Guide coat question

[67 Cutlass]

I feel kinda stupid asking this question but...
Does it matter what gets used as a guide coat other than the color?
Can I use any type of off the shelf spray can?
or does it have to be something special?

1. I planned on misting a guide coat on the body filler once it's close then block sand the filler to locate missed low spots before primer filler.
2. 2K urethane primer filler 3-4 coats, guide coat, block sand 150-180 grit.
3. Repeat second step but block sand with 320-400 grit.
4. Epoxy primer seal before color goes on.
That's the plan at least. Comments & suggestions are welcome

[ent72olds]

Everything sounds good...just use something cheap and fast drying as a guide coat. You don't want to ruin expensive sandpaper by clogging it with sticky guide coat!

[68Tom]

This stuff is great and easy to use. Not as cheap as cheap spraypaint, but I like it more. http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...beVBF19DZVHXgl

[Bluevista]

I use the dry guide coat too, repeat about a hundred thousand times. I like the Dura Block sanding blocks myself, the longer the better. Always cross hatch or you just dig ditches or make flat spots. There are many techniques, a lot of guys on the body forums do the filler over the epoxy and use all epoxy primer, reduce it for sealer. It has no ISO's so it's fairly safe to use with just a cartridge respirator.
I still don't know how guys can spray clear or ISO materials in a jury-rigged spray booth garage with normal respirators and street clothes? One whiff or absorbed through the skin or eyes is all it takes and most has no smell so you never even know? I saw where it killed a guy's dog after it layed down in the overspray on the garage floor.
As they say, you used to see old bodymen and they were always coughing, now you don't see old bodymen.

[67 Cutlass]

Originally Posted by 68Tom

This stuff is great and easy to use. Not as cheap as cheap spraypaint, but I like it more. http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...beVBF19DZVHXgl

Originally Posted by Bluevista

I use the dry guide coat too, repeat about a hundred thousand times. I like the Dura Block sanding blocks myself, the longer the better. Always cross hatch or you just dig ditches or make flat spots. There are many techniques, a lot of guys on the body forums do the filler over the epoxy and use all epoxy primer, reduce it for sealer. It has no ISO's so it's fairly safe to use with just a cartridge respirator.
I still don't know how guys can spray clear or ISO materials in a jury-rigged spray booth garage with normal respirators and street clothes? One whiff or absorbed through the skin or eyes is all it takes and most has no smell so you never even know? I saw where it killed a guy's dog after it layed down in the overspray on the garage floor.
As they say, you used to see old bodymen and they were always coughing, now you don't see old bodymen.

Bought the 3M dry guide coat locally for about $30, still cheaper than what I expected.
I did order the Dura Block 7 piece kit with rolls of 80, 150 & 320 grit Dura Gold. It came in yesterday with a bunch of other stuff I orderd and all I can say is WOW what a difference using those blocks and paper! Longest one is 16".

Unfortunately, I now have to strip off whatever primer I put on the car last year because it's for laquer or enamel. It was a gallon of Econobody (15200 I think) I bought from NAPA years ago and at the time I didn't know any better so this is what they sold me. Still have 2 fenders and just the passenger side left to strip off the old primer.
Then I'll go by the steps I made in the first post of this thread. Here's the other products I have on hand.
Rage Gold for filler, Kustom Shops 2K ISO Free Primer as a filler (it's direct to metal), Kustom Shop's DTM Epoxy Primer/Sealer for the seal.

These steps basically come from a DVD Tutorial I got by Ed Hubbs called Bare Metal to Cleat Coat. Great video but I thought it lacked some detail that could have been helpful to me.

I'm debating on starting a thread on my project in the Major Rebuilds section but I'm a little shy 'cause I'm not sure I'm doing things right or not.

Thanks for all the help & advice I've received since I joined the site
Expect many more questions in the near future

[csstrux]

Aint it fun? I still tend to walk softly and hedge everything I say and do for the same reason. The nice thing is, around here any how, people are informative, and helpful. As well as being generally respectful. Still the amount of knowledge some of the members have is astounding. I have not gotten far with my project in the last nine months or so, and have not posted a thread yet, but will as soon as the economy picks up...

[67 Cutlass]

Originally Posted by csstrux

Aint it fun? I still tend to walk softly and hedge everything I say and do for the same reason. The nice thing is, around here any how, people are informative, and helpful. As well as being generally respectful. Still the amount of knowledge some of the members have is astounding. I have not gotten far with my project in the last nine months or so, and have not posted a thread yet, but will as soon as the economy picks up...

Well at least I'm not alone when it comes to walking on eggshells. I'm always questioning myself on everything I do or before I do it.

