Paint, what is the best

Let's hear pros and cons for the particular paint that you use or have used. Looking to get paint real soon, so opions are wanted.

Are you looking for brands or paint type ?

Many options here, technology today has most major manufacturers producing fantastic products. In Canada we are converting to waterborne technologies as are some US states. BASF Glasurit has long been a favorite of mine but as I am in the industry I see many great finishes from Dupont, PPG etc. Each of these companies have various levels of quality and you will pay accordingly for each of these products. Example, BASF's premium line is Glasurit while their second line is RM which is still a very good quality material. See this link as an example:
https://www.basfrefinish.com/cgi-bin/capbsm/java/DirectLink.do?action=GuestLogin&menuName=HUB_MENU&directAction=Home&fromhttpsredirect=Y
Dupont's premium paint is Standox while their second line is Spies Hecker and thier third line is Nason. Standox is a beautiful product as well. Below is a picture of my buddies Camaro I just sprayed in Glasurit 90 line (waterborne basecoat/urethane topcoat). This product will look this wet for its lifetime if cared for.
Sorry for polluting the thread with a Chebby, just an example.
Good luck!

Thanks for the info, I'm still a few months away, but I want to be prepared, again, thanks.

AdamR, looking for single stage, base/clear, urethane, lacquer so on. Also the brands that people prefer.

We do everything in Base/Clear as will most shops Im sure. We just switch from Sikkens Auto Base to Spies Hecker. The Spies seems to be better as far as color match. Find your self a good jobber to get your materiel from, They arent easy to come by but make a world of difference.

At my shop, we use PPG products. Pretty user friendly stuff. I have used Sikkens, Dupont, Martin Seynor, and House of Kolor, but I always go back to PPG.

I see that there is alot of options to consider, so maybe I better get Maaco!!bahhhaaahhhaaa.

Nice paint on the Mopars!

Heres my Dart done with Speis Hecker base and transtar clear. My boss is a big Transtar fan.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a216/adamr78/71%20Dart/dart002.jpg

Heres a cuda done with Sikkens Autobse/transtar.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a216/adamr78/IM000427a.jpg

This is Sikkins

Proof positive that most big name paint manufacturers produce great products in todays industry. Of note, none of these cars would look this good if not for quality undercoats and meticulous prep...and good applicators that take pride in their work. There is no replacement for experience and passion.
Nice work once again!

By the way. The shot of the corner of the hood and the fender was one I took to show the match. The hood was painted about 2 years after the rest of the car.

Very nice...B5 blue?

So many choices, what am I gonna do? the cuda with the Sikkens Auto bas and Transstar looks really good. I do believe that is the exact color I'm shooting for, pardon the pun. Adamr, could you tell me the color of the Cuda, that is sharp looking.

Yessir....B5 it is

The Cuda is an 09 Dodge Challenger color called Inferno Red

5.7 hemi, one thing you need to know is it's not just the paint here...without the right preparation and the right guy pulling the trigger the best paint in the world won't get you what your looking for. Materials alone to acheive these quality results you see above can run anywhere from 500 to 800.00 depending if you want just base clear or a tri-coat (like the beautiful cuda painted inferno red pearlcoat that adamr noted above). Are you going to attempt this yourself?

I liked PPG K200 primer for blocking. I've painted my aunt's bug with white Centari, and my Coronet with black Nason with siphon guns. I have two Sata guns now, but haven't used them yet. Should I use two stage paint for now on, or is single stage fine? I guess two stage is easier for metallics. How different would the new HVLP gravity feeds and new paint be from what I used before? Is K38 comparable to K200? I like the PPG system.

BC/CC will hold out its finish and color a lot longer than SS, no comparison their, and the depth of color is much greater with a clear coat system. HVLP Gravity feeds are the way to go as the transfer efficiency is 60% or better as opposed to the older non compliant guns where the TE could be as low as 35%. PPG is a good choice but we just shooed their system out of our shop in favour of Glasurit. I can't speak to the primer surfacers compatibility. Hope this helps!

