please teach me about paint !!

hi everyone,
so.. im in the process of rebuilding my xj600, im ok on the mechanics, and im a general electrician, so im ok on the electrics. but i need some help on painting. i visited a local paint supply store, but they just confused me more.
for now i just want to get sorted on the paint for the frame.
i plan to spray can it, with a metalic red. but what kind of paint is in the cans, i have bought some etching primer by u.pol, after stripping the frame bare, i plan to brush paint on some Hammerite rust eater (smoothe type), will the u.pol spray over this, and what type of top coat and clear coat do i need.
whats the differance between acrillic and cellulose ?
i cant find any u.pol colour coat, just the primer
cheers
stu :?

 

PO put acrylic clear coat on my gas tank and the spilled gas caused it to come off. I had to sand all the old stuff off and apply the correct clearcoat. The type I got was a two part clear coat that is gas and oil proof. I think it was USC Spray Max 2k High Gloss Clearcoat Aerosol. They have two types, and I called them and spoke with a technician that told me which one to use. I wouldn't use anything else if I were you.

 

thanks "tabaca" , looks like acrillic is out then , i'll see if anything like usc is availlable over here.
thanks
stu,

 

I used etchpro, an epoxy etch primer followed by 2 coats of Protec jet black acrylic enamel 363 with enamel hardener 369 added. This is thinned with enamel reducer R303.
I used a 600ml gravity feed gun operating at approx 40psi to apply the paint.
If I was spraying another frame I would use a smaller suction gun as it would make it easier to get around the frame.

my 2 cents....

 

if you google "clearcoat" or "usc clearcoat" I think you will find it. I got my information on the company there and then ordered the clearcoat off Amazon I think.

 

cellulose, i think is lacquer that is not fuel proof. acrylic is a fancy word for plastic, some of it is fuel proof.
i use nothing but this , i tried enamel once and made a real mess of it. i used to get hammerite over here but can't find it anymore. it's the toughest paint i ever saw. do you really need a primer with it?

 

Most automotive and motorcycle paint are base coat clear coat systems. You can buy a pint of base coat which when mixed will go a long way. The problem is the clear coat and Hardner are very expensive and comes in gallon cans. That is way more clear coat than anyone could use.
Shaker can paints are good but don't hold up like regular automotive paint at least with what I have tried in the past. Fuel has always wrecked my paint jobs.

 

Just a note on my last post... I had my frame sandblasted so it needed to be etch primed as it was raw metal. Failure to prime within an hour or so of blasting would've seen the frame start rusting.....

 

Let me help u guys out some I'm dupont certified. The best result will be from a two + part clear coat. All clears will break down paint no matter what they say its just how long it takes. I shot hear and there but I would go this the standard automotive base coat clear coat set up u will get the best result and final product what way. They may make a clear in a single spray can but I have yet to find one I like and that really works.

So my words to u find a auto paint store near u aka napa or a big place like that and get a pint of clear with the required additives. U will get the best results that way

 

Por-15 has some really good products. They aren't real cheap but when is really good paint ever cheap. They make a two part paint they call "Hardnose" which is designed to be abused. They have a clear called "Pelucid" and another called "Glisten PC". I haven't tried either one but they claim they are chemically resistant-but they are single component. Unlike the Hardnose-which I know works.

Wrench is right-if you can find a two-component clear that isn't too $$ it would likely be the toughest clear. I am going to be trying the Pelucid on a project soon so I will create a tester and throw the kitchen sink at it to see how it does and will let you know.

 

I can recommend the Spray Max 2K clear coat. At around $25US a can, it's not cheap, but I've had petrol slopped on my tank with no damage, and even dripped brake fluid on it once without noticing. After about 5 minutes I wiped the brake fluid off and there was no damage to the paint.

My only regret is not spraying the fuel filler neck better.

 

That's the brand that I used--made by USC. Two part spray can. It worked well for me. However, I got greedy on my tank and didn't want to leave any in the can and towards the end got some spattering and air bubbles that had to be sanded out. But I have a thick durable clearcoat on my tank. I'm sure automotive clearcoat would be just as good and probably better, but this was easy and affordable.

 

This is what I used--made by USC. Two parts in the same spray can which you have to activate. It worked great for me. However, I got greedy and at $25 I didn't want to leave any in the can. Near the end I got some splattering and air bubbles that had to be sanded out. But now I have a nice, thick, smooth clearcoat. I'm sure the auto clearcoat is as good and maybe better, but for small applications this works great and not too expensive.

 

I just sprayed: first coat, wait 15 minutes, spray second coat, wait 7 hours, spray third coat, wait 15 minutes, spray fourth coat. Had about half a can left. But I researched it before hand and read a lot of user reviews that said the last 1/4 can and using it more than 12 hours old didn't have the greatest results.

 

From my experience that's good advice.

 

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. i used to get hammerite over here but can't find it anymore. it's the toughest paint i ever saw. do you really need a primer with it?

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hammerite is good stuff, i suppose you dont need primer, but its very thick stuff, the primer fills the faint brush marks.
i've just done the shock coil spring today, and its come out very well with the primer. got to find a suitable top coat and laquer now
cheers
stu :lol:

 

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if you google "clearcoat" or "usc clearcoat" I think you will find it. I got my information on the company there and then ordered the clearcoat off Amazon I think
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thanks for that, i found it on amazon, but at $25 plus shipping etc. i'll try and find an equivelent over here.
do you have to use the 2pack stuff all at once when its activated?
stu

 

thanks for all your help guys,
trouble is those products you speak of are just not availlable over here (uk) except by mail order from u.s., but i realise where youre all comming from with the 2 pack stuff,
think i'll give the geeks in the local paint store another try, now i know a bit more about what i need
thanks
stu :roll:

 

As long as it is two-part clear coat it will work. In the spray can there is a button on the bottom that you press to activate it. If you go to a specialized paint store they should be able to get it for you.

If you have a compressor prayer they will have both parts and be able to explain how you need to mix it.

You can also try a model airplane hobby shop. Over here they usually carry some sort of petrol safe clear coat as well.

 

Most local paint stores do not carry automotive paint. I have had really good luck with lacquer paint, but I am not a big fan of enamel. Duplicolor is what I have been experimenting with lately, and every local auto parts store like Autozone, Advance, and O'Reilly's carries it in the spray can, and the premixed "paint shop" set up to be sprayed from an air compressor spray gun. I usually paint with a high quality spray gun and compressor, but the most recent is the 82 XJ750 Maxim that I am working on now. I used the Duplicolor perfect match in the spray can because I wasn't sure about the color I wanted and experimented with it. It too is base coat and clear coat lacquer paint, and it turned out so well and sprayed so easy, I am just going to finish clearing and then wet sand and buff.