Well, since the last time I sat down to pen my editorial, I managed to squeeze in a couple of weekends out in the garage. On one hand I’m glad I did. On the other hand, it’s amazing how far behind you can get when your attention is diverted from making a magazine every month. But, that’s neither here nor there. What I really wanted to do was to pass on a few nuggets of wisdom I acquired (or should say re-acquired) as I spent a few days out in the garage. Actually there are more than a few, and they all have to do with me getting the bright idea to prep and paint one of my too-many project vehicles.
Now, I’m no stranger to a piece of sandpaper or a spray gun, but bodywork and paint are by no means something I do with any regularity. In fact, looking back to my last project, I vaguely recall promising myself that I’d never attempt to perform my own paintjob again. My garage time served to remind of that vow, only it didn’t remind me until after my latest little project was nearly complete.
It all started innocently enough. I’d been wrenching on my project evenings and weekends for the last couple of months (whenever I was in town, anyway), and it had really been progressing nicely. I’d installed a host of suspension upgrades (lowering coils, adjustable Panhard bar, dropped spindles, disc brakes, and front sway bar) that really improved the stance and ride. After that, I just had to add a set of 16-inch wheels, a quartet of tires, and a new stereo system. Cool, it was really taking shape and was much more fun to drive. But, it was still butt ugly! So, purely on a whim, I swung by the local PB&E jobber and purchased a gallon of the California version of acrylic enamel and the associated reducer and hardener (all eco-friendly, don’t ya know). No big thing, I told myself, I’ll just whip that lumpy old body into shape and lay on a few coats of fresh paint—shouldn’t take more than a weekend. Yeah, right…
Well, to make a long story short, the vehicle’s now wearing a shiny coat of enamel (both inside and out). But it was nowhere even close to some of my more successful paintjobs, and it did remind me of quite a few lessons I’d learned in the past (but apparently chose to forget). The following is a list (in no particular order) of the most important things I re-learned during those days spent in the garage:
It don’t matter what the can says, filler primer will not fill 100-grit sand scratches. Eco-friendly low-VOC lead-free enamel is nothing like anything I’ve sprayed in the past. It’s impossible to pour paint from a gallon can into a quart spray gun cup without covering the top of the workbench with paint. Steadying a strainer while you’re pouring paint into the cup requires more than two hands. Washing the adhesive off your hands after using a tack rag prevents you from having to pry the spray gun out of your hand after the first coat.
HVLP spray guns really do put out a heck of a lot more paint than a standard spray gun. It is possible to put a run (or runs) in each and every panel you point the gun at. It takes really long arms to reach the center of a pickup truck hood.
The front of your T-shirt makes a really funny looking mark on the side of the front fender when you’re trying to reach and spray the center of a pickup hood. Overspray is really hard to get off…anything. Remember to always remove anything that will piss your wife off if it gets covered with overspray from the garage before you paint. Wearing a good respirator keeps your nose hair from changing color. CT