Definitely BC/CC. If cost is a concern, Transtar clears are wallet friendly and awesome to work with. Same goes for Rubber-Seal's epoxy primer. Every bit as good as PPG's DP primer at half the price. I'd still stick with PPG's DBC or Global system for base.

I've used rubber seal primers before also. Not bad. I also like roberlos primers. Real thick and I like the light gray color. Makes guide coats really stick out.

Playing devils advocate here, I have seen a lot of problems intermixing systems over the years, and I have no experience at all with Transtar or the above mentioned rubber seal primers. What I have seen (not related to any of the above products) while working at a very high quality shop is a problem with clears peeling due to incompatibility and inability of the clear to properly chemically crosslink with a foriegn basecoat. We were using a beautiful clear (cannot remember the name) and it was nearly 1/2 the price of our paint lines product. Approx. a year after using the clear we started seeing comebacks related to peeling, the clear didn't crosslink with the base. A very costly problem. One thing I have found in my 30 years in industry is it's a little risky intermixing products. You have no recourse if materials fail. Having said that I know that technologies have changed and products are better than they were 12 years ago. Guys, this isn't a rip on anyone, just my 2 cents.

Alright, so basicly, I should fork over the coin to get a good quality paint job. But one has to consider cost and raising a family, so either I wait, or use something that can be had at reasonble costs and done at home. Anyone want to do some pro bono work? ha!!

You will pay more in the long run to do it your self honestly.

As for mixing systems. I dont disagree with that. I would prefer to use all of one line from primer to clear how ever I dont have that say at my shop and my boss has used transtar clear on top of every base coat he's ever used since before I even did body work. I have seen a problem yet.

Another thing to consider is when a paint manufacture buys up another company they will tell you its safe to mix those brands. For instance, We use Spies Hecker which is owned by Dupont. Our rep has tried to sell us on Nason clears and Primer stating they are just as cheap as the Trastar we use but because they are owned by Dupont they are conpatable with our Spies.

Some nice paint fellas, I would love to get my Fury like that slowmaro in the first pic.

Some nice paint fellas, I would love to get my Fury like that slowmaro in the first pic.

Ship er up! Hell, drive it up and have a holiday!
Thx...J

Adamr is right in a lot of respects, for a first class job you have to lay out the bucks. Painting truly is a do it right the first time expense. It takes all stages of the job to be just right, metalwork, filler work, prep for undercoat, paint prep and application to be just right. And those that truly know, even when everything has been done just so, the paint job can go sideways in a hurry as many factors can pop up in the middle of the job. Then you pay out of pocket for your own problems...if the shop has problems, they absorb it in order to give you what they promised to deliver, a quality job. Materials and equipment to do the job right are very expensive...there are no shortcuts that give quality results...Save your pennies, it'll be worth it in the long run.
-Cheers

Do some research of what materials are really going to cost.

DA paper is $100 a roll.
Long board paper about $80 a box

plastic filler between $13 and $55 a gallon depending on what you use.

Epoxy or etching primer about $120 a gallon set up.
Poly Primer, about $80 a gallon
2K primer about $120 a gallon

Paint, The red used on my Dart was $800 a gallon. and I could have used more in the trunk and engine bay.

Clear, $150 a gallon set up.

Thats not even close to everything. Tool, buffing supplies, it all adds up to big bucks.

notice the reflection of me and the other cars and parking lot in the paint

pic

Nice job, Spies is a good product!

Well, if you wanna play, you gotta PAY. So now I'll borrow my buddies trailer and take to the local shops and get some quotes. What are the winning lotto numbers?

Anyone want to come to my house for the weekend, all the food and drink you can handle in exchage for prep work?lol!

Watch what you wish for, you wouldn't want to see my booze bill for a weekend!
Good luck eh!

Ha ha! Work FIRST, then get our drink on.

Talk to some painters, alot of guys need a drink or two before goin into the booth! It steadies the hand.:yes:

Talk to some painters, alot of guys need a drink or two before goin into the booth! It steadies the hand.:yes:


Thats because they are alcoholics, LOL

Gonna try to primer some stuff this weekend, trunk lid, scoop, hood, we'll see how they turn out.

