Thread: Painting Series Land Rovers

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.

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/prod.../307-iso-free/. Not sure if they have anything that can be tinted at all but maybe worth some research.

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.

Meet Vincent the Stage 1 v8!

Originally Posted by gromit

...
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

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

Cheers Charlie

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

Originally Posted by chazza

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

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

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.

Originally Posted by Homestar

Ever thought about using a paintbrush.

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.




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 !!




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