Painting antique Car

[Guest Skyking]

What's a spray booth?:eek: The most dirt you'll encounter comes from your clothes...........

[Restorer32]

Better do your at home painting fast. EPA regulators are well on their way to making it illegal to paint at home. As it is now a hobbyist can paint 5 cars/year maximum at home and it has to be on a strictly non profit basis. In the not too distant future you will likely need a license and ongoing training and periodic recertification to even buy automotive paints. We just received notice that our employees must attend a mandatory OSHA Hazardous Materials Handling seminar that will be sponsored by our paint supplier within the next several weeks.

[Guest Skyking]

We just received notice that our employees must attend a mandatory OSHA Hazardous Materials Handling seminar that will be sponsored by our paint supplier within the next several weeks.

My guess is the cost of paint will go up again to pay for this. I'm glad I finished my last restore job. Even for us doing our own work it's way too expensive............

[Restorer32]

Restorer 32 I have sent you a PM. But I would like to publicly Thank you for the time you devote to helping folks on the forum.

Well, I appreciate that comment but I have learned far more from these forums than I have ever contributed. After 35 years it's kinda nice to let Son shoulder most of the heavy lifting so I can have a bit of fun again playing with and talking about old cars.

[CarlLaFong]

Better do your at home painting fast. EPA regulators are well on their way to making it illegal to paint at home. As it is now a hobbyist can paint 5 cars/year maximum at home and it has to be on a strictly non profit basis.

If you're painting more than 5 cars a year, at home, you're not a hobbyist. BTW, the last time I painted a car, at home, I somehow forgot to call the Feds at the EPA and notify them. Exactly who is it that keeps this 5 car tally and knows whether you were paid for it or not?

[joe_padavano]

If you're painting more than 5 cars a year, at home, you're not a hobbyist. BTW, the last time I painted a car, at home, I somehow forgot to call the Feds at the EPA and notify them. Exactly who is it that keeps this 5 car tally and knows whether you were paid for it or not?

Amen.

By the way, I've been hearing this threat (though the number varies, depending on who's telling the story) for at least a decade now. I still ask the question, what about farmers who have to repaint their farm equipment? And more to the point, how does anyone know how many cars (or cabinets, or children's playsets, or whatever) are being painted?

Edited November 8, 2013 by joe_padavano (see edit history)

[Hudsy Wudsy]

Wow! Long brushes! Really? You would think they must have had paint sprayers even in the 20's? If they really used brushes they probably used a paint of just the right consistency that would leave no brush marks? Is that possible?

Yes, they were remarkably long - with maybe eight or ten inch bristles. Years ago my wife decided that we should get rid of all of the crummy old flat panel doors and "ranch" moldings in our '50s house so we bravely picked up a dozen or more six panel doors and "Princeton" casings and moldings. My part was easy, I sprayed all of the doors, but she brush painted all of the moldings throughout the house. She did a lot of research which led her to the use of Penetrol to aid the flow of the paint, but (and this is my point of sharing all of this with you) she also learned to wrap her paint can with a hot pad (you know - like for aches and pains) before and during her work. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you could search for an hour before you would find a brush mark in my house. My guy friends are humbled and amazed when I point it out to them. It's been years since I read about the early days of auto painting with a brush, but I think that I recall that the paint temp was a big factor in the process of proper flow and minimal brush marks.

Edited November 7, 2013 by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history)

[Luv2Wrench]

Some of the best paint jobs I've seen came out of people's garages. If you've seen my cars and then my set up, ( no booth, no expensive compressor) you would never think I painted them myself, and I'm just a hobbyist. It can be done, and be quite nice.

Check out my latest............

http://metropolitan.freeforums.org/the-restoration-of-my-1954-metropolitan-541-t1829.html

Wow, I skipped ahead to page 5 in your thread and I was blown away by the paint job. Absolutely perfect.