Priming is a great way to get use to the gun. This is the point Im at right now. I prime everything in the shop, sometimes edge out parts and spray jams with color. My boss does most of the paint/clearing.

Theres a lot more to gun control then you would think. My gun has a tall cup on it, Fill it with pain and it gets heavy fast. Get use to spraying with both hands.

It takes a lot of practice to learn how close to hold the gun. How fast to move your hand with out leaving dry spots or runs. Its gott be right in the middle and its pretty tough to do with clear.

Its no big deal with primer because your going to block it out but leave a dry spot in the clear and your in trouble.

When shooting primer I hold the gun about 10 to 12 inches from the surface and move just fast enough to keep it from piling up and looking like cottage cheese. Any part that Im going to block gets 4 coats of 2K primer, Then let it sit and gas out for a week, Spray guide coat and block, Let sit for another week before re priming.

Thanks Adamr, I bought some 3m dry guide coat so I can the imperfections. I'll practice on the hood and trunk lid, flat so I should'nt really screw them up too badly.

Well thr primer did not turn out so hot. It lookrd like someone thru sand on it. I suppose it didn't help that it was hotter than hell outside and the trunk lid was out there for awhile getting hot before I got around to primering. I guess this is a job best left to the proffesionals, damn my bad luck.

Sounds like your air pressure was to high. What kind of gun are you using? You need to se pressure with the trigger pulled. I have a regulator right on my gun.

Regulator is on the gun @30 psi, but it was not set with the trigger pulled, I'll reset it. It's a 2 gun kit from Eastwood, and I'm using the 1.8 tip. Any other advise that I might need? I do appreciate everyone giving a helping hand.

In a nutshell...spray temperature should be between 70-80 degrees if possible. Choose the correct reducer for the temp you are spraying in. The gun should be set for the correct cap pressure, HVLP as an example requires 10 psi at the cap. Note the pot life for the material being sprayed, eg: 45 minutes. Set up your gun as follows. Your pattern should be ellipical, approx. 8-10 inches in height, and 2-3 inches in width when the gun to panel distance is correct. Gun to panel distance should match the height of your pattern, ideally 8-10 inches from the panel. Adjust your spreader valve and air pressure accordingly. One of the most important things is keeping your gun perpendicular to the panel at all times and watching the paint strike the panel. It should go on in medium wet coats, so you can see some shine (wetness) after you make a pass. Make sure you overlap your passes by 50%, starting 50% off the panel and finishing the same way, 50% off in order to get proper film build. Its tricky business and an underestimated art to be able to spray effectively. And a costly way to learn with the price of materials...Good luck!

Hey there 66 B Body4ever, thanks for the advice. But I honestly think it would be sooo much easier if you just came down here and worked you magic, my offer still holds. lol.

If you hear a knock at your door and a see a wild eyed Canadian with a paint gun in his hand cryin for a beer you'll know I've arrived...

Cheers and good luck with your project, you need to chum up with a body/paint guy, we're not so hard to get along with as long as you find one that hasn't been around the solvents too long...lol

I'll leave the light on for ya.

I've been using NAPA's line of MS Tech Base, Base and Clears for the last couple of years on my Dakota Projects, the only thing that is going to happen over the next few years will be the phasing out of the High VOC paints for the New Water-based systems.

Pennsylvania will have to be switched over to Water BORNE Paint by the end of 2011 or early 2012....

All the other states in the union will have to switch by 2020, unless the states legislators speed things up.

Either way it's Bad news for both Body shops and the consumer, this system will cost more, and the shops will have get up to speed on the required changes in the equipement required to shoot it.

Water Borne will pretty much put an end to a hobbiest shooting there own paint. You need booth with fans to circulate the air inside to dry the paint. Dont try spraying it in humid/rainy weather with out a climate controlled booth either.


I believe the NAPA paint is actually Shermam Williams.

