Update on progress: not much. Was hoping to finish spraying outside surface of bonnet yesterday but had to strip the lot and start again. I had put some 2pack primer on the top when I picked up this NOS bonnet 12 months ago. Discovered yesterday that 1k and 2k definitely are not
friends. Paint stripper and re-primed yesterday for another go....
Thank you Clay. Somedays it seems like it's just us having a chat
I used 2k etch Epotec epoxy, then acrylic surfacer and then top coat. Top coat won’t stick to the 2k but the PPG dulon premium primer surfacer does. No idea about 2k over acrylic. Acrylic over enamel is a nono I learnt in the 80s.
FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie
getting my FB ute on the road
EK van on rotisserie
Most epoxy's need to be surfaced over with either 2 pack like hifill or acrylic surfacer and needs to be keyed mechanically ( rubbed back with 400 grit etc ) as most products wont stick to its set surface.
You can also use the wet on wet technique if your surface under the epoxy is straight and free of dents etc. Wet on wet simply means overcoating before the product sets, most epoxies have a window period for this and hifill products are most popular due to good build and rubbing qualities before top coat.
Interestingly when you use clear coat over base the basecoat is actually an acrylic urethane type material and is laid down with only thinners, It still has to have a mechanical bond and this comes with the final rubbing down of the hifill primer etc. The clear coat then goes over the basecoat usually once the base flashes off.
You can also use a 2 pack straight colour that goes over the primer and will be one less step than the clear over base method.
Its really an art form and learning how to do all this stuff is a painstakingly long process.
Thanks Greg, great info. You actually need to know stuff to use 2k, that's why I love acrylic so much.
As an aside, it's getting very hard to get acrylic paint in Canberra at the moment, I had dramas even getting some primer yesterday to finish this bonnet. I hope it's not a sign of the future.
I Patrick. Nah, lights on makes for warm panel and normal drying. Love my lights. Its not final coats either, just sealing it up cause I'm not doing any more work for a week. Actually the wrong colour too- it's left over greenish paint that I can't use as top coat.
Thanks Tim,
I wouldn't be spraying anything larger than what the heat bank can manage in less than perfect spraying conditions. In the case of the bonnet lid, it can be heated and maintained by the lights and the issues being discussed are just not relevant when the panel and the surrounding air are warm. I have more chance of picking humidity up in the compressor and air hoses than from the air around the panel while spraying. Fortunately the drier on the regulator and importantly another one on the spraygun minimise this risk too. Blush can be caused by cold panels, and also humidity - particularly wet air coming from the compressor on a humid day. Apparently it lowers the dew point or something technical. A pre-wipe with wax and grease remover (which is mainly metho which absorbs moisture) also minimises chance of moisture being trapped in the coat.
But, I wouldn't attempt any of this unless I had the lights. They make a world of difference on small area painting.
Most tedious job so far I think. A bit of effort to get original rims stripped and ready for paint.
Question 607: were rims painted black on inner side and just trim strip colour (or lightest car colour ) on outer side on FBs or were they coloured all over?
. Was hoping to finish spraying outside surface of bonnet yesterday but had to strip the lot and start again. I had put some 2pack primer on the top when I picked up this NOS bonnet 12 months ago. Discovered yesterday that 1k and 2k definitely are not 
. Actually the wrong colour too- it's left over greenish paint that I can't use as top coat.
