OK guys, I never done any auto painting. The only thing I've done was take a can of high temp paint and do my rims. I want to do my rockers and bumper, I really hate the 2 tone look. What prep and paint supplies do I need? I don't have a booth, and the small air compressor is pretty much only good for airing tires.
well, i did my rockers, bumpers, and bushwackers all w/ just rattle cans from autozone. here is a list of what I used when i did mine: 800 grit sand paper 1000 grit sand paper 1500 grit sand paper painters tape 6-8 cans of primer (if you are going to a dark color, use a white primer, it helps to show where you still need more paint) 8-10 cans of color paint now, first you will wash the truck and dry it. next, tape off the truck. first set a single tape line for where you want to color, then add newspaper for over spray. dont forget to cover up your rims/tires as its easier to just keep spraying across the wheel gap, then it is to "hopefully not overspray". now you will take the 800 grit and do a light sanding, not applying any force, just letting the sandpaper work its magic. after light sanding all the areas you intend to paint, wipe down w/ a clean damp cloth, then come back w/ a dry cloth to make sure you are all dry. Now we are on to the primer. When painting, w/ primer or color, first you must know that it will be atleast 3 coats to get a nice even finish. the first coat should be blotchy, still able to see the original color over the primer, or primer over the new color. make sure the can is atleast 6" from the surface you are painting, and never try to use every drop in the can as it will "spit" towards the end, and this makes for a bad looking finish. Now you can go ahead and soak the 1000 grit paper in some water. After each coat of primer has dried, lightly take the 1000 grit to smooth out the paint. Again, w/out force, just allowing the sandpaper to work. go slow too so you dont make grooves. repeat this until the primer is smooth and you can't see the original color through it. Now repeat the same thing for the new color you are putting down, this time sanding w/ the 1500 between each coat. Give the coats atleast 45-1hr to dry in between sanding, and remember to wipe down the panels between each sanding, primer and color. I would start w/ the front half, then the cab, then the bed. thats how I did mine and I think it turned out pretty good. Patience is the key when painting, so if you dont have a FULL day, don't start it til you do.
its prolly not enough to run a gun. i had thought of that same idea, just tellin him to get a gun & the paint, but i have heard stories of the pancake bottles workin good at first but sucked after first few minutes of spraying. plus, spray guns usually say they need atleast a 25gallon reserve for adequate pressure... IF thats where you were going w/ that... if not, my bad.
I probably wasn't going to use it because it can't keep up with air tools. So I will go with the rattle cans like you first stated. You think I should do a clear coat over it?
i totally forgot clear coat. my bad. i didnt put it on mine so thats why i didnt think of adding it there to that write up i did for you. i liked the matte look my BW and bumpers had, so I wanted to repeat for the rest of the truck so it would all be uniform. however many coats of color you use, add 1 extra coat for the clear, w/ sanding between all, primer, color, and clear, each coat as well. Example, 4 coats of color = 5 coats of clear.