True, the hobbyist will be hooped, you need a lot of air movement to allow the water to escape from the basecoat. The tinters/toners are alot more expensive, but require less material to achieve hiding (coverage). We have found it to be a saw off on materials, perhaps a little more expensive at the end of the day.
Currently waterborne materials (toners) are only produced in Europe and shipped here, I can only imagine what that does to the cost of the materials. It will only be a matter of time until the paint companies are producing then in NA.
We here in Canada were supposed to be compliant Jan 2009 initially, but it was unrealistic to get all the shops switched over. The new date came sooner than expected, June 2010 is the line drawn in the sand where paint manufacturers can no longer produce solvent based paints. The shops/distributors are allowed to sell off remaining stock till depleted. There's also another date after June 2010 when no one will be allowed regardless of remaining stock to spray the material but I cannot remember the date right now.
It's coming! And requires a change in application techniques but if an old bodyman like me can do it...

I wish my boss would switch now while Im still learning to spray. May be easier for me to start with water borne then to star on one then have to switch right as Im getting use to spraying.

Unfortunately we will need a new booth and I believe some of the materials we use are comparable such as are tapes and papers..

This is the 4th time I've primered the hood scoop and still get the SANDY LOOK to it. I'm starting to run out of patience. I've read the instructions so many times that I could recite them word for word on how to use/adjust the paint gun. I will try this 1 more time before I give up and leave it to the pros. Maybe my 5 horse compressor does not have the cfm for these hvlp guns? Maybe a cheapy harbor freight gun is what I need to use. I've done this painting thing when I was teen and used a paint gun that my grandfather used when he was younger, didn't have any problems with it, so maybe I'm on to something. Question/comments would be appreciated as always.

Couple of things really matter, yes cfm is one, your instruction manual should tell you the requirements for cfm, psi etc. Also having a 3/8" ID airline (High Volume right!). Are you using a slow reducer? Watch how the paint hits the panel. It should go on medium wet (shiny but not running). Try slowing your gun speed down! Make sure you sand the surface smooth before applying anymore coats. If it looks dry immediately after application, thats how its going to stay.

Just a question for you, is the siphon hole open on your paint cup?

Siphon hole is open, 30-40 psi per instructions, requires more cfm than what my compressor will do(somewhere around 6-7cfm at 90psi my compressor). I'm gonna give it another try this weekend, if it screws up, then I will do all the little dents, dings etc., and save for a paint job. I'm frustrated as hell about this so before I kill something I think I should step back and go at it from another angle(read money).

My offer is still open, lights are still on!lol.

Been doing some reading on the hvlp guns, and wouldn't you know it, they require more cfm than my compressor can dish out. So there is my problem, doomed from the start. I do recall when I was a teen, my grandfather had a spary gun that I used to primer my first car, and I never ran into any problems. It was the old pressure feed(siphon style) cup on the bottom, so I think I'm gonna look for a gun of that type to continue on with. I've gotta start researching this stuff before I start on new projects, it would help my arms and shoulders sooooo much. lol.

While that might work better, the trade off is transfer efficiency. meaning the older gun (non hvlp) will only transfer 35-40% of the material in the cup onto the surface while the hvlp must achieve at least 60% to be compliant. Its tuff and an expensive game to play. And let me tell ya, I'm ready for a beer infested holiday, I just might be knockin on your door!!!:penguins paint pixi:soda1::soda1:

Thanks for the info, and come on down, let the drinking begin. lol

Went to the hardware store today and found a hvlp gun for 60 bones, so I got it. The reason I got it was that is has a consumption rate of 5.9 cfm@50 psi, my compressor can handle that. So hopefully Sunday I can give it a test drive, if it's crappy then I will take it back and look at the other guns.

well shoot.....

Well SHOOT!:grin:

Other things in life kept me from getting any work done this weekend, so hopefully this next week I'll test it out, keep your fingers crossed---toes wouldn't hurt either.

I'm drinkin and thinkin aboutcha! Good luck 5.7. Once again, watch the paint hit the panel, medium wet...should have a bit of a shine to it. Bring the gun in closer if she's not cooperatin'
Cheers from the great warm north.

Thanks 66bbody4ever, I did not have any time this evening to test drive the new gun, my buddy came over to borrow my engine hoist and bsing started. We'll see about tomorrow. I have an idea of how to paint, dip the whole damn car in primer, wait for the flash, then dip it the paint---done.lol!

hmmm...never tried that...lol

Gotta admit, there would not be any bare or thin spots!

