Yup.. I'm ghetto.. I'm thinking of painting my wheels again... This time I'm going dark navy blue.. like the volks mag blue, but darker.. my question is about the paint.. for my current setup i used duplicolor wheel finish.. do you think i could use standard auto paint and throw wheel clear coat on it? How will it stand up to time?

 

Dude. . .if you want to invest in some better paint, I've got an HVLP sprayer on the way. Rattle cans. ..FTL! Sprayer. . .FTW!

(Otherwise, you can use watercolor if it sticks. . .the clear is the most important for protecting layers.)

^^^according to the guys at wesco.

 

did you buy the baffles and conversion kit for a compressor? or did you purchase an electronic unit?

 

LOL whats a baffle?

I have 150psi 2hp (I think it's like 80cfm but don't quote me) compressor with a built in regulator. Plus the gun is just a simple gravity fed with an additional regulator on the handle. You're "baffle" question baffles me. Oh, and I did get a few 20' x 10' drop cloths to cover the entire garage. Haha! Imma have fun inhaling fumez!

 

The baffle is the filter that removes all moisture that's produced from the condensation inside the compressor. Those HVLP's work best with dry air.

 

don't use wheel clear on normal paint. It eats the normal paint away and something about it won't let it dry. I painted with normal paint, not on a wheel but same thing, then wheel cleared over it left it out overnight and it was still as wet as frist spray the next morning.

 

Right. . .why didn't you just say a moisture filter? Since it's the same "filter" that I used for the "poor man's oil catch can" I bought two of them and used one in line with the gun too. I'll take pictures of the ghetto rig soon.

 

cool' I was thinking of purchasing a HVLP, but did not want to spend so much money on a conversion kit

 

I used to paint wheels all the time. Used the old style guns and high pressure.

Not sure what the other guy is talking about clear though.

Get a GOOD respirator. If you are using catalyized enamal, the additive is some NASTY stuff.

 

where would i buy the paint though? Wesco?

 

Wesco has all kinds of paints--at least the one up here in Everett does. I got some stuff to play around with from there. I would steer clear of enamel paints. You can get a nice single stage urethane paint, although it'll be more expensive, but it'll be much easier to work with.

BTW, what do you mean "conversion kit?" You can buy just an HVLP gun by itself for ~$50-$100. All you need is a regulator to keep the pressure low, assuming you have a high flowing compressor.

http://www.carcraft.com/howto/ccrp_0...gun/index.html
^^^some good info.

The paints I found that were most recommended while perusing some hot rod forums were: PPG Concept and duPont Nason. I think they're WAY expensive tho.

 

You can buy single stage urethane with metallics. I've used that type on wheels also. Worked okay. Not sure about using really expensive paint on something like wheels though.

Tito. I saw those pics that Patrick posted. 1st wheel look purple. nasty. 2nd pic looked better.

But you do know the topcoat is only going to stick as well as the paint underneath. ie.. over the oem is very good way. Over a rattle can paint job = maybe so so depending on how well you prepped it.

Maybe consider some flex agent to give the paint some more give against rock chips?

 

Yea' I'm going to sand it back down, possibly down to the metal.. There's a few curb rashes that I'm plainning on filling before paint.

My plan of attack:
1. Sand
2. Primer
3. Wet sand
4. Paint
5. Wet sand
6. Clear
7. Wet sand
Where would this "flex agent" come into play?

NM on the conversion kit. you are buying your own hvlp gun. the coneversion kit is for people who want to convert their standard gun into an hvlp gun'

 

You going to try to wetsand down to metal? Good luck trying to get though the oem powder coat. No need. Just get the black crap off.

 

I have gone down to the metal before' I just used a palm sander