Get the Gun: HVLP Spray Guns
wo in daily use with no deterioration to the snazzy design. Bear in mind that some paint removers and all abrasive pads will discolor even the best anodizing if you scrub hard enough. Oh Yea … and Read the Directions So what’s my parting shot on today’s HVLP guns? Read the directions that came with
The Clear That Took Afternoons Off: Clearcoat Problem
It started with a phone call. A customer was having trouble with his clearcoat. It seems the clear just didn’t spray right in the afternoon, so he was convinced that something was wrong with it or the hardener. I decided to gather some facts before I went down to see him. I knew the shop
Got Friction? Metal Department vs. Paint Department
One of the longest-running battles within a collision repair facility is the one between the metal department and paint department. And in some of the shops I’ve worked with throughout the world, it had escalated past a battle – it was more like a civil war going on between these two main production departments. Each
Becoming the Mask Master
When I started in this business, I couldn’t wait to pull the masking paper off that “flawless” paint job that I’d so meticulously laid down on that well-massaged custom. In fact, you’d often find me tugging on the tape and ripping paper before even cleaning my gun. What I lacked in sense I made up
Maintain Profits: A Regular Maintenance Schedule
You can lose thousands of dollars a day if even one piece of equipment goes down. Prevent such costly breakdowns by committing to a regular maintenance schedule.
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.
Inside Your Body Shop Spraybooth
Stumped by what’s going on inside your spraybooth? Can’t figure out why your paint work isn’t premo? You’re not alone. Check out this reader Q&A, and you just might find the answers you need.
What Lies Beneath: Good Surface Prep
Is a poorly prepared surface lurking under that shiny new paint job, just waiting for the right time to peel and to turn your life into comeback hell? If so, you’ve only got yourself to blame. The steps for proper surface prep haven’t changed. You just need to tart following them.
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.
There’s a Right Way … and There’s a Wrong Way
Paint-shop best practices.
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,