Can I spray my own primer?

[rennch]

...or does it need to be done by a real pro?

I've taken my car this far pretty much by myself, but I don't know how much skill is necessary to get this part done. I have a gallon of PPG K38, and the appropriate reducer for it. Right now, the metal on the car has a coat of U-POL Reface. Apparently, I'm to block the car with 180 grit (metal and fiberglass), then spray three coats of the K38. My pro painter guy isn't going to be available for a while, and I really want to get the car done! After the K38, it's blocking with 500 wet, and it's ready for paint. Does that sound about right to you?

The current state:





It's come a long way:




So what do you think...can I prime it myself?

[Buckterrier]

Why not? Obviously the primer is going to be more forgiving than topcoat. Mess up... sand. Mess up again... sand!! Hell it may even give you the confidence to 'paint' it!
God luck

[jpnovak]

I think K38 is a primer/surfacer. I would spray it. The downside is that it is a Urethane product which means spray outside or use a forced air respirator. Those isocyanides are nasty and a typical cartridge respirator will not filter them.

Mark has it right... If you mess up, just sand it smooth and reshoot. This is the purpose of the primer/surfacer. I think your UPOL is considered your high-build. The k38 will just fill the large scratches from blocking with 80grit.

Once the primer is sprayed down start blocking the car again to get it nice and flat. Use a guide coat when you are about done and sand until it is dead flat. Depending on how smooth your finish is I would probably start with 320 or 400 and then finish with 600.

[rvanderpyl]

The last primer I sprayed I used one of those airless guns and it worked fine. It's the finish coat that is critical, primer you are going to sand until it is smooth, if you have some drips, thicker spots etc it's just a little more sanding.

[bob deluke]

emptyo;

Believe it or not, I have used a roller to put primer on. My driver's side door on my 77 Targa had a crease in it, (broken door stay). Pulled out the dent, sanded paint off and rolled on 2K primer. Isocyanate paint is most harmful in atomized state, so use a supplied air mask if spraying. I rolled the primer on the door, no overspray or major masking. Put on skim coat of Evercoat Rage, sanded and rolled primer again. Most of the primer sands off anyway, so rolling offers another option. Don't laugh, hot rodders have done this for years...just recently as a matter of fact in hot rod magazine, an article was done on roll on primers.

[rennch]

I rolled my first coat of Upol reface on. That's how it got to the state it is now. The problem is, coverage isn't really even, and it's tough to get the rain gutters and such.