Spraying Brightside Paint

[drewpster]

In another thread I read that Tail_Gunner had used a HVLP paint gun to spray Brightside Paint. I used a the roll/tip method to paint my boat's deck. I am going to paint the rest of the boat when the weather warms up this spring. I would like to hear from anyone who has advise on spraying Brightside. (including you T_G) I was just going to continue rolling the paint on because I thought I would have to have a spray booth and all kinds of safety/ spacesuit equipment to spray it. Is spraying Brightside easier than I thought?

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

Spraying Brightsides with an HVLP gun is a piece of cake. With HVLP you get less atomization/overspray. Still should use a good paint respirator. Although I did not spray the hull, these pictures show the results of spraying.

Before

After

 

[drewpster]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

WOW looks good. When I rolled my deck I was happy with the result. However I found that using that method takes a little timing and practice to get a consistent result. I switched to a narrow mohair roller at one point to do the gunnels for example and the roller shed. At another point I did not clean the tipping brush quite as often and the finish changed a little. I say it changed because it still looked great, it was just slightly different from other areas of the finish. The kind of stuff I only notice. I spent months prepping and I want as good a paint job as I can get.

I own a HVLP gun I have never used. And I am thinking I may give it a try. I still need all the pointers I can get, I'm no body man. A friend of mine once built a makeshift outdoor paint booth to paint a car. I have wanted to try the idea for years. A complete enclosure would be to large and expensive to do my job. I wonder if a surround of some type would help? Thoughts?

 

[Terry Olson]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

I sprayed my boat with an HVLP gun. It worked very well but the one thing I would do next time is get better lighting. When you can't see you get thin spots and runs / sags. One solution is to spray outdoors when weather permits.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

As Boom stated it is a very easy to do, however it takes quite a bit of time to do so. I found if you shoot one very light layer on half of the boat then go back and shoot another light layer( then let it dry) you will avoid any runs.

Doing it in this fashion will take two to three coat's to get a full finish, but if you prep it right you result's will be stunning.


There have been some post's stating by very experienced professional's saying you can shoot right on top of gel with no primer, but it takes a lot of time to paint in the above fashion and why risk the outcome, it will also fill very small imperfection's and believe me no matter how good your prep is this type of paint is extremely thin with a very high gloss and will show them all.

In the end i used the 333 brushing liquid to improve the flow of the paint, the 216 thinner caused a slight orange peel or a gloss that was not as high. Temp's were 80, low humidity, i added 1oz of 333 for every 4oz of paint.

As to the sprayer it seemed using the largest tip alway's worked the best but i never could nor would i try to get a solid film of color on one shot it will run on ya.

Sanding between finish's i used a 400 grit which seem to work just fine, anyway's if you really take the time to get your boat as smooth as a glass mirrior you will never be sorry you invested the time.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

I sprayed my boat with an HVLP gun. It worked very well but the one thing I would do next time is get better lighting. When you can't see you get thin spots and runs / sags. One solution is to spray outdoors when weather permits.

Amen to that Terry. I learned that the hard way doing a car in my garage. Lack of adequate lighting really took a toll. Runs in some areas and thin in others.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

I sprayed my boat with an HVLP gun. It worked very well but the one thing I would do next time is get better lighting. When you can't see you get thin spots and runs / sags. One solution is to spray outdoors when weather permits.

Amen to that Terry. I learned that the hard way doing a car in my garage. Lack of adequate lighting really took a toll. Runs in some areas and thin in others.

I to ran into that problem, one more good reason to prime, if your final paint is light one can use a dark primer or vice versa. it doesnt help to much with your final coat's but it can give you a very good ideal on how heavy your shooting at the start.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

When I was talking about not using using primer it was only bonding that I was talking about, most paints stick very well to gel coat without primer, if there are minor defects in the surface that need to filled, then primer is a must if you want it to look good.