I hear PPG

lol

Wow,finally a forum with other painters that I can agree with! P.S. were not all drunks:no:

Yeah, I can't drink and then paint. If I have even one drink before I paint, I will screw it up. The Roadrunner pic's is before buffing it out. :penguins paint pixi

I got a quart of the duplicolor paint system, and I'm gonna try it out on the hood scoop. Looking forward to see how it will go on and more importantly, look.

Thats a lacquer paint. If you decide you dont like it you need to strip it all off. The thinner will melt any other paint you put on top of it.

To set the record straight I never drink before painting myself...too much at risk. But after...now your talking!

so you only paint YOURSELF when you're NOT drinking??????????????

kinky:rolling:

and any female willing to participate...Damn it runner, you're sharp as a marble today!

I have my moments:grin:

What do you use to wipe down the car/parts before you prime/paint? What do you recommend?

Wax & grease remover, two lint free clothes. Wet the surface (with an atomizer or wet cloth) and wipe only in one direction with the first cloth, immediatly follow by the second cleaner cloth in the opposite. The cleaner evaporates rapidly so wipe small areas, ie: half a hood, roof, etc. Make sure you wet the surface well, the correct procedure is to spray the cleaner onto the surface so's to float contaminants then wipe them off, however, it can be accomplished by wetting a clean cloth and wiping. It's a solvent and quite volatile, ventilation and gloves...cheers

I figured out why the GRAINY, SANDY look was happening. The cleaner that I have been using was making so much static eletricity that the primer was just balling up when it hit the scoop. Also, if I touched any metal part after wiping it down, I would get shocked big time, why did it take so long for me to figure this out----DAMN GOOD QUESTION, let me know the answer cause I don't. No more of that stuff, I'm gonna switch to a different brand. Thanks for answering my question---my offer is still open.lol.

The static problem isn't from the cleaner, its from you wiping an ungrounded panel and creating static electricity. You can do one of two things in this case, ground the panel and destat yourself prior to cleaning/painting or the cheapest easiest way is to ground your self (simply holding the panel) while wiping/sanding and then statically discharging yourself prior to spraying. Wetsanding/rinsing the panel can help if the primer you are using permits using water! Make sure the panel is very dry before applying topcoats/undercoats eh!

BTW! watch out for static discharge and evaporating solvents...boom! Seen it happen before :-)

Gee, now ya tell me! I think I'll stick to lacquer thinner, wiping it down outside---now you got me scared!!!!!

Lacquer thinner is not a good idea, to strong and can soften the substrate, me thinks you are trying to scare me into making a road trip! Be careful! W&G remover is milder and cleaner than lacquer.

Did I hear someone say ROAD TRIP? I'm stocking the fridge with adult soda's and tri tip! I'll look for the wax and grease remover, should not be too hard find. I did spray 1 piece with the Duplicolor stuff, looks ok, now I got to clear it to see what it actually looks like. Keep in mind that if it turns out sh!tty, I'll blast it back down to metal and save up for a proper paint job----unless you feel the need to save me.lol. Thanks again for your time and advice.

Are you a beer drinkin tri tip man? I thought I was the only one...lol. Not many people up here do a good tri tip...mmmm...

Damn straight, and I'll throw in some baked patatoes for sh*ts and giggles.Is my offer sound more tempting, er tasty?

Gee, I can't spell for crap tonight! Potatoes---much better.

On a base/clear coat system, should the color be flat or more shiny? If flat, I presume the clear will give it POP when cut and polished?

the base coat shouldn't be flat, but matte, kinda semi-gloss and smooth. yes, the clear makes it pop! BTW, I threw a couple tri tips on the barby last night...mmmm...and your offer is very tempting!

Great, I'm on the right track. Gonna get some clear on Sat. and with the Mopar Gods blessing, it should turn out good!!! Glad you enjoyed the tri-tip, I had hamburger helper---my sons autism therapy goes until 7 pm, so lately we have been eating late, our sacrifice to help him now and in the future. He is doing great with the extra help, but the funny thing is our daughter does not have it--hit and miss with autism.

