Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
So let me get this straight. I get the tractor down to bare cast then in what order do i start spraying? Primer/sealer, sandable primer, color , then clear or am i leaving something out ro wrong order ? Ill be using ppg omni line. Ive never sprayed anything before in my life so im going to try my hand at it. Thanks,
 
On sheet metal Omni MP 170 epoxy, MP 182 surfacer, Base (color), Clear. Cast and all other metal parts do not need the 182. Some say not to use base/clear on the cast. I have had no problem with it. If you want you can use single stage. Get the tech sheets and follow the instructions exactly. With HVLP the system is virtually foolproof. I painted my first tractor with 170, 182, and MTK single stage. I practiced very little. It worked the first time. I did mess up my 2nd tractor, though--the reason is still unknown 9 years later.
 
Painting a tractor is quite a undertaking for someone that has never painted anything before. I would recommend you practice on something else first. You would waste a little paint but if something goes wrong it wouldn't be such a big deal. When you purchase the supplies make sure you get a specification sheet on everything you use. It's the instructions that should be on a can of paint but there isn't room because of all the hazzard warnings. I would read and study the instructions and come back and ask questions before opening a can on anything. Every paint has it's quirks and some of these autobody guys can let you know what to look out for. I think the Omni line is a pretty forgiving line of paint that you should have pretty good luck with.
 
I was figuring on practicing on a couple old truck hoods i have first. I heard the omni line was fairly forgiving. Ill be sure and follow the instructions to the letter. Dont worry ill be back with more questions. Thanks a bunch.
 
The epoxy is the sealer i take it and the 182 is the sandable primer? What do you guys think about scabbing up a makeshift paint booth with 2x4s, clear white plastic, some florecent lights with a couple slow speed shop fans pulling air out? I was thinking on the opposite end of the fans of putting in a air filter for the air coming in. This would be built in my shop that is climate controlled. Whats you guys opinion?
 
Epoxy can serve as a sealer, but on bare cast you don't need a sealer, there is nothing to seal. You DO need the 170 as a primer that adheres to both the metal and the surfacer or topcoat that is put over it. 182 is the sandable surfacer, do not use it as a primer, put it over the epoxy. The booth you mention is more about keeping paint dust from getting all over your shop. For any results you need high speed fans. HOWEVER, your fans are not explosion proof, and if you get a spark you could have an explosion/fire. I know people use them, but I don't. I have two explosion proof fans ($$$) in the wall of my shop that do help because they were made for the purpose. Unless you have a professionally made booth your filters won't do much. Before I moved to my current property I had a pretty good homemade booth with filtered air. All it did was keep my shop clean, it also took up a lot of room so I did not put one in my current building.
 
A lot of primers will let metal rust underneath the primer especially if there is a nick through the paint to the metal. The rust will creep out laterally from the nick under the paint. With an epoxy primer it seals the metal so there won't be any rust under it. In the event of a nick in the metal the rust will stay isolated to the nick and not creep out laterally. This is the reason the epoxy primer is put on first. I even wait until the primer is on before I use any bondo to fill imperfections. Epoxy primer is a tough coating but doesn't sand well. This is really where the filler primer is needed. It's difficult to bondo a spot and sand it completely level so it doesn't show though the paint. You may have a spot that isn't quite sanded level enough and when you spray the filler primer it will show up. Some people use two different colors of surfacing primer and alternate the color with each coat. This lets you know where the high and low spots are when sanding. CNKS is correct about the exhaust fans. I would only use window fans with water based finishes. I think your idea about the spray booth won't help you except for the lights. Blowing air into the spray booth is more likely to blow dust up into the paint. It would be best if you had a explosion proof spray booth fan pulling the air out, but that's very expensive. The Omni line of paint dries pretty fast so dust shouldn't be too much an issue. I would just clean the shop real good blowing the dust off the walls and floor with a air hose or leaf blower the day before you paint. Just remember when you paint most of the dust that you get into the paint comes off you. You end up getting dust all over yourself sanding and then when you start spraying the dust falls into the paint so make sure the painter is clean too. As far as the climate controlled shop, you need to turn it all off and if you have older gas heat with a pilot light, turn it off also. Even electric heat has a electric motor that can ignite the paint.
 
I was going to have the fans pulling out so the air coming in would be filtered and the paint dust pulled out side. Sorry about the miscommunication. Since theres a risk for fire then i wont be doing that. Thank you guys for your input. I have got alot of good info here that i think will help me out.
 
Yes the explosion proof fans are expensive, I think mine were about $400 each several years ago, for one or two tractors they are not justified, but spread out over several years, about 8 in my case the cost isn't much. Also I use them after painting to get the residual smell out. I wouldn't be without them.
 

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