 

[battery]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

I sprayed my boat completely out doors with no cover. I used 2 part urathane. sprayed it early in the morning before the sun got too warm. wetted the ground around the boat to keep the dust down. it came out better than it would in a booth. I'll try to post the pictures. and when it was done the sun came out and baked it on perfectly. Thats why I named her WATTASHINE.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

I sprayed my boat completely out doors with no cover. I used 2 part urathane. sprayed it early in the morning before the sun got too warm. wetted the ground around the boat to keep the dust down. it came out better than it would in a booth. I'll try to post the pictures. and when it was done the sun came out and baked it on perfectly. Thats why I named her WATTASHINE.

Pictures Battery, pictures. Not allowed to brag here without pictures.

 

[drewpster]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

Would it be better to use cup liners? Keep in mind I have never used this gun. Also I was thinking of getting a filter/drier for my compressor. I have seen those small inline filters but my compressor is pretty old. I keep the tank drained but I am sure some junk has collected in the tank over the years. Also I am concerned about CFM. My compressor is a single stage 15 or 20 gal. lay down model, nothing fancy. Will it have enough volume?
The largest area I will be painting all at one time will be the hull above the water line.

I used Prekote to prime the deck prior to painting it. Can I spray Prekote with the same tip as the paint when I do the hull? I also read somewhere that it is a good idea to mix a small amount finish paint to the final coat of primer prior to painting. I 'm guessing this gives some contrast to check the surface. Anybody tried that technique?

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

As to tips; remeber brightsides is self leveling. no matter how you apply it it will do just that, (Level by itself) that is as long as there is a layer of paint on the boat the paint will do the rest...........just apply it thin, (no runs)

The primer is simple stuff, again just shoot it, your going to sand it down level anyway, as to the last part i dunno, but if your using a dark finish paint then use a light primer, that will give you some ideal as to how much paint applying

One of the beauty's of shooting brightsides is you just have to get it on and the paint will do the rest........... Not at all like shooting most paint........very little skill here at all.

 

[Laddies]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

When we spray we never thin the product, we heat it, paint to 180 F and varnish 190 F thinning seems to cause marine finishs to dull rapidly, the other advantage is the paint will cover better and don't move around like thinned paint. I don't know about automotive paint but think it would be simular

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

When we spray we never thin the product, we heat it, paint to 180 F and varnish 190 F thinning seems to cause marine finishs to dull rapidly, the other advantage is the paint will cover better and don't move around like thinned paint. I don't know about automotive paint but think it would be simular

Your heating interlux to 180? i understand heating varnish's on a wood finish but a urethane paint?

 

[Laddies]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

We use Petit Paints and Captains varnish, we do not spray for build up, takes to may coats but do on finish coats if customer requists it and no two part paint products on anything

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

We use Petit Paints and Captains varnish, we do not spray for build up, takes to may coats but do on finish coats if customer requists it and no two part paint products on anything

Why no two part paint products Laddies?

 

[Laddies]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

Most of our boats are wood and a combination of sun and moisture when the boats are left in the water tend to blister the bright ware. The older modified base enamels are more breathable than two part or urethane paints. The boats that are built with the west system process may be painted with any product as if they were glass--Bob

 

[drewpster]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

Laddies, Really? Heat the paint? I assume Petit's and Intelux have similar urethanes. I have never heard of heating paint. I mean I have heard of warming paint in a can if it has been setting in low temps, but I have never heard of heating paint to improve application.

I notice you are in Northern Michigan. I am in a considerably warmer climate. Is warming a technique you cold weather guys have come up with? Or do you think this is something I should really try in order to keep from thinning the paint. I am intrigued.

 

[Laddies]

Re: Spraying Brightside Paint

drewpster, we have never heated urethanes, because we don't use them. We are a old fashioned I guess, we find it hard to give up on products that we are familier with for newer products that we we are unsure of, even if they supposedly last longer, we are not that interested with that because in fresh water most refinishing work is caused by scraps not age.Back in the mid 70s when we desided to try spraying, we had a body man the did automotive restoration come in and give us some lessons on painting. He was unbelievably talanted. He said if you worked with anything other than, metal, lead and paint you were no bodyman, those guy are all gone and it's a shame---Bob