I see you used SPI Epoxy Primer and it worked well for you. SPI is local to me and I've read a lot of good things about their products. What polyester primer did you use and did you consider using SPI's high build 2K primer or is that not the right application?

I also see you chose single stage for the color, have you done base/clear before and if so, what is your opinion on the two?

Did you use two colors for the glide coat or just one?

Great build thread, thanks for sharing!

[Rusty_OToole]

It is possible to get an excellent paint job with a brush and roller, if you do a careful job and wet sand between coats then buff and wax. For a black car this would be a very authentic finish.

Cars were brush painted before spray guns were invented in the twenties, and for many years afterwards. The Morgan company brush painted all their cars until the fifties, and the white ones were brush painted until the 80s if not later. The secret was having fine brushes, the correct paint, and a skilled painter. In the days of custom body cars coach painter was a skilled trade. The most expensive cars were finished by hand. This was too expensive and time consuming for mass production cars, that is the reason spray finishes were invented. But it was years before they developed spray finishes as fine and durable as the custom brush painted finish.

[Restorer32]

Amen.

By the way, I've been hearing this threat (though the number varies, depending on who'w telling the story) for at least a decade now. I still ask the question, what about farmers who have to repaint their farm equipment? And more to the point, how does anyone know how many cars (or cabinets, or children's playsets, or whatever) are being painted?

You might want to Google EPA Rule 6H and find the section dealing with hobbyists. State law also applies. For instance in Ohio it is currently only permissable for a hobbyist to paint 2 cars at home/year and zero for financial gain. How will they police it? Automotive paint suppliers already are required to keep detailed records of who bought what products, what quantities they purchased and when. Big Brother is watching.

[joe_padavano]

You might want to Google EPA Rule 6H and find the section dealing with hobbyists. State law also applies. For instance in Ohio it is currently only permissable for a hobbyist to paint 2 cars at home/year and zero for financial gain. How will they police it? Automotive paint suppliers already are required to keep detailed records of who bought what products, what quantities they purchased and when. Big Brother is watching.

Funny, because there were no records kept when I bough paint at Carlisle. More to the point, BUYING paint isn't the same as SPRAYING paint. I've got family, friends, and neighbors who can also BUY paint...

Just sayin'.

Enforcement will be problematic. It's been federally illegal to remove or tamper with emissions equipment since the 1970s. Ever heard of a private party being prosecuted for this? (and please don't bring up Boyd Coddington, since 1) that was a COMPANY, not a private party, and 2) the real offense was fraud, not tampering)

[Durant Mike]

As most of you already know, there was a time long, long ago when cars were painted with brushes at the factory. I wanted to post a picture of one of those remarkably long brushes for the benefit of those who have never seen one, but I can't seem to find one. I recall being shocked by the sight of one when I first encountered it years ago. Do any of you have a search term that might work to come up with a picture of one?

I have a copy of a 1923 movie made at the Durant automobile plant in Canada with them painting touring car bodies with what appears to be a rubber hose, kind of like a garden hose. All the additional paint would run off into a tank in the floor. Interesting to watch.

[Restorer32]

Funny, because there were no records kept when I bough paint at Carlisle. More to the point, BUYING paint isn't the same as SPRAYING paint. I've got family, friends, and neighbors who can also BUY paint...

Just sayin'.

Enforcement will be problematic. It's been federally illegal to remove or tamper with emissions equipment since the 1970s. Ever heard of a private party being prosecuted for this? (and please don't bring up Boyd Coddington, since 1) that was a COMPANY, not a private party, and 2) the real offense was fraud, not tampering)

I was just pointing out what the law says. Whether it's enforced or people comply is a different question but you have to agree it's one more step down a slippery slope of government control aside from the question of whether people should be spraying hazardous chemicals in their back yard. I do know an ex chrome plater who actually did jail time for not disposing of waste properly. And I didn't say you couldn't buy paint. I said that in the near future and in some states currently your purchase will be tracked. We are in PA. 8 miles down the road in MD it's illegal to sell PPG's low budget ShopLine products. It is also illegal for our paint supplier to ship ShopLine products into MD.

