i had a previous topic on the other forum on this subject. i wonder if someone (brad?) could please move it across here.

id still like to get some more replies if anyone has comments.....
at last count i think there were 3

thanks

cut n paste it over its easy

my original post:

i m gonna have my car painted in the next few months and have been advised by my chosen painter to use acrylic on the outside, 2K inside. reasoning is that the 2K will give a long lasting "off the gun shine" and the acrylic oudside will be easier to get flat. also no "orange peel", and easier to repair chips etc.

i was talking to a mate who works in a panel shop last night and he said that 2K can be got just as flat as acrylic with some extra elbow grease.

i m gonna use a solid colour (non metallic/candy/pearl) cos i like the old school look.

do other people painting their cars agree with this logic?
is acrylic's longevity an issue?
can you get 2K to a similar flatness?

cheers guys!



Dasdubber
Officially Full-On Dubber
Posts: 266
(8/24/02 8:33:16 pm)
Reply Re: 2K or acrylic?
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My preference is strongly towards 2K. I am not a spraypainter/panel beater by trade but my opinion is that 2K although more expensive is a much better paint to use. I sprayed the side of my beetle (2 tone) in acrylic and had to spend much more time colour sanding it to get rid of the orange peel. The rest of the car was sprayed in 2K and I didn't even have to colour sand it as it came off the gun so much smoother (remember this is just my experience and not that of a trained professional!!).

Summary, I would use 2K for sure.
Alan



14yroldwith1963beetle
Seriously Cruisin Dubber
Posts: 147
(8/25/02 7:01:02 pm)
Reply Re: 2K or acrylic?
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could you explain
orange peel
colour sanding

and do u have any tips or recomendations on what primer, paint and anything else to use?

cheers
adz



Dasdubber
Officially Full-On Dubber
Posts: 270
(8/26/02 12:35:58 pm)
Reply Re: 2K or acrylic?
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Orange peel is when the paint ends up with really fine little pits in it (take a close look at an orange peel...it looks a little like that but not as extreme).

Colour sanding is when you have finished laying on a top coat of colour, you sand it back lightly with very fine wet and dry paper (between 1200 and 2000 grit) with a soft sanding block (usually foam) to take any small imperfections out of the paint. It knocks off any high spots basically and leaves you with a smooth finish. However, once it dries (ie. once the water you have used with your wet and dry evaporates), your top coat will be dull because of the very fine sanding scratches. This is where you have to use a sander/polisher (variable speed is best) with a cutting compound to cut the top coat back - this takes out the sanding scratches. Then you go over that with a swirl remover (with the sander/polisher), then finally a polish.

I use Meguiars polishes etc - have always been fantastic quality. I have always used spies and hecker paint - again no problems. Ask around some professional panel beaters maybe to get a few opinions.


that was easy!

so what is your opinion on the matter vw54?

hi there,i spraypaint at home ,have for some years,have used every thing from air dry to 2k,it depends on where you are painting it,the money you want to spend,and what look you want,solid is the easier way to go,you could use c.o.b.in acylic or 2k.this is a base coat colour then clear coat,you end up with a very glass like finish,but i do recommend if you use 2k,use a 2k prim/filler as well,as acylic prim/filler,under 2k can move.the clear coat after it has gone off in 2k,use 2000 grit to cut it,never in circles,straight lines with a colour block.then buff with a sponge pad and the right 2k compound,diffrent from acylic compond ,but i still think the old acylic done the right way,looks as good as anything,just before you cut it back to buff,let it sit for 1to 2 weeks so it sinks back,then your shine lasts a lot longer.and the paint is only $110 for 4 litres,20 litres thinner 45.prim/filler for 4litres is 40.or if cob.less paint and 4 litres of clear is around 45.so is heaps cheaper then 2k,plus the local cars in your area wont have 2k dots on them when the wind picks it up and sends it down the street.......cheers craig.

