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3-Series (E36)Chat relating to the BMW 3-Series from 1992-1999. Autodoodad
Specific models include: BMW 316i, BMW 318i, BMW 318iS/ti, BMW 320, BMW 323, BMW 320, BMW 324, BMW 325, BMW 328.
anyone here ever paint a car in their garage before? i have a big air compressor and i got a DEvilbiss paint gun. what kind of stuff should i buy to paint my car. do i need to get hardening, other stuff to mix with the paint? what clear coat do you recommend and should i just use spray paint (krylon) primer? thanks. -vince
You need good paint first of all. Paintscratch.com will provide OEM colors and OE paint, as well as primer. You will also need to thin the paint to be used with a spray gun.
Before you even get that far though, you need an enclosed DUST FREE area. You should line part of the garage completely with plastic to keepout dust, and clean as much as you can inside the area.
The next step is prep. For propper adhesion, you need to strip the paint off and get the car down to bare metal. You can use a sander or a chemical peal.
After that, use a body filler to smooth out any dents that can'y be pushed out.
Then the car is ready for paint. Also make sure you use a resporator.
__________________ <span style='color:gray'><span style='font-family:Courier'>1995 e36 3 Series RIP
1999 e46 3 Series BURN IN HELL
2000 MR-S Roadster= Current</span></span>
I have painted several cars in a garage and if you make a spray booth with plastic sheets it is doable, but you also need some big fans to exhaust the fumes. You are better off going to your local automotive paint supplier for your paint as they will have all the thinners etc necessary for a good job. Thay can also mix OEM colors. You can go with a base coat clear coat system which would be OEM for a BMW or use a simpler acrylic enamel system which will give a close match but not perfect.
Todays paint systems are pretty high tech and all the thinners and other components must be compatible so you really need to talk to the local shop for advice and get the right products. The cost of paint and thinners etc for a clear coat system will be about $600. Also remember that some of the hardeners are VERY toxic and may require a pressurized air system and not just a respirator. ASK the store for advice.
Finally, painting the car is the easy part. Preparing it for paint is the hard part. To do it right plan on spending a minimum of a week of 8 hour days. Anything less and you are cutting corners and won't get the best long lasting results. It's really best left to the pros but if you really want to do it, go the the library and get some books on the subject. It's not easy.
Originally posted by Gator@Sep 28 2004, 03:31 PM I have painted several cars in a garage and if you make a spray booth with plastic sheets it is doable, but you also need some big fans to exhaust the fumes. You are better off going to your local automotive paint supplier for your paint as they will have all the thinners etc necessary for a good job. Thay can also mix OEM colors. You can go with a base coat clear coat system which would be OEM for a BMW or use a simpler acrylic enamel system which will give a close match but not perfect.
Todays paint systems are pretty high tech and all the thinners and other components must be compatible so you really need to talk to the local shop for advice and get the right products. The cost of paint and thinners etc for a clear coat system will be about $600. Also remember that some of the hardeners are VERY toxic and may require a pressurized air system and not just a respirator. ASK the store for advice.
Finally, painting the car is the easy part. Preparing it for paint is the hard part. To do it right plan on spending a minimum of a week of 8 hour days. Anything less and you are cutting corners and won't get the best long lasting results. It's really best left to the pros but if you really want to do it, go the the library and get some books on the subject. It's not easy.
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God Damn!!!!
This is like rocket science....this makes all advanced medical books on brain surgery look like a See Spot Run book!
I guess I won't be painting my sideskirts or bumpers anymore .
But if I do: Can I paint them outdoors in a clean driveway? And why all the dust precaustions? Is it really that bad? And what about painting over the plastic on the lower front bumper-do you have to sand that as well?
Originally posted by Gator@Sep 28 2004, 03:31 PM a minimum of a week of 8 hour days. Anything less and you are cutting corners and won't get the best long lasting results. It's really best left to the pros but if you really want to do it, go the the library and get some books on the subject. It's not easy.
I'll tell you a little secret that a pro painted told me about... after spraying on the base coats, use 400 grit Sand paper and wet sand it until it's nice and smooth and then clear coat it. works like a charm if you put on like 3 coats of CC.
also you will need stablizer's for both your base coat and clear coat and DO NOT USE hardener in your BASE COAT incase you fuck up. it'll be a pain in the ass getting off, I know :P other wise it's not that hard to do a decent job. also make sure you get a compressor that provides enough continious PSI and something to regulate it by your gun. also get something to make sure no water gets through to the gun from the line.
Originally posted by jrhaile@Sep 28 2004, 05:17 PM I'll tell you a little secret that a pro painted told me about... after spraying on the base coats, use 400 grit Sand paper and wet sand it until it's nice and smooth and then clear coat it. works like a charm if you put on like 3 coats of CC.
also you will need stablizer's for both your base coat and clear coat and DO NOT USE hardener in your BASE COAT incase you fuck up. it'll be a pain in the ass getting off, I know :P other wise it's not that hard to do a decent job. also make sure you get a compressor that provides enough continious PSI and something to regulate it by your gun. also get something to make sure no water gets through to the gun from the line.
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So Clear Coat is like the actual paint? Or is it kind of like ...."clear nail polish"...meaning if makes the paint all shiny and smooth?
what kind of hardener should i buy is there a specific number or rating? ive painted 2 things before in a garage. i have a hvlp gun but im not really sure how to use it. its a devilbiss. its got 2 knobs on it. what should i set the knobs at?
oh man, I'm not sure what kinds of hardener off the top of my head... and as far as the knobs, those adjust the width and pattern of your spray... just mess around and find out what's best... I got 1.5 around on each knob
Both the hardener and thinner have to be designed speciffically for the paint you are using. The can of paint shound say on it what hardener and thinner to use. Follow the paint manufacturers recommendations.
One knob on the gun probably controls the flow of air and the other controls the flow of the paint. Get some pieces of sheet metal and practice. With normal paint you spray on a mist coat first and then a wet coat. With metal flake it is just the opposite. You need good lighting so you can see how much paint you are applying. Too much and you get runs. Too litttle and you get orange peel. Practice until you are happy with the finish and you can apply the paint withut getting runs.
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Can I paint them outdoors in a clean driveway? And why all the dust precaustions? Is it really that bad? And what about painting over the plastic on the lower front bumper-do you have to sand that as well? 
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