No surface prep spray any substitute?

I'm getting ready to take on my first rattle can paint job. I've been reading a lot of helpful posts online. Most recommend using some sort of "surface prep" cleaner between stages along with a tack cloth.

I've been to three auto parts stores and can't find anything that looks like it'll do the job. I'm looking for something like duplicolor's PS100 Prep Spray .

I don't want to wait for an online order so I'm wondering if there's any other product I can use instead. Any suggestions? The auto stores in town didn't have anything even remotely like this. They had primers, paints and clear coats, but nothing like surface prep.

In one store I found a rattle can of a wax & tar remover. That's the closest I could find.

It depends on what you're going to paint as to what perp to use. If spraying metal, get it as close to clean as possible even to the point of wearing fabric gloves so your skin oils don't contaminate the area to be sprayed.

Laquer thinner & MEK are good degreasers, just be careful of the fumes.You'll need solvent resistant gloves for this step as they can be absorbed into the body. If the part can be baked, usually 350 F for 60 minutes will make a durable paint finish.

When do my metal bike parts, I scuff up the surface with the brown 3M pads, wash with hot water & soap,blow off any water & spray primer if needed, let air dry, and spray on the top coat, again doing an air dry & then in the oven.

To avoid domestic problems, open windows to vent the paint fumes(best done on nice days, not so much if it's been raining as the humidity slows down paint drying).

I'm painting a tank that has some bare metal spots but is mostly covered in paint. I have a etching primer, sandable primer, and filler primer plus some acrylic enamel for the top coat.

Are you saying I can use MEK to wipe down between primers and top coat instead of a "surface prep"?

I'd use MEK for the initial metal cleaning as it will probably lift/remove the primer.
Lacquer thinner might do the same...

So is there anything else I can use in place of the PS100 Prep Spray? Or is there any place other than the auto store that's likely to carry a product like this?

Would a wax and tar remover like I found at the auto parts store do the same job as the Prep Spray?

After I have everything sanded and the parts are ready for primer, color coats or clear, I wipe any dust, etc. off with a clean cloth and then wipe them off with a clean rag wetted with lacquer thinner or the enamel reducer. Be sure to use the same type as one will lift the other but can't remember which does. I think you can paint lacquer over enamel but not the other way around. Just don't mix them and you should be OK. Once I start painting I just wipe off the parts with a tac cloth between coats. Just make sure the paint is dry before touching them with anything! I wouldn't use any wax and tar remover. Some of that type stuff used to contain kerosene or other petroleum products and will leave a film on your parts and your paint job will be wrecked.

Wax and grease remover can be found at any parts store in the paint, bondo, lacquer section. Best to wipe down the parts after sanding primer and to take finger prints of from handling. Good for lacquer, enamel or urethane

i use zep brake clean and paper towels before spraying anything then after i wet sand primer i wipe down again once you start spraying color you should not wipe it down between coats and clear should be sprayed after after color while still tacky

Best to find a local Auto Body Supply store. A PPG store would have Wax & Grease Remover for wiping down in between color steps. You would only need to do that to remove fingerprints or tape residue or sanding sludge.

You can spray enamel over lacquer, but spraying lacquer over uncured enamel will cause lifting/wrinkling.

PaintWorkz wrote: Best to find a local Auto Body Supply store. A PPG store would have Wax & Grease Remover for wiping down in between color steps. You would only need to do that to remove fingerprints or tape residue or sanding sludge.

You can spray enamel over lacquer, but spraying lacquer over uncured enamel will cause lifting/wrinkling.

Hope this isn't a hijack - how about Eurethane paints? Is there a standard compatibility issue mixing lacquer or enamel and eurethane?

Thanks!

kawman66 wrote: i use zep brake clean and paper towels before spraying anything then after i wet sand primer i wipe down again once you start spraying color you should not wipe it down between coats

I have some brake parts cleaner. So I can use that on the primer, but not the color? That'll work.

kawman66 wrote: and clear should be sprayed after after color while still tacky

So I shouldn't allow the color to cure for a few hours and wet sand before clear? I've never done this before and I'm basing my plan on this post from KTOF . It sounds like he let his final color coat dry a few hours then wet sanded before spraying clear. Any advantages/disadvantages to this approach vs. spraying clear while the color is still tacky?

I would look to your paint supplier for info on sanding the base coat before clear. I just used some that said Not to sand the base. Also time between base and clear is in your paints info sheet. If waiting to long, it may not bond properly, causing the clear to eventually blister. How many cars have you seen like that?
Be careful with using products like Brake Cleaner around paint, it may very well remove it if not fully cured. The wax and grease remover from the paint shop would be much better.