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Fri Jul 13, 2012 5:26 pm

Got my car almost ready to shoot so I should be good to go within a day or so. I am in AZ so the weather is pretty hot but there's about a 50% chance of rain throughout the weekend and the humidity is also about 50% give or take. I've read a bit on this and some say it's ok, just use slow reducer and allow more flash time, others say if there's any chance of rain you will ruin your new paint job. I'm spraying base clear and shooting in my garage. Should I wait for better weather or will I be ok?

Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:35 pm

I'm surprised no one has answered this thread and its getting a bit old.

It's a tough subject to answer. Most pros use climate controlled (temperature, humidity, and wind speed/volume) to paint in.
I do a lot of home painting in a covered three walled tarp paint booth and it works good for me. I don't paint when it gets over about 25-30 percent humidity.
If your painting in your garage and you keep the main door closed and have a door that leads to the back yard, open it and put a big shop fan there blowing outside as an exhaust fan. That should do the job fine.

Sun Jul 15, 2012 5:24 pm

yeah for sure....the air coming in cant be controlled cuz its not going through a plenumn and air make up section. my booth has no heat or make up but draws air from the shop and the outside through a wall plenumn...the differencee is the intake filter are very very expensive as they kill all moisture and also leet the proper amount through.

this gargae air it is what it is...the biggest thing with humidity is the likely hood of blushing and dye back through and under the clear...color included...you should def either spray it in the very early morning or just after dusk..the air is should be crisper and less humid but you never know...also dont forget to run some sort of a desicanrt or separator system...its a must in a hot and humid climate...as well as extreme cold too!

hope this helps.

Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:24 am

Also take into consideration the insects and when they pop up. Here in New England painting at dusk is the worst possible time as the bugs all come out...and no matter how tightly you seal your paint booth you will get bugs in the paint if you paint during prime bug time. I don't know what thay are like in AZ but up here it is a big consideration.

Mon Jul 16, 2012 3:13 pm

I just painted bike parts this weekend for a friend. They came out great. I too am in Arizona.

You should have been ok, maybe more flash time.

Did you get it done?

Tue Jul 17, 2012 10:28 am

yeah true that the insects are drawn to them bright lights for sure. keep all them gaps closed off. but most guys just lift up a door or crack a window....put fuilters in the way instead and seal it off with tape and such.

Tue Jul 17, 2012 5:56 pm

Thanks for the replies, shot on sunday and came out fairly decent for an amateur. One run in the clear, couple bits of dust and one small hair but I think it should all buff out. Here's a pic.
[img][/img]

Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:15 am

Looks great! Funny, we just sprayed mine last night from 2am-7am due to humidity and the heat. Color is blue as well. Good Luck putting her back together!

Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:42 am

fugazi885 wrote: Thanks for the replies, shot on sunday and came out fairly decent for an amateur. One run in the clear, couple bits of dust and one small hair but I think it should all buff out. Here's a pic.
[img]

Nice job! Looks great! Those will buff out no problems. Runs are hard to sand cause you don't want to go through on the surrounding areas.. I've heard you can use a razor blade on it's edge but I've never really had luck with that.

Let me ask you a few questions on how you painted your car.

1. Did you mask off the window openings?
2. Did you paint the fenders on the car (can't tell if that is fender bead or just blank space between the body and fenders)
3. I see the trunk area is still flat, did you not clear that area or what did you use there?
4. What did you use?

I'm getting ready to final block sand mine. And I will be painting it very soon. Almost a similar color.

Again! Looks great!

Wed Jul 18, 2012 11:35 am

Hopefully not considered a hijack here....

Does having an Air Conditioned space cut back on Humidity? (You know since that's technically what Air Conditioning does....) I have a motel wall/floor unit built into my outside shop. I'll probably be painting myself when I get there so I'm just curious. I live in NC the humidity here is more than ridiculous 90 to 100% right now in the summer.

Wed Jul 18, 2012 11:46 am

DocOctane wrote: Hopefully not considered a hijack here....

