Practically Classics Forum

I've used paints4u for some years and they're excellent.

P45.

Penguin45 wrote:I've used paints4u for some years and they're excellent.

P45.

+1. I have also had positive dealings with them.

Thanks for advise chaps! I can always rely on you.

tractorman wrote:I've done some panels with rattle cans and they don't look too bad. However, the thought of spraying a car with them does seem to be a bit too much hassle for me - especially as things like roofs, boots and bonnets are awkward to deal with as the cans prefer to be upright when spraying.

It's a Herald so I only have to open the bonnet to be in a possition to hold the can upright. It doesn't have a roof and I'll take the boot lid off! oh and it is only basic Signal Red I'll be using. Nothing Fancy.

See...I have thought about it!

I'll give you fair warning that nearer the time, I'll be on hear with LOTS of daft questions like do I need to use a primer if I'm not going back to bare metal? and how and when do I use wet and dry? and what roughness? etc...

I know you're all thrilled by the prospect!

I figure that I can't make it look much worse than it does now and if the worse comes to worse I can always rub it down and start again!

TerryG wrote:Mine come from paints4u.co.uk. I have just ordered another £120 worth of them (I have 4 doors to paint) and the colour has always been a perfect match

How many cans is that Terry? How far will a can go?

Cans are £11.99 each, I used 2.5 cans doing my tailgate inside and out (2 would have sufficed but I put on an extra layer)
I'm guessing 2 cans per door. I buy my primers, etc locally to support my local body supply shop but they are twice the cost of paints4u to have a colour matched can mixed.

I know everyone keeps saying cellulose is banned/ unavailable etc....

I just bit the bullet and went into my local finishing suppliers....they were really helpful and will mix up what ever cellulose colour while you wait!

My local paint place would mix celly for older cars (pre 1980s at a guess) but whenever I've wanted paint for the newer ones (like Ma's '89 Metro), they wouldn't sell celly as they said that HAD to be 2-pak. I think that celly for older stuff is one of the "exceptions" to the law so that people with older cars could get "original" paint. Perhaps the trick is to ask for whatever colour you want for an "old Escort" - though the Metro was BRG metallic; a new colour at the time and the paint people didn't fall for me wanting it for an old car!

Better to forget the aerosols and buy a cheap compressor and HVLP gravity fed gun in my opinion.

JAWEL will supply cellulose no problem at least over Ebay as will others, they just have a disclaimer about the legislation etc. Holts MiniMix is ok too and goes on / cuts back ok though may be better laquered as it seems a bit soft in the presence of petrol etc.

Even if you have to spray outside, a compressor job will be better than rattle cans, and you have the compressor for other stuff, a good face mask suitable for gas fumes etc should keep you safe.

AND.... I reckon it wont cost that much more than the rattle cans to buy the compressor, gun and paint if you shop around, you'll get a better job, and still have something to show for yer brass when you have finished We picked up two compressors this year at machinery auctions, an old small but industrial job just up to spraying for a tenner, and a really good industrial one that was scruffy to look at and would feed you air all day for whatever you want to do for £50. Both are better than my £150 Sealey 50ltr 2hp one but even that has more than earned its keep over the years. I reckon you can pick up a new one now of the same spec as the sealey for about 90 quid.

Well thats my twopence worth.

There is one alternative that has not yet been mentioned. A couple of years ago, when restoring a steering wheel, I bought a POR15 kit. This kit included a Preval sprayer. They are a sort of fill-it-yourself aerosol. As part of the kit, they are used to spray 2K primer filler. They could be used for a whole car I suppose, even if I personally would agree with arceyes post above.

High Volume Low Pressure. Apollo sprayers ltd.
I have used one and got a nice job and I am a crap sprayer.

A mate is a Porcshe BMW Merc approved spray guy. He uses Apollo for small private jobs at home.

Old style Turtle wax and similar gave a softer shine.

Bob