Rattle can paint job
- Thread starter FirstJeep
- Start date
The first car I helped paint was in 1965. It was my friend and neighbour's older brother's 1956 Chev stock car that he raced later that day in the hobby class at Pinecrest Speedway, north of Toronto. Three of us, all about 13 yrs. old painted it red with roller brushes. The owner/driver/older brother painted the yellow numbers on with a brush. We all went with his older friends to the race that night and it looked pretty good in the dark under the track lights ... from the far grandstands. The paint was barely dry and we were still covered in it.
I've never used spray bombs but have advanced to a "real" HLVP gun. I use a basic gun from Princess Auto (like Harbor Freight) and it works fine. if you have a compressor you may as well spray it with a gun vs. using aerosols. It's the prep that is most time consuming. Keeping a wet edge as you go will be much easier and you wont wear out your index finger.
I've never used spray bombs but have advanced to a "real" HLVP gun. I use a basic gun from Princess Auto (like Harbor Freight) and it works fine. if you have a compressor you may as well spray it with a gun vs. using aerosols. It's the prep that is most time consuming. Keeping a wet edge as you go will be much easier and you wont wear out your index finger.
Ya did mine in the garage. It’s definitely not ideal... you’ll get lots of overspray all over and cover your garage in it. Best on a nice day so you can keep the door open and hopefully it’s not too windy. If I was doing it again and doing my entire car vs just front... I’d spend one day prepping... take off hood, roof, fender flares, doors, tape and mask it and a second day painting... (I’ve seen quite a few people not remove pieces and just mask the car as is)
Good luck
John Wolf
TJ Enthusiast
If you want original color (easier), get the code from your build and you can get go to touchupdirect.com to order your original color in various forms from spot brushing all the way up, with the clear. I repainted my door this way with rattle cans and YT vids and it came out fine, several coats each of color and clear with wet sanding in between. Depends on how showroom or not you want it. Here is how mine turned out and I'm happy with, two big scratches gone.
John Wolf
TJ Enthusiast
No didn't remove anything, but I taped off everything I didn't want painted. I used body lines to disguise the new paint areas and as you can see it's not perfect, can't really match 20 year old paint but it's close enough for me. Like Boogieman says, I didn't want a 750$ paint job, more like 100$ or less. It actually looks better than the pics show, pretty happy with it.
around 1979 give or take, I hada buddy built a Willys mb3. V8 auto and so on. When he got to paint, he decided expensive shop job just be getting pinstriped on the trail. He bought light brown primer, reddish primer and a flat black primer paints. WE brushed it on first the light brown then big random shaped spots of the other colors to simulate Israeli Desert Camo. Well known at the time.Go green.View attachment 195507
Easy to touch up and maintain and wasn't expensive.
That USMC rig is really something.
Temperature and wind is a big problem when spraying a vehicle with rattle cans you may get "Orange peel" effect or dust/lint settlement also splatters if you run the can close to empty plus runs if you spray too close. many novice painters who rattle can a single or part of a panel are usually very disappointed in finish.
With the correct climate control and enclosed environment with much patience to prep and finish details you could do a nice job but the fact is most who use rattle cans want a cheap quick fix so also skip on the hardest part prep & finish.
I personally wouldn't attempt it as I dont have the patience required I just want to see the pain go on and the reason rattle cans have always been a "fail" with me
1 more thing... be sure to get all the cans from the same lot. Every batch they (dosen't matter who 'they're are) is slightly different. But different enough to easily see. Found that out when painting one of my tractors. Removed every panel a and part I could so I could do a 'perfect' job. Used like 2-3× the paint I thought it would. Each time I grabbed cans from wherever was easiest in my travels. Each part turned out a different shade. Sometimes REALLY different shade. They all have lot numbers on the can somewhere. Be sure that all your paint is the same. Good luck. You may be happy at first, but every year it will look worse and worse (in my experience).
If you're going to try and paint the whole thing yourself, and paint it flat or satin black, you could go this route.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001C44O50/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Several years ago I taught my Son to paint his car using the above, with a cheap Harbor Freight HVLP gun. After letting him practice on a few small parts, to get the rhythm and overlap correct, I turned him loose and he actually did a great job.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001C44O50/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Several years ago I taught my Son to paint his car using the above, with a cheap Harbor Freight HVLP gun. After letting him practice on a few small parts, to get the rhythm and overlap correct, I turned him loose and he actually did a great job.
I finally found some great looking half doors in my area that weren't an arm + leg. Problem is, they are black---I'm considering painting them Patriot Blue to match. Thanks to everyone for all the info/tips. Question though---if existing black/clear is in pretty good shape, do I need to sand down and use primer before adding first blue coat? Or just start with a wet sand of existing clear and then roll with the blue base coat + clear?
rancholago
TJ Enthusiast
I have never had very good luck with rattle cans.
For any paint job prep is VERY important.
Personally I would avoid the "Quicky"paint places, I found I could do just as good and last longer than they do.
I heard once from a friend that he used regular enamel exterior paint with a "airless" sprayer and he bragged big time about the job. I never got a chance to see it.
For any paint job prep is VERY important.
Personally I would avoid the "Quicky"paint places, I found I could do just as good and last longer than they do.
I heard once from a friend that he used regular enamel exterior paint with a "airless" sprayer and he bragged big time about the job. I never got a chance to see it.
If the original paint is in good condition, I would wipe it down with a good wax and grease remover and then scuff the paint with a maroon 3M Scotch Brite pad backed up by a sanding block. You can usually get a pack of 2 of these from an auto supply store.
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00396YJ6S/?tag=tjforum-20
I did Raptor liner inside and out. I used about 10 liter bottles of Raptor liner. I also used 4 cans of Upol adhesive activator for the hard to reach areas. I also purchased the Upol adjustable Pro spray gun. I sprayed the Raptor liner at about 60 psi w/ a Harbor freight compressor. With 10 liters of Black Raptor liner I did the inside of Jeep TJ, the outside the Hardtop, two full doors and underside of hood. I did two full coats and one dust coating. The final dust coating really gave it an even finish. The dust coat is applied in a circular motion. Watch the YOUTUBE videos and get different tips from each one. The end result is incredible. I live in EL Paso Tx and the desert Southwest will tear up your regular paint job with the desert bush and thorn bush. No scratches with the Raptor coat. I did the whole TJ in about a week from prep to finish.
Tray Burge
TJ Addict
You may get a rattle can paint job to look great, but it won't last without the catalyst?
There are some rattle cans that come with a separate catalyst now.
If you don't know what the catalyst is, then you shouldn't be trying to paint your Jeep with a rattle can.
There are some rattle cans that come with a separate catalyst now.
If you don't know what the catalyst is, then you shouldn't be trying to paint your Jeep with a rattle can.