Painting Series Land Rovers

[gromit]

I'm looking for advice on paint types for spraying, paint manufacturers and maybe a supplier in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

I've sprayed various vehicles in the past but mostly when I was in the UK using Cellulose.
I have to paint outside (sheds are full) so really need something fairly quick drying although I tend to spray and then move the part under cover.

I recently sprayed some military parts with Protec alkyd enamel camouflage green. Touch dry fairly quickly but took a couple of days to harden fully which is OK. Low lustre so it looks great and doesn't show up a lot of the panel imperfections ! Bonus was it was very well priced at $74 for 4 litres.

The last paint place I went to had an automotive enamel but were concerned that it took too long to touch dry potentially causing problems spraying outside !

I sprayed some panels a year or two ago with acrylic and it tends to be a bit flat 'off the gun' and needs work to get a bit of a shine. Problem with Land Rovers is all those rivets make buffing a bit problematic. Just painted some wheel rims with Dulon acrylic and again a very flat finish, am I doing something wrong ? I did try increasing the percentage of thinners to no avail. Also acrylic is more expensive at $73 per litre.

I'm not set up for 2-Pack, my health is OK and I get on well with the neighbours and I'd like to keep it that way.


So......any recommendations for a paint that has a reasonable gloss 'off the gun', is touch dry fairly quickly, can be tinted to match a sample and is fairly tough or am I asking too much ?

The alternative is to paint the whole fleet in alkyd enamel camouflage green (or tan or black) because it meets most of my requirements.


Colin

[Gordie]

A good question...I will be watching this with interest. I recently had to do some touch up on my county, in the old days it would have just been a matter of buying some 'spraying enamel'...this time I used base coat for a two pack system, but without the two pack clear top coats. My reasoning..that is what I was sold when I asked for acrylic...and I didn't want a gloss finish. I figured it isn't too toxic as it wasn't two pack. So now I will see how it goes re durability.

[Homestar]

I know you said you don't want to use 2 pack, but with a fast hardener it goes off pretty quick. Using an activated charcoal canister respirator in a well ventilated area - ie, outside presents very little risk to you or your neighbours on a calm day, but I understand where you're coming from.

My mate just sold his spray painting buisness so I'm stuck with the same issue when I get around to the body work on mine too, but I don't like my neighbours as much as you do apparently... ;)

An acrylic/cellulose product works fine but as you know the drawback is the finish off the gun.

Just found this - Isocyanate free 2 pack or '2 pack acrylic' has similar properties to 2 pack without trying to kill you or your neighbours - http://www.conceptpaints.com.au/products/industrial/307-iso-free/. Not sure if they have anything that can be tinted at all but maybe worth some research.

[cjc_td5]

I use Acrylics for spray painting my Landys. See my bulkhead in my "Vince" thread. Easy to spray and very easy to touch up later if required. I have had some good results when I am game enough to lay down a thick enough coat.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/series-iii/229444-meet-vincent-stage-1-v8-5.html

[chazza]

...
I sprayed some panels a year or two ago with acrylic and it tends to be a bit flat 'off the gun' and needs work to get a bit of a shine. Problem with Land Rovers is all those rivets make buffing a bit problematic. Just painted some wheel rims with Dulon acrylic and again a very flat finish, am I doing something wrong ?...

Colin

No, you are not doing anything wrong. Acrylic needs smoothing with wet-and-dry paper and buffing with a power-polisher to get a full gloss.

My paint man told me that acrylic is much more durable than enamel; however; a good gloss off the gun is achievable with enamel, at the expense of durability.

Can you set up a temporary shelter in the garden and paint inside it? A forced, filtered air feed could be used to pressurise the shelter slightly and help remove the paint mist. I am thinking of making a similar thing inside my very dusty shed, using a fan I bought, which has been designed to suck exhaust fumes out of a workshop.F050 | AF-30 Industrial Axial Flow Floor Fan | For Sale Sydney Brisbane Melbourne Perth | Buy Workshop Equipment & Machinery online at machineryhouse.com.au (http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/F050)

Stay away from the isocyanates, it is not worth dying for!

Cheers Charlie

[101RRS]

As mentioned colour acryllic comes of the gun pretty flat - diluting down with acryllic thinners (not GP) gives it a bit of a sheen but requires careful application. Doing a clear coat over the colour actually puts a pretty good shine on it without sanding and buffing - when dry, normal polish brings it up even better.

