When to Paint?

[gs1949]

@Sleddgracer, I learned to drive on a 1941 John Deere Model B, a horizontal stroke two banger. Poppin' Johnny, my grandpa called that old tractor. Tip the border collie thoight that old tractor was well worth following and would bark loudly whenever it was started, and then run alongsidewhile barking more.

I was 6 years old. We were hauling hay, reed canary grass, fom a field somewhere on the floodplain somewhere between 2 and 3 feet above sea level. The John Deere was green. Tip was black and white.

 

[Sleddgracer]

@Sleddgracer, I learned to drive on a 1941 John Deere Model B, a horizontaln stroke two banger. Poppin' Johnny my grandpa called that old tractor. Tip the border collie thoight that old tractor was well worth following and would bark loudly whenever it was started.


I was 6 years old. We were hauling hay, reed canary grass fom a field somewhere on the floodplain somewhere between 2 and 3 feet above sea level. The John Beere was green. Tip was black and white.

I can picture it - canary grass isn't the best hay and it's not the best bedding, but it does work for both - my little black and white border collie was named 'Quick' and she lived up to her name, both mentally and physically - a wonderful dog and loved to help around here - she considered herself to be my partner, not my pet - lol

 

[gs1949]

But canary grass is the best choice, perhaps the only choice, when the field is a floodplain less than 24 to 36 inches above sea level.

 

[Sleddgracer]

But canary grass is the best choice, perhaps the only choice, when the field is a floodplain less than 24 to 36 inches above sea level.

for sure - around here we were getting ours off of land surrounding a lake that was too wet to grow anything else - it wouldn't surprise me that the canary grass is what kept that ground from being a swamp

 

[EastCoastCB]

In most jurisdictions they don't care if you are yellow, many don't care if you say School Bus. Most want you to remove the stop sign and disable the curb flashers, especially the red.

Where I'm at the bus cannot be yellow.

 

[HazMatt-SKO]

that would change the colour, but primer breaks down quickly when exposed to the environment - I wouldn't leave it more than a week, two TOPS, before at least putting the first top coat on it or you'll wind up dealing with peeling paint in a year or two

That's where I screwed up: it was months before I painted over the primer that allowed me to cross country unmolested.
Now, I'm seeing flake offs, with the Cr Yellow peeking out. Any down n dirty, quick n easy methods to do a re-do? Thinking I have to strip it all back to the yellow... [emoji22]

@Sleddgracer, I learned to drive on a 1941 John Deere Model B, a horizontal stroke two banger. Poppin' Johnny, my grandpa called that old tractor. Tip the border collie thoight that old tractor was well worth following and would bark loudly whenever it was started, and then run alongsidewhile barking more.

I was 6 years old. We were hauling hay, reed canary grass, fom a field somewhere on the floodplain somewhere between 2 and 3 feet above sea level. The John Deere was green. Tip was black and white.

Nice story.

I can picture it - canary grass isn't the best hay and it's not the best bedding, but it does work for both - my little black and white border collie was named 'Quick' and she lived up to her name, both mentally and physically - a wonderful dog and loved to help around here - she considered herself to be my partner, not my pet - lol

Both of my Aussie bitches felt similarly!

 

[solvo]

smoothest is spray - quickest too

I used a napless roller and it was pretty quick. The application, while not smooth like spray is relatively smoothly. However, with a roller you have to watch for drip marks at the rivits.

 

[PNW_Steve]

that would change the colour, but primer breaks down quickly when exposed to the environment - I wouldn't leave it more than a week, two TOPS, before at least putting the first top coat on it or you'll wind up dealing with peeling paint in a year or two

Hmm.......

I primed the new metal that I used on the roof raise back in November and don't know if I'll get to paint this summer.

What should I do with the primed surfaces?

 

[Sleddgracer]

Hmm.......

I primed the new metal that I used on the roof raise back in November and don't know if I'll get to paint this summer.

