Basic Paint Mixing Question

[Alan Lindquist]

I"m spraying bumpers with a two stage paint. It's been 30 years since I've mixed paint and I want to be sure I have this right.

I have a mixing cup that has the measurement call-outs. If I want a "3" measurement, then I pour in enough paint to get to the first "3" mark.

Then what follows? I follow the "3" mark up the scale with reducer, then hardener, then fish-eye? Is that how the cup works?

The way these things are staggered, I want to make sure that I have that order correct.

Thanks.

[JScaramella]

By two stage I assume you mean base/clear. If its base than its 1 to 1

3 parts base 3 parts reducer. Most clears are 4:1 ration, 4 parts clear 1 part hardener

It ist single stage paint then x2 check the paint spec. Most are 4:1, paint then hardener

[962porsche]

DO NOT ADD FISH EYE ELIMINATOR !!!!!!! its pure silicone ! i don't even have any in my shop and i will not allow it . yes on the side of a mixing cups your seeing the mixing ratios at the very top of the cup for what ratio you will need to mix your product that you want to use . so say your base color is getting mixed to the 2 to 1 ratio look on the top part of the cup and you will see a 2:1 graft . because some cups like painterspal are made for more than one paint line you may see some thing like 2:1:05:1 . if you only say need the 2:1 part of that graft then disregard the rest of that graft . there are no set mixing retios . ALL paint CO's DO NOT use the same ratios for there base colors and the same holds true for the clears . glasurit and RM use a 2 to1 ratio for there solvent base colors . they also use a 2 to 1 to 10% for MOST of there clears . were say duponts 7900s clear has a 3 to 1 mixing ratio . so check your TDS on just what the proper mixing ratios are for the product you are using . but over all the 1st pour would be the main product like base color . you would pour it to say the 1st vertical row/line of numbers on the cup . we will pour to the #3 in the 2 to 1 mix with base color . then pour to the # 3 in the 2nd vertical row/line in that ratio with reducer .

[Alan Lindquist]

Porsche962 - thanks for the silicone advice. I did such a thorough job cleaning the panel it was not necessary - as you say - just use the right technique.

We had a cold and rainy day yesterday. High 50's. I warmed the garage with propane heaters (off when spraying) but had to open up to vent out and getting the normal hardner to react was tough - it was slow. I got a nasty run/drip that will have to be sanded out.

Today we have some sun and may be 60 degrees. I have another bumper to od

Would you recommend more hardener to adjust for the cool temps, more heat in the garage, or lighter spray applications on each coat, or more time inbetween, or all four?

[962porsche]

i never knew it rained in CA ? you never change the ratio of a mix you would want to change the speed of your reducer and or hardener . the colder it is the faster you want with your hardeners and reducers to be . you want to lay the product down as it would state in your TDS (technical data sheet ). so if it tells you to lay down 2 wet coats then thats what you want to do . the temp you really want and is stated in most TDS sheets is 70 degrees . that would be substraight (panel)temp not air temp . most of the time the temp of the substraight is about 10 to 15 degrees colder than the air temp . when its colder you will need to give the products more flash time . with base colors you want to be able to tack it off between coats so if you can't touch it and not leave a mark then its not ready for the next coat . when it comes to your clear coats give it the finger test . that will tell you when its time for the next coat . what you want is to beable to touch the masking tape (were there is clear on it ) and be able to leave a finger print but not have any clear come off on your finger . do not ! do the finger test on masking PAPER because the masking paper will soak up any solvents and FLASH FASTER than it will on some thing like masking tape . some times when you get a run or a drip you can use a single edge razor blade and back blade it to scrape off the run . the key is to let the run dry completely before you want to mess with it . if you can take your finger nail and leave a mark in the run it is still not dry enough to remove . so let it alone untill it drys !

[Alan Lindquist]

962Porsche - Thanks for your wisdom and tips and for being there on time. The front bumper went much better. Good coverage on the base, and no runs on the clear coat. I was more patient between coats.

Truth be told, I haven't sprayed in 28 years. Did about 10 cars in my garage back in the late 70's and early 80's when single stage was the approach. My dad and I turned a few muscle cars around.

This weekend's project was the bumpers on my wife's 2002 Kia Sedona minivan. I wanted to practice on something I didn't care about before I started on my 1980 SC. In the near future I'll paint my car. It's black, so the body prep will be the "patient" part. Black isn't kind to amateurs. But at least it isn't metal flake.

This forum has a wealth of experience and we are all grateful for the guidance. This weekend was a fun project and a learning experience. Thanks for helping out.

[962porsche]

i'm happy to help . this is really a win win for us . i have been writing a book on auto body and paint . so it is a help for me to know just what people need to know . there are many things i over look or just take for granted that the DIY people would know . so now i will add in a segment about mixing cups and mixxing sticks .

[Alan Lindquist]

I did a rough calculation. When buying a $47 pint of paint, the remainder stuck to the stirring stick that doesn't flow off is worth about .37 cents.

Someone needs to sell a .10 cent stick that flows the paint off. At least another .25 cents worth. That's my two cents.

[962porsche]

Originally Posted by imhsar

How to manage all these colors, which color combination will look good and after mixing it will give that color.

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trucks for sale

you can take a BASF color class ?? or some high schools offer aduit light classes in things like art you could take one of there color classes .