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Wayne, the best thing I can tell you is try to get down to the meet in Ft. Myers, I plan on being there and you can play with the various brushes I have in my box. There will be plenty of other brushslingers there to help out. Trying to discribe the difference in print can be a little frustrating.
Most guys have their own prefernces anyway. What works for me might not for you or the next guy. I'm not all that familiar with Scharff's either. I've got some swords and have owned a quill or two in the past but that's about it. You have mentioned three brushes. Two of these, the cutter and the fitch are stiff bristle haired brushes used primarily on wall work like brick, stucco, poured concrete and "cinder block". They won't work very well on anything smooth, the hairs are just too coarse. The other brush you mentioned is a "flat" it is designed for lettering smooth surfaces. A 1/2 flat is pretty small, it will work for a four inch letter nicely although I'd tend to use a big quill on that size. A 1/2 is gonna make a pretty thin stroke for a four inch letter also. Quills and flats tend to handle differently also, the flats being more precise yet less forgiving. You can get a much wider range in stroke width from a quill than you can a flat.
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
posted
I would do the larger 20" letters with a 11/4" truck flat (or larger). Then I would add something to slow down the paint, like boiled linseed oil, and a little kero. Then paint vertical areas in each letter following the sheet metal seams and corregation, that way you use the natural breaks in the surface to prvent too many overlaping brush strokes showing.Work an area wet, then move along and keep the next area feathered back into the previous one, and so on. You can make it look pretty smooth that way. I personally would,t use a bristle brush on a trailer for the reasons George pointed out.
The biggest problem may be justifying spending the bucks for a large size flat, if this is a one time job. But if you plan on doing that type of painting right along, then it's worth it to get a big one. I have an 1 3/4" I bought in 1975 and I still use it. If it ever poops out on me, I'll have to have a little ceremony and bury it in the back yard, cause I really have gotten attached to it.
-------------------- Jeff Ogden 8727 NE 68 Terr. Gainesville FL, 32609 Posts: 2138 | From: 8827 NE 68 Terr Gainesville Fl 32609 | Registered: Aug 2002
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I recently finished a large wall job - half concrete block and half stucco. We used some Mack cutters (loved them) and some Mack and Sharf fitches. I wasn't wild about the Sharf fitches, but maybe on a different kind of wall i would have liked them better. We used brushes ranging from 1/4" to 2". My preference in the future would have been a few more of the cutters (1" or 1-1/2"). Anyway, my point is you might want a few different brushes for one wall job.
The big 20" truck letters could also be oulined with a 1" flat and then perhaps filled in with a 3" or 4" roller, which is less expensive than getting a bunch of huge brushes. It really depends on the shape and detail of the letters.
Or, you cut just cut a mask pattern and paint the letters with the roller. You'll need a brush for the seams and rivets and such.
As pointed out, keeping the letter "wet" across the whole 20" is going to be the tricky part. Keep your paint thin and use a conditioner as mentioned.
Dont skimp on the brushes -- that's an expensive job, so you should charge accordingly. Also, look into renting or borrowing some scaffolding -- its a pain to do the side of a truck with a ladder -- you spend all your time climbing up and down with the brush in one hand and moving the ladder with the other.
-------------------- :: Scooter Marriner :: :: Coyote Signs :: :: Oakland, CA :: :: still a beginner :: :: Posts: 1356 | From: Oakland (and San Francisco) | Registered: Mar 2001
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thick letters..3 INCH FOAM ROLLER, use #12-to 20 quill for edges..
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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wayne you can also use a "truck flat", but they will drip paint on the downstokes. quills of 16,18,20 size work better, also will lay pait over rivit easier then flat. si will rell ya to use 87 octane gas, some will say turps, others will say minneral spirits. i use minerial spirits, also when painting on a vehicle you can use automotive A/E reducer, but you got mix reducer and paint as you use it, a/e will dry faster, also wont run as much as M.S. also soem will tell you to add PENETROL. its good stuff, will eleiminate brush lines, but take s a little longer to dry. what iam sayin is its "crap shoot" for thinners....you will use what you like best...all of the above are good.....beginners should use turps or mineral spirits. wish i was closer..
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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You could "Roll"on a LIQUID MASK (Spraylat and Gripflex come to mind) Cut out letters with exacto knife and ruler,peel out letters,then roller coat enamel.
Hope this helps
-------------------- PKing is Pat King The Professor of SIGNOLOGY Posts: 3113 | From: Pompano Beach, FL. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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