fiberglass painting

Anything goes in the world of fiberglass and plastic



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PostPosted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 4:18 pm
Apologies, I'm unsure if this should be under this area or the fiberglass section as its regarding painting fiberglass..

I'm contemplating doing a full respray + colour change on one of my cars. I've possed questions to some uk online suppliers and other forums to try and get my info straight before making the plunge into preping the car.

It's a 2002 fiberglass bodied car. The fiberglass itself is in good condition, I just want a different colour to my silver. I'm not interested currently in the process of doing the work as firstly I need to decide on what type of paint to use... It will be done at home in the back garden under a 2mtr x 2mtr gazebo, no airfed mask it will probably be a charcoal(?) canister half face mask.

For a fiberglass respray what are my choices in paint systems to work with that I can use at home safely (well without hugely expensive ppe) My colour choice is a metallic green/blue.

If I can provide more info to help answer my question please let me know.



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PostPosted: Sat May 24, 2014 11:35 pm
Fibreglass can be painted with the usual automotive products metioned here on the forums. I reccommend epoxy primer, urethane basecoat and urethane clearcoat. As for brand, I have had good luck with ********** epoxy primer, Matrix base, and ********** clear, but there are many brands to consider.

With regards to PPE, a full face respirator and paint suit is a must. Here is what I use on a daily basis...

- 3M 6000 Series respirator
- 3M 60926 Multi Gas Vapour Cartridge/Filter
- 3M Faceshield Cover for 6000 Series mask

These are all available on Amazon.com, and you'll get a years out of the mask. Cartridges last quite a while, but it really depends on how much you use your mask. I use mine daily, and I get an easy 6 months out of a cartridge. As for the mask covers, these little plastic shields will keep the overspray off your mask, and further extend it's life.

You can buy a paint suit at any auto paint store. There are disposible ones which I find dont last very long, and there are washable ones which you can use for months. Just remember, dont get these products on your skin, they are very toxic. And please, if you are using a paint suit, put your hood up! My apprentices are horrible for forgetting to cover their heads.

This may seem like a lot of information, but I always amplify the need for safety. I wish someone would have explained the risks to me when I got started.

Happy painting

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PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 9:19 am
Johnny, can you wear glasses with the full face respirator?

Thanks...Al
"Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic"



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PostPosted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 5:33 am
if the paint is still good, just take the shine off with some p600 or p800 wet and paint over the top, I wouldn't use epoxy primer unless you have to do any replairs and want a good bond over the fibreglass, epoxy is great, but is very hard to sand!!
krem



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PostPosted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 10:26 pm
Can you wear glasses... no. Unfortunately standard eye glasses will not fit under a full face respirator. However, several companies make inserts for full face masks. They are essentially glasses that clip into your respirator. If you speak with a 3M rep, or do some Google searches you will find what you are looking for.

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