Paint and Prep Help

Hello all, its been a long while since I've posted here due to life and work events. I'm actually switching careers right now and about to start a job as an operator for a local sitework and landscaping company. I'm hoping this will give me time and a constant income stream to continue restoration of a Gradall I own.

Right now I'm trying to figure out a prep and painting solution to get the project moving again. We have the truck cab completely removed and have finished extensive fabrication repairs to it. Once its painted we can rebuild it. I'm not looking for a factory level paint job, but something that will hold up and I can be proud of.

I don't really have the budget for a full sandblast and paint job by a shop and am wondering what's your in-house process? Do you strip everything down to bare metal with sanding/wire brushing or do you just hit areas that are rusting and flaking? What's a good primer?

I know Imron is the gold standard for paint but I don't have the equipment or experience to handle something that toxic. My assumption is painting would be done outside and I do have an organic vapor mask. What would be the next level down as far as ease and safety of handling?

Thanks!

I’ve sprayed a lot of paint and do everything from complete strip to scuff and go. You do not need to strip it bare as long as what is left is smooth and well attached. Just feather the edges. Make sure to sand any rusty spots really well. What ever you prep method you use be sure to power wash any grease off before the prep work to avoid pounding any grease in. You will spend much more time in prep than actual painting.

Apply a good primer, or primer filler if you need to cover some roughness, sand lightly and top coat. Since you don’t have proper equipment avoid any isocyanate hardeners. Some say you are OK with just a mask but read about the dangers and decide for yourself. I only use a supplied air suit.

I shoot a lot of PPG paint. I know it and like it. They do have some primers and topcoats that do no need hardener or use a non-iso hardener. Sherwin-Williams also has some very good paints in their industrial line. I sprayed several hundred gallons a few years ago on a large job and really liked it. Just harder to find a dealer than PPG. Check out PPG’s JE acrylic in their Shopline series. Reasonable priced and some are single stage (no clear coat needed) gloss that use not so toxic hardener. There are a few with no hardener but dry slower and you may need to have it ordered in.

Good paint should run at least $100 per gallon. Top line paint will be $400 or more.

Thanks Ct Farmer.

I've heard of the degreaser suggestion. Do you need to do a thorough rinse wash? I've wondered about residual soap residue. Do you need to avoid hydraulic hoses or can you really hit everything that isn't electronic as long as you aren't blasting it?

What do you recommend for a sprayer?

I use hot power washing set to 190F and about 1500psi. I don’t worry about hoses or much really except electronic things. Stay back and let the soap, heat and pressure work. If using a much higher pressure cold machine you need to be more careful. Regardless - do not pressure wash a radiator except from quite far away. Long way.

I do rinse if I will be painting. Then do any prep work, sanding, brushing, blasting etc. Usually wipe down with naphtha or some paint prep cleaner and paint.

Do not skip primer coat. There are some paints that claim to not need primer. Maybe under perfect conditions but in the real world primer will give a much better, longer lasting job.

Great stuff, thanks man.

What do you recommend for a paint sprayer?

For spraying this sort of thing you can use almost anything. I use mostly some old DeVilbus JGA guns that I have had forever. They are not HVLP guns but they work good for equipment and I like the better throw with the higher pressure you need to run.

HVLP guns work great for large flat areas and I use several Iwata guns when I do cars. Of course I am looking for a premium finish in that case.

I’ve got a bunch of cheap guns that I use for just covering things. They work fine. If you don’t want to spend a lot of $ go to HArbor Freight and get a gun that your compressor can run. You will do fine with it.

Also you might want a small mini gun for small tight areas and touch ups.

Technique and proper air supply is more important here than a fancy spray gun. Make sure you have clean filtered air to feed the gun with a moisture trap.

I too use an old spray gun, nicknamed it the Firehose as throws So much paint, was great for frame coverage on heavy trucks and trailers. As noted get it clean dry and oily substance cleared, scuff with scotch brite sheets then wipe with a good reducing agent for the paint applied and leave dry. IF and a BIG IF intend to use any form of self etching primers or paints as IMRON go that extra step for Outside air source supplied Respro hood. The etching material is harmful on lungs and dust masks do NOT cut it, the epoxy based paints too where the dust masks and respirator masks with filters are not near enough. The epoxy can get thru all of that, if enters the lungs will deposit and choke off airways, it will not ever leave.