10 Tech Tips

1. Always allow the primer to dry fully before flatting — leave it for several hours,. Take extreme care when sanding near swage lines and bodywork curves. It’s very easy to rub through to bare metal.

2. If possible, use purposedesigned paper for all masking tasks and good quality masking tape to attach it to the vehicle. Don’t leave masking tape attached for longer than necessary, as it can pull the underlying paint off.

3. Dust-free old blankets or seat covers can be used to cover wheels and tyres.

4. When working with two-pack, the paint, thinners and hardener need to be mixed in the correct proportions. For two-pack primer use a mixture of three parts paint, one part thinners and one part hardener. For top coats, use two parts paint, one part thinners and one part hardener.

5. If you’re new to spraying, try to practice as much as possible on scrap metal panels, and experiment with different settings.

6. We recommend applying three primer coats, allowing the paint to dull off before re-coating (approximately 10 minutes between each coat). Also, add a little top coat to the primer mix. This helps the top to cover better and makes the primer surface more weatherproof.

7. Use a 50 per cent overlap on each spray stroke, so that each pass of the spraygun covers paint just laid down by the previous pass (still wet). It’s important to keep the gun parallel to the panel being sprayed. Aim for a distance between the two of about 7 to 8 inches.

8. Spraying technique varies according to the type of paint used. Cellulose tends to be thicker so spraying can be carried out more slowly. Two-pack paint is thinner, so you need to work faster.

9. If using cellulose, allow the new paintwork to harden for several days before attempting to rub down the paint. Two-pack paint hardens more quickly. Leave the masking materials in place until all cutting back and polishing has been done.

10. Get a final gloss by using a rubbing compound paste. Mopping with a foam mop mounted in a slow speed electric polishing machine is quicker than attempting to do this by hand.

Incredible rebuild of a same-family-owned Mk1 Capri 1600XL!

We normally work in a different spraying sequence (seeTop 10Tips), but here we’re applying a first, thin coat to the roof pillars. Practice on a scrap panel before applying paint to the car.

Holding the gun parallel to the panels being sprayed, we applied a thin coat all over first, then followed up with three normal, full coats. Care needs to be taken to avoid paint runs.

When this Escort emerged from the spray booth (having been left alone overnight for the paint to harden), it was looking extremely smart in its new coat of paint. But there’s more work to be done.

Mask the lamp and window apertures. Lay the first run of tape around the outside of the area being masked, then attach the paper with a second layer of tape. Once the primer is touch-dry use an aerosol spray can (containing paint of a contrasting colour) to apply a very light dusting coat over the entire surface (the green spots here). The paint must be fully mixed in the right proportions. We’re using two-pack paint and a measuring gauge. For cellulose, a viscosity cup (often supplied with sprayguns) can be used. Allow the primer to harden (preferably overnight), then rub down the surface using abrasive paper on a sanding block (800) by hand. Don’t machine-sand. Once localised masking has been finished, the primer coats can be applied.Three coats are applied, allowing 10 minutes between each. Panel edge and swage lines need to be flatted down as they collect bumps, but a light touch is required to avoid rubbing right through the primer to the bare steel beneath.Take care.