Newb to painting - I need equipment

I appreciate all the feedback.  I think I'm going to go with NAPA since they can mix any color on the spot locally.  Can anyone make a recommendation of what I should use as primer over the bondo I'll have to use on my tank?

My side covers I plan to just scuff up with some sand paper and spray away.  If anyone thinks I should take a different route with that, please do speak up.  I'm quite ignorant on many things

wrote:

wrote:

Hi Steve, you should wear a good particle filter with any paint but 2K has isocyanates in it which are harmful to your lungs. I've painted 2K products for years and always wore a charcoal  filter mask,  use a good quality cartridge filter mask with charcoal & Particle filters,  make sure it’s a nice fit and you will be protected enough to spray 2k paints.  Remember, if you can smell it, you are breathing it...

A charcoal filter mask doesn't fully protect from isocyanate paint.  The pro's use a fresh air feed system into their mask.  That said, I've painted with the stuff on various bike/car projects a number of times before.  I shoot the paint outside in the open air and try to step back if a fog is developing.  I don't have any medical facts but I think for a hobby guy you aren't going to keel over and die anytime soon from the stuff.

Not trying to sound like a smart ass ED but my Trade is in industrial epoxies , I said "Charcoal AND the correct particle filters", this will give adequate protection, I've painted  millions of square meters  of high solid epoxy floors {rolled} as well as huge underground concrete tanks  with the charcoal filters ,correct particle filters and a good fitting mask you can't smell a thing. Its impossible to wear fresh air systems when you are painting a 5000 square meter floor, and that's not the biggest floor I've / we've done.... I always wore a spray suit in the tanks and gloves, We threw the filters after one use. The reason manufacturers don't recommend charcoal filter masks has to do mainly with fitting, most people don't use the masks properly and don't maintain a proper seal, I have friends that have been painting Iso's for over 35 years with no ill effects using charcoal particle filter masks, as you've also stated, doing one paint job with a decent mask won't present any risk. Funnily enough,  I stopped painting Iso's when I grew a beard because I couldn't get a mask to seal...

wrote:

wrote:

wrote:

Hi Steve, you should wear a good particle filter with any paint but 2K has isocyanates in it which are harmful to your lungs. I've painted 2K products for years and always wore a charcoal  filter mask,  use a good quality cartridge filter mask with charcoal & Particle filters,  make sure it’s a nice fit and you will be protected enough to spray 2k paints.  Remember, if you can smell it, you are breathing it...

A charcoal filter mask doesn't fully protect from isocyanate paint.  The pro's use a fresh air feed system into their mask.  That said, I've painted with the stuff on various bike/car projects a number of times before.  I shoot the paint outside in the open air and try to step back if a fog is developing.  I don't have any medical facts but I think for a hobby guy you aren't going to keel over and die anytime soon from the stuff.

Not trying to sound like a smart ass ED but my Trade is in industrial epoxies , I said "Charcoal AND the correct particle filters", this will give adequate protection, I've painted  millions of square meters  of high solid epoxy floors {rolled} as well as huge underground concrete tanks  with the charcoal filters ,correct particle filters and a good fitting mask you can't smell a thing. Its impossible to wear fresh air systems when you are painting a 5000 square meter floor, and that's not the biggest floor I've / we've done.... I always wore a spray suit in the tanks and gloves, We threw the filters after one use. The reason manufacturers don't recommend charcoal filter masks has to do mainly with fitting, most people don't use the masks properly and don't maintain a proper seal, I have friends that have been painting Iso's for over 35 years with no ill effects using charcoal particle filter masks, as you've also stated, doing one paint job with a decent mask won't present any risk. Funnily enough,  I stopped painting Iso's when I grew a beard because I couldn't get a mask to seal...
 

In my book, any additional information, especially from an expert or someone who has a lot of experience, is very much welcome.  You are no smart ass.

Where can I acquire a mask that is suitable?  It'd be nice if Harbor Freight has one?  And is this mask really going to break the bank?

I'm in Australia so price is something you'd have to find locally. You want a dual filter mask that takes Two (2) P-A-1 cartridges (95% filtration of particulates), If you are painting in an enclosed space I also recommend getting a mask that comes with goggles, if you really want to cover up get some nitrile gloves, they are usually the thin black ones some mechanics use, and a disposable spray suit , they aren't expensive. I always try and keep any skin exposure to a minimum or none at all when spraying.   Maybe try and find a 3M product supplier in your area or a good paint supply shop, or just google in your area.... Once you are finished spraying, throw the cartridges, buy some new cartridges if you plan on painting anything else. I wipe out the mask after use with Denatured Ethanol or any alcohol wipe, and store the mask for future use in an airtight container, I use ice cream containers, put the mask in the container, put some clear plastic wrap over the whole container top to create a seal, and press the lid on, it just keeps the mask spotless, its important to keep masks clean, you breathe moist air full of germs into the mask when using, if not cleaned you can actually get sick from using a dirty mask, its never happened to me but I never took the risk.....

