Paint in pieces

[bigge31566]

Im about to paint my truck and it is in pieces would it be safe to paint different sections at different days, it will be bc/cc blue metallic. maybe doors then fenders, cab, bed without to much color change, never painted before

[Len]

Im about to paint my truck and it is in pieces would it be safe to paint different sections at different days, it will be bc/cc blue metallic. maybe doors then fenders, cab, bed without to much color change, never painted before

Under normal circumstances spraying metallic colors in sections will result is slightly different shades of the same color. In order to get the best possible result you will want to mix/stir the can of paint VERY WELL because leaving even the slightest amount of metallic at the bottom of the can will definitely come back to haunt you. Secondly you want the paint to be mixed exactly the same using the same chemicals for each of the parts. Third you want the environment to be consistently the same for each spraying session, IOW the same room temperature and even the same barometric pressure if possible and make sure you use the same gun and the same air pressure. And finally spray the parts in the same horizontal or vertical position that they will be when on the vehicle, IOW the doors should be sprayed while in a vertical position and the lids in a horizontal position.

[MARTINSR]

Im about to paint my truck and it is in pieces would it be safe to paint different sections at different days, it will be bc/cc blue metallic. maybe doors then fenders, cab, bed without to much color change, never painted before

Here is a good overview on the subject. I HIGHLY recommend you don't paint it in pieces.
http://www.autobodystore.com/ms27.shtml

Brian

[Phil V]

Im about to paint my truck and it is in pieces would it be safe to paint different sections at different days, it will be bc/cc blue metallic. maybe doors then fenders, cab, bed without to much color change, never painted before

If the truck is a midnight blue metallic Ford factory color then you shouldn't have any problems painting the parts separately as long as you follow Lens post in this thread. If it's a light blue metallic then I strongly suggest against trying to paint it in pieces.

[kevininohio]

Lots of great advice here. I did paint mine in pieces and did it in 3 different sessions. I did NOT use a metallic paint though, just base clear. I was VERY particular as they said with waiting till the same temp day. Mixing to exacting measurements and using the same material.



Notice how everything that is hanging is hung the same way it will be seen when assembled.



I used 2 gallon of color which was mixed at different times at the same store. To ensure the final of 3 coats was all the same, I saved the first gallon for the final coat. Meaning when spraying the 2nd and 3rd sessions first 1 "base coats" I pulled those from the 2nd gallon purchased, then sprayed the final coat of color from the 1st gallon. ANYTHING you can do to cover any variance is in your best interest. Do NOT assume everything will be the same.






I was well pleased with mine as I am a rookie at this as well. I learned a lot from going back and reading a LOT of posts here and just plain following directions to the T. As always, prep and cleanliness will make or break you. Paint is so expensive anymore that you can waste a lot of money if you try to skimp on the labor and set up.

[Henry]

Lots of great advice here. I did paint mine in pieces and did it in 3 different sessions. I did NOT use a metallic paint though, just base clear. I was VERY particular as they said with waiting till the same temp day. Mixing to exacting measurements and using the same material.



Notice how everything that is hanging is hung the same way it will be seen when assembled.



I used 2 gallon of color which was mixed at different times at the same store. To ensure the final of 3 coats was all the same, I saved the first gallon for the final coat. Meaning when spraying the 2nd and 3rd sessions first 1 "base coats" I pulled those from the 2nd gallon purchased, then sprayed the final coat of color from the 1st gallon. ANYTHING you can do to cover any variance is in your best interest. Do NOT assume everything will be the same.






I was well pleased with mine as I am a rookie at this as well. I learned a lot from going back and reading a LOT of posts here and just plain following directions to the T. As always, prep and cleanliness will make or break you. Paint is so expensive anymore that you can waste a lot of money if you try to skimp on the labor and set up.

Your truck is a work of art. You forgot to put a link to the build so others might learn.
BTW: you're way past any 'rookie' stage.

