Can any spray painter's here offer some advise on spraying 2k?

I've only ever painted acrylic before and this time i have decided to give the 2k a go in my garage. Got myself a suit and respirator. The car currently has a spray putty on it which i have sanded with 120 grit. so if im right i need a 2k primer/filler to go on top of it. Can anyone reccomend me the right one to use and how much hardener / reducer i need?

Also, im thinking the 'chili red' paint that is on the modern mini's. paint code 851. anyone know it? is it hard to paint? Maybe i need something more simple for a first time 2k painter?

Any other tips on the difference between spraying 2k and acrylic is much appreciated! I know i have to use the 1.4mm tip obviously

Ryan

If you're painting a mini my advice would be not to use 2 pack.
It'll crack with the general day to day flexing of a mini shell.

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WD40'll fix it!
If it don't, use a big hammer!

Well thats the first time ive heard of that???
Mine plus im sure countless others have had no worries with 2pak.
If your car has so much flex that it is cracking your paint , you got serious problems.

First bit of advise mate is definately go a solid colour in direct gloss, not a metalic in clear over base. If you are not sure what this means have a bit of a search on here, its been covered a bit.

The second bit of advise i can give you is find someone, anyone, that has a bit of experience with painting 2pak to give you a hand. Otherwise you will end up being unhappy with the result, and it isnt cheap.

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Tim
Dusk Blue
1964 850

Working at the local workshop I have seen countless cars come in with cracked, rusting underneath 2pak jobs.

All were 'pro' jobs.

One owner 850 got resprayed in 2pak because it was getting a bit run down
Now it's a rusty mess


I would use acrylic because it's safer to do at home

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You're so square
Baby I don't care

All car bodies have a certain amount of flex in them. That’s why adding a roll cage improves structural rigidity. Things have obviously improved in modern times but 50 years ago things were different. Even today a good steel strut brace will give front end rigidity improvements.

Give a few mini specialists a call on ask if they recommend painting a mini in 2 pack or if they are aware of any cars cracking paint through general day to day body flex.

Serious problems? No
50 year old design and manufacturing techniques? Certainly.

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WD40'll fix it!
If it don't, use a big hammer!

I'm glad my 2 PAC spray job has not turned out a cracking mess. 5 years on

Just don't put 2 pack over acrylic and expect it to last... because it won't (unless you never park it in the sun).
My wife's van is getting resprayed in acrylic, because
a. I'm doing it at home.
b. I'm not prepared to rip all the good original acrylic off it back to bare metal just so I can do it in 2 pack.

The 2 pack (painted by a `pro' over acrylic, 2 years ago) roof of my car has adhesion problems, it'll be getting redone in acrylic too.

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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.

My mini was 2pked (before my purchase) - and got to about the 5 yr mark before cracks. the job was done professionally and the prep was supposed to be top notch. I have seen some exceptional long lasting home painted acrylic jobs

That doesn't have anything to do with the 2pak, that is just bad prep.

Like doc said, 2pak doesn't really like to go over acrylic. You can use primers that will seal it up and stick on ok, but that isn't the best solution.

I completely agree with you that if you are painting it at home , you shouldn't use 2pak. The chemicals released are very toxic, and definately should be breathed in by you or any potential family members.

I understand completely that cars flex, but after painting for over 10years. The only jobs of mine, new or old cars, that cracked was because I did something wrong.

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Tim
Dusk Blue
1964 850

Putting 2 pack on over acrylic (even with 2 pack primer) is a bad move because of the different expansion rates of the 2 paints.
Acrylic is a thermoplastic and expands with heat far more than 2 pack does.
That's why the 2 pack paint crazed on Barney on the RH side years ago.
I drove it to work for 6 months whilst mine was off the road, and parked it in the same spot daily. RH side got the sun all afternoon.
IF it was a bare metal respray (as I was told it was) this wouldn't have happened.

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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.

My leyland van was painted in 2pak in 1997 and its not cracked, just a bit of rust around the gutters, sadly But it has spent most of its life parked on the street including a number of years in Bondi

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1969 Cooper "S"
1967 Mini Deluxe
1973 Clubman Van (the fleet spare)
1978 ex 1275 LS ("Wizard" Eaton Supercharged)
2015 HSV GenF GTS(occasional drive & tow car)
2019 MINI F55 Cooper S

In SA, it is illegal to do a 2pak respray paint job in a residential area in anything other than a proper paint booth....2 pak is nasty stuff,requires more than just a SupercrapFace Mask.

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1974 1150cc Leyland Mini S racer,
1975 No motor Leyland Mini "ute"
1991 IPRA Honda Integra (in the build)
1995 Land Rover Discovery 300Tdi

CAMS Scrutineer

I want to paint in 2k, im confident ive prepped the body well and i would like to try it. Ive already done the research and invested in a good full face mask and protective suit.

The original paint was 2k.

I just need some advice on what products to use / spraying techniques, as stated in the original post

Mr Fail, and the Doc have it...

If you're seeing mini's with 2K cracking off its due to either

a) shotty prep work
b) 2k was put over the top of acrylic.

It's not just mini's, I used to see it on old fords, holdens, valiants etc anything from that era when cars were still painted in acrylic.

There is nothing wrong with 2k, it is better paint than acrylic, its harder wearing, lasts longer, the epoxy primer actually seals the substrate better too.. I wouldn't be caught dead using it at home though for health reasons and out of consideration for the health of my neighbours.

So I guess the moral of the story here is:

If you want to use 2pak
Make it a bare metal job
Rent a booth and all the proper equipment

Or if you want to use acrylic
Do it on the driveway

_________________
You're so square
Baby I don't care