Garry

[gromit]

No, you are not doing anything wrong. Acrylic needs smoothing with wet-and-dry paper and buffing with a power-polisher to get a full gloss.

My paint man told me that acrylic is much more durable than enamel; however; a good gloss off the gun is achievable with enamel, at the expense of durability.

Can you set up a temporary shelter in the garden and paint inside it? A forced, filtered air feed could be used to pressurise the shelter slightly and help remove the paint mist. I am thinking of making a similar thing inside my very dusty shed, using a fan I bought, which has been designed to suck exhaust fumes out of a workshop.F050 | AF-30 Industrial Axial Flow Floor Fan | For Sale Sydney Brisbane Melbourne Perth | Buy Workshop Equipment & Machinery online at machineryhouse.com.au (http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/F050)

Stay away from the isocyanates, it is not worth dying for!

Cheers Charlie

Charlie,

The fact that I can't get a half reasonable gloss 'off the gun' with acrylic is a problem because buffing isn't always possible (rivets). Clear coat is a possibility (if not 2-pack) but the cost & time taken starts to rise.

I could probably set up a temporary shelter but I tend to paint panels at short notice because I have time or the weather is suitable. I can imagine the comments from the wife when the 'temporary shelter' has been in the garden for over 9 months.......

The alkyd enamel I used for the military vehicles did everything I need but they don't tint, you buy it in a pre-mixed colour. Price was good, touch dry in minutes and I can live with the fact that it takes several days to harden. Not sure about durability yet though.

I've found references to quick drying enamels but they are usually for painting machinery or tractors and they don't recommend use on cars. Looks like I'll stay with acrylic in the short term and keep looking.......


Colin

[Homestar]

Be careful with quick dry enamels - they flash off quickly, but the durability is not great and they tend to fade and go chalky quite quickly. Ok for painting machinery, etc but I wouldn't paint a vehicle with it.

Ever thought about using a paintbrush. ;):wasntme:

[gromit]

Ever thought about using a paintbrush. ;):wasntme:
Gav,
A lot of parts like axles etc I've brush painted, once you've developed the art of stippling it looks like it's been sprayed. Brush painting also allows the work to be done in a crowded shed.

I've also brush painted a few horses.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/05/410.jpg (http://s1245.photobucket.com/user/cradley/media/Stuff/IMG_0753_zpsznqtg1dq.jpg.html)


The hardtop on my Series I was painted using a brush & small roller....I can hear people cringing while they read this. Just to add to their disgust I used household emulsion paint !!

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/05/76.jpg (http://s1245.photobucket.com/user/cradley/media/Series%201%20with%20Welder/DSCF4232.jpg.html)


To be fair the hardtop was home made by the original owner and is bondwood (canvas covered plywood) and I checked on a few vintage caravan sites to find the best type of paint. Bunnings did a match from a piece of the canvas I took in to them.


'Automotive' enamel is available from a few suppliers including Protec, drying time is longer that I really would like but I might check on the price and give it a go.


Colin

[goingbush]

Painted mine with Wattyl Sloarguard water based house paint with a brush and roller.
Temporary paint job to get it registered. But I like it.


good thing it didn't wash off after going through this puddle !!

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/01/278.jpg

[gromit]

Painted mine with Wattyl Sloarguard water based house paint with a brush and roller.


Back in the UK years ago a lot of people used to brush/roller paint their Land Rovers.
It's only now that people want to make them look as good as new that we are getting more fussy, back then they were just a working vehicle.


The Australian military paint is available from Protec in low lustre green, tan & black. I went into a Protec distributor and asked for military paint recently and there was a Protec rep there. She was a bit concerned that I was asking for 'military paint' as they can only supply the current paint to the military (top secret stuff).
Anyway once she realised that I was after the military colour rather than the exact 'military' paint there wasn't a problem.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/01/276.jpg (http://s1245.photobucket.com/user/cradley/media/Series%203%20FFR/DSCN4150_zpsvutm3jyj.jpg.html)



Colin

[101RRS]

Oh - forgot to mention - acryllic coloured paint mixed with acryllic clear (not sure of the ratio) gives a reasonable gloss off the gun but to get good coverage you need a few more coats.

garry