Excuse my cheek-but my question is about spray painting!

[ayabrea38]

I know this should probably go in motor section,but I am planning on spraying things around the house too.I have(well OH has and I want to use it)a compressor and am thinking what great results compared to cans I could achieve.I understand that you have to thin the paint with matching thinners,but as a starting guide,would 50/50 be a good ratio?Car body work is my starting point by the way.Does the laquer have to be thinned the same ratio and do I have to use a hardener?
Any hints or links would be wonderful
Thanks everyone!
Aya

[Clanad]

I hope you expended not just a little money on the equipment if you expect anywhere near professional results! Firstly, lacquer requires about 45 to no more than 52 pounds of air pressure. You'll need a pressure regulator on your compressor to assure this constant.

Thinning... figure about 2 parts thinner to 1 part lacquer, but depending on temperature (lacquer drys rapidly) you may wish to thin only abot 1.5:1. Since lacquer dries so quickly you must hold the gun nozzle about 6 to 8 inches from the working surface. Keep in mind that it takes quite a bit more lacquer than enamel so experiment with spray patterns. I find that a coat of overlapping horizontal strokes (overlap about 1/3 width of spray pattern) followed by the same type of pattern vertically works fairly well. By the way, don't go on the cheap for your thinner... thinner in this kind of work is nearly as important as the finish lacquer itself.

Thin coats! Don't try to get too much color on in one application. Keep your sweep of the gun parrallel to the surface and stop spraying as you end the sweep, other wise you'll get a run. Runs with lacquer are difficult to fix. About all you can do is let it dry and water sand it our... start over... Good luck!

[ayabrea38]

Thank you!Thats a great tip about the thinner,I must admit I would of been tempted to go for the cheaper option.OH has some spray experience with cans,but this seems so complicated,spray pattern,pressure,paint thickness to name but a few things to tweek!
Think I will practice,practice, practice before trying the real thing.Something not to be taken lightly methinks!
Thanks again
Aya

[boxtops]

Depends what you are planning to spray "around the house" but I used a can of car spray paint to get exactly the right colour I wanted on some shoes - it worked really well, as long as you spray lightly and don't get dribbles. Not the same as spraying a car, I know! but the small cans work really well on small projects.