[Guest Skyking]

Wow, I skipped ahead to page 5 in your thread and I was blown away by the paint job. Absolutely perfect.

I see you used SPI Epoxy Primer and it worked well for you. SPI is local to me and I've read a lot of good things about their products. What polyester primer did you use and did you consider using SPI's high build 2K primer or is that not the right application?

I also see you chose single stage for the color, have you done base/clear before and if so, what is your opinion on the two?

Did you use two colors for the glide coat or just one?

Great build thread, thanks for sharing!

Hi Jeff, thank you for your comments..........

SPI ( Southern Polyurethane Industries) Epoxy primer is the only product I used by them because my son uses it and recommended it when I was doing my car. He also uses their clears on different applications and is very happy with them. The guys at SPI are great to deal with and will help with problems 7 days a week. I would have used a polyester by them if one was available. For that I used Duratec, a product my son was experimenting with. The last car I painted I used Omni and I didn't have any shrinking. This car I did have some after I wet sanded it in June. I will have to do that again with 2500 in the spring. I've had good luck with PPG's Concept single stage. It may be a little pricey but it is a good product. When wet sanded properly, it will look like clear. I have used base/clear (DuPont) when I painted my 66 Skylark in 2000, only because that car was metallic. I wouldn't attempt to try and paint metallic in S/S, too risky for me. As for the Glide coat, I used 3M, black, one color...........

Hope this helps.

Edited November 8, 2013 by Skyking (see edit history)

[joe_padavano]

I was just pointing out what the law says. Whether it's enforced or people comply is a different question but you have to agree it's one more step down a slippery slope of government control aside from the question of whether people should be spraying hazardous chemicals in their back yard. I do know an ex chrome plater who actually did jail time for not disposing of waste properly. And I didn't say you couldn't buy paint. I said that in the near future and in some states currently your purchase will be tracked. We are in PA. 8 miles down the road in MD it's illegal to sell PPG's low budget ShopLine products. It is also illegal for our paint supplier to ship ShopLine products into MD.

The illegal to sell in MD issue is likely more about VOC compliance than anything else. Frankly, I don't have a problem with requiring low-VOC paints. I have to breathe this air also. The less product in the air means more on the car, anyway (yeah, I know it's the solvents, not the solids, but you get the point). The whole regulation of hobbyist painting has been pushed by the body shops, by the way. This has been written up in several industry newsletters. The fact that these regulations are specifically targeted at automobiles and not at others who spray similar materials (again, farmers, people painting wrought iron or metal patio furniture, etc) argues that it's the body shop industry lobby.

[TexRiv_63]

Back in the "Good Old Days" I painted many cars with both lacquer and enamel at various homes, some outdoors but most in garages with various degrees of preparation. I got to the point with lacquer jobs that they looked really nice. In every case all of the overspray, thinner, leftover paint and other toxic waste was released into the air or dumped on the ground. When I moved to Texas more than 20 years ago I carried two 5-gallon cans of lacquer thinner and about 6 gallons of paint in the station wagon with my wife and kids sitting next to it and I was all ready to set up the paint shop again. By then catalyst paints and urethanes with isocyanates were in and when I read about the dangers of that stuff it hit me how stupid and irresponsible I had been exposing myself, my family, and my neighbors to any of it over all those years. I've never painted another car since.

[Guest Skyking]

I just want people to look up to the sky on a clear day and see what the government is spraying constantly to combat global warming and think to themselves, if that's good for you. Read up about what's really going on with the environment.

[alsancle]

I know a lot of old timers who painted every day with just a particle mask on. They all lived to a ripe old age. Not a scientific analysis in any way, I know - But that lacquer thinner should have killed them all by 50 the way the government explains it now.

