Prepping my Spoiler for paint, Any Pointers Welcome

[badboy_lesta]

Picked up my Glanza Tailgate. Inc Spoiler and Brake Light from goldenvtr a few weeks ago

The tailgate itself is the Same colour as my car 1ao but the spoiler as you can see isn't.

I started to sand the top coat off down to the base using 600 Grit Wet and dry.

Sorry about the Poor quality pics, not very good lighting.

Basically i wanted any help, pointers, tips on ways i can do this quicker? The way im going it will take atleast another 7 hours (no joke) of sanding before i get all of the paint off. And my hands are starting to bleed! ;)

I used a block when i started it down ma mates house. helped a lot, Going to buy one of them really soon. But would it be clever doing it using a sander? Don't want to ruin it so im beind Supa Careful!

In addition to this, when this process is done, i'm going to use 1200 so give it a final once over before my first coat of primer. Is this the correct method? Also using the 1200 in between coats of primer? I don't want to waste all this time and effort and spray it myself, so after its all been prepped and primered, il give it to a friend to do the top coat and laquor.

Any help would be much appretiated guys and gurls

[Glanza Al]

Since im a prepp-er i could be of help I guess

Mate, you dont need to get the paint OFF, just make sure the surface is keyed up, basically has a nice matte finish. Then go over it with 1200 wet and dry with soapy water. Once its dry and cleaned up, apply your first coat of primer, I would reccommend Plasti-kote High- Build aerosol primer, you can get it from Halfords. This first coat is just a dry, dusty coat. In the trade this is known as a "gripper" coat, as you are creating an uneven surface for the second and third coats to stick to.

Second coat. Make sure this coat is nice and wet, but try not to get any runs in this coat, it will be a pain in the arse. Once this coat is thoroughly dry, apply your third coat. Same as the second coat. If you get any runs in this last coat, use 1200 paper with water and a block, to flat them down.

Now, wait until this is COMPLETELY dry. This time without a block, use your 1200 and water again by hand. Almost like youre wiping it over, this removes any bits of crap or blemishes from the primer.

Paint and Lacquer are pretty straight forward so Ill let you get on with it. If you need any more help dont hesitate to ask buddy.

Cheers,

Alex.

[NightSpirit]

Speaking from new experience of this...

I'd say, clean the thing with soapy (non waxy) water, then celulose thinner to remove surface wax and grime...then scotchbrite the whole thing to rough up the paint to aid sticking of new paint...then if no work is needed (primer etc) just whack on several coats of matt black paint

[NightSpirit]

and DON'T cut it back to bare metal..it's pointless. Just do as Alex says, much easier.

[scutch0]

agreed. theres no need to remove the old paint, infact it would have been a nice smooth surface to start painting on, but now you've gone too far really!

[badboy_lesta]

@ Glanza Al - Cheers for all your time and effort mate, you recommended 'I would reccommend Plasti-kote High- Build aerosol primer' But i've already bought some plastic primer from Halfords, would that be ok? Cheers for all the help

[badboy_lesta]

agreed. theres no need to remove the old paint, infact it would have been a nice smooth surface to start painting on, but now you've gone too far really!

No0o0o0o dont say thattt... lol Ive think, il sand down all the paint of the rest of the flat area on the top, il leave the bottom as is, Then just remove the top laquor on the rest of the painted area's (Side's inner and out) ready for primer coat. Would that be ok?

[badboy_lesta]

@ Glanza Al - By dry coat, is that exactly what you mean? a quick once over in other words? By the wet coat to you mean a generous application compared to the first??

[NightSpirit]

I use a palm sander by the way with 240 grade pads to remove/smooth down...saves lots of time and is way better than wet and dry bollocks...

I use Halfords plastic primer and Halfords standard grey primer. Personally I don't like Plastikote it, it never seems to last, it's good but not as good as the Halfords primer.

I'm no professional though so don't shout at me Alex

[badboy_lesta]

240 thats really rought tho isnt it mate? Palm sander, would that be the orbital sander? Or just a normal one?

[NightSpirit]

I started with the 1200 etc wet and dry but found it took too long, so bought a Black and Decker Palm Sander (like the mouse but a little bigger). Using the 240 paper is fine enough for me, I've used it to smooth the door lock filler and remove any imperfections in the paint, then I've used 1 coat of plastic primer (or metal primer) and got it nice and wet, let that dry for 24 hours, then I've applied 3 coats of in my case matt black. Giving it 15-20 mins between coats then 24 hours to dry.