What should I do with the primed surfaces?

sand it well and check that nothing is flaking - if it's still tight and sound, you could take your chances and paint a finish coat - I'd be inclined to throw another quick coat of primer on it before I started the finish coats - you have to remember, I was painting for customers - what they had to say about my work was what kept me working or not - you can have a reputation of top quality work for years, and something goes wrong on one job, and it's hard to recover from the bad rep from that one job - I learned early on to refuse to do 'quick clean up jobs' - doesn't matter how little you charge for a clean up, 3 - 4 years later if the paint isn't holding up, there is nothing said about how reasonable your price was, just how poorly the job lasted - if you want a job to last as long as possible, you have to do everything right

 

[PNW_Steve]

@Sleddgracer, I learned to drive on a 1941 John Deere Model B, a horizontal stroke two banger. Poppin' Johnny, my grandpa called that old tractor. Tip the border collie thoight that old tractor was well worth following and would bark loudly whenever it was started, and then run alongsidewhile barking more.

I was 6 years old. We were hauling hay, reed canary grass, fom a field somewhere on the floodplain somewhere between 2 and 3 feet above sea level. The John Deere was green. Tip was black and white.

I have no idea of the year model but my grandpa's Poppin Johnny Was The first thing I ever drove. Good memories

 

[Sleddgracer]

I have no idea of the year model but my grandpa's Poppin Johnny Was The first thing I ever drove. Good memories

good memories - I remember dying to drive a vehicle from the time I was 8 or 9 - had dreams where I was driving my dad's 36 dodge - some of my favorite memories was visiting my grandparents homestead in norther BC - riding on the 'stone boat' while my grandfather drove his two big work horses, hauling barrels of water from a stream - or my uncle letting me drive his team - he trusted me to steer them pulling a wagon through the gate opening while turning off the road - at 5 years old, I somehow had the sense to turn wide enough to clear the gate with the wagon -I spent that summer and the next mostly on the back of a fat horse - lol - no way my legs were able to reach around and get a grip on the barrel of that horse- I remember my uncle walking out to the pasture, hopping on the back of a horse, no saddle, no bridal, not even a halter, and herding the rest of the horses home - his skills with animals still leaves me impressed 75 years later - or my grandfather shouting at me to get out of the pig pen that I had climbed into to see the babies - my grandmother explained later what had seemed like anger to me - the sow was dangerous - even my grandfather hesitated to go into the pen with her when she had babies - the fact that the sow showed no animosity to me didn't register when he saw me in the pen - lots of good memories from those years

 

[PNW_Steve]

sand it well and check that nothing is flaking - if it's still tight and sound, you could take your chances and paint a finish coat - I'd be inclined to throw another quick coat of primer on it before I started the finish coats - you have to remember, I was painting for customers - what they had to say about my work was what kept me working or not - you can have a reputation of top quality work for years, and something goes wrong on one job, and it's hard to recover from the bad rep from that one job - I learned early on to refuse to do 'quick clean up jobs' - doesn't matter how little you charge for a clean up, 3 - 4 years later if the paint isn't holding up, there is nothing said about how reasonable your price was, just how poorly the job lasted - if you want a job to last as long as possible, you have to do everything right

Thank you.

There is not any flaking so I feel good about that. I do plan on another coat of primer as the self etching primer I used says not to apply color directly over it.

When I get ready to paint I will wash with TSP, sand everything with 220 grit and wipe it down with acetone.

Am I missing anything?

 

[Sleddgracer]

Thank you.

There is not any flaking so I feel good about that. I do plan on another coat of primer as the self etching primer I used says not to apply color directly over it.

When I get ready to paint I will wash with TSP, sand everything with 220 grit and wipe it down with acetone.

Am I missing anything?

I wouldn't wipe the primer down with acetone - that would likely lift the primer - I'd blow the dust off with air, then wipe with tac cloths, or make your own tac cloths - a bit of regular paint thinner on a cotton cloth should have it ready to shoot ( spray ) or use a fine nap roller if you don't want to spray - if rolling, apply the paint heavy enough that you are seeing a little bit of sagging - then back roll it ( go over it again ) without dipping more paint on the roller to spread the paint evenly and get good coverage - back rolling also gives a finer finish than just rolling it and leaving it as is - do small areas at a time - large enough that you're happy with the headway you are making, but small enough that the edges are still good and wet - if the edges of the new paint get tacky, you'll get lap marks

 

[RexPearl]

I rolled machine enamel on the front of my bus today. Sanded and primed the whole bus first.

I’m a bit concerned after reading some comments here as my primer has been on for a few weeks now. Maybe I’ll put another coat on the rest of the bus before color.