[joe_padavano]

I know a lot of old timers who painted every day with just a particle mask on. They all lived to a ripe old age. Not a scientific analysis in any way, I know - But that lacquer thinner should have killed them all by 50 the way the government explains it now.

No, the gov't ban on lacquer is due to the VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that damage the ozone. Use of a respirator is just common sense. Newer paints are much more dangerous than lacquer. Use (and believe) what you want - to me it's all just evolution in action...

[Guest billybird]

I know a lot of old timers who painted every day with just a particle mask on. They all lived to a ripe old age. Not a scientific analysis in any way, I know - But that lacquer thinner should have killed them all by 50 the way the government explains it now.

i admit the government overkills almost everything. Some people just have good genes. George Burns kept a cigar in his mouth all the time and lived to be 95+, while another person who has never even smoked dies of lung cancer. Genes.

[NTX5467]

Back in the '70s and prior, it seemed like almost every Chevy or Ford brand car club has at least ONE guy that was "their" painter, usually doing it in "his garage behind the house". The paint of choice was usually acrylic lacquer, but some guys could shoot acrylic enamel and it looked spectacular . . . "hard" factory shine and all. So many body shops (and GM) used acrylic lacquer for all of their paint work as it was not as crucial to have a completely dust-free environment (think "spray booth", or reasonable "manufactured" equivalent). A little dust (in a strong base color) would disappear in the final "color sand and buff" action, usually. BUT if acrylic lacquer was sprayed on "too dry", you never could sand it enough to get that "grain" out of the paint!

The thing that I didn't like about a lot of acrylic lacquer paint job was that when they were color sanded and then buffed, I could see the "buffer haze" in the paint under certain light angles and conditions . . . acrylic enamel didn't do that in the same manner. Yet I knew of some painters (in their garage) who could do an acrylic lacquer job and it came out perfect and just needed a little buffing to be great.

As for the surface prep and "block sanding", one customer didn't use a block per se, but a paint stir stick with "used" 600-grit paper wrapped around it. Before we had the paper with finer grits (1000 and higher) as we have now, that "used" 600 paper was cherished for that "smoooth" final color sand. Those longer sticks came in handy for quarter panels and such, using smaller blocks for contours and such.

The "baked on" paint jobs were usually done in a dedicated downdraft spray booth in a "production" shop. Having and maintaining a more dust-free environment AND having a spray booth "with heat", with a good painter was what made those shops "click" and highly profitable. This also might have allowed them to get acrylic enamel-like results from the less expensive regular enamels of the time, too. Lacquer dries top-down and enamel is just the opposite, hence the baking action to help things along. Seems like it was up into the later 1960s before recommendations for new car waxing were to delay it until the car was about 4 months old, for those who used acylic enamel? I recall that if you didn't let the enamel dry all the way to the bottom before it was sealed-over with car wax, the bottom never would dry and ultimate durability would suffer? Polishing was ok, just not waxing, until the drying and curing process was completed.

Back when there was a more active military establishment in the US, almost every base has some sort of auto "hobby shop" for the use of the enlisted personnel. Many of the younger guys also had part-time jobs at body shops and such, too, back then . . . doing sanding and paint prep sort of stuff. One of my running buddies, back then, worked at a body shop who'd hired one of these young USAF guys . . . whom he also taught to paint pretty good.

Another friend had a '67 SS/RS Camaro he was finishing up a rebuild on. It needed paint, so plans were made to make the two-car garage of the house the USAF guy (and two other USAF friends had leased), into a spray booth. The exhaust "box" fan was placed in a side window of the garage. Generic central heat/ac filters were placed between the almost-lowered garage door on the other end of the garage from the exhaust fan. The whole place was swept and washed down to minimize dust. The color was chosen (acrylic enamel w/hardener AND clearcoat, this was in the earlier 1980s) and everything was prepped . . . car and spray area. On an afternoon with little breeze, "the deed" was done. After the final light color sand and buffing, the car was outstanding and certainly "show quality". Without the need of multiple coats, blocked between coats, resulting and an esOEM-spec paint thickness. And, with acrylic enamel, the shine was "hard" and slick!

