Matching Tricoat Pearls: Think Groundcoat
Making a let-down panel doesn’t solve the problem of matching tricoat pearl color. There’s got to be a better way – and there is: an invisible foundation-coat repair. If an automotive painter were asked what he did for a living, it would be fair for him to say that he’s a master illusionist. Citizen Jane
UV Coatings: Curing at Light-Speed
Increase productivity and boost your bottom line. UV curable coatings reach full cure in two to three minutes – and that’s with no mixing, virtually no VOCs and no heat.
The Right to Repair
Just how accessible is repair information these days and is legislation still needed to ensure a level playing field?
Stuck: Adhesion
I LOVE GLUE DEAR… I love glue, too… Sounds like a sticky situation to me. When I was assigned the task of reporting on the current state of adhesive use in the vehicle repair process, I had no idea where the story might lead. For the easy, logical side of the story, I talked to
Car Struck: Jay Leno Talks
y, and I soon felt like I was shootin’ the breeze with just another motorhead. But I didn’t go in unprepared. Prior to talking with Leno, I did some checking and learned that he was born in New Rochelle, N.Y., in 1950 and spent his youth in Andover, Mass. He’s one of the hardest-working people
When the Paint Hits the Fan
What are the common paint-shop screw ups? What mistakes are consistently causing paint failures – and costing you cash? Hint: It’s not all your painter’s fault.
Auto Body Paint: Solvent Popping
Solvent popping occurs when trapped solvent expands and breaks through the applied paint film. Because there’s no quick fix (you need to remove all of the affected product from the vehicle), the best strategy is prevention.
Clean Up your Act
That tiny spec of dirt in your paint job costs you a lot more time and money to remove than it would have to prevent it. In The Big Book of Painting, page 2,344, paragraph 6, the author explains “The Rule of Dirt”: “All dirt comes to you. But from where? you sayeth. I sayeth,
Prepare to Paint
Paint preparation is more difficult and complicated than it was a couple decades ago. To keep your shop as productive and profitable as possible, keep yourself up to date on the latest paint products.
Paint Department Smarts: The Right Tools and Knowledge
It’s not easy for painters to get the training they need. But that doesn’t mean you should settle for “average” techs. Nurture the Einstein in them by equipping them with the right tools and enlightening them with knowledge.
Becoming the Fastest Gun in the Shop
Because the industry is changing rapidly, the best painters are productive technicians, active communicators, speedy problem solvers and quick learners.
The “Big 3” Interview
Reps from Ford, GM and DaimlerChrysler speak candidly about their plans, their problems and their predictions for the collision repair industry.