I'd recommend the sander anyway to get the paint smooth before using the wet and dry if you really really want to. To be honest though, buy a block of scotchbrite pads from Ebay (medium grade) it's like a foam brillo pad...before you spray, just key up the surface with the scotchbrite to dull everything, it's very quick and easy as the pads are flexible and last a good while. Then wipe down with a clean damp cloth, dry thoroughly and get spraying.

have to say, spraying is great fun and there's a real sense of acheivement when you're done. When I've finished the car I hope to stand back and think...I like it, I've done that and not 'oh fuck my car has loprosy'

[badboy_lesta]

LOL u craked! that would be fine with working on metal areas of the car mate. But the Spoiler is made of Fibre Glass or Plastic, so i'm very precautious.

Il take you up on your advice, il buy sum scotchbrite to use before i do my first coat of primer. Should i also use the scotchbrite inbetween primer layers or just use the 1200 for that?

[Sparky]

Silver is a real hard colour to match, I would of left it to the pros

[badboy_lesta]

Silver is a real hard colour to match, I would of left it to the pros

i am mate, just doing all prepping myself

[NightSpirit]

Lesta mate....I use the palm sander on plastics too..like the skirts etc, tbh a blown plastic spoiler or decent FRP item will take a good bit of stick.

Scotchbrite imo, I'd just key up the surface before the primer goes on, if you wish to follow Alex's advice...I'd key up, give it a rough spray to give the sticking layer, then just spray over the top, you only need to wet and dry it if you have any imperfections or raised areas. Don't make the job hard for yourself.

clean surface with soap/water

use cellulose thinners to remove any wax/grease

Palm sand down to a smooth finish all over

scotchbrite the whole thing until the surface looks dull

clean surface with soap/water

dry thoroughly

apply first rough coat of primer

if there are no runs or fuck ups, apply more coats of primer

Job done.

[Glanza Al]

Wow, well done Mark! You should come work with me

Hey Lesta, by dry coat I mean hold the can about 10 inches away and move quickly, so its drying before it hits the surface, therefore its called a dusty coat.

As for primer, use whichever you feel more comfortable with using matey. The reason I recommended the Plasti-kote high-build gear is because silver is a f*cker and doesnt cover scratches. If you were painting it black, like Mark is with the Trackstar, it'd be fine to flat it with 600 and paint straight over it.

If you use the high build stuff, and plenty of it (1 dusty coat then 2 nice wet coats), it fills up any scratches youve missed, allowing for a flawless finish. By the way, is your mate painting it with spray cans or with sprayguns and proper gear?

Cheers,

Alex.

[badboy_lesta]

Thanks nightspirit and alex for all your feedback

Ermm i don't have a clue man im prepping and going to give it to anybody thats a 'pro' ;) or recon they are a pro spray painter. Can you do pro sprayin alex? Also wher you from mate? They better use a spray gun. If you can do it mate, i wouldnt mind giving it you to do for a good price (final coats i mean not prepping)

Regards

Ammar

[badboy_lesta]

And i've read on threads on here somewhere that halfords can't even mix my paint right even when you give them the 1ao paint code.

How would i be sure another place would get the code right? Frick me man i would have preffered my car being a normal non metalic colour! lol

[Glanza Al]

Halfords are SHIT mate, at the Dartford one I even offered to go round behind the desk and mix my own bloody paint! I could paint it for you mate but im in Kent in the south-east so it's not really practical to be honest, and my place are a bunch of tight-arses with private work

There has to be a bodyshop near you somewhere bud, and chances are, theyll have painters there

Cheers for the offer anyway lesta mate I appreciate the interest,

Alex.

[badboy_lesta]

LOL u joka! We'll have to wait and c what happens hey

I got my number plate surround the uva day yeah, and i was gna tke your advice, u knw get rid of the laquor instead of getting it all off. And instead i js gve it a few rubs and it all started cuming away! thort F*KK , thought if this is how its all been done, i'm going to have to take it all off, otherwise my layers ul just fall off after a while!

Also got maself sum Cellulose thinners from Halfords and a ruff block thing to give me the key before my first layer

I'll post some pics up of the surround, should be done by tomorrow ready for first coat of primer.

[scutch0]

scotchbrite ftw.

thats what i use on all my painting.

[dobbs]

the only thing i would add to this, is after your last coat of primer (i assume its grey) give it a quick "dusting" in mat black or any other apposing colour, then with your block use a 1000 grit and go over any flat surfaces till the dust coat disapears, this ensures you have no high or low spots. also words to live by when prepping " IF YOU CAN FEEL IT WITH YOUR HAND, YOU WILL SEE IT WITH YOUR EYE WHEN ITS PAINTED!" hth ;)