Usually, those guys who did work at their homes did their own cars first, then others as they desired. There was usually a waiting list, which might be a few years into the future! As time seems to have progressed, many of these guys stopped doing repaints and such at their homes, but might still do "spot repairs" and such. Kind of an evolutionary thing, considering how the EPA regulations and paint costs have escalated over the decades of time since "back then". NOT that it can't be done, just that many now choose to not do it. PLUS the issue with the isocyanani_____ parts of the newer basecoat/clearcoat paints . . . which require respirators for the painter to paint in . . . lest they might inhale the toxic "fumes" from these newer paints! Plus the newer basecoat/clearcoat paints DEMAND a completely dust-free environment to achieve the results that can be achieved . . . as they are also more critical and show any little bit of grit (which prior paints just "absorbed", it seems). It's just gotten to be a much different game to use the modern paints, much less somebody that can cross-over the earlier formulas to bc/cc system products.

Personally, I'd much rather see a vintage (from whatever decade!) vehicle that is painted with the correct paint system as when it was produced than to see one wearing a "too shiney" bc/cc paint job, even if the colors are accurate in the bc/cc system paints. Still, it was hard to beat a factory metallic color in DuPont Centauri Acrylic Enamel (even before the "hardener" additive was common for it!) in shine, metallic dispersion, and durability. Knowing that the owner went to the extra effort to get the orig-type paint also told me that other "corners" weren't cut in working on that vehicle, too . . . at least to me.

Thanks for your time . . . . recalling how things "used to be" . . .

NTX5467

[NTX5467]

As for those DIY videos, you can probably find some on the www.powerblocktv.com website. Over the past few years, there have been many vehicles painted on the "Musclecar" and other shows, whose espisodes and videos are probably archived in that total website. Block sanding techniques, I know, have been demonstrated on the "Musclecar" show several times on different builds they've done. It all "looks so easy", which it can be, just time-consuming . . . something your "heart" needs to be into for the best results.

Several of the paint companies might also have seminars/schools which hobbiests might participate in. Just as many local community colleges might have an "auto body" night course you could also take. Of course, I suspect that McPherson College might also have a summer class in auto body subjects, too.

Enjoy! All ways use "breathing protection" too!

NTX5467

[Rosiesdad]

I was able to get out ALL the waves by using something called a straight line sander. Worked beautifully.

p

[Guest billybird]

Just a note about paint respirators. Most of you probably know the respirator is "working" even when it's not on your face. This shortens the life of the filter elements. Some suggest keeping them sealed in a clean, new, empty gallon paint can when not in use. I keep mine wrapped tightly in several layers of plastic cling wrap.

[whtbaron]

Please, please, puuullllease do NOT use Rustoleum! Somebody will end up charging you triple to remove it. If you do try it at home use a good quality automotive paint. If you are really determined to do it on the cheap, at the very least use industrial enamels.

[Guest Skyking]

You could never sand and buff Rustoleum to look good. There's no hardener in it.

[Bleach]

There was a Krylon color of white that matched perfectly to a white color used on GM trucks and possibly some GM cars in the early to late 90's. I rattle can painted some body parts and bodel panels on a 93 Chevy pickup and 99 Tahoe I once owned. I took a few coats with light sanding in between. It was durable and it didn't lose gloss any more than the factory paint. You could not tell the difference.

[cahartley]

I'm with you Bleach!

I and the OP have communicated as well.

If you have an "old car" and want only to have to appear respectable you don't have to mortgage the house.

I painted my '27 Tudor T body with $50 worth of Valspar Palmetto Green "Primer + Paint In One". Since then I learned about the Krylon equivalent and actually used a can of Krylon gray to paint some interior trim for my '59 Chev.

I have old cars and I don't want them to look new........respectable yes.......new no.

