Paint Q's ..... Paging Mr Stokes

[Bamfster]

I need to paint a Yamaha golf cart body. Was thinking about the duplicolor paint shop series of paint since it's pretty much ready to spray out of the can and rather inexpensive (ok it's cheap). But, is there anything special since the g/c body is plastic. I know for the urethane car bumpers, a flex additive is used, but do I really need that?

Is the only downside that the paint will flake if and when the body is dented/flexed?

Is there another down-n-dirty way to do this without building a booth, mixing paint, etc?

Not looking for show quality, just something a bit better than the shake n shoot camo that's on it now.

[1_slo_gen_2]

vinyl wrap maybe?

[Bamfster]

Too much $$$ for a wrap. Plus I have no idea what I'd be doing trying to apply one, which comes back around to the need to pay someone to do it.

[A/Fuel]

I don't think moderen paints suffer the same problems paints did 30 years ago. What kind of shape is it in now, it it all cracked and need work, or does it just need a scuff and shoot job?

[Bamfster]

It's in pretty decent shape, a few gouges and it's still pretty flexible .... ie not dry and cracking. The gouges and what not are an easy fix w/filler.

[A/Fuel]

I'm not an expert on this but....lol
I think the flex agents will dry out after a perriod of time and it will still crack after a while anyway. So I would just go ahead with your plans and do it anyway.

[Beagle]

I've used Duplicolor's vinyl paint on plastic motorcycle tanks with fair success, the only thing I can add is it has to be really clean to stick right. Worst thing you can do is mess it up and have to use Easy Off to remove it?

[Orange65]

Krylon or Rustoleum now offer rattle cans of paint for plastics. You can find them at Walmart.

[DanStokes]

Here I is!

The Duplicolor stuff is urethane and fairly flexible - should be OK. Is the cart fiberglass or some other type of plastic stuff? If it's 'glass find a way to ground it as it'll build static and attract dust, pollen, and the like. I've rarely sprayed in a booth (not that I wouldn't LIKE to) but if you get the place as clean as possible and wet the floor it should be fine. I haven't tried this but a friend claims that if you mix some dish detergent with the water on the floor it keeps the floor wet longer, but I think it would get pretty slippery.

It's also cool to cover work benches and the like with plastic drop cloths. They keep whatever dust is on the work bench out of the paint and also attract dust out of the air so you have kind of an extra dust attractor - always a good thing.

If you paint a solid color (non-metallic) you don't need to sweat runs, dry spray and the like so much as you can block it out afterward. Tough to do with metallics and have it come out nice, especially if there's a run. Make sure it's at least 68 degrees in the shop and on the surface of the cart. Otherwise both application and adhesion will be compromised. I like 75-80 if I can get the shop there.

Wear the 3M disposable organic vapor masks. I usually buy 2 at a time (about $35/ea.) and I stop using them when I can smell the solvent in them. 3M doesn't tell you this but I've found that if you put them out in the sunlight the light ends will evaporate and the mask will lose it's odor. I've used them multiple times with no bad effects - but maybe that's why I'm the way I am.......

The best piece of painting advice I've ever gotten was "Spray for shine". As soon as the surface is shiny STOP or it'll run, and less than shiny and it'll have orange peel. You'll need lots of light to do this and I often carry a trouble light in my left hand (I'm right handed) and use it to cast light where I'm shooting. There's an exception to the "spray for shine" rule for base/clear or but that doesn't sound like the way you're going here.

If I was standing next to you I'd probably come up with 100 other tips but this ought to get you thru it.

Great luck!

Dan

[Bamfster]

Yea it's plastic not 'glass. Thanks for the tip on grounding the body .... makes sense. The "booth" will consist of .7 mil plastic from ceiling to floor to create a space of roughly 20'x10'. Heat is my only problem this time of year, but if I wait n spray in the late after noon i should be able to get the temp up to 70ish. The g/c body is no problem, I can get that in the house before spraying it.

I do like the ready to spray out of the can stuff, less mixing, etc ..... plus I've never had good luck rattle canning large surfaces.