Major refit in progress

[lenjen]

Interesting project that I am looking forward to following.

[WhenIm64]

Hello,
I keep checking everyday looking forward to your next set of project pics.

[Jchet]

After weeks of preparation we finally were able to shoot top coat paint. Today was a very long day that started with washing the "top sides" (sorry, nautical term) which is the area from the roof down to where the cargo doors begin and the bumpers. We washed this area twice with clean water and sponges changing the water out on round two. This was to get any remaining primer dust removed.

While doing this we discovered many rough areas on one side where the sanding wasn't as smooth as need be. This resulted with us wet sanding the entire side with 600 grit paper to smooth it out. We rewashed both sides again after sanding. After the sides dried we then wiped it down again with acetone to make sure they were as clean as possible before spraying top coat.

The top coat used is an Awlgrip product called Awlcraft 2000 its a 2 part acrylic urethane top coat paint. The color sprayed is Moon Glow Silver which is a metallic color. Its mixed 2 parts base with 1 part spray converter and then we used a reducer and reduced it 25%.

This color was only used for the "top sides" on both port and starboard sides (sorry I'm a sailer and used to handling these jobs on boats), and the front from the bumper to the roof. The back, lower portion (bumpers and cargo doors) will be getting a darker color yet to be determined.

The first coat which was a light tack coat was done in about 20 minutes, then we waited until we had about 35 minutes for the paint to flash and we hit it the second coat to bring the color out, and this process was done until we completed 1 gallon of the base and we achieved 4 coats on the coach.

All said and done we had 2 small runs in the rear port side up near the roof (drivers side for you land lovers). Hard to see but I think we can wet sand them out, most people would probably never see it but I know its there. In the end we had a small speck in a couple other areas despite being inside. Most I think can be handled by wet sanding with some 2000 grit paper and a buffer.

I am pleased with the paint so far, the pictures are not real good as it now looks like a shinny space craft as we went from primer gray to bright silver. I took pictures after 6PM so the light inside the building isn't good and the paint isn't all dried. It will appear to be different shades but these are shadows reflecting from the paint. I will show a picture of the front which gives some indication of the sheen. Until we get the bottom color on and pull it outside one can not appreciate the paint job yet.

Anyhow, I'm pleased with finally getting some paint on the coach so were making headway!!

[LokiGT]

That is going to look fantastic when you're done. Nice work! I wish I had a warehouse to do the work on my rig!

[Jchet]

I am far too intimidated with trying to paint graphic designs on the sides. My plan is to have vinyl graphics designed and placed on the coach when we're all done so the colors all blend together and we break up the solid colors.

[rvfunhunter]

Wow, nice job! Watching what you’re doing is really pushing me to finish mine this summer. I like the Moonglow silver and I think that’s what I will use instead of the off white I have right now and add 2 tones of blue to finish the colour scheme! I plan to stay away from vinyl designs and want to do it all with the paint. It’s not as hard as it seems and the job is much better. Some vinyl tends to peal and crack over time as it has on the RV I have now. Thanks for posting the information on the Awlgrip paint. I’m checking that out today to see if I’ll get my paint from them. I’m looking forward to seeing your finished product. Good luck!

[Jchet]

I ordered the paint from a supplier in RI I have used before named Jamestown Dist., I like their service and the prices seem to be very fair. Its a paint generally used in the marine industry, there are less expensive paints, maybe just as good I don't know since my experience is in the marine side.

Generally if its tough enough paint to work on boats and some very expensive manufactures such as Hatteras use this Awlcraft 2000 to paint the out of factory vessels I figured it would work for the MH. But it is pricey, the cost per Gl with converters and reducers is about $400 for this color.

[rvfunhunter]

I checked how much it would cost to paint my RV without the curves and designs and it would be as much as 15000.00. I will be pleased to pay up to 2000.00$ for paint. I'm hoping the full job will only be about 6000.00$. Have you figured out approximately how much yours will have cost you when your finished?

[vincee]

Your story is like reading a good book! You can't put it down and just keep turning the pages to see the next phase of the project. Awesome job! Looks great and will follow the saga to the end. Congrats on a fantastic job!

[Jchet]

Originally Posted by rvfunhunter

I checked how much it would cost to paint my RV without the curves and designs and it would be as much as 15000.00. I will be pleased to pay up to 2000.00$ for paint. I'm hoping the full job will only be about 6000.00$. Have you figured out approximately how much yours will have cost you when your finished?

Using the product I'm using the cost for primer and 2 top coat colors will be about $2000 to $2200 for paint and primer only.

As to the cost it's a little challenging to calculate I would have to back out the equipment purchased to do the job. I bought air compressors, several paint guns, (2) cheap $50 guns and (1) moderately expensive gun at $550.00 plus a series of high flow fittings and a 50' air hose. Air DA sanders, 2 Dewalt electric DA sanders, a roll of 3M gold 400 grit 6" sanding discs. Plus we had 150-200 grit 5" DA sandpaper we used before the primer. Sheets of 400-600 wet and dry paper.

