Should I ground my car while painting?

[YY1]

I've heard grounding helps the flakes stand up to reflect better.

 

[blue69runner]

My floor dried out before I was finished painting the car shell. But it is a good idea to wet it down. Just one more step to protect particles from getting into the paint job. I live in Fla. and on a sand hill the sand here is so fine like sugar. Even had a set of deck shoes to change into in the paint booth. Clean clothes. The painter's suit was way to baggie. So wore a new long sleeve shirt. Just what I did.

 

[MarPar]

In the old days when Dinosaurs roamed the earth we used to wet the floor in the booth and ground the car so
a static charge would not build up and be a magnet for dust. These days we have down-draft booths that suck
everything under the car so no problem there, but if you are painting in a garage with little to no airflow you will
need to act like a caveman! As you spray, a static charge starts to develop and attracts dust. also, wear a tyvek
suit AND a hairnet so when you are bending over the car to get the middle of the hood or deck lid you don't lose
a curly one in the paint. After all that prep, Don't paint at night for the fear of attracting a Sabre-Toothed Moth!
They always seem to get one wing stuck in the middle of the hood and flap the other wing and go in bigger circles
until they perish (which can take a while!). Good Luck!

 

[blue69runner]

Yes know about the hair. Hair today gone tomorrow. It just adds something to the paint job. Had one get on the deck lid in the clear coat and picked it out with a needle before thing's dried. LOL.

 

[Cranky]

Man I thought you were going to leave it as is??? I wouldnt touch it myself, it has a perfect mix of color, sun burn, light surface rust & primer!!!!

Well.....probably will do that since there's not much money for paint etc but just in case, I'd still like to know.

Are you painting metal flake?

nope

 

[747mopar]

Speaking of bugs, keep a set of long tweezers ready? Only once did I lay a paint job that needed no wet sanding or buffing, a fly landed on the Dutchman panel and left tracks 16" across it before I spotted it!

 

[1967coronet]

I've heard grounding helps the flakes stand up to reflect better.

 

[zyzzyx]

If you want the flakes to stand up to reflect better, just play the National
Anthem at a Fourty-Niners game! Sorry. I couldn't resist! I know I wasn't the
only one thinking about it!

 

[1967coronet]

Never painted an entire car at once before......

We ground on completes, Just old guys I guess. lol.
If its any help cranky, get a walking/painting system down while sealing and spraying base coat so when its time to clear you got it down.
You will know after the base how many cups of clear its going to take to do a coat, It will take a little extra clear. Have that pre mixed and in cups if possible.
Same if shooting single stage once your done with your sealer you will have a idea on color amount to complete a coat.

Anyhow most painters will differ but I like to shoot the roof 1st Right then Left then drop down to the hood left side once you get to the fender drop right on over and keep going. Then the right side of the hood , fender, onto the door, next qt , trunk lid , now your on the other qt and headed for that left front fender.
the tail panel if painting you spray with the trunk/deck lid pass.
Keep your paint with you right in the booth / garage so you can swap out fast, when panel painting dont stop at the gaps pass across them , switching distance each coat so you do not get a edge sag on a door end ect.