Seeking advice for major paint touch up and body work

[epowell]

Thanks Dave.... all good points!
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[Abscate]

If you get your compressor from Horror Fright, buy 2x more rating than the tools spec , too.

You can also get a storage tank if you already have a small compressor , and use that as a reservoir for a one off job. I actually used a hot water heater for this once, in my younger and foolisher days.

Don’t do this.
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[alaskadan]

I lied, its a 2 gallon compressor. Not that it makes much difference. A point Dave made regarding keeping a wet edge is important and that is what makes a small tank challenging. When I did my van I had a plan of attack for it. First I masked off the body and painted the roof. It is the worst looking part of my van because it is the largest single panel and keeping the wet edge was not possible. Oh well. I let that dry and masked off the roof. Then I did all of the pillars and a few inches down from the windows. Then I did the bottom up to the first small body line because that was getting bed liner. This left me the shortest wet edge to maintain as I painted the main sides of the body. Your van being a solid color makes things a little easier. FYI, with that little tank I could spray 2 1/2 to 3 square feet before having to wait for the compressor. Which would take maybe 90 seconds ish to recharge?. Also not mentioned was single stage vs two stage compressors. Two stage units put out twice the cfm and usually higher top psi. Way more money though.. Sounds like you don't want to spend alot right now but if you are shopping on Craigslist or the likes and see a two stage for a great deal grab it. A two stage with a small five gallon tank can likely keep up a with a spray gun.

[epowell]

Great feedback and info - I am now this evening going to watch some YT vids on compressors, sprayers, and also roll-on method.
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[epowell]

Probably a stupid question that I already know the answer to but would prefer to stay in denial about......
.....the main areas that I have had problems with the paint cracking on my van are actually areas where there clearly is body filler, and in fact it is the filler that is cracking, no the paint.
So it seems on the one side of my van that I most need to work on, seems there is filler all under the paint along probably the whole side.

I just heard on one video the guy say that where there is filler, the best practice is to always strip everything right down to metal, and start over again.

I guess this is true?

Then it means I must put down my own filler, flatten, and re-paint.

Any comments? I guess this is obvious.

On my van most of the bad spots are all on one side, so I think the plan of action should be to simply re-paint that full side. But still most of that side is without issues... there may or may not be filler under those 'clean' areas, so I guess I can leave those areas without stripping to metal, even tho those areas will get new paint. I'm assuming that ALL THE CRACKING AREAS should simply get stripped right down to metal, and re-filled/painted.
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[dobryan]

[djkeev]

Yep, that's a problem with filler (Bondo).

Thick filler will crack. Filler also absorbs moisture so if it was smeared over porous rust, the moisture on the back side will work its way into the filler.

Absolutely remove it!

Sadly you probably have what is commonly called a "Cave and Pave" repair.
No proper metal repair work, just cover it over and make it smooth.

This process Makes it look good for a short time, then the decay comes rushing back!

This is way freshly painted vehicles are always suspect! What have they hidden from view?

Dave
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[epowell]

[epowell]

What I am thinking is to dedicate my efforts to ONE COMPLETE SECTION of the dr.side body, see fotos - inside the red lines section. While most of this area is still good and healthy, I think probably it makes most sense to tape off this entire area, after the rotten areas are healed and prepped... then simply paint this whole section with as close as possible green colour I can find.

Make sense?

I have been thinking a lot about what painting method I will use, and looking at a lot of videos on roll-on techniques, as well as compressors, and spraying techniques etc etc. I started to feel overwhelmed by the whole spray/compressor scene.... and most of the videos for "roll-on" paint jobs seemed to be done by very amateur dudes and their results and explanations leave a lot to be desired...

...but then I stumbled upon a series of videos by a British guy who caught my attention. He has been painting his Mini with a BRUSH!!! ...apparantly using a technique used by Roll-Royce from between 1930 - 70. Many thin layers brushed on, lightly sanded smooth after each layer.

Maybe this is crazy??? But the guy seems believable, and his results seem to look good. Here is one video by him.

Link


Any thoughts?
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[djkeev]

Back "in the day" if you had a vehicle..... or a nice family horse drawn wagon...... it was painted ..... it was painted with oil paints and a fine china brush.

The finishes were great!
But the time required was enormous!

