painting car myself

[peanotation]

I'm going to have to get the kit painted soon, and I've been wanting a completely new paint job, and I was wondering if there were any websites or forums specifically tailored to painting your car at home. I think it would be more efficient to buy my own compressor and all neccesary tools for under a grand rather than paying a shop 2-4 thousand dollars to paint my entire car, because you're mostly paying for labor.

Is anyone familiar with painting a car yourself, and what tools you'll need, and if there's a forum out there for that? Thanks.

[know_fun]

haynes i think put out a book on painting your car. i read it not completely cuz it was pretty detailed from surface prep to tools to the actual paint. gave tips on how to paint. borrow it from the library (which i did).

[xSILENTx]

What kind of palce do you have to do this?some sort of garage?If you have an enclosed place to do it you could get it done in a week or so depending how much tiem you get to work on it.

You painting the same color or changing?

Without a dustfree booth its not going to turn out perfect but it should look good as long as you do it right.

You might be able to do all the work yourself and have a shop spray it.

[peanotation]

i have a 1 car garage that i'm prepared to dedicate to painting the car, but i'll have to check out that book. i'll keep the same color if it's too much of a bitch to change, i really want to go blue, but if it's a nightmare then i'll just stick with dark forest green.

silent, do you know a lot about this kinda stuff?

[pinoyesv6]

you think its gonna cost you a grand to set up a mini body shop in your garage?? unless youre getting deals on new tools or getting some used tools .

you gotta clean up the garage, remove all the stuff that you don't want painted and have out of your way.

add more lighting to the garage. can't paint or do body work in a dark garage. you can't see the imperfections

maybe add something to recirculate the air so that you got some fresh air. can't open the door cuz u'd let dirt in.

then we get to the tools.

the main thing, the compressor. can't do any kinda body work with air tools with a dinky lil compressor. especially something that has a high demmand like painting. you gotta get one with a big tank or you'll end up having to stop every 5 minutes to wait for some air. thats gonna the majority of your grand.

then you got the various paint sprayers. you can pull it off with one, but if you want to do it right...

then if you got some body damage, you might need a welder.

various hand tools like hammers dollys etc.

sanding machines. either it be air powered or electric. you try sanding and polishing your car by hand throughout the whole painting process. you arms will be big as shit.

and the list goes on and on. don't forget if your gonna change colors and you wanna do it right, you gotta yank that motor out.

you can make yourself fred flintstone's paint booth for around a grand but the amount of work you put into it will be far more.

the whole stripping, repair and paint process. thats gonna be long. i figure its gonna take you a couple months. unlike a body shop, you're not paying yourself to do the work, so you don't have to. that means you'll take breaks, get lazy etc etc. if the guys at the body shop don't do their job, they get fired.

blah blah blah i can go on but i think i've said enough to get you thinking a lil bit.

oh yea paint's expensive too...

[xSILENTx]

Not alot but enough i'm going to be painting my trunk next week. and my class painted a jet last month.

Changing the color will make it take alot longer. you have to take everything off and prep and paint everything.


yea good paint is expensive along with reducer clearcoat primer hardner

[peanotation]

well i guess that settles it, pinoyV6s post summed it up, and i dont feel like spending 2 grand to paint my car, oh well.....

[xSILENTx]

tools wont cost 1000 get a catalouge from here.

http://www.harborfreight.com/


i decided not to paint mine to just becasuse to be done right it takes lots of time that i didnt have.

[pinoyesv6]

tools wont cost 1000 get a catalouge from here.

http://www.harborfreight.com/


i decided not to paint mine to just becasuse to be done right it takes lots of time that i didnt have.

a nice big compressor alone is like at least 500 bucks.

then let me shoot some random top of my head numbers

over 100 bucks for the sprayers

over 100 bucks for the sanding and polishign tools

another 100 for lighting and wiring

then you gotta but them hand tools to help repair the damage that you might have. like door dings and stuff

protection for you (at least a respirator)

and we're back around a grand and we're still at fred flinstone's paint booth. you got dust everywhere indequate breathing, etc

if you're just gonna paint one car. go to a shop. but if you're gonna paint several, go for it, get your tools and give it a shot. the savings will come back to you in the long run. i mean i know a few people that started in their back yard garage and years later opened a nice body shop. could be you.

[Hodgson316]

Have you checked out shaved 7g 's galant on galant forums??? He did it himself and it came out GOOD

[Darkkend]

you could proably save some $$$ if you do the prep work your self, but if your going to set up a one time shop in your garage i don't think its worth it, probably just do the prep work your self and then take it to the shop.

(Edit) But then again the Compressor and some air tools could com in handy in the long run. your choice.

[xSILENTx]

Findout if anyone you know wants there car painted and you could do theres and get your money back for the tools

[GalantGuy96]

dude, pea. i got a compressor for painting cars.
my cousin painted his truck with it and it turned out great.
ill let ya borrow it if i can find it, and if u still want to do it yourself.

[peanotation]

i think i'm just gonna sand the car myself, and then take it to maaco (oh boy) it's just too much work and money to pay for all the tools

[Hodgson316]

what the hell!!??!?! i think i'm seeing double...