daniel77350

How would you go about doing it? Im doing my engine detail in an open sides shelter thing. One of these days Im going to need to paint parts and peices(like brackets) and big things like engine blocks and fire walls...How can I pull this off in a cold area? I have a tiny space header, but it does a pretty good job in a small area. The current average temp is 40-60 degrees, so its not snowy cold or anything.

Will paint lay down in a cold climate? Im thinking I can paint the parts and peices outside, then move them to the inside(with an open window and fan or two) to dry. As for the engine block and firewall, Im thinking I can lay it down cold, then cover the engie bay with some plastic and seal it to the plastic over the fenders, then put the space header in the middle. Since heat rises, I think it would rise and get warm enough in there to dry the paint...and if its not 100% dry, but dry enough to touch, I think when I get everything back together, and fire it up, that'll do the finishing drying after the car runs a few minutes and heats up the engine compartment.

What are your opinions?

Daniel

1Bad69

i have never painted anything in the cold,but, i dont think that cold temperatures are very friendly to the idea.is there any reason you cant wait until the spring???

427V8

Above freezing is OK, but just barely. 60 degrees is fine, just like summer in Minnesota :rolleyes: When it's cool like 50-60 the paint dries a lot slower so give it time. Also I'd avoid the space heater, unless you want to have a Corvette bonfire....

Just wait for a nice 60 degree day, and do it...

Techno

Below 70 lacquer and enamal might be OK but anything 2-part will just hibernate at 60 and below.
I personaly get worried about painting something and then giving it large temperature fluctuations. If you can preheat then shut off. Paint. Let the air clear then get the heat back on. This would keep everything at about the same temp.
Some of the smaller stuff should be easy but the firewall I would make sure it was at room temp and kept at about the same until its cure time elapsed.
Another heating option are heat lamps. Pretty cheap, get a socket and keep it pointed at the part. This would keep the surface warm without wasting energy on the air. Its not just for when you spary but the paint has to be warm to cure or let the solvents evaporate.
Another little problem is the expansion of the paint from the gun is going to make it cooler too.
Heat lamps might be able to get whatever up to temp and kept there though.

daniel77350

possibly, but our dear weatherman just told us to expect weather like this until late febuary(and perhaps snow in late january :eek: )...Thats an terribly long time to just let it sit, plus I want to get it done soon in case the snow does come. Not to mention in the first week of febuary it has an "appointment" to have its paint fixed, and I don't want to miss that. Might p*ss off the bodyman, and he may not offer to fix it for free again... even though I paid an arm and a leg to have it painted the first time, I still don't want to miss it. His shop is always full, and I don't want to be "put off" another 4 months.

Its impracticle, but I may be able to cover the shelter with plastic, rig up an exhaust fan, put a good size space heater in there, and paint all the parts and peices in one shot...I'd look like a meat locker with everything hanging up :lol: . I think I could manage this area like this for a day or two while I do all the painting, and letting it dry. The area is a pretty good size, so I could essentually do this, but I will have to carry a peice of cardboard with me to put behind the handing parts, so no overspray gets on a peice it shouldn't...

Then there is of course, waiting until spring, but I don't like that idea. I have a bad habbit of loosing interest in things if they sit to long. That and forgetting how it goes together, so waiting until spring might render a useless vette for a year while I gather enthusiasm and figure out how it goes back together....

Daniel


[Modified by daniel77350, 1:01 AM 12/28/2001]

daniel77350

PS. Im using krylon in spray cans. And some high temp paint for engine block and exhaust parts. So no two stages. If I do any two stage, it'll be on the valve covers and air filter lid. The color would be identical to my body color, so the parts would be done at the shop that painted the car. The main reason for this is they have left over paint, and a good quality gun, and a heated spray booth, so the peices would come out as good as the body...and temperature wouldn't matter.

Daniel

yellow 72

Krylon would be the best choice for what you are attemping.
I think the stuff will dry under water :lol:
Seriously as far as spray can paint, I think it's the most forgiving :cheers:

slide

As long as the pieces you are spraying DON'T have any existing paint on them or any primer you can spray paints like krylon on them and then dry them with a hair dryer, you have to put on light coats and dry each coat before you spray another coat. This is if your sparying and the temp is below about 60 degrees. IF your parts have primer or existing paint on them and you try and spray Krylon or any other brand of paint it will 9 times out of 10 just cause your paint to blister and wrinkle up unless you can get the parts up to about 60 degrees and keep them there before, during and after painting them. What causes this is the thinner in the paint dosen't dry fast enough in cold temps and it soakes into the existing paint and causes it to lift. Before I built my garage I was in the same position your in and I've seen what happens when you spray paint in cold temps. Definatly DO NOT put a heater in an area that you are or have just sprayed paint. I've been a Fireman for 20 years so take my word on this one, it's not worth the risk. Did you ever see the movie Back Draft or have you ever heard of a flash over. Most people don't survive a flash over to talk about it.
Slide

vert2go89

holly mackeral andy,don't even be spray painting with a space heater around.KA-BOOM might be the ultimate body job.your paint guy might not repair that for free.