Does having an Air Conditioned space cut back on Humidity? (You know since that's technically what Air Conditioning does....) I have a motel wall/floor unit built into my outside shop. I'll probably be painting myself when I get there so I'm just curious. I live in NC the humidity here is more than ridiculous 90 to 100% right now in the summer.

Yes it will. Just beware if you need to open a door to air out the area when you just finished.

Wed Jul 18, 2012 4:16 pm

Quote: 1. Did you mask off the window openings?
2. Did you paint the fenders on the car (can't tell if that is fender bead or just blank space between the body and fenders)
3. I see the trunk area is still flat, did you not clear that area or what did you use there?
4. What did you use?

1. I only masked the engine bay, nothing else
2. Painted the fenders on the car, just make sure they're loose
3. The trunk is still in an experimental stage. It was pretty rough so I first hit it with bedliner but didn't like it black so I shot it with sealer and color when I painted the rest. I did spray a little clear on it but it needs a lot more.
4. Most of the products I used are lucid technologies, bought all my paints at ADCO out in glendale AZ.
Not sure what part of AZ you're in but if you're local come check it out.

Wed Jul 18, 2012 4:35 pm

Very cool.

I thought how the clear would spray across other panels if I didn't mask my windows up. But again, I will be wet sanding and buffing - but still might make for a cleaner spray.. if you didn't have any issues, then that will save me some time! :)

Car looks great. I'm in the Chandler/Gilbert area. I'd love to check it out, but I am sure that will just want me to get my car going that much faster! :) hahaha

I have to do final block and primer again soon and get ready for a spray.

Did you do the body work as well? Did you block it? What did you use to block it on such a curved surface?

Thu Jul 19, 2012 11:27 am

Humidity??? You're in Arizona, you don't know what humidity is!!!

Humid is when you get out of your air conditioned car and your glasses fog over.

Humid is when you know exactly how much you have sweated - cause none of it has evaporated.

Humidity is described by one of the local weathermen as "air you can wear."

You may have the heat, but here on the coast of Virginia, we have been having days of 97 degree heat with 97% humidity. You start sweating on the walk from your house to your car.

Thu Jul 19, 2012 11:43 am

Its monsoon season. 90+ humidity for 2 days. When it is raining its 100% right? :)

Thu Jul 19, 2012 4:29 pm

Quote: Did you do the body work as well? Did you block it? What did you use to block it on such a curved surface?
Yes, I did all the body work myself. Took the damn thing all the way to bare metal and started fresh. I have a few sanding blocks but in retrospect you really only need one. 99% of my sanding was done with a foam block about the size of a dollar bill and maybe 3/8" thick, I also used adhesive backed paper. I tried longer blocks on larger areas like the roof but found the paper would wrinkle as the block flexed and contracted which left scratch marks. Fortunately I figured that out early on so it was an easy fix. Take your time with a smaller block and guide coat between sanding stages would be my advice. I used feather fill, guide coat and sand, urethane primer, guide coat and sand again, then seal and top coat. If you go to bare metal you will need epoxy primer before high build.

Thu Jul 19, 2012 4:31 pm

Nice job, AZ! I love the color, too.

Fri Jul 20, 2012 1:19 pm

Cool! Thank you. Getting ready to do final body work.. and primer and sealer. Just refreshing to hear from someone who has done it just recently. I am not new to paint.. but the final process on a bug is new to me.. I can do flat panels well.. but new to the bug body..

My first car, a 1965, I painted in my friends drive way back in high school.. (1993) and from them I have been hooked.

Here is that car.. single stage..
[img]http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=8273[/img]

My car now..

I will be painting it a Dodge Ram Atlantic Blue Pearl!

Keep us updated on the progress of your car.

You plan on cutting and buffing it? Doing the wiring next?

Fri Jul 20, 2012 7:16 pm

Nice! Looks like you should be painting in no time. Since this thread seems to be getting a little off topic I started a build thread for my little project. Check it out http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=521074

Fri Jul 20, 2012 7:18 pm

Sorry about hi-jacking.