[Guest billybird]

Absolutely! I painted a dash once, even two-toned it with rattle cans. Let it set for one week. Color sanded and buffed and was amazed at the great results. As I stated in a previous post; the key is color sanding and buffing.

[NTX5467]

The first paint regs were for VOC content AND control. As I recall, the wording in the VOC regs allow individual municipalities/regions to set their own allowable VOC standards for paints sold in their jurisdiction. When I saw that, I thought "What a mess THAT could be!" Yet it doesn't seem to have materialized in the decades since that reg was written.

I knew many painters who didn't use even a particle mask, generally. They had multi-colored "stuff" come out of their nose at the end of the day, sometimes. The basic particle mask got most of that, but a carbon-filter mask was considered to be the best (usually military surplus at that time). One friend was told, by his doctor, to start using the particle mask as he was having lung issues at the time . . . or else he'd have to stop painting (at a young age of about 28, at the time).

The VOC regs also put an end to "open air gun cleaning", using the accumulated pail of "gun cleaner" each paint room usually had . . . open to the air. That's when "Gun Cleaning Stations" came into being, where the gun was attached to the device, the lid was closed, and the gun was cleaned with re-cycled "clean" cleaner, which was collected, filtered, and re-used. A self-contained unit. This was in the earlier 1980s?

As for the car-limit per year issues . . . it was my understanding that the EPA wanted ONLY licensed repair/body shop facilities to be able to purchase car paints, not unlike what we had with freon. SEMA lobbied for the "2 car repaints per year per hobbiest" regs, which is what I understood was now operative. Enforcement is at the vendor level, from what I understand. Certainly some gov't auditor could come into an automotive paint store and look at sales invoices to look for "a pattern", even possibly do some gumshoe work, but that's about all for now.

In the metro areas and areas surrounding the air quality non-attainment county areas, EPA operatives WILL look for body shop operations to inspect their spraying area and such for "emission compliance". Possibly to see where theier paint is coming from and if it's in compliance with current regulations. Regulations which can also include exhaust ducts/filters from the spray booth . . . certain height above local terrain, filtering/baffling, etc. All of this is for the protection of "the neighbors" as much as it's for air quality issues. One restoration shop we visited a few years ago mentioned that all bc/cc paints were not isocynate-chemistry paints AND required a functioning respiration system for the painter to use, due to the very harmful "fumes" produced. Not unlike the original DuPont IMRON polyurethane paint of the later 1970s, which required similar protections for the painter!

One thing which hasn't been mentioned was the conversion from "high pressure" paint equipment to "high volume, low pressure" paint equipment. The former system produced massive clouds of overspray in the spraying area. Paint drops hit the surface so hard they'd "bounce off" into the air, which resulted in overspray. The upgrade to HVLP resulted in much lower overspray situations AND a different paint application "gun movement speed", as I recall. As we've now got a few generations of painters who have only know HVLP systems, they might wonder how things might have been different. Plus, HVLP, when used correctly, can not only mean "more paint on the vehicle" but "less total paint used", too.

Enjoy, responsibly and safely!

NTX5467

[Rusty_OToole]

I know a lot of old timers who painted every day with just a particle mask on. They all lived to a ripe old age. Not a scientific analysis in any way, I know - But that lacquer thinner should have killed them all by 50 the way the government explains it now.

You must know different painters than I did. The old timers who were around when I was a kid usually had respiratory problems as they got older, or died young. I know one painter who had severe health problems from isocyanate paint (Centari) when it first came out, even though he worked in a professional shop with all the recommended safety equipment.

[joe_padavano]

I know one painter who had severe health problems from isocyanate paint (Centari) when it first came out, even though he worked in a professional shop with all the recommended safety equipment.

I don't think even pro paint shops were aware of the need to use supplied air breathing systems for isocyanates when they first came out, unfortunately.

[Guest SteveDeChello]

i will prefer baked painting because it have more shining and clarity in it.

