Innovative (and Cool) Stuff for the Paint Shop
During the recent NACE show in Las Vegas, I made the rounds of the paint manufacturer’s display booths. (It’s nice to have them back at NACE, by the way.) My topic for this article is new paint technologies, and I was able to speak to someone knowledgeable at each of the booths. I simply asked
Finding Flaws Before the Booth: Prep Procedures
Time wasted in the booth and on redos doesn’t pay the bills. Save time and money by establishing proper prep procedures.
Spray-Gun Tips for Automotive Painting
You don’t need a new spray gun (even though you may want one) to get the most from your gun and to create a great paint job.
The 2 Minute Cure: UV Curing Primer
“We’ve got a new primer that’ll cure in two minutes, ready to sand! ” said our paint rep. Yeah, right. Skeptical by nature and not easily sold, I’ve discovered that UV curing primer really is all he claimed it would be, saving my shop time – and money. What’s all this talk about UV curing
Gunning for You: HVLP Gravity-feed Spray
Becoming the industry’s “gun of choice,” HVLP gravity-feed spray guns save you money and do most of the work for you. I recently visited autobody paint shops in far corners of the country. Every single one was using gravity-feed spray guns, most of them high volume, low-pressure (HVLP). How did this style of spray gun
Paint Predictions & Amp; Educated Guesses
Which way is the wind blowing auto paint these days? I recently asked the major paint manufacturers what trends they saw on our near and far horizons. And because refinish paint technology tends to follow original equipment technology by several years and at a lower level of sophistication, they were able to make some pretty
Have You Hugged Your Air Compressor Today
The heart of any body shop is the compressed air system. Often mistreated and misunderstood, the air compressor is usually taken for granted – until it ceases to function. The cost of metal men not being able to sand and painters not being able to spray paint mounts really quickly when no one has any
Trade Secrets
Unusual, everyday tools commonly used in the collision repair industry.
Cured: Let’s Talk About Why the Paint Shop Runs Slower than the Metal Shop
Both departments take their allotted completion times from a published labor time database, so 4.5 hours should pass just as quickly in both shops. But, as you well know, the 4.5 hours of work takes longer to complete in the paint shop. The difference of course, is the dry times. You can hang a new
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
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.