Assuming one has the equipment and was buying the masking tape, paper, sanding paper, paint, primer I would think materials would be around $3000.00 using the paint I am using.


It's very labor intensive, I can see why these shops get what they charge for these jobs. Their paint booths are far better then my 50,000 sf warehouse, and I'm sure there equipment is better then what I'm using not to mention the skill involved. I'm fortunate to have some employees that I have put on this project and one as I have posted is really the foreman. I am one of the helpers in this adventure. The problem with that is my main guy is reluctant to tell me when I'm screwing things up. And I have!

I think when were done we could paint a MH for between $6000-$8000 without graphics and make a profit. I have seen the $16,000 paint jobs, there is 2 shops not far from us that do high tech jobs on large MH's. Their work far exceeds our ability.

[Jchet]

I stopped by the warehouse and took a look at the paint job and now in the light I'm not so pleased. I see color separation in this metallic silver that wasn't visible yesterday as the light wasn't as good. I'm sure if I pulled the bus in the light it would be much worse.

I placed a call to Awlgrip to see if there is any reported problems with this paint color. It was mixed, shaken, and re-shaken so not sure why we have so much separation in color. Unfortunately its going to require another coat and we used a gallon on those 4 coats. I may sand or scuff this coat and buy a Qt. and mix and re-spray it and see if it improves the color.

[Jchet]

I think the problem here is the metallic color. I wasn't aware that the Awlgrip product Awlcraft 2000 was available in both metallic and non metallic colors. I wanted to use the Awlcraft 2000 top coat because its a acrylic urethane 2 part paint. Awlgrip is a polyester urethane 2 part paint. I have only used the Awlgrip in the past. The main advantage of the Awlcraft over the Awlgrip is the acrylic is paint that can be re-matched if there is damage. The polyester paint is very difficult if not impossible to color match.

Being that this is a MH I believe its much more likely to sustain a bang now and then. I want the ability to do a repair and not have to repaint the entire side to get it to match.

So, do to my lack of not paying attention were now back to picking colors again and going to have to back up the process. So were going to sand down the metallic silver and go with a nice cream color on the sides and top. The good thing is we don't have to sand back to primer so sanding wont really be such an issue.

I'm going to keep telling myself that lie while I add up the cost of the GL of silver paint, converter and reducer, the man hours I paid my guy to manage the project and help spray, the cost to sand it down and start all over with new paint.

[rvfunhunter]

Well, I would like to have answered your to your posts last night, but didn't have time. I've never heard of not being able to match colors even if they were metallic. As for the color separation, what exactly happened and what does it look like (can you post a picture)? Is it just that there is more paint in some places than in others and will the clear topcoat not fix that problem? The clear coat should give you a more uniform finish! I will have to ask Awlgrip about that! I still plan on using the metallic Paints on my RV. It leaves a much richer appearance than regular paints.

I spoke with the Awlgrip paint company yesterday for information and paint samples. Ken was very helpful. Here is some of the information I got.

As metallic paints cure the metal flake comes to the surface and will protrude slightly or as he says be proud on the surface (this is not something we can see easily or even feel) and to get a really good job it is best to apply a clear top coat once the base color of the paint job have been applied. Ken also told me that attempting to remove imperfections in metallic paint by sanding will cause blemishes because you will in effect break away or sand down the metal flake at the surface! I guess this means if you have to repair you need to sand and repaint the areas with another coat of colour prior to the clear to correctly repair that area!

My RV has metallic paint and a clear coat on it, so that is how I want to restore it. A good clear coat will blend all the proud lines that were created when taping off the different areas to do the designs on the machine. IMO it is also much easier to clean away exhaust, dirt and grime from a super smooth and gloss finish.

Ken told me to spray a base colour to the whole machine and then do any designs I wanted over that, but I explained to him, that since the 2 main colours covered only 1/2 the machine each it would be a waist of paint. I asked him if I could do my job by giving a normal coat to the visible areas for each of the colors and then blend out to the sides before applying the next color thus not using as much material. He agreed on this type of application as I would not get the proud line from the taped of areas from the first colors applied. He also mentioned that when taping the different areas for the painted designs that it is best to remove the tape about 45 minutes to an hour after painting to help reduce the height of the proud lines. Once all the colours are applied apply a clear and then do the light sanding before the finish coat of clear.

Good luck with whatever you do!

[Jchet]

Thanks for all the information on the paint. I never got a call back from Awlgriip so I appreciate the feedback.

I didn't look at it today to see how it looks so perhaps it cured. I think getting a photo of the separation may be challenging. I will look at the paint tomorrow.