Hi Golde60,

As a spraypainter I have used both paints. 2K is a stronger product, no doubt. But on saying this I use acrylic all the time. Acrylic is much more forgiving when painting it, but this is not the reason. As long as its looked after, acrylic is a excellent paint. 2K can be cut and buffed just like acrylic so you don't have to live with orange peel. 2K "hardens", it never changes its properties, where acrylic softens in the sun, with its pores actually opening up and sometimes soaking in stains like birdshit or sap etc, almost like a sponge, where 2k repells these. But don't let this worry you, if acrylic is looked after and has a nice top polish there shouldn,t be a prob. Just think, 2k is fairly new, everyone used acrylic untill then with little probs. The reason for 2k inside is it has shine "off the gun", it is a pain to cut and polish inside. Sorry this is long winded, I am just typing as I think it. So, in my opinion 2k is a better product, and more expensive, but there is nothing wrong with a good acrylic job. If I have confused you sorry.

Damien.

thanx for the feedback people, and welcome to the forum damien

Interesting. With the prices posted on this subject, its way cheaper than paying someone to do it. Anyways, are there manuals or books you can get to give you instructions into how to do a paint job?

I have had my Kombi done with 2K and I have mixed feelings about it. I have noticed on a lot of 2K painted cars that if the preparation is not absolutely prfect and surface rust free, that inperfections, rust runners, and sometimes rust bubbling occur's. There are also splits in the paint along seams and creses in the bodywork, and rust residue seems to flow out and leave stains from these cracks. I was very critical of the painter that did mine, but it looks like the problem is not just with him, like I said I have noticed the same problems with other 2K painted cars at show's. It seems that the paint job looks good for 6-12 months then the problems start to show. I have a friend that has painted his Beetle with 2K and there are no problems after 4 years, but he had the body acid dipped beforehand. Acrylic dosent seen to suffer from these problems as much. I have been told that because 2K is not porous, that the paint traps moisture and this causes most of the problems IE rust runners and so on.
Dose anyone have any light to shed on these comments.
Rob...

All I can say is that I am not a painter but after restoring my bus myself I didnt want anyone else to paint it.
I looked into this for over 2 years and decieded to go with 2 pac. As it is a harder paint and will last for ever, also if it wasnt any good how come ALL the vehicle manufacturers use it
I used a good quality paint(Glasurit) and used 2 pac primer.
I then sprayed it in my shed after using plastic drop sheets above and around the van.
I picked 2 pac as I found it to be easy to spray, there was no rubbing down between coats and once it was preped I did one coat of colour then waited half an hour and did another coat.
I did go overboard as you really only need 2 coats but I had the spare paint and so I put 6 coats on.

I also do not like the orange peel effect that 2 pacs give so I spent a couple of days going over it with wet and dry(wet).
I used 1500 then 1800 then 2000 and this got rid of the peel.

Yes 2 pac has cyanide in the paint and yes you are supposed to use air fed masks, but I visited half a dozen paint shops and they only used good quality cartridge masks.
Now these guys are painting 8 hours a day 5 days a week and some had been using 2 pac for 20 years.
I didnt see anything wrong in using the same masks as them and I only painted 1 kombi.
Heres a pic of the finished article
Any excuse to post a pic

Cheers
Dave

Interesting. With the prices posted on this subject, its way cheaper than paying someone to do it. Anyways, are there manuals or books you can get to give you instructions into how to do a paint job?

AND...

Would 2 pac be an appropriate paint to use on the fibreglass body of a buggy? (Just for little decorations, lines, images, perhaps nude women etc. etc.)

It is a lot cheaper to do it yourself, but the actual spraying part is a absolutely tiny part of doing the paintjob. Preparing the body, priming, rubbing down etc is 95% of the work. This is where $$ goes when you pay someone else to do it.

If you want to learn how to do body work, best reccomendation is to do it at a TAFE night course or something

damn, someone dug this up from the archives

car has been painted for some time now....

What paint did tou end up using then and how did it turn out?

it was done in 2k and i am very happy with the decision

i think most people will agree that 2k will yeild a longer lasting product in the end.