Dave Tracy

Today I thought would never come. This labor of love has taken 15+ years to date. I am satisfied with the appearance of the body in primer. My goal is to put the first coats on the car next long weekend. I am planning on "double dipping" the paint job. I am going to use PPG DCC single stage in Ermine White, which is the original color. I will be using PPG DPLF epoxy primer as a sealer. My plan is to shoot the primer on Saturday and color on Sunday with Monday as a celebration. Although it was getting dark, I shot a few pictures of the car. Thank you all for your taking the time to offer advice, especially DUB and Porchdog.

porchdog

get a gal of slime before you start !

Dave Tracy

What commercial product do you recommend?

porchdog

i use a product marketed as Slime . i get it at napa. it is just a liquid masking products that washes off with water. i spray it with my vaper 2.3 at low pressure and round fan . soak it down then wash the paint areas with w/b cleaner or just water.

DUB

You can do it as you wish...but IF I were to shoot the PPG epoxy on it as a sealer...I would then apply the color coat the same day...even if it were a few hours later.

Unless you are concerned about specks of lint and trash in the epoxy sealer and you are wanting to get them out before you apply the color.

IF I get some small speck of this and that in the sealer coat...I generally do not worry about it unless they are huge. If they are rather large and I do not feel comfortable about it..I will allow the sealer to set up a bit and lightly scuff those area as flat as I can or at least take the heads off of the specks.

Just in case you are not aware of it....but when you 'double dip' it....ALL of the white paint you applied needs to be scuffed dull in some manner for adhesion. ANY PLACE that you leave shiny...is a place that the paint can peel off in time. SO...all of the tight 'nooks and crannies' are going to be your nemesis.

I am a fan of a gray Scotch-brite and Comet cleanser or some of the NAPA 6381 prep scuffing gel which helps greatly in breaking the shine.

http://www.martinsenour-autopaint.co...p-scuffing-gel

DUB

Dave Tracy

DUB:
You had mentioned the Comet and grey Scotchbrite pad to someone else and I followed your lead. I used the Comet and pad in the trough around the doors and some other tight areas in the jams that already had color. I washed the car in blue Dawn and used the grey pad to "feel" the body. It seemed to turn out well. My plan was to seal it on Saturday and paint on Sunday with the idea of knocking off any junk and deal with any runs (heaven forbid) in the sealer. What is your thought as to putting the color on so quickly? I am by no means questioning your wisdom. I know it is my project and can do what I want but after all of this work, I am asking and heeding the advise of those who know more than I. Thank you for your response.

DUB

Dave,

PLEASE question my wisdom or ANYTHING that does not seem to make sense to you. I will do my best to explain why I do what I do.

I know that when PPG epoxy is converted to a sealer....there is a 'window' of time where the epoxy still has open pores within itself (lack of any better description) so that the solvents of your paint can actually go in and BITE into it and they chemically bond.

I know that PPG may say that the 'window' is a week or whatever it is. BUT I have gotten myself trained that I PREFER NOT to allow any undercoat that is basically made to go on 'wet-on-wet' to actually cure out more and then sometimes is required it to be fully scuffed....because I lost the 'window'.

So you might want to contact PPG ( 1-800-647-6050) and ask them and see what they say due to I really do not use that type of sealer in that manner....so I am kinda out of the loop on it specifically.

The sealer I sue ...when I apply it...i MUST get my basecoat on it within a specified time. Generally I do just that...and if for some odd reason I see I have an issue in the sealer which is not catastrophic...but is still an issue I need to get corrected. What I do... (becasue I am shooting basecoat) is that I apply a coat or two of the basecoat color and that completes my compliance of getting the basecoat on the sealer withing the time needed. Then I will come in the next day and deal with the issue that raised my concerns. And knowing I am shooting basecoat...I do not have to scuff all the basecoat down...because it is just like old school lacquer...and when I apply more of it on what I shot the day before...it will chemically melt in and bond.

DUB

Dave Tracy

FYI for everyone. I called PPG as DUB suggested. According to the rep, DPLF mixed as a sealer has a 1 week window. I am going to follow DUB's advice and put color on the same day that I put on the sealer. Looking forward to getting this accomplished.

porchdog

good call. i give sealer around an hour then shoot it .

DUB

X2.

I know week is within their time line 'window'...but that makes me nervous.

DUB

DUB

I am SUPER DUPER GLAD that you took the time to call ....so many people do not when advised to do so. And the reason I often times suggest that is because 'things' change and it allows a person to stay up-to-date with what is being given as an approved procedure.

DUB

Dave Tracy

After all of the plans and anticipation of painting this long weekend, it appears that the weather is deteriorating for the project. I live in coastal southern CA. The weather is predicted to be at most in the high 60s with overcast skies. The temp won't be high enough and the humidity would be too high for the urethane. The following weekend looks better. I have worked too hard to compromise now. I will hope to have some photos after next weekend.

Mr D.

Can someone explain what the sealer process is all about? Required, not required?

DUB

A sealer is an inner coat that is the product that will bond and adhere to your primer...and then allow your paint to bond to it.

Sealers can also be used to aid in stopping a reaction when you have sanded and feathered previous paints....where...they can become seriously solvent sensitive. The sealer is NOT a 100% guarantee...but it helps keeping the paint from blistering up like bacon on a hot skillet...which I have seen many many times in my career.

The sealer I use is made for 'wet-on-wet' application. Meaning when I shoot the sealer..I allow it to flash and just as long as I apply my basecoat color WITHIN the specific window of time...I know for a fact that the basecoat color has CHEMICALLY bonded to the sealer.

Many people will not use a sealer and the paint job may be just fine with no problems...but most professional painters would more than likely use the sealer to make sure that adhesion and potential reactions are taken out of the equation.

DUB

Dave Tracy

Finally the weather and circumstances worked out. I put the first coats on of a double dip. No catastrophes. Only 2 runs which were operator error-moved gun too slow. Thank you all, especially DUB and Porchdog, for your advice. I'm not looking for accolades, just enjoy another newly painted Vette.

porchdog

it'll take a month for that smile to go away ,





great job

Dave Tracy

For you being a pro, that compliment is very significant to me.

porchdog

dont know about being a pro but i'm old
lot of hard damn work with good results is what i see . the stress level is huge right up until this moment. you can do everything right but the moment you pick up that gun there are a hundred things that can go wrong .

929nitro

Looking real good.

DUB

GREAT JOB Dave!

I feel great when I get to this point. When I am cleaning up my clearcoat gun...my body begins to relax...much like how I felt when I used to run track and cross the finish line.

And for what it is worth....'runs' are what I call either 'flow indicators' or a 'signature'. God knows I know all about 'signatures'.

Like I used to tell the guys I trained. I would much rather there be NOTHING wrong in the paint job (obviously)....but I would rather have a RUN than DRY SPRAY. I can sand out a run...but DRY SPRAY where the clear was not applied correctly BECAUSE they were not WATCHING where they were applying the clear. To me...that is unacceptable...and they all knew it. If I saw or found dry spray...they would HATE IT...becasue I would be fuming mad.

BOY...DO I AGREE with that statement.

DUB