Well the clear coat is on and it did make the color pop. Now I'm gonna wet sand the clear, 1500 grit, and apply a few more coats. Then wet sand again, and finally polish. Now I did read on some other forums that you CAN use a 2 part ureathane clear over the lacquer color coat. The reason for the ureathane is it's more durable, so I'm gonna look into this. Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.

Hey 5.7, the problem with laquer is that it is a true thermoplastic paint and it does not chemically crosslink with other materials. Way back when we started using BC/CC lacquer was used as the base. This lead to peeling issues between the base and clear materials. Once the clear completely cures its bond to the clear will weaken and can delaminate.
The newer solvent borne or waterborne basecoat materials while not always catalysed before spraying, are formulated to chemically react with the clear urethane and for lack of a more complex explanation, cure the uncatalysed basecoat. The isocyanates in the clear help this process along. Lacquer is unaffected by the clear and will remain a sensitive uncured material. Catalysed materials cure, lacquer dries by solvent evaporation and remains sensitive!
As you have already sprayed, don't sweat it too much, just remember for the future its not a good substrate (lacquer). Don't ever intermix products if you want a gauranteed result. As for reclearing, P1500 is too fine and unecessary. P800 is plenty good! In fact I have used 600 with no issues. If you go too fine, the leveling effect (knocking orange peel flat) is reduced. Watch your edges when sanding! The paint is thinnest in these areas!
Good luck with your son.
-J

I have only done 1 piece and the mor I read online, and the more I talk with people that do painting all the time, I've come to the conclusion that I'd be better off using a quality brand, and I'm not having too much luck with the piece that's done---looks crappy. So I'm gonna blast off the Duplicolor stuff and start from scratch with a quality paint. Thanks for thinking of my son--he does well damn near 98% of the time, speech and language is his most challenging, but he never gives up--so my better half and I wont either. Did I mention my offer is still open? Had bbq chicken, baked patatoe, ranch beans and hot links for dinner--man I'm stuffed!

What do you think of single stage ureathane? Is it something a novice could do? Or single stage enamel?

Wow, dinner sounds great. All paint systems require some level of skill to apply, Single stage is fine if you want a solid colour. A little more maintenance as there is no clearcoat to protect it from UV rays...but we like to wax our toys anyway right. Another thing with single stage is cost, depending on the colour it can be about 2/3 the cost of BC/CC, and the urethane is very durable. Can a novice do it? Sure! The trick is gun control and application technique which comes with practice. If you have a chance stop by the local bodyshop and ask to watch the painter, alot is learned by watching a pro. Some shops may not allow this, but we have a couple local shops that actually have a viewing room for the customers!
Keep up the good work with your boy, it'll pay dividends later on!

I'm leaning towards red, it was red from the factory so that's what I'll stick with. I'll get a pint of single stage ureathane and practice on some small parts, that way if I mess it up it can be redone without alot of hassle. My son's tutor said he did really good tonight, but it's alot to ask a 5 year old not to get cranky for 4 hours and not have a dinner break, but other than that he's doing just fine. His speech and language has come so far since he was 3, and now he's in the first grade, smart as a whip, but some direction following is what needs help with---does not quite understand what the question is you are asking of him sometimes. But his teachers and staff at his school work their butts off with him and I can't thank them enough for the dedication they put forth.

Well I forgot to say that my dad just had his numbers matching 70 Challenger r/t go in for body and paint. The guy is chargin' him 7500 bones for this, he got quotes as high as 16000 bones. Even at the lower price, this is something that we cant afford, so thats why I gotta do it myself, and learn another skill in the process. Oh, the color-------PLUM CRAZY for dad's challenger.

Unfortunately, restoration is a crap shoot when it comes to estimating. A shop never knows what they are getting into until the dust literally settles. Glad to hear you are taking the proactive approach, nothing is learned by shying away. I believe your son has the same traits! I could never afford to have a shop do anything on my cars as money was tight growing up, my Dad taught me a ton of stuff mechanically and then I discovered bodywork. The rest is history. 20 years in industry and 10 years teaching collision repair and I still got the bug to do it all myself...Any time I can help ya out give me a holler, maybe the single stage red will be the right way to go. One note about red tho', it's the quickest oxidizing colour out there, 2-3 coats of wax a year isn't uncommon for SS red to keep it looking great! You could always wet sand and clear it later on, but thats another story for another day.

