Morris Minor Owners Club

Has anyone ever tried using a HVLP spray system like the Earlex HV5000 with 2k paint? I'm considering buying one and have heard mixed reviews about its suitability for painting cars and more importantly painting cars with 2k paint.

Some one said that as long as I use a 1.8mm needle I should be OK and then others have given it the old '...well, if I were you I'd invest in a compressor and do it properly' so I'm not sure what to do for the best!'

Any suggestions?

You should NOT attempt to spray 2K paint using any system. The health risks are enormous - don't do it.

not recomended tried one you realy need a receiver tank ,easier to get someone to paint it properly.by time you have bought all the extras the gun wash extra thinners ,protection,then you have to get rid of the runs if its you first attemt.i know someone who spent a week trying to get a shine applying base coat , didnt realise he was supposed to apply clear .i have used two pack great stuff but in the right environment .why not ask your local motor paint supplier most paints are waterbased these days he might have a suggestion.then you have problems with silicone in the air water in airline if you have not got a descent trap
there might be a body guy on here who could help you out.

Thanks for your responses. Problem is I've already bought the 2k!!! A good friend of mine (who's done some paint work on the car in the past) suggested it was the best option but as you say, bmcecosse, the risks of using it do concern me but I intend to buy a decent mask so I'm hoping I'll be OK.

My friend is more than happy to do the painting for me but I'm really keen to learn how to spray. I don't have a garage so can't even buy my own kit and just have a practise. I think I might just have to ask my friend to let me use his kit in the light of your suggestions, problem is the last bit of painting he did has left some blisters (not sure why but I'm worried it might have something to do with the equipment having as you say, nigel, water in the line or something else and I might get more if I use it - that said it could be to do with applying second coat to soon after first) the other problem is he's not got anywhere indoor to spray either so I have to make sure I have a decent period of good weather to get the final prep done ready for paint and to apply the paint.

If anyone can offer any further help I'd really appreciate it. Thanks

Please read this earlier thread : http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f= ... lit=2+pack

Spraying 2K is potentially very dangerous to your health (and the health of others if you intend spraying it outdoors). You can't just "buy a decent mask and hope you are OK". Please take note of the advice here!

Ask the paint shop for a refund.

Thanks for the advise Louise, makes for quite scary reading really doesn't it.

What paint do you recommend for amateur use?

I sprayed mine at home with celulose from http://www.paints4U.com, they do all the original BMC colours. I used a cheap WOLF compressor (about £150), which came with some air tools and a spray gun , something similar to this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SILVERLINE-GRAVIT ... 518cd9ab8a

This looks like a similar compressor deal:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wolf-Sioux-2.5HP- ... f4fdd85d12


This gun was ok for the heavy primer undercoat, but for the top coat my dad had a more expensive one which could be used at low pressure.

To be honest though, book a day off work and do the spraying when no-one is about. The smelly fumes from it can be quite evasive to neighbours, I saw several faces pulled by my neighbours when they realised what I was doing and what the smell was. It really travels in the wind.

you definitely should not be using 2k paint outside of a proffesional spraybooth which is equiped with filters on the extraction side to prevent overspray being vented into the atmosphere and you MUST use an air fed respirator at all times.
The main danger with 2k paint is the isocynates in the activator/hardener which is highly toxic, also what many people don't realise is that if you breathe in any of the overspray accidentally it will set solid within the tiny airways (alveoli) in your lungs and once there the human body cannot break it down and dispose of it.

so PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE dont attempt to use it outside of a correctly controlled environment, it's not worth it!

cellulose is a much more user friendly material for the home restorer.

sorry to sound so negative, just want you to live long enough to enjoy your moggy!

Yes - split56 ^^^^ has got it dead right. This stuff can kill you - or anyone else who gets in the way! However - I understand it does a good job if brush painted, with no real health risks because it's not being sprayed up into small droplets that can be inhaled. I'm surprised you were able to buy the 2k paint - I thought sales had been banned - except to professionals - and even then I believe they are being forced to go to waterbased paints. Celly can still be bought for 'classic car' use - however it does have it's risks too! Highly flammable - and toxic. I only ever spray outdoors on warm/still day - and then only one panel at a time. This after making myself very ill for several days after spraying inside the garage - even though the main door was lying open all the time.

I USED TO USE A PROPER MASK IN THE EIGHTIES USING MAX MEYER TWO PACK AND MY NOSE WAS STILL STUCK TOGETHER .ETC IT GETS EVERYWHERE WOULDNT USE IT AT HOME.IM 51 NOW AND GET SOME FUNNY OLD PAINS PROBABLY PAINTING CONTRIBUTED TO IT,AS WELL AS HRS D.A. ING .BE CAREFULL

Proper breathin equipment is fine with 2K. I've sprayed for 16 years with no ill effects High impact tools and vibrations from tools have, so my doing days are severely curtailed.
Unlike some on here I think home resprays should be banned, I know its not a popular opinion, but celly is as BM says a toxic substance with the thinners being particulary nasty. Spraying outside simply spreads the polution onto plants pets and any life form in the spray cloud. If you really must spray at home please wear the required breathing equipment.

Ahh - so THAT'S why all the plants round our garage have died, and the neighbour's cat's tail fell off......... Actually - if you could see my house on Google Street - my neighbour is there, looking very fierce with her arms folded - trying to figure out what's going on! I bet she pulled that tail off..........

If you intend to keep your car in very nice condition and you have the space to work at home and can invest in the kit, then its a great idea to do it yourself. But be prepared for a lot of mistakes ( runs etc ) which will initially cost you more than going to have the job done professionally. The really good ;part of having the kit and doing it yourself is that you can just get on with the job and as there are hundreds of small parts to do on a restoration, its easier to do those yourself.

But....if spraying 2K paint, you must have a breathing hood / mask and you must keep your compressor in a room well away from where you are spraying with good ventilation. The compressor has got to be really very good because the breathing hoods use more air than the spray gun.

For spray guns, there are some fabulous set ups available off ebay very cheap. I recently bought a HVLP system comprising two guns. One was for full spray jobs and the other was a touch up gun. In fact, the touch up gun was the best bit of kit as you dont get much overspray or waste paint. It cost about 20 pounds ( yes, very cheap ) and the finish is as good as you would get on a new quality car.

Here is a pic of the paint finish from that 20 pounds HVLP spray gun !! Its base coat with three coats of clear lacquer on top. Thats always the best way to go as you always get the best finish and the deepest gloss.

Best of luck.....if you have any questions I will be delighted to advise.

Charles. [frame][/frame]