I have a customer who has a big aluminum tank on the back of his truck, & he is insisting on using this paint that he has that matches his truck cab. He wants the word WATER painted on it in this paint.
I have searched here & found I need etching primer to do this? So, what steps would I do, go buy the etching primer, hand letter it on, then do I need regular primer on top? Then letter it on by hand with his automotive paint he has?
I am TRYING to convince him to let me just vinyl it on.
What is the price difference between painting this & vinyl? They want to know, & I have never hand painted on bare aluminum before. I don't even know if I might ruin my brushes with this paint?
[ April 23, 2009, 03:07 PM: Message edited by: Bobbie Rochow ]
Posted by Bobbie Rochow (Member # 3341) on :
One more thing, they want the latters to be 15 tall.......
Posted by Brian Stoddard (Member # 39) on :
The only etching primer I have ever seen is a spray. I use Matthews usually but there is a product you can get at an automotive store that is a rattle can self etching spray - mask and spray.
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
You might also be able to use Ti-Cote on the vinyl, then spray the vinyl with his truck color, cut, weed, & apply. Ti-Cote is a primer for vinyl that will make it enamel receptive. It will be easier doing it that way than doing all the priming, painting, etc. on the truck. The Ti-Cote will be handy for later use.
For etching primer on Aluminum, I use Grip-Gard wash primer. You have to buy a gallon of part A and a gallon of part B, which will set you back close to a hundred dollars. When equal parts are mixed, it has a pot life of about two weeks. It will etch into the Aluminum to allow adhesion of his paint. It dries fast and is ready for finish coating soon.
Posted by ScooterX (Member # 2023) on :
I've used ordinary metal primers on anodized aluminum and its worked fine. (I'm guessing the truck has some sort of finish over the aluminum, or else it is anodized... but maybe not.)
Another option is to use a vinyl primer on some good white vinyl, roll their paint onto your vinyl. Let it dry, and then cut/weed/apply as you prefer. It's pretty simple. Of course, do a test sample first.
Posted by Bobbie Rochow (Member # 3341) on :
Scooter & Dave, I think you both have something there!
Dave, where do I find Ti Cote? I have heard all of you talk about it here & there. Or...will my One Shot vinyl primer work? Is this what you are talking about, Scooter?
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
Id tell the guy, if you can get some good old fashion lead based 1-Shot, you'd love to paint on the letters. Explain to him that about 1995, you could no longer find that type of paint. On the other hand,,if the guy really wants it painted. What I'd tell him is to find a body shop that can do the prep and paint work. The only thing you, Bobby, The Nice Lady, would do is to mask off where the lettering would be at. This way, the body shop can order the very same paint that's on his truck. He gets his lettering painted, you get to sleep at nite, and the body shop gets to meet a wonderful person, Little, Sweet Bobby.
Posted by Bobbie Rochow (Member # 3341) on :
That's sweet of you, Alicia! Actually, they already have a gallon of the paint inquestion, here, probably the reason they want to use it to match the cab...it cost them a lot of money.
I am wondering how the vinyl will hold up with the automotive hardner in it too, (when it is flexed) to adhere to the tank, once it has been srayed on the vinyl & letters cut out.
Posted by Bobbie Rochow (Member # 3341) on :
Hey, what difference in price are we talking here, even for spraying the letters & all, sounds like lots of extra work....
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Bobbie..........IF they are being that anal about color match and quality of work.......quit worrying about cost!
Listen to Alicia! She has the best solution to this! Make them up a set of paint masks and let the body shop do the painting!
Posted by Jim Moser (Member # 6526) on :
quote:Originally posted by Si Allen: Bobbie..........IF they are being that anal about color match and quality of work.......quit worrying about cost!
Listen to Alicia! She has the best solution to this! Make them up a set of paint masks and let the body shop do the painting!
What they said ! Cut a mask and let the body shop scuff the aluminum, apply the etch primer and finish color.
Posted by Ray Rheaume (Member # 3794) on :
Basics...
If the paint they supplied you is a base coat, painting with a brush is out of the question. You'll never get an even coat with brushes.
If it's an acrylic enamel paint. you're within the realm of possibility, but in either case, the self etching primer is a must or it's never going to last.
I'll agree with everyone that you should get a body shop in on this action, but I would recommend...
First, use a good paint mask. The thicker the better. I've found that some masks don't take too well to automotive reducers. Arlon paint mask works well. Just enough adhesion to stay neat on bare aluminum, but not a PITA to pull off later.
Several light coats. Don't pound it on as it can ripple the edges of the mask and you'll lose the sharpness.
Pull the mask while it's still wet...CAREFULLY! Waiting too long can cause the paint to get stringy along the edges. In more severe cases, the edges will pull up with the mask and leave bare spots (kinda like tearing the paint).
WILDCARD!!!! There are some really cheap equipment enamels out there that you can paint directly through a mask with a foam brush and get good results. Might be worth looking into if you can get the color right.
I have a similar job coming up in a week or so for a local fuel company. This will also include doing some vinyl removal and cleanup/prep. Been a while since I offered up something for the "Step by Step" pages and this mess might be worth a few pictures and pointers. Rapid