Depends on the shop I suppose. When I had my Challenger done, it was finished in about 4 months, and the final price was higher than the estimate.

a whopping $27.00 higher:grin:

The biggest issue is how much rust is hiding under the ol' paint usually, bodywork is bodywork and paint is usually straighforward, its the sheetmetal reconstruction that'll kill ya financially. Sweet deal on the $27.00 overage Runner, they probably needed beer for the boys on Friday! 27 bucks gets you 18 beer in Canada, probably a few cases in the US eh! Get it... US eh... C eh N eh D eh... Ok I'll shut up now.

You guys are too damn funny!!!!!!!!!

I thought that was Canerderrr:soda1:

Only after a few too many wobbly pops Runner...Cheers eh!

What kind of polishing compound do you use after wet sanding the clear? Any info would help me out, thanks.

It really depends...I am currently using Norton's Ice system, it uses one polish and different polishing pads to achieve a first class finish. The pad has a huge effect on the overall finish of any job.
Depending on what you're trying to do, level orange peel vs. polish imperfections as an example, I generally start with P1500 grit to level, then 2000 and polish with a fairly aggressive polish. Of course using finer grit polishes to acheive the desired gloss. If you are inexperienced, it's best to stick to a system, Meguiars or Norton as an example. I am sure many people could weigh in on this I am sure. Perhaps starting another thread will get you what you need in terms of info. I am a bodyman first, painter second and detailer last and am not an expert although achieve good results with polishing!

Thanks for answering my question. I did paint 2 pieces and clear coated them. I wet sanded to 1500 and now looking to polish them to see what kind of results I get.

Hey fellas, I have a question. I recenlty watched, for about the 6th time..(:>)...Project Overlord, a segment of Overhaulin'. Chip Foose '56 Ford PU was painted with a "single stage" black emamel. I have for several days on and off, attempted to locate the brand of "single stage" paint used on that truck. For the life of me, I have not found any ref. the the actual brand/manufacturer of the paint they used on that truck.

My paint combo will be black over...........

Have any of you seen or heard, what they may have used? The finish is absolutely outrageous...! If I am steppin' on someones copyright on this, pls let me know...I'll delete it a sec..

I have painted several cars over the years, even, Eons ago, painted automobiles for a living, but I have NEVER seen a finish like this one.


http://www.shoalwaterbay.com/temp/Chips56.jpg

Well I believe the reason for ss black is depth of colour, clearcoat on black is awesome as well and ultimately looks better longer. I am looking for a term that would help describe the difference in appearance between the two but it's too early in the am. They likely used a very pure black (little or no toners) with no white yellow or red added. Blue can be added to blacks to aid in depth. Black is not always as it appears. What makes this baby stand out is polishing. I beleive they used BASF paint but inreality for the application PPG or Dupont would appear similar. Polishing!!!
Just my 2 cents...

You can still get a single stage paint at an auto paint store (Finishmasters) I just had some mixed so I can (eventually) reshoot the engine compartment on my Duster.

What kind of polishing compound do you use after wet sanding the clear? Any info would help me out, thanks.

Im using Malco. True grit with a yellow wool pad for the first cut. We also use D/A paper for color sanding. 1500 dry then 3000 wet on the D/A. Its also most shiny again before you even polish it. Doing it by hand with a black will give you better results however.

This car was shot in 3 coats PPG Concept DCC single stage then wet sanded with 1000 grit, then again with 3 coats of a 1:1 mix of Concept DCC and Concept 2002 Clear DCU, (both catalyzed and reduced before the 1:1) hand wet sanded starting with 1500, going to 2000 then machine polished using the Presta system. I took the pics under the tree as I detailed it for it's first show. In the full sun, this car needs sunglasses for viewing. Not too bad for the Empirial Ivory.

This is PPG Base coat and Transtar clear car was painted where it sits.

Transtar, My boss love that stuff.

Looks good Patrick, must of been cloudy in there!