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Body work or painting-Whats harder?

PostPosted: Thu Jun 02, 2016 4:08 pm
by Serf27
The more I get into this industry and the more I look at some job listings, I see that some businesses only ask for painter only, or body men only.

Neither is easy from the start, but which would be learned the fastest?

Which is more difficult over all, such as learning and doing?

By body work I mean pulling out dents, fixing dents, sanding/blocking. Not frame pulling or switching 1/4 panels.

By paint I mean, masking, primiring it, blending and just painting and getting a good finish that requires little buffining.

So, whats harder to learn/perform?

I know body work takes a lot of skill to get panels flat/curved to look well after painting.

Painting also takes a lot of skill! good panel blends and avoiding any tiger stripping/runs and trying to get a good finish out of the gun.

Of course, there are mistakes that happen to everyone.

What do the pros think?
Do they both relatively require the same amount of skill? Do they require the same amount of learning?
Or is one just faster/easier to learn/perform And the other is harder?

Re: Body work or painting-Whats harder?

PostPosted: Sat Dec 17, 2016 7:23 pm
by sportbikepainter
They are both arts and if you aren't striving to constantly learn new techniques and products you're behind. I can't say one or the other. If a shop doesn't have a good body man AND painter the end product is junk.

Re: Body work or painting-Whats harder?

PostPosted: Sat Dec 17, 2016 10:08 pm
by '68 Coronet R/T
No doubt in my mind that body work is the more difficult portion. Painting is the reward.

Re: Body work or painting-Whats harder?

PostPosted: Sun Dec 18, 2016 7:08 pm
by ScottB
'68 Coronet R/T wrote:No doubt in my mind that body work is the more difficult portion. Painting is the reward.

I'm guessing you have never worked in a production environment. The knowledge of matching and blending paint, and producing an excellent finish equals that of bodywork and metalworking techniques. Some have it, some do not in both fields. Bodywork is just more messy and physically demanding. How many heavy hits have most here done on a frame machine?

Bodywork is not an art, neither is painting a car. They are skills. Art ability can rarely be taught, it is a born with attribute. Very few collision or restoration techs can produce a piece of fine art. I do restorations and artwork for a living and do not consider bodywork an art.

Re: Body work or painting-Whats harder?

PostPosted: Sun Dec 18, 2016 7:22 pm
by '68 Coronet R/T
Scott,

No one here is doubting your superior experience and ability. Personally I find painting much more enjoyable than bodywork.

As you point out, bodywork has many more facets to it and therefore in my opinion it is the more difficult portion.

I am also careful to let people know I am not a pro.

Re: Body work or painting-Whats harder?

PostPosted: Sun Dec 18, 2016 7:41 pm
by ScottB
'68 Coronet R/T wrote:Scott,

No one here is doubting your superior experience and ability. Personally I find painting much more enjoyable than bodywork.

As you point out, bodywork has many more facets to it and therefore in my opinion it is the more difficult portion.

I am also careful to let people know I am not a pro.

Not superior, nearly anyone can produce a laser straight car. Body and framework in itself it a messy, demanding, physically taxing job. Not so much with painting. Throughout my years in this business, I've found many, but not all painters to be arrogant. Their attitude is that without them, the car would not look as good as it does. The tech doing the bodywork is responsible for how straight a car looks, not the painter. It's a shared responsibility within a shop.

I've seen body techs with natural ability who walked right into painting when the lead painter left. They were better than the painter who claimed to be at the top of his game. Others I know who are frame techs can pick up any gun, using any paint once a year or less, and produce a flawless complete in a booth or dimly lit home garage with poor exhaust. Everyone just has to find their niche, nobody is made the same way..

Re: Body work or painting-Whats harder?

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2016 8:16 pm
by Doright
Both are experienced based No one with little experience is going to be able to produce undetectable Blends easily or do undetectable color matching, and no one is going to be able to produce strait panels for Black or any other hard color's without experience.

I am with Jim though especially in restoration work or home based repairs a Painters job is the easier one of the two to do and Looked at as the fun part of the job as a whole. From a Production stand point Painting is where the expensive mistakes are and most come back work so there are reasons its specialized. Doing spot on color match and undetectable Blends are what painters get paid for plus saving on raw materials with little to no come backs speeds the shop up and makes the shop money in the long run the owner relies on this and is willing to pay just a painter to just do Paint.

Just my own opinion

Re: Body work or painting-Whats harder?

PostPosted: Mon Jan 02, 2017 3:03 pm
by tomsteve
he who works with his hands is a laborer.
he who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
he who works with his hands,head, and heart is an artist.

Re: Body work or painting-Whats harder?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 11:37 pm
by Flash
ScottB wrote:
'68 Coronet R/T wrote:No doubt in my mind that body work is the more difficult portion. Painting is the reward.

I'm guessing you have never worked in a production environment. The knowledge of matching and blending paint, and producing an excellent finish equals that of bodywork and metalworking techniques. Some have it, some do not in both fields. Bodywork is just more messy and physically demanding. How many heavy hits have most here done on a frame machine?

Bodywork is not an art, neither is painting a car. They are skills. Art ability can rarely be taught, it is a born with attribute. Very few collision or restoration techs can produce a piece of fine art. I do restorations and artwork for a living and do not consider bodywork an art.

After over 3 decades in the production collision industry, and having done countless heavy hits on the frame machine, along with all facets of the business. I agree that bodywork and painting is a skill, but when you have the artistic attribute, and you give a **** about the finished product and put your heart and soul into it, it becomes your art! Just my 2 cents from an art major.

Re: Body work or painting-Whats harder?

PostPosted: Tue Apr 25, 2017 8:25 am
by NFT5
Panel beating.

Not detracting from what others have said about the knowledge necessary to paint but, with very few exceptions, every car sold is painted by robots. When was the last time you saw a robot repair a dent?