Asce

So I'm getting to the point of looking for primers, base coats, and clear paint. I'm in love with the House of Color tangelo pearl PBC32. I went down to the local paint store to get a quote and she said that they can mix it and that they spray a main layer of white base coat and then a tinted clearcoat/transparent coat over that and then just shoot a clear over that. She said to mix the reduced to a ratio of 1.1 with the paint and that I should have about 3 quarts of each before the reduced is added, which comes out to 1 1/2 gallons of base and tinted clear coat. They use PPG and the low grade is $149.97 for the base and $389.97 for the tinted clear. Total of $579.76, my question is how come I couldn't use a metallic white primer, then tangelo base coat, with 2 layers of pearl clear, and 2 layers of clear over that. Wouldn't that be cheaper and result in the same thing? Also do I need that much paint? Seems like 3 gallons on the base and half of the clear is a lot of paint, not even including the primer and extra 2 coats of clear over the tinted clear.

13611

Kind of a loaded question and there will be others that chime in with WWAAAYYYY more experience than I have. When you ask the "why can't I" part of the question regarding the paint color, my opinion is that if you want THAT color, you need THAT formula. Three stage paints are very popular now with a lot of the newer paints. I've done a couple of Lexus repairs that had 3 stage paints and following the directions to a T was a must. Plus many spray out cards with different number of coats to determine the best match. I know you won't be trying to match anything, but I'm just trying to impress upon you that if you want that House Of Color... "color", I think you've got to stick to buying and doing what the paint person said. I'm friends with my paint supplier so I get to hang out and watch him mix my stuff. And I am always amazed at how many different pearls go into a relatively benign color on a newer car. So, I feel your theory of a metallic white, then the base, followed by "pearl", then clear just wouldn't go well. For what it's worth, my jobber has about 100 different "pearls" in his mixing arsenal. Not a lot of corners to cut with colors like that. As far as the amount of paint... I'm not that good of a judge on that. But, more is better in my opinion when you're doing it yourself. Good luck and don't make any decisions until the pros on this forum chime in. I could be way off.

porchdog

if you like hok then buy hok. it will be light years ahead of some jobber mixing it. it is not a hard color to shoot and covers good.

DUB

Asce,

QUESTION: I'm curious...How many complete paint jobs have you painted?

Just to let you know...you are wanting to do a tri-stage paint job....basically using a tinted clear which is a 'candy'. Currently many automotive manufacturers have begun suing this type of paint method to paint cars. They are not easy to do and have them be RIGHT. Painting the car initially is a feat within it self....but god help you if your need to repair it. I AM NOT writing that it can not be repaired....beacsue I get them in to repair...but they are NOT EASY my any stretch of the imagination. I honestly wish you the BEST in doing this and I am NOT writing that you CAN NOT DO IT....I am saying that I hope you know what you are doing...that's all.

Now...you trying to 're-invent the wheel' when it comes to changing up things and trying to find a cheaper way to do it. IF you feel you can ...then do it and test out your idea.

You must not be a seasoned painter because I can tell you that many paint manufacturers out on the market have toners or pigments that make up their paint that are weak in strength....and it takes a LOT of paint to cover a panel correctly....while other paint manufactures have strong pigments that cover quickly...BUT...this also depends on the color being shot. And as like '13611' wrote....many of the colors today have a high percentage of pearls in them and this by itself makes them not cover worth a crap....but once again...some companies cover quicker some don't.


SO being concerned about how much paint you have to shoot all depends on your paint gun and how well these color go down and cover.

I agree with 'porchdog'....if you like the House of Kolor paint...get it. If you are trying to win the award for doing a tri-stage paint job the cheapest....best of luck because there is NOT an award....and switching to PPG...or whoever you choose....I hope you would be smart enough to shoot a test panel and waste some product so you KNOW what the outcome will be......BECAUSE...I have been contracted to go look at paint jobs at homes and other shops where they DID NOT test and have a problem.....and actually 'think' that I have a magic wand and can fix it for them. I always ask the person who painted it..."Did you shoot test panel???" They reply "No." And they get what they got.

DO yourself a BIG FAVOR and TEST, TEST, TEST! Unless you have been doing this for 30 years and know it all...which would mean that this post was a joke. There are so many variables when painting a car like this...that if you mess up one step or layer...the job is ruined. The viscosity and coverage value of your tinted clear is where the major problem can occur.

DUB

Asce

How much of the base coat and the tinted clear would I need after the reduced is added? She said to mix a 1:1 ratio but that seems high, all I've ever known is a 1:4 and sometimes 1:3. Also would it be a bad idea to mix paints? Could I use ppt white base coat and order the tangelo from house of color and then buy my own clear coat? I was thinking of using spi universal clear, I've heard great things about the clear, any suggestions?

929nitro

If you mix paint systems and something goes wrong HOK will not stand behind it. A friend of mine had his hot rod painted with HOK and their was a problem with some wrinkling as he put it. HOK sent someone to look at it and because HOK everything, including primer, was used they stood behind it. Best of luck whichever way you go.

DUB

Asce,

You want your questions answered...but you do not answer questions that are written for you to reply to.

I WISH you would have answered my QUESTION in POST #4. VERY FIRST sentence.

Obviously you did not read or understand what I wrote or you would not have replied with post #5

DUB

Asce

Dub I apoligize for not answering your question, I have a lot on my mind and must of spaced it out half way through your message, I've painted one car total and turned out great but it was a simply single stage paint job. The paint job that I'm doing of course is out of my league and I should have a professional paint it but I cannot afford a professional and I'm not gonna do a simple paint job after the countless hours of restoration to half it at the end. I can do the paint job for $700 myself and that's fine but I can't go above $1000.

DUB

Depending on what you want....and what it will require to get you what you want. I can not say one way or the other is the dollar amounts you are trying to stay within is actually do-able. Setting an actual dollar amount when it comes to custom paint is really not smart at all....BECAUSE...if you try to short-cut and do 'things' differently due to money....it CAN come back and haunt you.....which will mean ALL of the money you spent...wen right down the drain.

AND...if this paint is something that you NEVER have applied before....I know you do not want to read this...But you REALLY need to practice and spend some money on materials so when you DO go and paint your car....you do not have a problem.....which is why trying to keep a dollar amount budget is pointless....which dealing in paint like what you want to apply. It IS in a COMPLETELY different LEAGUE!

DUB