If you are doing car restoration , you don't want to go cheap. Most "restore" paint jobs have at least 2-3 coats of paint--or more. Don't count on a Mako job lasting very long, unless you have done some really good prep.

Decide how much the car would be worth after you restore it versus how much you are willing to put into it.

I love older cars. They are easier to work on and parts are cheaper. For what you got, you could put a brand new motor and trans in it, and basically have a brand new car.

Something a lot better than the crap they have now, and a heck of a lot cheaper.

Then just drive it.

[R Walling]

I have been painting trucks commercial for almost 50 years now and when the EPA came around, I said Oh Sh!^, There goes the business.

How wrong I was, now we have a gun cleaner that eliminates the can of open thinner on the floor that was used for cleaning, along with the 55 gal drums of lacquer thinner that I bought yearly.

We have a paint mixing machine where we mix the just the amount of paint we need,and use it all, no waste. We use much less product now.

Of course the paint companies didn't loose, what they lost in volume, they picked up in cash.

[dei]

Does paint need to be baked on?

Or with the use of new acryics is this no longer nesessay?

Approx cost for single color Black new painting over primer,,,,,

$2000 approx?

Frank,

I think most of your questions have already been answered by some some pretty experienced people here on this interesting thread. My experience isn't hands on but watched my father and now my son (24) with Dad's '66 Corvair then and now.

Dad did his own body and paint mostly due to costs/budget issues at home in his garage.

Body work/prep done outside (look at that mess underneath! doh!)

End result - purely amature / presentable at 20 ft.

Costs? not sure then.

Today, work/prep done inside this time (same car/same garage)

Note the amount of low spots (prep before paint) Dad did not realize it required to get to that nice finished look back then. Most of the car was like that and it took many hours of block sanding, primer build and more block sanding before my son thought he was ready to paint.

With two coats of paint and only his second car painting project, has decided to wet sand and polish before saying it's time to put all the trim back on.

The end result: maybe a 5 footer this time when totally done?

Costs:

misc materials & supplies, primer, paint & activator - approximately $950.00

Labour - started in early October almost 6 days a week till November 30th including taking off of all trim, taping

Self satisfaction: PRICELESS!

89 and still going!

[28 Chrysler]

This is the E.P.A.

We smell lacquer.

We know you're in there .

Put down your gun and step out of the booth and no one will get hurt.

[Willy]

My '52 Dodge Pickup desperately needed a paint job, but I didn't have the money, so I opted for the cheapest way - bought a gallon of McCormic Deering Tractor paint ($22). I had some red oxide primer, and used that. Sprayed it out in front of my garage, when there was no breeze. One run, but looked nice - for a few years. Only took 1/2 gallon of the red.

[Restorer32]

Many years ago I painted a VW station wagon for wife to drive. Used a bright red acrylic enamel and painted it outside on a warm still early summer late afternoon. Beautiful job. I was proud. Little did I know that the maple trees around the place would decide to release copious amounts of pollen that same evening. Came back in the morning to a furry VW. I mean totally covered it pale green pollen sticking to that slow drying red acrylic enamel. Had to resand and respray the entire car.

[whtbaron]

LOL... must have been the beetles. If it's any consolation I left work on a Friday night with a freshly painted bright yellow SuperBeetle in the booth. When I came in Monday morning I found out a big bumble bee had crashed in the center of the roof, slid down the windshield and spun around in circles down the hood when the paint was still wet. Even booths aren't totally sealed. As for the comments about the professional shops not knowing the risks of the early paint, they should have if they were paying attention. I took autobody and painting in 76/77 and we were informed of the risks of alpha-isocyanates and how they were fine enough molecularly to pass through your body like snot in a screen door whether you breathed it or not. Centari was new with it's early hardeners and I painted the first Miracryl (RM) job in the area a couple years later. Any new products usually meant a round of demonstrations and informational meetings for both the sales pitch and the warnings.

[Willy]

Would LOVE to have seen a photo of that VW!