Paint flexibility additive?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 205
Likes: 1
From: Miami, FL
Paint flexibility additive?
Hi,
I am getting ready for my first paint job, taking the mystery out of body work (and hopefully a lot of the cost too). I spoke to a painter yesterday who said I have to add some kind of flexibility stuff to the paint because "fiberglass bodies flex and if you don't the paint will just chip off".
I admit I don't know any of the "secrets" of the trade, but since this is the first time I've ever heard anything even REMOTELY like this, my "don't get the rustproofing" sensors are going off. Is this guy telling me true?
If so, why would the paint supplier not try to sell it to me, knowing I'm painting fiberglass? If so, why is this the first I've heard of it (even Lars doesn't say nutton bout it)? If so, what other top secret trade-only learn-from-your-mistakes secrets are lurking behind this job?
And another thing - if this is true, I would assume it should go into the epoxy sealer, the primer, the color AND the clear, not just the color coat.
Man, this sounds more and more like a hoax...
Any ideas?
Chris
I am getting ready for my first paint job, taking the mystery out of body work (and hopefully a lot of the cost too). I spoke to a painter yesterday who said I have to add some kind of flexibility stuff to the paint because "fiberglass bodies flex and if you don't the paint will just chip off".
I admit I don't know any of the "secrets" of the trade, but since this is the first time I've ever heard anything even REMOTELY like this, my "don't get the rustproofing" sensors are going off. Is this guy telling me true?
If so, why would the paint supplier not try to sell it to me, knowing I'm painting fiberglass? If so, why is this the first I've heard of it (even Lars doesn't say nutton bout it)? If so, what other top secret trade-only learn-from-your-mistakes secrets are lurking behind this job?
And another thing - if this is true, I would assume it should go into the epoxy sealer, the primer, the color AND the clear, not just the color coat.
Man, this sounds more and more like a hoax...
Any ideas?
Chris
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 143
Likes: 1
From: Beaumont TX
I just finished painting my Vette and the tech rep for the paint store strongly suggested the PPG "Flexiblizer" additive for all the catalyzed coats (primer & clear). He explained that added flexibility makes the paint tougher and more resistant to stone chips. As I have rubber bumpers it was especially important to add it to the paint on them. It is not a hoax.
As I was lucky enough to discover, find out who at any store REALLY knows what they are doing and clear everything you are planning to do with them in advance. The tech rep was a HUGE help. If your store has a customer service tech rep PICK HIS BRAIN! The help behind the counter may or may not know &(&%!! Also, those folks are generally selling only to professionals who know what they want. They are not likely to question you or even give the best advice. The counter help is just there to ring up sales and not there to make sure your project is a success.
As I was lucky enough to discover, find out who at any store REALLY knows what they are doing and clear everything you are planning to do with them in advance. The tech rep was a HUGE help. If your store has a customer service tech rep PICK HIS BRAIN! The help behind the counter may or may not know &(&%!! Also, those folks are generally selling only to professionals who know what they want. They are not likely to question you or even give the best advice. The counter help is just there to ring up sales and not there to make sure your project is a success.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 205
Likes: 1
From: Miami, FL
Very good points, Mr. Scott, thank you.
The paint-supply folks I talked to said that the modern paints tend to have the flexibility enhancer already blended-in, but that adding "more" wouldn't hurt. They said use SEM bumper prep if I had rubber bumpers.
It's hard to find someone who REALLY knows when everyone who I talk to claims to know it all... :-)
Chris
(PS: Sorry to the admins for 2 posts on this, but the server said one failed.)
The paint-supply folks I talked to said that the modern paints tend to have the flexibility enhancer already blended-in, but that adding "more" wouldn't hurt. They said use SEM bumper prep if I had rubber bumpers.
It's hard to find someone who REALLY knows when everyone who I talk to claims to know it all... :-)
Chris
(PS: Sorry to the admins for 2 posts on this, but the server said one failed.)
