How do you flat paint for spraying ?

Post by **iandromiskin** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:54 pm

Just wondering if anyone knew ,or could point me to a previous thread, how do you flat down old cracked or damaged paintwork for respraying ?

Post by **MarkyB** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:04 pm

From the look of that I'd say strip the paint off as rust has got underneath it.

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:08 pm

Nitromors it back to bare metal. Treat with Jenolite (or similar). Flat down bare wing with 150 grit wet and dry (used wet). Dry it all off completely. Etch prime. Flat with fine paper (about 800) then build up with filler primer. Flat back again and apply top coat in thin layers flatting with 1500 between each layer until you build up the paint. Leave for a week to harden then cut it back with G3 or similar then poish to a shine

Post by **alanworland** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:11 pm

When you describe the process like that it sounds like it wont take very long at all!

Post by **MarkyB** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:51 pm

Anything much less wont last very long

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:09 pm

It sounds much easier than it is

Post by **jonathon** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:05 pm

I'd be tempted to just use a 40 or 80 grit D/A and not get the steel wet at all. A 40grit will cut through the paint in no time and will provide a good surface for filler if required and/or the etch coat, which can be over coated with primer after only 20mins flash off (longer if not heated), no need to flat back the etch as its only a thin layer of paint used to key the steel.
If using celly paint then apply 3 coats and allow a week to dry hard if flatting is required the use a minimum of 1500 grit wet, using lots of clean water to wash off the working the surface. Apply further coats if required and cut and polish as described by Rich.