A story and then question:
Mine does not involve tractors, although I’ve thrown hay many a year to the tune of the “Johnny Poppers” we call them out here... anyway, I was in the big box store over the weekend prying for some direction on a clear coat. The person behind the desk took me over to the deck stains and showed me an oil based polyurethane intended for wood.

I set the can down and took my machine enamel home to paint, then I stumble across an opinion on the internet regarding wax vs clear coat and that wax is how it was done some time ago... probably on those Johnny Poppers, too!

Anyone have an opinion? It seems an appropriate way to protect the paint??

 

[Sleddgracer]

I rolled machine enamel on the front of my bus today. Sanded and primed the whole bus first.

I’m a bit concerned after reading some comments here as my primer has been on for a few weeks now. Maybe I’ll put another coat on the rest of the bus before color.

A story and then question:
Mine does not involve tractors, although I’ve thrown hay many a year to the tune of the “Johnny Poppers” we call them out here... anyway, I was in the big box store over the weekend prying for some direction on a clear coat. The person behind the desk took me over to the deck stains and showed me an oil based polyurethane intended for wood.

I set the can down and took my machine enamel home to paint, then I stumble across an opinion on the internet regarding wax vs clear coat and that wax is how it was done some time ago... probably on those Johnny Poppers, too!

Anyone have an opinion? It seems an appropriate way to protect the paint??

yes, you can keep paint in decent to good condition with regular waxing and parking under cover - my dad kept his chevy pickup shiny for years by adding Turtle Wax to the soapy water when he washed it every week - wax has to be applied regularly while a clear coat lasts years even in tough conditions

 

[RexPearl]

yes, you can keep paint in decent to good condition with regular waxing and parking under cover - my dad kept his chevy pickup shiny for years by adding Turtle Wax to the soapy water when he washed it every week - wax has to be applied regularly while a clear coat lasts years even in tough conditions

So no wax on, wax off?! Just an additive to hand washing would suffice? That would be brilliant and save a few long days of work applying that!

 

[Danjo-SKO]

Thank you.

There is not any flaking so I feel good about that. I do plan on another coat of primer as the self etching primer I used says not to apply color directly over it.

When I get ready to paint I will wash with TSP, sand everything with 220 grit and wipe it down with acetone.

Am I missing anything?

What primer did you use? What paint are you going
To use?

The paint manufacturers pair primers they make with their paints. I’ve been researching paint for a while and I was going with PPG Delfleet Essentials before I found the paint booth rental place is selling Valspar so I’m back to studying again. PPG was really helpful on their tech support line. The takeaway from the call was they have a primer that can be painted over almost right away after it’s sprayed. No sanding between primer and topcoats if not too much time elapsed between coats. I think minimum drying time was an hour before topcoat. So that could save you a lot of time too.

They also recommended white primer to get the expected paint shade. All the paint people I talked to said that unless yellow or orange paint was used covering school bus yellow should be done with primer.

 

[Sleddgracer]

What primer did you use? What paint are you going
To use?

The paint manufacturers pair primers they make with their paints. I’ve been researching paint for a while and I was going with PPG Delfleet Essentials before I found the paint booth rental place is selling Valspar so I’m back to studying again. PPG was really helpful on their tech support line. The takeaway from the call was they have a primer that can be painted over almost right away after it’s sprayed. No sanding between primer and topcoats if not too much time elapsed between coats. I think minimum drying time was an hour before topcoat. So that could save you a lot of time too.

They also recommended white primer to get the expected paint shade. All the paint people I talked to said that unless yellow or orange paint was used covering school bus yellow should be done with primer.

sanding between coats is what adds quality to the job - without sanding between coats, each succeeding coat turns a speck, into a lump, into a mountain in the finish - lol - if you want a decent paint job rather than a 'cover up the old one', do the due diligence - true about white primer over the yellow -

 

[PeteinSF]

New idea (with my citation in mind)


This seems quick and easy... Buy a big sheet, solid color


bus wrap...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJVTYWx9Qx0

 

[Sleddgracer]

New idea (with my citation in mind)


This seems quick and easy... Buy a big sheet, solid color


bus wrap...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJVTYWx9Qx0

blow by blow instructions for wrapping ( not as easy as you might think ) - also some tips at the end of the video for unwrapping, which may be valid for taking vinyl stripes off a bus