Car Painting Tips

Hot enough for ya? Maybe yes, maybe no: Messen' Around

W hile some dare not depart from their air-conditioned homes this past weekend, others, such as me, reveled in the 90-plus degree heat.

After a productive Saturday of manicuring my lawn to it’s finest condition, I was free to enjoy the outdoors Sunday.

An early afternoon outdoor dinner at my aunt and uncle’s home and I was set to enjoy the rays of the beating sun – and not by way of a beach or a pool.

Instead, I spent a few hours mingling with residents of Richmond Heights covering their annual Family Picnic Day. The heat did not dissuade those from coming out to enjoy a day of fun which could not have been better coordinated by Mayor Dan Ursu and Recreation Director Teri Drda and her staff.

The afternoon heat did get me thinking about joining those on the city’s sprayground to cool down, but I refrained from doing so.

Upon departing from Richmond Heights, I did consider hitting a local pool for a cool dip, but rather relaxed in my own backyard with a garden sprinkler strategically placed so it could cool down my legs and feet. I thought about running through it like a child, but figured my neighbors might never speak to me again if I did.

By 8 p.m. the sun began to settle for the day but the humidity remained and I wanted to bask in it. So I headed up to the Highland Heights tennis courts to practice my serve for a good hour.

Shortly after, and back at home, I wasn’t finished. It was time for a perspiring four-mile walk.

Call me crazy, but unlike many others I find the heat stimulating. I could have continued on my walk a few more miles but my chemical dependency on ice water brought me back home. Days that bring hot and humid temperatures like Sunday can be draining but I cannot help but find them energizing.

In a summer, where I’ve found myself often with an idle mind, the day’s heat and my involvement in physical activity forced life into me.

And it all came in a day, where an invasion of gnats, flies landing on my food, a dead crow floating in my backyard water garden and a dose of fueled animosity from a tiresome source couldn’t bother me.

There is a quote I’ve become fond of that states “positive energy activates constant elevation.” And if it’s a day of heat, humidity and perspiration that allows myself to feel this way, then I’ll be glad to endure many more days like Sunday.

Learn to Restore Car Paint and Bodywork – Spray Painting Tips

If you are performing, auto body finishing your work area has to be almost sterile unless of course you enjoy having to strip, sand, repaint and buff repeatedly on the same car because something got into the paint or finish or you left some residue and went onto the next step. If there is anything present that could ruin your finishing work then it probably will.

One of the most valuable assets you can have is a quality wax and grease remover. Most often the to the job at home guy ends up with an inferior finish if all due to not removing the residue of anything from the car like old wax and dirt build up or airborne debris.

There are solvents that can be used but you are taking a chance when you use these. Many novice auto body finishers are devastated when the mistakes made before the primer application start to appear. The key to being successful is to know the right materials for the job. Then it’s knowing how to use them. Finally when and where should they used.

What You will Need

- There are lots of products that will remove grease and wax but you need to remove silicone.

- You will need about 3 gallons

- Solvent and lint free rags actually cheesecloth or tough quality paper towels are the best

- detail scrubbing brush to get at hard to get spots where there may be silicone

Do Not Use

- regular lacquer thinner (can create havoc with paint systems)

- enamel reduced (same reason)

- cheap rags

(Note: if you really have to use lacquer thinner work quick and don’t let it soak into the prime coat too much or too long)

Degreasing Times:

It certainly is not a one-time operation. At least not when you consider that if you were to even leave one print smudge on the car it will likely show up as discoloration in the finish. It is imperative that you remove any and all of grease, wax and silicone…

- prior to touchups

- prior to the bare metal conversion coating

- prior to filling and glazing

- prior to primers

- prior to basecoat

- prior to finishing coats

The Right Spots to Degrease:

The areas that you are going to be working on such as the body and panel.

Do not miss around all these areas…

Trim, weather stripping, cowel louver, panel joints and air intakes

Inside the head and taillight apertures, only necessary if you have removed the trim or bezels.

Pro paint & body

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