As an example: To get down to bare metal I started with 80 grit on the DA and didn't get too far when I got to the original paint and primer. It's was like armor! SO, I went to 36 grit on the DA. This worked out much quicker for me but then it puts some pretty hefty swirls in the metal. Then from all the research I've been doing I guess 36 is too course. 80 grit seems to be the norm or more? Well I have 6 80 grits discs left out of a box of 50 and the next up I have is 220. Now do I use the 220 or buy more discs? This is where I kill myself on stuff like this.

[ThyPlumber]

2k sounds like a good base, what paint are you going to use? if spraying out side a booth (at home) i would recommend DuPont ChromaBase, and use the chroma clear that is in the can with green/black graphics make sure you get the write activator, it is sold by temperature ie 65,75,80 ect ask your paint guy. I have done many completes using the chroma base system in the garage at home, and my paint jobs look better than most any shop out there, ps wet the floor with water before spraying if not in a atmosphere control booth, eurethane likes water in the air for some reason. Best of luck

[ThyPlumber]

forgot to mention that eurathane really hates moisture in the air line for your gun, buy as many descicant air line dryers as you can afford before spraying any eurethane product, wierd huh ambient air full of moisture, but sprayed air dryer than the desert? if you follow this you will have very little wet sanding to do when cured, oh also make sure you buy the appropriate UV lamps for curing the Uerethane. Best of Luck.

[67 Cutlass]

Originally Posted by ThyPlumber

2k sounds like a good base, what paint are you going to use? if spraying out side a booth (at home) i would recommend DuPont ChromaBase, and use the chroma clear that is in the can with green/black graphics make sure you get the write activator, it is sold by temperature ie 65,75,80 ect ask your paint guy. I have done many completes using the chroma base system in the garage at home, and my paint jobs look better than most any shop out there, ps wet the floor with water before spraying if not in a atmosphere control booth, eurethane likes water in the air for some reason. Best of luck

For paint I was leaning towards the urethane bc/cc Nason brand which is made by DuPont but suppose to be easier and cheaper. I'm not going for a 100% type show car but would like a nice street machine to cruise in.
I'll be modifying my shop with sealed plastic and filters installed in the plastic walls. I have a huge squirrel cage fan that can move some serious CFM's of air that will also be filtered to blow in fresh air and pressurize the homemade booth and push overspray out the filters. I do have the proper respirator cartridges for when it comes time to spray as well. That's the plan anyway for now.

[68Tom]

Originally Posted by 67 Cutlass

Well at least I'm not alone when it comes to walking on eggshells. I'm always questioning myself on everything I do or before I do it.

Hey Mike. Honestly, that's why I think this forum is here. To get tips on how to do things "correctly", or at the least, to avoid mistakes many of us have made in the past. I'd definitely start up a build thread. People enjoy them and it also helps you talk through some of this stuff.

Originally Posted by 67 Cutlass

As an example: To get down to bare metal I started with 80 grit on the DA and didn't get too far when I got to the original paint and primer. It's was like armor! SO, I went to 36 grit on the DA. This worked out much quicker for me but then it puts some pretty hefty swirls in the metal. Then from all the research I've been doing I guess 36 is too course. 80 grit seems to be the norm or more? Well I have 6 80 grits discs left out of a box of 50 and the next up I have is 220. Now do I use the 220 or buy more discs? This is where I kill myself on stuff like this.

In terms of paint removal, I've learned that no matter what you're using, it's difficult work, no matter what. I've heard of some people who've said they've stripped their car to bare metal in a day, but I honestly don't see how. If it's just primer on there, it shouldn't be too difficult. The issue is the discs you are using are not great for cutting through a cured surface.

I've found that these style discs work the best.
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?i...emType=PRODUCT

They also have 4.5" discs if you want a smaller one for some reason. Make sure when you're using them to keep the RPM's down. I think they are normally used on a sander/buffer so you can adjust the RPM. I tried to no go over 1500 and really move around on the panel alot as it'll heat up quickly.

Hope this helps some.

[67 Cutlass]

Thanks for the support to everybody that offered advice and input in this thread. It really means a lot to me.
I think I will start a thread in the builds forum, this one's kinda turning into that now. So before I get too far here... I guess time for a new thread in the major builds section. I have a bunch of pictures to offer, some good, some ugly but it is what it is.

[tndrtgr]

Nason is a great inexpensive paint for the hobbiest. We used it on our 58 Dodge Custom Sierra. Just watch if you are spraying metallics. We sprayed it in our garage and had very little color sanding to do to it. Of course there were some runs, and a spot that the clear dried too fast on. But all was easy to buff out.

Here is a picture of our Dodge when we started, after paint and on our trip.