Automotive Paint

What are the advantages of spray painting your car with compressed air? To begin with, it can be a real money saver in the long run. There is an investment required in the initial purchase of the equipment, but once you have it then you begin saving money on your projects from there on in. Another great advantage is you have more flexibility in the use of the compressed air. In today’s day of age air pollution is a big issue. Therefore, the use of aerosol propellants are frowned upon. The best solution to this is the compressed air sprayer.

Often people shy away from using compressed air sprayers because they think they are too difficult. This is not the case. Once you get a little practice, using them there is no way you will want to go back to the aerosol spray.

The best paint to use in these sprayers is enamel, but if you add an appropriate conditioner to the acrylic and latex paints then you can use them successfully as well. This will allow the paint to flow properly through the tube as it thins it down.

Set up your working area properly. Whenever you are going to do any type of spray painting there will be a certain amount of over spray. Take all the proper safety precautions. Do your work in a well-ventilated area. Wear a mask for sanding. Be sure to wear goggles and preferably gloves as well.

Once you are all set up then you are ready to start. You will want to grind or sand off any rust and corrosion or rough spots. Then you must make sure the car is perfectly clean and dry before you start the application. For oil based paints use mineral spirits, and for the latex ones soap and water will work fine, but rinse well.

If need be, prime the surface. Do your mixing of the paints and thinners you have chosen to use. This can be a messy job, so protect the mixing area with a drop cloth.

Now its time to turn on the air compressor. You want it to build up pressure while you are preparing your paint. You will need some of the air for priming and testing. If you look on the compressor, you should see a regulator. This will allow you to set the pressure you need for the sprayer. If you don’t do this then the air flow will fluctuate and you will end up with uneven spraying.

Attach the hose coupling to the sprayer. It is important you have an airtight seal so make sure it is attached tightly and wrap the join with some Teflon tape if you want.

If you follow the exact instructions that came with your particular sprayer, it will walk you through all of the steps. To begin with, practice the paint application on another object. This way you will get the feel of handling the sprayer and be able to judge the right consistency of the paint application.

By: Mario Goldstein

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