Flynn Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 having a bit of an early life crisis at the moment and would really like a change in direction as far as a job. Im currently working as lead climber for a tree surgery company on the Isle of wight and have been doing the job for about 10 years, im very well qualified and take home an ok wage........but tree surgery is a young mans game and its kicking the shit out of my body! Anyway i'll cut to the chase, would really like to learn how to spray paint but im struggling to wade through all the crap on the internet and could do with some pointers?How did you get started?Any colleges on the southcoast offering courses?Im guessing NVQ's needed?Anyone self taught? Sorry for the vagueness of my questions but could really do with some pointers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TurboTobz Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 You can learn things off of others (like an apprenticeship) and you can be considered qualified by the amount of expirience you have over the time served. If you can get any nvqs they'd really help Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gainzy Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 The best way to learn is to do it it takes some patience abit of fine detail its a pain in the ass tbh lol start off by growing your finger nails for fine mask edging its such a fragile thing to work with and your guarantee'd to get runs, at the same time it's a cool thing to get into look for the body work haynes manual that's a good place to start! Ebay job good luck Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gainzy Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 also college's have night time one day a week classes do something like welding don 't limit yourself to one thing you might find your good at painting but get a welding job lol that's the way am going atm! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TimD Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 My friends son has just been employed by Mercedes F1 to paint their cars. He started painting maybe 2 years ago, worked at a couple of body shops and went to college on day release. The thing that separated him from others was his passion for his craft. His work was top notch, spent time at home with his dad learning to airbrush, etc. Problem for someone who already earns OK money will be losing that, you'll probably earn minimum wage until you get good, and even then you'll need to exceptional to make decent money. But put in the hours, and be passionate about the things you do and that wont take very long. Good luck, after 12 years of IT I'm at a bit of a crossroads myself. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StuDoc 72 Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 As said being a painter will get you no where mate. You need to be able to paint/weld/panel beat. If a body shop can employ one guy on £12 an hour who can take a car from start to finish or 3 guys on £7 an hour to do the same car then they will. Find a college which offer an NCC or whatever it is. The most basic one. Apply to do that this way you can keep your current job. Then find a local bodyshop who is friendly and open at the weekend or when you are free and ask if you can spend some time there shadowing someone. You will find in time if the body shop loses a painter or something you will be top of their list so long as you stick in and make a good impression and pick it up well. Also painting is like mechanics it not the lovely job painting nice cars it will be hours sanding and filling shitty corsa's and repairing accident damaged cars. The bonus being you get to chop and change your own car whenever you like and can also do homers on the cheap and make yourself a fair wad of cash. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flynn Posted September 25, 2013 Author Share Posted September 25, 2013 Thanks for the replies people, some food for thought there!I've got a few mates that work for big car companies doing body work, Aston Martin and Porsche have carbon panels made over here on the Island so they started there and have since moved onto bigger and better things (Maclaren and Arrows F1 teams) another mate is now earning a grand a week and living in Italy all off the back of being a bit handy with a spray gun!Trouble is what they do is very specialised and they've done it from school, getting put through training by the companies that employ them. I on the other hand am 32 years old, working (physically hard) for 40+ hours a week on an Island with only one college that doesn't offer paint spraying as a course!Would really like to have a crack at it before jacking in a good "safe" job that puts food on the table and clothes on my back........and go back to square one?! Need to think this shit through some more i think! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ryan lang Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 just get a compressor, some scrap panels off some vehicles and have a go at it, get some practice in. go to local garages for pointers etc and just do it in your spare time. never know, you might hate it you dont know until you try Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flynn Posted September 25, 2013 Author Share Posted September 25, 2013 Fair point...........plus Lidl (yea that Lidl!) have cheap spray guns and compressors in at the moment! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ryan lang Posted September 26, 2013 Share Posted September 26, 2013 Funnily enough I was looking at them today haha Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pick1 Posted September 26, 2013 Share Posted September 26, 2013 Well they really do sell everything now lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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