Henry Ford had literally acres of drying sheds for his Model T production.

It is a skilled process of technique and paint viscosity.
If you happen to find an old yet unrestored vintage vehicle with time weathered paint, you can actually see the brush strokes.

The spray gun changed the automotive production world!

Dave
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[epowell]

Hey Guys....
...as some of you know already, I live in a huge old house in Czech which until recently had a family pub on the main floor - I seem to recall some years ago the compressor (required for something to do with the beer) blew out and they had to get a new one.

Just today I am doing some cleaning in the basement and noticed this:

It seems to be a small AIR COMPRESSOR, no? The pub won't be opening anytime soon so perhaps I can use this... would it be strong enough to paint the van?

Now, just beside it is this old thing with a huge motor and massive tank.... could this perhaps be the old air compressor (from the communist time?)?

And... lastly while I am at it, can anyone identify what this is?

If anyone can help with this then I have 20 more fotos of such unidentifiable old machine we have here in the basement and attic. My partner's father passed away 8 years ago and he never told me anything about any of these machines. He is the one who knew, now I am the only 'man' around here. So in essence all of this stuff is basically mine - - - I wonder if any of it could have value or use?
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[alaskadan]

That looks like a pretty small compressor, you could likely use it for spraying primer as you don't need to worry about how it looks as much. You'd also be blocking it prior to paint. Then you'd get a feel for it capabilites, or lack there of. Good thing is you can buy quality primer. The middle pic is hard to figure out . That does look like a compressor pump, the thing will the cast cooling fins on the head and cylinder. The tank looks like a pressure tank for a well or water system, the garden hose hanging there is suspect. No air pressure gauges also is concerning. That is a hefty electric motor hooked up to it. The gold bell shaped item on the floor with a handle on top looks like a submersible trash pump. The last picture also looks like a water pump.

[4Gears4Tires]

Maybe you can use the small air compressor to charge that huge tank. Might be enough stored air to paint a considerable amount! Certainly risk burning out the small compressor doing so though, hah.
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[dobryan]

[4Gears4Tires]

That's a fair point!
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Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition

[MarkWard]

Rustoleum can be thinned for spraying and takes 24 hours to cure, so you won't have the same problems with an flowing the edge that you'd have with a automotive enamel.

For your van, I'd break your section up into 3 sections. Shoot the door separately, then use the body seam for the middle section and the body seam for the rear section.

This will lessen the recovery time on the compressor since you are shooting a smaller area. I have a Binks cup style gun from years ago and its fitted with smaller parts for when I was shooting with a small compressor. I was painting my race car so it only needed to look good at 80mph.

Airless spray guns have come down in price and have gone up in quality. I've not used one on a car, but probably a better finish that a fine roller.

Edit: I use inline disposable filters at the gun and an adjustable regulator at the gun. 25 foot hose, likely 10 psi drop from the compressor. I also use a toilet paper roll filter at my compressor and took and old oil cooler that acts as a cooler for the air. Dirt and moisture will put you in the nut house.

The deal with bondo is it's too easy to slather it on to fill low spots vs working the metal out to close to it's original shape. A good body man is only skim coating his metal work.

Your van is not likely destined for the show circuit. So, you have a lot of options available, but I can tell you any fresh paint is going to show every imperfection in the body work, where it might be next to invisible with old paint on it.
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[DuncanS]

Top photo is an air compressor, but very low pressure which I'm guessing by the hose going to the tank. By low pressure, enough to get the beer to the pub. Somewhere in the range of 15 to 25 psi, or for you between 1 and 1.5 atmospheres. You need at least 4 to run a paint sprayer--5 is better. The bell shaped thing next to the tank is a submersible water pump.

Second photo is a water pump with a submersible float valve to turn it on. It's mounted on a wheelbarrow like platform. All this tells me the basement is subject to flooding.

You could try to use the big tank as a 4 atmosphere reservoir for the small compressor, but it will take years to fill it. And it may not be safe. You could hitch it up and then go to Rome. When you come home and the building is still there, then it might be OK to use.

[Jake de Villiers]

[epowell]

[alaskadan]

An angle grinder with a braided wire wheel will be easier on you and the van for bondo removal. More thorough too. Gets the rust while you're at it also.