Paint

[caeastwood]

So where did you get your paint? Looking to "rattle can" part of the outside.

 

[brokedown-SKO]

I don't see any way rattle can paint doesn't look awful. If you want something easy, roll on tractor paint.

 

[o1marc]

I don't see any way rattle can paint doesn't look awful. If you want something easy, roll on tractor paint.

I disagree, depends on how much work you put into it. I painted my first motorcycle in a 3rd floor apartment and sprayed it with small cans of Testers gloss black. It came out so nice that you could read posters on the wall that were reflected in the paint in pics of the bike.

 

[EastCoastCB]

I don't see any way rattle can paint doesn't look awful. If you want something easy, roll on tractor paint.

I can make rattle cans look ok, but its pretty expensive way to go.
Unless you want a graffiti paint job. Then its the best way there is!

 

[TurtlePaceBus]

I'm thinking I'll buy a used sprayer at the pawn shop and go that route, I want a nice smooth look and don't want to buy a thousand cans. Any tips on which paint to get? I haven't even started shopping for it yet, but I need to do it rather soon.

 

[EastCoastCB]

I'm gona try painting mine with a $15 hvlp from Harbor Freight.

 

[david.dgeorge07]

I hope you don’t think I’m a wet blanket to suggest that going for an automotive grade finish is very difficult and probably not worth it. I’m very happy with my roller and brush job. It looks great and is very easy to touch up, which you will need to do as your project evolves and passes branches!

 

[caeastwood]

Not looking for automotive grade finish. Not looking for anything metallic in it because it is a pain to try and match up. Want to go with a very light gray, about what you get when you do a 5 or 10 % gray shade on windows up top, above the window line. The main body, either a dark blue or dark gray.

 

[brokedown-SKO]

We went with Rust-Oleum gloss white for the roof to the window line, then IH White below that. Majic T,T&I Color Card 2014 http://www.majicpaints.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Majic-TTI-Color-Card-2014.pdf

 

[cadillackid]

the problem as i have found with an automotive grade finish is that the newer paints just dont hold up.. my DEV bus is painted with enamel single stage paint and is holding upo much better than my red one that is base / clear .. bth busses had a lot of paint prep done.. granted I may not be the greatest paint prepper but not the worst either..



I think rustoleum with hardener and rolling on if you cant shoot it will look just fine...

-Christopher

 

[EastCoastCB]

the problem as i have found with an automotive grade finish is that the newer paints just dont hold up.. my DEV bus is painted with enamel single stage paint and is holding upo much better than my red one that is base / clear .. bth busses had a lot of paint prep done.. granted I may not be the greatest paint prepper but not the worst either..



I think rustoleum with hardener and rolling on if you cant shoot it will look just fine...

-Christopher

New car paints are pretty weak. My 13' Subaru has THE worst paint of any car I've owned. Look at it wrong and it chips.

With these old school buses I think as long as one puts a bit of effort into their paint job and doesn't use house paint it usually comes out pretty nice.

 

[Tango-SKO]

Total agreement here. The "new" paints & primers are absolute crap. Problems begin with the supposedly "eco-friendly" water based primers (a totally asinine concept...water on metal)...then carries over to the paints themselves which neither bond worth a damn or hold up to the elements. There are a couple of exceptions for super high end cars, but in general, the paint jobs on today's cars are the worst in automotive history. I see one and two year old Chevy & GMC vans daily with huge sheets of paint peeling off and the cars are not much better.

 

[Sleddgracer]

Red colours, some yellows, some greens and blues, are famous for fading ( any of those colours that have chromium base colourants in them ) - rust paints will oxidise rapidly and lose all of their shine in just a very few years - if you don't want to go with automotive enamels, go with urethane based enamels - they keep their gloss much longer than rust paints, are a lot less pricey than automotive paints - due to environmental laws passed in the last few years, urethane enamels might be hard to find, but porch and floor enamels with a urethane base are still quite common and are virtually identical to the paints that (were) sold as enamel ( 45+ years as a tradesman and painting contractor ) rust paint companies make an excellent metal primer

 

[2po2watch]

My dad was a professional car painter for about 40+ years. We have talked extensively on the subject. His preference is Rustoleum with hardener by leaps and bounds. Roll it, brush it, spray it, whatever. Be wary of overspray if going that route though.

 

[Sleddgracer]

interesting - I was a painting contractor for a similar number of years and was giving my best advice from my own experiences

 

[2po2watch]

Just my .02$. Your way is absolutely perfect too.

 

[Tango-SKO]

I used to be able to find high quality "porch" paint for various projects (YES...really tough stuff) but they have become hard to find. Do you know a brand is still the "good stuff"?

 

[Sleddgracer]

I found that any of the major brands of house paint have a good quality of polyurethane porch and floor enamel - the last I bought was from Benjamin Moore and it was good

 

[REDD-SKO]

I used a single stage automotive paint with a matte finish, hides a lot of sins.


Still hacking and slashing bits and pieces on the bus and found touching up add-ons and repairs. The matte finish blends in well. Had some of the paint put in aerosol cans for easy use.

 

[Sleddgracer]

I used a single stage automotive paint with a matte finish, hides a lot of sins.


Still hacking and slashing bits and pieces on the bus and found touching up add-ons and repairs. The matte finish blends in well. Had some of the paint put in aerosol cans for easy use.

a few shiney bits of chrome here and there, perhaps shiney wheel covers and that matt finish looks pretty sharp, and you are right, it disguises some mighty flaws