Hi,
I'm still a while off spraying my mini and want to do the preparation and spray myself, so acrylic is the go I think. I know that 2 Pak would have an instant shine especially for areas like interior,boot and engine bay but obviously you need the proper booth and protective equipment.
Q1/. If I spray engine bay, boot and interior with acrylic is it going to look flat and crappy?
Q2/. Did they spray colour on the underside over the sound deadener?
Thanks for any input
Brian

PS. Although I haven't done a great deal of posting, I have learnt quite a bit from other people's suggestions and I am constantly amazed at the knowledge that is tied up in this forum. Keep it up!

If you want instant shine in hard to get places consider enamal - I got some enamal packed in pressure pack cans ( some places have the facilities ) and sprayed the engine bay and boot - came up good.

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

A good operator can get pretty good gloss off the gun with acrylic. It comes down to paint/thinners mix, using matching brand acrylic thinners, and laying as wet coats as possible without getting runs.
The last few coats up the thinners ratio.

I don't count myself as good, but I have seen it done properly.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

thought I would throw one in. Depending on what finish you want, you could still spray in 2pak (its only illegal if you get caught!), baking only speeds up production, you dont need an oven. If overspray is the issue, it will happen no matter what type of paint you spray. Maybe consider hiring a dust/fume extractor. Dont know how much they are though.
Just a thought.

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Chuck Norris is the only person alive who can kick you in the back of the face!!
mooo, I'm a pig!

Even with baking , it stays easily damaged for a long while...

I swear to god my 2-pak paint is only just now really getting hard....7 months on!

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

thats unusual to say the least. Part of my job is to do complete sprayjobs on semitrailers. we use ppg 2pak, and bake for anywhere from 2-4hrs. depending on how much time we have. You still allow 24-48hrs for the paint to fully cure, but 7 months? very wierd!

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Chuck Norris is the only person alive who can kick you in the back of the face!!
mooo, I'm a pig!

It wasn't soft-soft, just easily damaged with small blows.

only now do I trust anything slightly hard near the paint...but I know what you mean...

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

did you spray yourself? Just curious to find out why it would happen for my own memory bank if it ever occurs to me.

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Chuck Norris is the only person alive who can kick you in the back of the face!!
mooo, I'm a pig!

No, it's a decent brand done at a reputable place, but the last few times I've had it done in two pak has been a similar experience. I have to be careful for the first few months..

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

I'll try to do some digging to find out why. If you want I'll send you a message to let you know some possibilities.

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Chuck Norris is the only person alive who can kick you in the back of the face!!
mooo, I'm a pig!

cheers, I thought it was usual that full hardness can take some time..

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Thanks Guys,
It has been about 10 yrs since I have done any spraying, and now that you mention it, I do remember something about the thinners ratio as you get nearer to topcoat. I wanted to stay with acrylic as I can do the preparation and the spray at home. I have done an emanel coat out of the gun on my old rally car but it looked like the surf at Manly.
Regards
Brian

sorry brian, to get back to your original question, any paint is illegal to spray at home (this doesnt stop me!), overspray is not an issue, you will get this with whatever you spray. Hire a dust extractor to help out!
Yes you should get safety gear with all spraying. Basics like a pair of disposable full body suit, and a suitable face respirator. Your paint dealer should supply these. Ask them for the recomendation to suit spray painting and to suit your budget!
As I said earlier, you dont need an oven to spray 2pak. The hardener is what makes it go off, not the oven.
IMO, it is usually your budget that dictates the type of paint you use.
Use what you are comfortable with using.

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Chuck Norris is the only person alive who can kick you in the back of the face!!
mooo, I'm a pig!

There is some different levels of 2K hardener as well. Normal, Fast, Extra Fast and you can even add in an accelerator to this. Most jobs we tend to use Extra fast as this give it less time to get forein bodies in it, just make sure reducer ratio is 10% this will make it easier to work.

If you want to stick with acrylic lacquer and wish to get an improved gloss straight from the gun blow a coat of clear on after your happy with the colour. This will add instant shine as long as you dont put it on dusty.
As a foot note trying to spray Acrylic lacquer in the Blue Mountains at this time of year I wish you the best of British luck as you are going to need it. That will be a recipe for paint bloom unless you can warm the area you are spraying in.

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"Investing my Super in a Cooper" &
"Re-living my Surfing Past in a Woody"

About acrylic overspray, it doesn't matter. Once it has traveled 4 feet from the gun it's dry and lands as dust. Washes off with water

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Dean Hutton's first car was a Mini.