Paint question

[phillbus914]

The weather here in Michigan is finally warm enough to paint... although probably not for long. I went to Menards yesterday & bought some black rustoloum primer, but I can't find the paint color I want in rustoloum. I've started cleaning/masking/primering the bus already.

Click here for photos

I'm looking for a dark metallic blue, so I went to a few automotive paint shops here in town today but everything they carry runs about 85-120/gallon plus the harderner & reducers. my quotes were 500-600 for everything. I'm looking to spend a lot less than that cause I'm a cheap basterd.

My question is; has anyone used metallic paint on their skoolie? If so how much did it cost? And where is the best place to shop for it also what is the best (cheapest) brand to look for?

[Steve]

How are you applying the primer?

[trentet]

if you want to go the farm equipment paint route you could save a few hundred but you are limited in colors. metalics are almost excusively automotive as far as I have seen but good luck, I calculated $800 for my shorty dognose here in California, but I think I am paying a premium for California environmental restrictions.

[phillbus914]

I am lightly sanding the yellow paint

Then washing with soap & water

Then, wipeing it with asatone to clean it

Then masking

Then spraying it with a paint sprayer ran off a 30 gallon air compressor.

[KevinCoughlin]

You can ADD metallic highlights to your paint the same way the auto guys do it. Buy pearl and mix it in. If you can't get the look you want (rustoleum might be too "thick" to let it show nicely - I'll have to try it) then shoot the rustoleum, and overlay a clear coat with the pearl in it. A gallon of House of Kolor clear coat with hardener is about 150 from autobodysupply.net - and a 6 ounce of metallic flake runs from 35 to 55 bucks. Now that I think about it, I may try some of that on my next iteration. Right now I've just shot with Sherwyn Williams DTM - like a rustoleum - with water cleanup convenience. About 2 gallons covered the whole bus with one good coat. I would have done another, but I needed to finish and get back to other projects at home before getting my wife REAL mad *grin*.

[phillbus914]

I've seen goof paint in Home Depo but its usually only 1 gallon of each. I'm thinking I'm going to need 1 or 2 gallons of blue & 1 or 2 gallons of white.

I came up with a "new" idea for the paint job. Dark metallic blue on the sides but white on the roof (so I don’t cook in the summer) for the transition I'm thinkin blue waves against a white background above the windows. Also I'm thinking of a white front with white paint splashing back to the first set of side windows (just behind the sliding door) sort of like flames but more of a splash look.

I went to Lowes tonight to see what they had & the guy said they sell gold flake that you can mix in but if you mix it in oil based paint it'd dissolve. I guess I need oil paint since it’s going to be outside exposed to the elements. Is this correct? Oh yeah did I mention I know nothing about paint?

[KevinCoughlin]

The metallic stuff is sometimes actually mylar - and the solvents in oil based paint might eat it. But you can get water thinned/water cleanup exterior paint. I did my bus with it and it was nice cleaning the gun with soap and water. While I would have LIKED to be able to put hardeners and solvents to speed the drying time.... the stuff I got was free. Ask me next year about durability after I've had a chance to let it weather *grin*.

[lapeer20m]

I am not a paint expert, but i'd stay away from any paint that cleans up easily with water. Just doesn't seem like it would have the durability of a good oil based paint.

If you can wash the paint off your hands when you're finished something must be wrong.

[Roasting8]

I am not a paint expert, but i'd stay away from any paint that cleans up easily with water. Just doesn't seem like it would have the durability of a good oil based paint.

If you can wash the paint off your hands when you're finished something must be wrong.

I don't know; I had an uncle that painted his Dodge Colt with left over Exterior Grade Latex (same color as the house) and it has lasted him about 4 years+ (he parked it in front of the house and still hasn't found it ).

[phillbus914]

what do you guys think about this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/AUTO-PAI ... 0352QQrdZ1

I was quoted $135.75/gallon of metallic blue paint from finishmaster this would be about $50.00 shipped

[KevinCoughlin]

Now that might not be a bad idea. Figure two or three gallons to do the job with a sprayer..... and then a little clear coat to REALLY punch it up.....

[phillbus914]

I found a kit from the same seller that comes with the hardner & reducer. Also this is a darker metallic blue....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/AUTO-PAI ... 4572410200

I think I'm going to get this.

Anyone know if I'd need to clear coat this? It comes with hardner, but would clear coat make it shinier?

I also read on one of the testimonials that it looks better if you do 2 light coats then 2 wet coats. Is a wet coat where you put another coat over a still wet coat?

Also (this is the cheap basterd in me asking this one) for the white part, I bought white primer. Can you just clear coat white primer, rather than painting white paint over the allready white primer?

[KevinCoughlin]

Ultimately the best way to tell if you can do something is just to go ahead and do it. Take some white primer, and clear coat it, and see. I don't know how it will hold up to sunshine.... but some people (used to) paint their buses every year...

I think I may be in the same boat, but I should have at least 12 months to find out. It's enough to keep my wife from getting mad right now and still look somewhat cool.... that's good enough for me!

As for a wet coat, that is a heavier coating - so it is on wet (instead of drying instantly) but not so heavy as to run. Or, you could just do an extra thin coat. Be careful with paint you have to mix with hardeners - they only have so long to use before they harden - on your bus or in your sprayer. If you want good looks and "idiot resistant" application maybe you should use laquer?

Clear coat will make it shinier. If you want real shiny, you must clear coat, and then polish with a slow polisher. My rule is it must look good from 50 feet away. (almost ANY paint can do that). I'll save the "look good from 3 feet away" for motorcycles and small sports cars.

(I found out from my neighbor that when the elementary school was heading out on a field trip and passed down my street, all the 5th graders were buzzing about "this is the street with the cool bus with the flames" - no WONDER my daughter is going to college in another state... dad embarasses her!

[phillbus914]

I've been painting yesterday & today. Here is how it looks so far;



Thats after 2 coats but no clear coat yet. The metallic really looks great, I'm very happy with the paint. I'll take more pics as I get more done.

[lapeer20m]

the photos don't do it justice....That really is awsome looking paint!

my sprayer still working good?