Random musings from an average day

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2018 8:51 am
Well, two days, actually.

We had this little baby come in for paint to whole left side, plus front and rear bars, lip spoiler, mud spats and mirror.
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Most of the repairs had been done by the customer, as a means of saving money. Normally I don't do this - it just makes work that you're not getting paid for, but if you paint over a crap repair the result will be crap and I don't want crap work associated with my name.

So, you do what you have to to make the repair acceptable for paint.

The body wasn't too bad - some uneven sanding and a couple of high spots. Fixed those and took it in for a couple of coats of high fill. (first freebie). :knockout:

Blocked that back and then back in the booth for base and clear.

Oh. Had to colour match first. That took nearly a whole day, including 3 hours by the paint company rep before we got the colour good enough to go edge to edge. Yes I have a spectro and we could get close but even after 10 mixes and spray out cards it still wasn't right. In the end the answer was a homoeopathic quantity of Transparent Maroon. Seriously, 3g (that's one drop) in a litre of reduced colour nailed it. :clap:

Painted the body first and used a clear that our distributor had asked my to try. (mistake) It's cheap at $170/7.5l kit and it's worth every cent you don't pay. Rubbish. Using a Pro Lite with TE10 cap just couldn't get it to lay flat and match that typical Mazda finish. A buff would fix it (next freebie) but lesson is not to try an unfamiliar clear on a job like this.

Finished painting it at midnight last night. :realmad:

This morning get the bars and various bits in to paint. Again, repaired and primed by the customer but no big problems so just sanded again. Washed, Prepsolled and water/alcohol clean. Good to go.

Well, not quite. Had to dust a little 1K primer on a couple of rub throughs. First pass and this happens. :shocked:
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Take them all out. Wash again, Prepsol with grey scotch. Wash and dry again.

Take them back in. Primer goes on ok this time. Flash, sand, water clean and ready for base.

Hmmmm. I'm using Cromax 610 base and usually do one tack coat, then 2 x medium wet. After tack coat his primer starts to fry up. He told me it was a 2K primer, unknown brand but bought from a reputable place. So I'm looking at this, with 6 hours to go before he's due to pick it up.
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Don't know what the problem is but don't have time to strip and re-prime. So take a punt with some (very good) Axalta fast primer to seal it up. (another freebie) Lost an hour but surface good.

Paint and have to use fast clear to have any chance of getting it back together on time. Again with the Pro Lite (love that gun) it goes on like glass.

We actually had it ready by 6.00pm and the customer was out of his tree happy.

Makes it all worth while, doesn't it? He handed over $2K and drove away with a smile from ear to ear. :goodjob:

Now the funny bit. I started this thread to talk about the effect that temperature has on paint, especially metallics. This was one of the spray out cards that I did.
Image


I tape the card to an aluminium stirring stick. Temperature was about 28C outside, probably 24C in the booth. But the coldness of the metal transferred through the card and you can really see the difference. No wonder we can't get plastic bars and metal panels to match.

Avagudweegend. :wink:
Chris

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PostPosted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 7:15 am
Since no-one else has replied in this thread I thought I'd turn it into occasional musings, maybe a rant or two.

Today a customer came in asking for some help. Been in before maybe 3 or 4 times over 15 years so not exactly a regular but he started as a Uni student with no money, got married and had no money and then settled, had kids and still has no money. Likeable bloke though and very polite.

Anyway, these days he's driving a white Hyundai SUV that has a few small scratches on the front bar and he wanted to tidy them up. So, off he went to Supercheap Auto which is a national chain of auto parts stores. They also mix (not match) paint to most paint codes. So he gave them his and they sold him a rattle can of white basecoat. No primer, no clear. Then, at the checkout they relieved him of $40!!!

He has zero experience in painting and came in to ask me what to do.

After I'd explained to him what they'd done and then why it wouldn't work I mixed him up a 15ml bottle of acrylic touch up paint, showed him how to apply it and told him to go home and do it before I changed my mind and charged him for the paint and advice.

What gets up my nose is that these idiots who have absolutely no knowledge of paint or painting are selling unknowing customers products which are completely unsuitable and then charging premium prices. Had he not had second thoughts and come to me he may well have gone home and made a complete mess of a nice, late model car which would then have cost him maybe $500 to have fixed. All for a few small chips and scratches. If I was the boss of Supercheap I'd be upset that my staff had missed the opportunity to make sales of primer and clear which would have ripped this poor bloke off even further.

I really hate it when people take advantage like that. It was all I could do to mix a little paint and refuse to take his money.
Chris

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PostPosted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 12:26 pm
Chris,
I hadn't noticed this post before.
It seems every time I try to "help someone out" it costs me a considerable amount of time and money. However, as you said, seeing them go away happy and very appreciative seems to make those times worth while.

I appreciate your professionalism and posts that answer questions that are beyond my scope of knowledge and experience.

The picture of the aluminum affecting the color of the paint was amazing. Had no idea it could be that drastic.
1968 Coronet R/T


ACTS 16:31

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