how much paint?

[augermac]

Have a pint can of quick drying enamel and would like to know how much this would cover giving 2 coats. Need to do tanks/front and rear fenders for 51 Pan..

[len dowe]

I can't remember what the mil spec on op is off hand but the factory put it on thin. Even with the 2-1-1 I think 2 coats is pushing it.

[augermac]

Thxs I thought so too..

[exeric]

At first I agreed with Len because I was thinking of the 1/4 pint touch-up cans of H-D paint (I know, don't say it. I think a whole pint could do the job, but you would only have one go at it. I believe H-D paint was a very high pigment content mix, so it would cover better than modern enamel. My suggestion would be; have the color matched, and use the new paint for the insides of the fenders, and tanks, and save the genuine paint for the surfaces that show.

[augermac]

paint

thxs ,I didn't think of doing that-can states that U can thin with turpentine,will this give me more coverage?

[exeric]

I don't think I would use turpentine to stretch the paint as I think you're going to have plenty of paint. As an experiment, you could mix up a pint of primer with solvent (in the proportion you would use for the H-D paint) and see how far it goes. That will give you a yardstick to see if you can be a Republican, or a Democrat with the genuine paint

[spenglerbrett]

I did paint and body work for 20 years and my first instructor told me that (we used lacquer at the time) 2 coats past coverage was enough. By "coverage" he meant after you can't see primer through the topcoat any more. This is more coats for some colors than with others. When I painted my first Sportster for myself, I did the 2 coats past coverage. Let it dry overnight, put on 3 more coats. Let it dry overnight, sanded it with a sponge backed 600 grit wet paper and put on 3 more coats. Let that dry overnight and then sanded it with 1000 grit wet and then rubbed it out with compound. That was lacquer. With the high build paints that we have now, you don't need as much but my rule of thumb is " 1 or 2 extra coats is better than rubbing through when you compound it and then having to repaint".

[Robert Luland]

There is no way in hell your getting those items painted properly with a pint of paint. Think about it. A couple of runs or some orange peel that require you to reshoot and your screwed. Get yourself a quart of the new stuff and be forever happy. Bob L

[exeric]

Bob, I disagree. 16 fluid ounces is a lot of paint, and adding in the reducer increases the volume. As for runs and orange peel, those problems are easily wet sanded out. If augermac has the color matched, and shoots all the inside surfaces with the new paint, he should have a good surplus of the original paint. However, I do all my own painting and I am a big advocate of modern paints, and HVLP guns. The more I think about it, I would have the original paint matched, and paint the bike with a quality modern enamel and be done with it. Modern paint is going to be easier to apply, tougher, UV resistant, and easy to touch up.

[PRG]

Howdy chaps,

If adamant about using the original paint I’d follow Eric’s recommendation on original exterior, modern on interior facing sides. The absolute key key to not only having enough but adding extra margin for additional top coating is controlling overspray and minimizing dry coats that don’t flow out. This can realistically only be controlled at the amateur level by using a gravity feed touch up gun set at about 28 psi or no more than 32 on a pass no broader than about 3 fingers. Believe it or not, you can get a cheap Binks/SATA knock off for $50 or so at most professional automotive paint stores.

The modern interpretation of the traditional enamel that laid down like the finish on a Steel case cabinet or Bridgeport machine is called high solids (BSAF/Glasurit). Additionally don’t want to take “fast drying” out of context of the 40’s or 50’s but now that generally refers to paints with high solvent content which reduces the amount of pigment carried and opacity on application. I’d do a test spot on a white surface with a very small amount increasing the reduction starting with say 10% as a baseline to see how it’s going to behave before getting my primer. If opacity proves an issue at the level of reduction required for flow out then have your primer tinted with the new stuff to reduce the amount of opacity and/or top coating to achieve coverage.

At any rate, again, if this machine is to be a rider, think Eric’s recommendation on a modern two part paint is the best avenue as modern fuel formulations are vile and older paints seem to cope by virtue of 50 plus years of curing in service whereas a fresh application from an NOS can will likely not fare as well. Glasurit offers a deglosser additive that enables one to more readily match finishes from yesteryear.

[augermac]

thxs Great idea,Auger

[augermac]

thxs for info,Auger

[augermac]

thxs,fenders already primed light tan in anticipation of having coverage issues,Auger

[augermac]

Going to get paint for John,Spring Hill Green,and go from there,thxs for info,Auger

[Robert Luland]

Bob, I disagree. 16 fluid ounces is a lot of paint, and adding in the reducer increases the volume. As for runs and orange peel, those problems are easily wet sanded out. If augermac has the color matched, and shoots all the inside surfaces with the new paint, he should have a good surplus of the original paint. However, I do all my own painting and I am a big advocate of modern paints, and HVLP guns. The more I think about it, I would have the original paint matched, and paint the bike with a quality modern enamel and be done with it. Modern paint is going to be easier to apply, tougher, UV resistant, and easy to touch up.

Eric, he stated that he had a one pint can of fast dry enamel. That is premixed paint that goes on heavy and most likely won't cover what he's doing. I agree withe fact that if it were modern polyurethane that was going to have activator and reducer added and goes on very thin it would work with no problem. Bob L