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I was wondering how many of you that do this use a long flat in-line airtype bodywork sander to get the filler nice a flat? I am planning on getting one. It is necessary to get the panel very slick a flat for the carhood finish look and use orbital sanders seem to just follow the waves. Also do any of you have particular tricks for applying the fillers to get buildup nice and flat with even coverage? I'm trying a new method today with thick tape after applying a thin first coat and letting it dry. I'm using it like a screed form in masonry. It should help lay on that next coat more evenly. The next coat will fill in the voids left by the tape being removed. There is little more annoying to me than sanding through a weak area of primer and getting a raw spot. A lot of backtracking.
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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Jack, i just did one a few minutes ago with a squeegee. On small signs, I just slap on a glob of FSC 88 WB primer and squeegee it on. It forces the primer down into the open cells and I get a nice smooth even coat. This particular sign had a fancy shape and a cove routed edge. I used my finger to smooth the primer into the cove. took just a few minutes.
on larger signs and multiple signs, i thin the primer (same primer) and spray it on with an HVLP gun.
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7404 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Wayne, In my method I have to end up with at least a 6 mil dead smooth surface. This requires at least 4 applications of primer. It usually takes me about 8 hours of work to do a 3x8 panel. I'm trying to cut that down. If any of the HDU is exposed any any way, it leaves dry areas in the final painting. I have used latex once which works with its own building features, but really don't care for the finish product. I'm looking for the glass looking surface.
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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Jack, look into the PB Resin that Coastal Enterprises sells. It's a self leveling, epoxy type finish that can be colored with enamels (one shot, chromatic) Pretty cool stuff for some situations. May not apply to all situations. Check it out: PB Resin
Good Luck, Joe
-------------------- Joe House Denco Sales Co. 2119 SE 11th Ave Portland OR 97214 800-345-0172 Posts: 20 | From: Portland OR | Registered: Jul 2002
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Fsc88WB is a high-build primer but you have to get enough on so that when you sand it smooth, none of the HDU is exposed. If you sand down to a spot where the HDU is exposed, there will be an uneven, porous spot. I apply several thin coats without sanding betwwen coats. You can apply each coat as soon as the previous coat loses tack, usually a few minutes or so. When it is dry enoughh that it doesn't "ball up" on the sandpaper,(sometimes a fan blowing over it or a closed room with a dehimidifier helps to speed this up) I then sand with 320, 400, and maybe 600 grit til it's smooth as a baby's bottom. I then spray with either thinned acrylic latex high gloss or automotive paint followed by clear coat.
The sanding process is time consuming and I'm also interested in learning other methods.
[ October 25, 2002, 02:43 PM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7404 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Wayne, Ok, I guess we are pretty much doing it the same way, but it sure gets time consuming. The edges alone are time consuming and I'm just searching for an easier method. It's the only part I hate about carving HDU.
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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Jack, I've never tried this, but I've been told you can shoot raw HDU with One Shot UV Clear with a touch of hardener in it, and the finish will self level to high gloss with one shot.
If you or someone else does a test of this I would sure like to hear about your results. Vic G
-------------------- Victor Georgiou Danville, CA , USA Posts: 1746 | From: Danville, CA , USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Jack...A couple of tips about getting a nice fair finish with no dips and hollows. I used this method when repairing or restoring car bodies. First off, use 2 different colors of primer. If the high build primer is white or grey, let it cure or dry for the correct length of time and then spray overr it with something like an old fashioned red lacquer based primer. It dries almost instantly.
Now you can sand the primers and all of the lw spots will be visible because they will remain red.
As to the air driven in-line sander...I have one and I don't think I ever used it in the last 15 years of doingbody work. They are no controlable enough. I used either the in-line hand sander...OR....and this is a huge secret, and no one will believe me I know.
I buy cartons of lava rock slabs. These slabs are used for roofing insulation on flat roofed commercial buildings. Anyone who has worked in a restaurant kitchen will know of the lava rock grill scrubbers. This is the same stuff only larger. I cut the slabs into strips about 4"x4"x24" and use them to sand body filler, spot putty, highbuild primer. It cuts all of them at the same rate and it cuts as if you are using 36 grit sandpaper. BUT the sanding scratches are only the equivalent of 180 grit. REALLY amazing stuff. ALSO since it is rigid it will NOT follow the bumps and hollows of the original surface but rather it produces an absolutely fair surface.
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
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Jack, for edges, I like the FSC360 which is a putty consistency "primer" that you trowel on ( I use a vinyl squeegee for a trowel) One coat gets it. Let it harden, sand up through the grits to 600 and finish with one shot. Also when waiting between coats with the waterbased primer, us a fan across board to help remove the moisture. You can get 2 or 3 thick coats on in a fairly short time which should do the trick. Also, try wet sanding after the last coat. Kind of makes a slurry that will flow into any air bubbles that may have dried in the finish.
Good Luck,
Joe
Good luck,
-------------------- Joe House Denco Sales Co. 2119 SE 11th Ave Portland OR 97214 800-345-0172 Posts: 20 | From: Portland OR | Registered: Jul 2002
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