painting questions

hi, just want to ask you guys a question or two about painting a car body. I want to paint some body paint (on the base coat) on the car, do i paint the body paint first and then use clear coat to protect it, and use rubbing compound and wax last or should i do it some other way? I am afraid that if i paint the body paint first and then use rubbing compound the rubbing compound will smear the painting. Can anyone help me out? thanks

also another question is that do i have to primer the parts that i am going to put carbon fiber decal on? also after i put the decal on, do i have to use rubbing compound and wax to make it shiny? thanks

just another question...how do you attach pictures in this forum?

thanks

Don't know if those thread would be of any help to you but I figured I'd try.


http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59123

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=89313

About the attching pictures, are you familiar with picturelinkhere Method, If so that's what we use here, If not here's a link on how to do it.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=1771901&postcount=3

Most of your questions are already answered in the FAQ.

As for the carbon fiber decal, use a semi gloss or gloss black paint as a base to put the decals on, this will help by giving them an even surface as well as keep the color under the decal even.
Put a coat of gloss clear or Tamiya smoke over the decal to seal it and create a gloss finish, don't polish C/F decal.

hi, thanks for the reply guys! well actually i already looked at the FAQ before i put those questions out..so oh well...guess i will just have to try myself and see what happens

Most of your questions are already answered in the FAQ.

As for the carbon fiber decal, use a semi gloss or gloss black paint as a base to put the decals on, this will help by giving them an even surface as well as keep the color under the decal even.
Put a coat of gloss clear or Tamiya smoke over the decal to seal it and create a gloss finish, don't polish C/F decal.

hi, just wondering if the semi gloss or gloss black paint has to be really perfect or it would be ok with orange peel? thanks

hi, just wondering if the semi gloss or gloss black paint has to be really perfect or it would be ok with orange peel? thanks

If you're getting orange peel where your undercoating for decals, you're spraying too much paint. The idea is to apply just enough that you have a thin, slick, black, relatively even single coat- not deep enough to be able to polish or anything.

Slight orange peel shouldn't be a problem- especially if your going to overcoat with clear. Major orange peel, or worse, large dust in the paint, will show.

hi, just wondering if the semi gloss or gloss black paint has to be really perfect or it would be ok with orange peel? thanks

I don't recommend applying decals over paint with orange peel at any time.
The point of the paint is not only to give the C/F decal a dark backing, it's also to create a smooth even surface, orange peel is anything but that.

I have a question of my own...I recently was given a few different colors of automotive paint (House of Kolor, PPG, etc..etc...) What will i need to do to use these on a model? Can i spray it through my airbrush just like i've been doing with the tamiya and testors acrylic just using the right thinner?

Thanks for the help,
William

Can i spray it through my airbrush just like i've been doing with the tamiya and testors acrylic just using the right thinner?

Yes you can. That is how I spray mine. :)

Ok thank you very much. I'm getting quite a few colors of paint from a local machine shop that he just has sitting around from painting several "show" engines and my girlfriend works there so he's giving them to her. I'll let you know for sure when i know exactly what all colors we're getting.

William

just one thing to be carefull, if the paints that you are getting are not mixed with thiner they could stay "fresh" for a very long time because they mix them to stay fresh as long as possible so they don't mix thiner inside of them. Another story are spray paints for automotive use. Anyhow try to find out are they prepared for spraying or just for storage.