Paint Help

[65sporty]

I hope azblackhemi will give some tips. I haven't picked up a spray gun in 30 years and then I only sprayed the primer, my Dad did the paint. I am thinking about painting some wheels, my hood on my Vue needs a re-spray and my son's friend wants some touch up on his Crown Vic (paint peeling). I can handle the prep and finish work after the paint it's just the paint I need help with.
I need to know what to look for in paint guns, I don't need something to put down a show quality finish but don't want total junk. I have a old Craftsman gun, how do I tell what tip size it is?
Single stage or base/clear for the wheels and touch up? The hood will get base/clear. Any tips on mixing the paint.
I am sure I will have other questions and others will also.

 

[Wollfen]

I'm considering using this set for my own use. I'm not looking for award winning paint jobs. I have read good reports on them, good bang for your buck.
3 GUN MASTER SPRAY GUN SET WITH 3 CUPS ALL ACCESSORIES

 

[tbm3fan]

That looks ok. I have tips of 1.3, 1.5, 1.8, and 2.5. I use 1.5 for epoxy primers and the 1.3 for base and many single stage. The 2.5 is for sprayable fillers like Slick Sand.

To OP if you are talking about steel wheels then I have used SS urethane. Namely this one from TCP:1905

tech sheet example: http://www.tcpglobal.com/restorationshop/docs/techsheet_au.pdf

Your hood and the Crown Vic are both BC/CC with the Crown Vic's clear coat no doubt peeling. The hood should be easy enough to do. You didn't say what section you are painting on the Crown Vic or how bad the peeling is.

As for mixing paint all one does is follow the mixing instructions to the letter. Pay attention to the day's temperature and humidity which can determine whether a retarder is fast, medium or slow. Pay attention to flash times. Pay attention to windows such as time frame for spraying clear on your base coat. Get the surfaces clean, clean, and clean. Dawn then wax and grease remover as instructed.

 

[Big_John]

FWIW.
Hot Rods - Harbor Freight purple spray gun
Technical - Harbor Freight 'purple' spray guns

 

[detmatt]

Harbor Freight?

 

[Big_John]

Harbor Freight?

Yea.. Yea.. I know.

Just passing along what I've read. Probably on the same level of quality as the TCP Global guns @ $80 for 3 guns with a regulator and a filter. You know they came from the same country.

 

[Carmine]

Yea.. Yea.. I know.

Just passing along what I've read. Probably on the same level of quality as the TCP Global guns @ $80 for 3 guns with a regulator and a filter. You know they came from the same country.

Harbor Fright is the way to fly if you're going 30 years between paint jobs. The $19 gun puts down a good pattern and that's all that matters for the very occasional painter. Gravity-feed guns have taken the suction-feed problems out of the equasion.

 

[65sporty]

Your hood and the Crown Vic are both BC/CC with the Crown Vic's clear coat no doubt peeling. The hood should be easy enough to do. You didn't say what section you are painting on the Crown Vic or how bad the peeling is.

The Crown Vic has some spots with the clear peeling but it also has spots were the paint is gone and it's down to primer. He washed it on Sat and large pieces were coming off. The whole car will get painted some time but for right now he just wants to make it look better, at least get it all one color.

 

[cantflip]

Yea.. Yea.. I know.

Just passing along what I've read. Probably on the same level of quality as the TCP Global guns @ $80 for 3 guns with a regulator and a filter. You know they came from the same country.

Harbor Fright is the way to fly if you're going 30 years between paint jobs. The $19 gun puts down a good pattern and that's all that matters for the very occasional painter. Gravity-feed guns have taken the suction-feed problems out of the equasion.

What these guy's said... buy them on sale for inventory and they cost less than the solvent to clean them. But few would confuse my results, or materials, with the really nice stuff that a pro like @azblackhemi produces...

 

[tbm3fan]

The Crown Vic has some spots with the clear peeling but it also has spots were the paint is gone and it's down to primer. He washed it on Sat and large pieces were coming off. The whole car will get painted some time but for right now he just wants to make it look better, at least get it all one color.

Gee, sounds like the whole car or at least all the flat horizontal surfaces. That would mean getting rid of all the clear coat as it would now be a terrible foundation. Then putting base on the whole panel, as I doubt you know how to blend, and then clear the entire panel.

If more permanent then I would strip everything off say the hood and trunk lid, prime, base and clear. Side panels don't usually have such issues and so scuffing the old clear well, if strong, with 600 grit would work. I am about to replace a hood and bumper cover on my wife's car. New parts are blue while car is steel gray. The hood has strong solid paint so I can sand well, then base and clear. The bumper cover also has strongly adhered paint so I can also scuff well, base and clear with a flex additive. The current hood has lost all clear and I would strip it if it didn't have a crease across it.