Advice on Paint Prep

[Dan Hunter]

I'm about to start prepping my truck for a utility finish. My original blue paint is coming off and the green camper top I recently acquired just don't look so hot together.

It's getting a coating of Parker Duck Boat Paint, Bay Gray. I've done this before on a 84 Chevy gasser that had a red bed takeoff and mismatched fenders. It turned out fairly well but I want to step it up.

I'm looking for practical advice. This is the advice I found on their web site.

FINISH: Flat
SUGGESTED DFT: 2-4 mils
VOLUME SOLIDS: 46%
FLASH POINT: 104° F. (40°)
THEORETICAL COVERAGE: 738 square feet per gallon per dry mil
DRYING TIME: To touch: 4-8 hours at 75° F., 50% R.H.,
Re-coat: 12-24 hours @ 75° F., 50% R.H.
RECOMMENDED THINNER: Paint thinner or mineral spirits
SURFACE PREPARATION: All surfaces should be clean, dry and free of all dirt,
grease, oil, loose paint, rust and other foreign material.
Glossy surfaces should be sanded or de-glossed.
MAX. SERV. TEMPERATURE: 200° F. (93° C.)
RESISTANCE: Water – Very Good (not for constant immersion service)
Wearing – Very Good
COMPATIBILITY: Self priming on wood. Prime aluminum, steel or fiberglass with a universal primer (300 Primer).
APPLICATION: Apply brush, roller or spray.
Airless or HVLP spray:
Airless: Use a fluid tip with .015” to .017” orifice is suggested at 2500 psi.
HVLP: Use .051” fluid nozzle, #10 Air Cap.


They mention thinner but not a ratio and I'll likely contact them about that.

Prep-wise, I'm going to start removing trim this weekend...fender trim and bump strips. Anyone pulled the bump strips before? Advise?

I'll also pull all the parts that I don't want to mask...bumpers, grill, whatever. I'll form a cover for one tire and then move it around to the others.

I'll be following GMCTDs advise to lay down and pull up duct tape to get the sheets of loose blue paint off. Since the paint is self priming - and really adhered well last time I did this - I'll probably block sand with 320, scotchbrite it, and wipe it down with denatured alcohol or something.

Last time I masked, I taped together grocery bags. Where can I go for something better?

A buddy is going to let me use his barn. Should be good enough to limit impact on the spray pattern and any dust will just add more character to the flat finish.

Really, If you've read my posts you know I need help. Any advise would be appreciated.

 

[DennisG01]

Last time I masked, I taped together grocery bags. Where can I go for something better?

You can get REALLY huge sheets of plastic at places like Home Depot for under under $10. They come on a roll and you unfold as you unroll.

 

[mattthebrat]

Carquest also sells rolls of masking paper, but I usually tape together a bunch of old newspapers. I would just use a DA and and some 180 to get the loose paint off, then block it with 400.

 

[Turbine Doc]

lowes also sells rolls of brown masking paper

 

[Dan Hunter]

I'm on the Lowe's masking thing.

Today, I started removing the rubber bump trim. The first side I went after went easy. Put a screw driver under the corner and lifted then grabbed it with some channel locks and it pulled right off though the foam tape was still there.

On the other side, I just couldn't get it to come off. Strips would chunk. Then I realized that I was working on the shaded side now; the sunny side was the side that went easy.

So I turned the truck around and let the other side heat up while I took my 4.5" grinder with a wire wheel to the tape. I'll chem the remnants off.

Coming along.

 

[mattthebrat]

Lets some pictures when you get her done!

 

[Dan Hunter]

Here's a couple photos to give you a sense of where it's all going.

This is one of the few pictures I have of the thing. Note the flaking paint on the tailgate. There's more of that on the passenger side door. I have a couple dents I'll work on but other than that, it's a good starting point. There's no corrosion to work around.

 

[Dan Hunter]

Here are two shots after trim removal. I initially cut some of the adhesive foam on an edge to I could roll it and get a grip with some pliers. It came off but left a fair amount of the adhesive and foam. My wife (she works for beer) removed the foam using my 4.5in grinder and a wire wheel but there's still residue of the adhesive. We also removed the Silverado plaques and I'll tear the Chevy plate on the tailgate...maybe. I'm definitely not putting the fender trim back on.

Any idea what I can use to remove the adhesive?

 

[daustin]

Good progress thus far, i've used the spray label and sicker remover that works fairly well and there's also weather strip remover that works pretty good too. Think i got those a autozone or somewhere like that.
Don

 

[Dan Hunter]

Hey, do I really need to get that z71 sticker off? It seems that, since I'm not putting a show quality paintjob on it, I could just rough it up with some sandpaper before painting. I'll take it to bare metal if I have to but I don't see the point in it.

Opinions?

 

[Turbine Doc]

IIRC a heat gun (wifes hairdryer when she ain't looking) can be used to remove sticker and body moulding glue

 

[packratt]

You're going to be painting it anyway. Zippo lighter fluid (Naptha) on a rag does a good job of removing adhesive.

 

[mattthebrat]

3M also makes a good eraser wheel for a drill, that will get the adhesive and the sticker off, used em all the time at the body shop.

 

[Dan Hunter]

Looked it up...Stripe off wheel. Interesting. I've got a heat gun. I'll take it to the existing/remaining badges.

Hey, any odd challenges on pulling the bumpers?

 

[Bullseye240]

RUST!!!!!!

 

[Dan Hunter]

So...a little PB Blaster and a day...big wrenches...?

 

[daustin]

That's pretty much it, not real complicated but the darned things are heavy if you do it by yourself. (did that once, got a nice bump on the noggin lol)
Don

 

[wes pierce]

most painters will NOT recommend using plastic for a paint shield.
most poly plastic sheets when sprayed on the paint will dry but not stick. on the next paint pass the air blast from the gun will lift off the dried paint on the plastic and spread it in the fresh wet paint. creats one hell of a mess (ask me how i know). lowes/homedepot both have rolls of paint paper in 30/36 inch rolls for only 10$. cheap insurance for the problem.

 

[Dieseldad97]

most painters will NOT recommend using plastic for a paint shield.
most poly plastic sheets when sprayed on the paint will dry but not stick. on the next paint pass the air blast from the gun will lift off the dried paint on the plastic and spread it in the fresh wet paint. creats one hell of a mess (ask me how i know). lowes/homedepot both have rolls of paint paper in 30/36 inch rolls for only 10$. cheap insurance for the problem.

hahaha, GREAT ADVICE!!



ask me how I know :sad::nonod::nonod:

 

[Dan Hunter]

Crap. Lots of good advice. I'm starting to feel pressure.:grin:

I finished painting my ranch hydrant cart today so I don't have any more excuses. Still gotta get that goo of the side but I've got a can of spray on sticker remover, 3m pads, and some thinner I'll try tomorrow.