Henry

[kevininohio]

Your truck is a work of art. You forgot to put a link to the build so others might learn.
BTW: you're way past any 'rookie' stage.

Henry

I've always taken the approached not to get stuck in your ways so much that you're not willing to learn things that may make a better end product or make it easier to get there. I have noticed at car gathering "pro" paint jobs that would have made me cry just to pay for the materials as the end result was pretty poor.

Thanks Henry for the encouragement. You guys gave me a chance answering my dumb questions but we all have to start from someplace/sometime. I did finally take it to my first National show. It was the yearly gathering of Dodge Power Wagons and Militarys in Iowa and it won Best WWII Dodge and Best of Show so score one for the little guys!

http://imageevent.com/kevininohio?n=0

There a few new albums of other projects on there now. Hopefully on another truck before too long.

[Carrrz]

nice work on the paint job. the truck looks awesome

[junk]

Yeah Kevin's truck is beatiful.

I painted my 89 in pieces. Had I to do it again i would have painted it partly together. I'd of painted the fenders, doors and cab sides all hanging together. I would have done this to ensure color match, and orange peel match. OP not a concern if your going to sand it completely smooth, but you can tell the OP is different as I painted it all in pieces and put it together. I have only one seem where I feel there is a noticeable difference between the cab corner and the door in the color or flake.

The other concern I have from working my truck in pieces is as I worked each panel I thought they looked good. But when I hung them all and sighted down the truck the panels weren't as consistent as I would have liked. The front door crown is lower than the rear door crown which is different than the bed. So it's not a big deal, but bugs me. I was trying to build a driver not a show truck, but when you have this much time and money in something you want it to turn our nice. So where I was going with this is painting it together forces you to see it bolted up before you shoot color. So you can adjust things further.

In the end do what you can according to your skill, timing, room, etc. No matter what though being consistent with how you spray will help a lot.

[Len]

Painting in pieces is usually not a problem if you're using a solid non-metallic color and you have a paint shaker or some way of mixing the paint thoroughly. However metallic colors can look quite different when parts are sprayed separately because of the way the metallic can float differently depending on the conditions that can make the particles orient themselves. Wetness of the application, vertical or horizontal surfaces, changes in temperature and other inconsistencies during the different applications can all have an effect on your paint match including how well the paint is stirred.

Low Cost Paint Shaker Link

[All Dry]

The truck came out beautiful, nice job! Makes me want to paint something now, its been a while.

[kevininohio]

Thanks guys, it was a labor of love. I started taking it to shows this year and getting/seeing people's reactions was nice. Met a lot of people and made a bunch of new friends.




Got 8 Best of shows, 6 Best of class and 5 tops of show.

[Henry]

Thanks guys, it was a labor of love. I started taking it to shows this year and getting/seeing people's reactions was nice. Met a lot of people and made a bunch of new friends.




Got 8 Best of shows, 6 Best of class and 5 tops of show.

You'll always be a major part of every thread on this site. Your work on your truck is way beyond the ranks of a "restoration".

That log splitter you did is way beyond anything I've seen as well.

What have you been doing lately? I know you're not just sitting in front of the TV.

Good to hear from you again, Kevin and Happy Thanksgiving, just 2 weeks from today!

Henry

[kevininohio]

You'll always be a major part of every thread on this site. Your work on your truck is way beyond the ranks of a "restoration".

That log splitter you did is way beyond anything I've seen as well.

What have you been doing lately? I know you're not just sitting in front of the TV.

Good to hear from you again, Kevin and Happy Thanksgiving, just 2 weeks from today!

Henry

Working the day job! 10 hrs 7 days. Still doing projects and home stuff as I can. Did a fancy conveyor last winter to get my fix. It's in the photo album. 2 other trucks are here waiting and calling my name This work stuff gets in the way of doing what you want to, that is for sure. Hope you and yours have a good Thanksgiving and Christmas as well and thanks for the kind words.

[MARTINSR]

Awesome job! It's simple, you followed the directions suggested to you and did an amazing job!

Brian