I worked almost 21 years for a major Japanese OEM automotive company.  One aspect of my job over the years involved working with our people that ran the vehicle processing centers at our port locations.  I also spent 8 years in one of these centers which was across the street from the assembly plant.  All of these centers had state of the art paint refinishing equipment.  Full paint mixing stations, downdraft priming stations, and downdraft paint booths.  The local OSHA people used to come into the facility and perform safety checks on the equipment.

I'm not an expert on all the specific safety requirements but all the spray booths had fresh air feed mask equipment.  I was told that with a properly certified downdraft paint booth that the fresh air system was not strictly required, but it was always recommended.  As I recall the guys used a regular 3M automotive carbon mask most of the time, but when doing large panel clear work they donned the fresh air system.  To my knowledge isocyanates in the clear have no odor and WILL come through normal particulate/carbon masks.  I don't know how much though.  With the downdraft booth the fumes go pretty much straight down to the ground.  When painting out of a paint booth the fumes create a fog which is not good to breath.  

As mentioned before, I don't think a little hobby painting outside with good airflow, wearing an appropriate automotive painting mask, is going to cause anyone major issues.  I'm simply sharing what I've learned over the years.  When a fog develops while spraying clear I step back and allow it to disperse before continuing.  Everyone is free to do as they like though.

Yes, same here Ed, I always try, or avoid standing in a cloud of overspray. Another thing to do if spraying in a room is to have a fan running , pointing away from the parts you are spraying, point it out a doorway or window it will help dissipate fumes, Spray towards the fan if possible, easy to do when spraying smaller parts. I'm not a big fan of painting outdoors, something always seems to land in the fresh paint...

wrote:

Yes, same here Ed, I always try, or avoid standing in a cloud of overspray. Another thing to do if spraying in a room is to have a fan running , pointing away from the parts you are spraying, point it out a doorway or window it will help dissipate fumes, Spray towards the fan if possible, easy to do when spraying smaller parts. I'm not a big fan of painting outdoors, something always seems to land in the fresh paint...

I was painting a bicycle frame one time when some STUPID bug landed in the freaking wet clear as I was spraying.  It walked around a good deal before I was able to flick it off using this nifty tool specific for the need (it looks like a toothpick but has barbs so dust and bugs can be removed from fresh painted surfaces.)  I wound up pouring on an extra layer of clear and then color sanding all the "tracks" flat using ultra fine grit sandpaper.  

P1040194 by nessism , on Flickr

I remember the first time I painted a bike, {I was around 14 years old} , to remove the paint I filled a 44 gallon drum with paper and wood, lit it up and put the frame in, took a bit of cleaning afterwards but worked a treat... I guess I got lucky that it didn't get too hot and left me with a drum full of parts..!!!!

wrote:

wrote:

Yes, same here Ed, I always try, or avoid standing in a cloud of overspray. Another thing to do if spraying in a room is to have a fan running , pointing away from the parts you are spraying, point it out a doorway or window it will help dissipate fumes, Spray towards the fan if possible, easy to do when spraying smaller parts. I'm not a big fan of painting outdoors, something always seems to land in the fresh paint...

I was painting a bicycle frame one time when some STUPID bug landed in the freaking wet clear as I was spraying.  It walked around a good deal before I was able to flick it off using this nifty tool specific for the need (it looks like a toothpick but has barbs so dust and bugs can be removed from fresh painted surfaces.)  I wound up pouring on an extra layer of clear and then color sanding all the "tracks" flat using ultra fine grit sandpaper.  

P1040194 by nessism , on Flickr
 

I'm curious about this tool.  I love odd specific tools.  Can you find it on amazon or elsewhere and post a link?

The tool I've got has barbs on it but these are similar.  They call it a Dust Needle.

www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Dust-Need...irt_60804887537.html

Cheap paint product is all over the internet! amazon, ebay and look up "TCP global" you will get lost in their website with their vast array of custom paints and restoration products!
You need a good quality HVLP gun. And if you ever see a cloud of paint or clear overspray? You gun is adjusted wrong. Wasting material in the air!
Buy some simple single stage urethane paint! With a 4 to 1 mix with a fast (cool weather) activator. dries in 20 minutes. Out of the gun and done! No clear coat needed.
Just Do It! You have to start sometime! On the job training! Practice! I've been a part time painter of my own stuff, maybe 1 or 2 other jobs a yr. for friends. for 40 yrs. 
I'm going to spray some small gloss black parts today! Of course I use an exhaust fan, I use a cheap furnace filter as not to piss off the neighbors.
I'll post some pictures later on tonight.

Marty in Buffalo

I just sprayed this stuff actually outside. All parts fresh glass beaded and washed. I did not even prime them.
Used this cheap single stage urethane 4:1 mix, out of the gun and done! Bought this paint on ebay, it was $46 bucks to my door. 40 ounce's of sprayable material, you can even thin a little if you want. I did this quick, not going to be keeping these items.
Being single stage with activator, I mixed up enough, not knowing how much I would need. The extra paint is solid today in the white cup. Just like clear urethane sets up.
That said you can wet sand and buff just like clear coat.
Just takes practice and playing with the adjustments on the spray gun.