to keep static electricity from accumulating on belts.
  • Never drive an automobile under its own power into or out of the finishing room.
  • Disconnect the battery of every car that enters your refinishing room.
  • Invite your local fire or insurance inspector to check over your shop. He is your friend. Follow his suggestions.
  • When polishing the finish use a ribbed cloth. It holds the polishing material better than plain cloth.
  • All finishes break down in time. That is due to either chalking, cracking, or peeling.
  • Premature chalking most commonly results from excessive pigment in the finish—possibly as a result of settling in the container.
  • Cracking may result from applying additional coats without waiting long enough for the undercoats to dry thoroughly.
  • Peeling indicates that the surface on which the new finish was sprayed was not properly cleaned up.
  • Orange peel effect may result from too much air pressure, finish applied too thick, or insufficient thinner.
  • Slow drying generally indicates thick application, oily surface, or failure to remove all traces of paint remover.
  • Lacquer and equipment manufacturers want you to get the best possible results from their products. Take up specific questions with them.