hey guys im new here and i just tried out my hvlp gun today on aluminum hence a computer door with oil base paint thinned it 3 to 1
3 parts paint with 1 part thinner... using regualr old paint thinner...

first off isanded the whole door down with 80 grit to get a coarse start then finished with 800 grit to get it smooth as glass then i cleaned it with paint thinner to get all the paint dust off..

like i said thin the paint 3 parts paint to 1 part thinner and you'll NEVER EVER have a problem with ur paint spraying out a gun.

stir it up until the paint is well blended.. or until it runs off the mixing utinsel really easy.. but it ALSO has to stick to the mixing utinsel.. i hope that makes sense..

to get ur gun ready everyone tells u to set ur pressure to here and here and here and stuff im going to tell u the easiest way for someone learning how to do this a first time take you ANY can of spray paint hold it next to ur gun and spray it.. dial ur gun in to where it spray exactly or close to the SAME WAY as well as the SAME PRESSURE as the spray can.. and it will turn out an awesome paint job everytime.just so u wont have to be adjusting valves all the time.
firsto ff a person wants to do is spray a tack coat this reduces paint runs by 80% with this being oil base paint.. it will not dry in ur gun waiting on it to flash.. so spray on a thin coat of paint..and wait 2 min for it to flash..

when that flashed.. i went ahead sprayed it again with a second coat of thin paint.. then waited 2 min again.

then i figured id put enough mistso n and went ahead and finished it off.. with 7 layers of thin coats..

gaww look at that shine..

mmm delecious..

the color reminds me of alienware green.. ALOT...
well then i decided im going to do another door laying around..
with LACQER PAINT.. or in other words car paint...
like last time i prepared the surface the same way.. 80-800 then i cleaned it only this time with LVIRGIN LACQER THINNER i always like to clean my project with whatever thinner it takes to make my paint spray so it will adhere good to the surface... now since this paint has a high VOC level and is very fast drying i couldnt mix it in a styrofoam cup.. i had to use an empty 20 ounce paint bottle.. remember 3 parts paint to 1 part thinner..
i put it in my gun and sprayed the tack coat on... this time like i said.. u WILL NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR THIS TO FLASH it dries sooooooooo fast.. i mean within 30 seconds of it hitting the surface..

then i sprayed it on like earlier 7 layers or so really thin to distribute the paint evenly. i couldnt really stop for this lacqer to take progress pics with it..


but gosh ... look at that metal flake.. mmmmmmm.. now remember this is base coat clear coat.. i dont have any clear coat so this WILL REMAIN dull looking until i spray it on...

for anyone wondering what colro this is .. its dupont chromabase cinnamon pearl. the same color as the nissan 350Z's but anyways.. if anyones got any questions about how to thin paint and srpay it just ask me ill be GLAD to help you.. pretty soon when i get time off from work (im a salary dept manger of paint at my local lowes store) and i work like 50 hours a week im going to fiberglass me a custom case... made from scratch.. because my side hobby besides computers. i like to build and make fiberglass masks for people..


heres my hannibal masks i make..

and then my favorite. my darth vador mask i made from scratch..from start..

to finsih with black pearl and 4 coats of clear..

one of these days im going to incorporate one of my jason masks into the case.. and make a friday the 13th themed case.. i believe. and mold everything in. since this is my first post and all.. heres my computer..
first off gotta show the goods..

my basic setup... nothing special..
NVIDIA AND NFORCE AND AMD ALL THE WAY!!! FOR LIFE..

and heres my pre modded case.. like i said nothing special.


i hope this helps anyone with wanting to take up spraying for a first time.. i suggest uall get outside since its starting to get warm outside and try it out.

Wow. Great first post. Now I have to get a paint gun. I'm getting tired of cans.

Nice results, but I'm wondering why you skipped the primer? That could come back to haunt you...like Jason Voorhees! (Nice maskage btw.)

Welcome to PC Apex, bro! Great first post, very helpful.

Quote: Originally Posted by david_jaynesky hey guys im new here and i just tried out my hvlp gun today on aluminum hence a computer door with oil base paint thinned it 3 to 1 i hope this helps anyone with wanting to take up spraying for a first time.. i suggest uall get outside since its starting to get warm outside and try it out.

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a fellar doesnt need a primer for oil base to stick to metal.... and second i didnt have any grey lacqer primer for a car so i had to just go ahead and spray it.. but it didnt hurt the end results none. as long as u clean it really good.. and sand whatever ur painting. before u paint.. u'll be fine.. besides.. the reason for primer is just to let you see your imperfections.. like a car body has waves in it... a computer door is already flat.. no dents or anything so i didnt have to use filler to build up an area. now anytime i USE filler.. or fiberglass i will ALL THE TIME use primer. but ahh im going to toss these in the garage anyways i was only practicing.

Awsome Paint job! Ive always thought of getting one of those. I know my dad has one, I just gotta go buy the paint.

Where did you get that paint anyway? Automotive Store?

Quote: Originally Posted by david_jaynesky besides.. the reason for primer is just to let you see your imperfections.. like a car body has waves in it... a computer door is already flat.. no dents or anything so i didnt have to use filler to build up an area. now anytime i USE filler.. or fiberglass i will ALL THE TIME use primer.

Actually, primer is used to allow paint to better bond with an unprepped metal surface. Primer bonds great with bare metal, paint usually doesn't. If painting over different adjoining surfaces, i.e. plastic and metal and fiberglass, or in your sample panel above, patchy areas with pre-existing paint and bare metal, primer also serves to provide a uniform base coat so that your final paint color doesn't have variations in hue. In addition to normal primer, there's sandable primer, which helps cover minor scratches. Filler is a different thing entirely. Primer shouldn't be used as a filler. That's what filler is for (bondo, bondo-hair, fibreglass filler, etc.).

I'm only saying because I expect you'll get your paint flaking or chipping off rather easily over time. You probably won't notice that because, as you said, you're just sticking those panels in your garage.

I'm not trying to diss you, I just want to clear up misinformation, as others may see this post and decide to cut corners and get undesirable results. A paint gun is an awesome tool (I wish *I* had one!) but it doesn't negate the need for proper surface preparation...it just allows you to spray much finer droplets of paint and get a more consistent spread.

Just to add to your great post Coelacanth a DTM(direct to metal) primer or an Etching primer are great for bare metal. There are primers made to be heavy fillers, sprayable polyester primers like Evercoats Slick Sand. About the oil based paint, all I use are Urethane products, being an Automotive painter.
Looked Good for a first time with a HVLP, And welcome to PC Apex, great first post.

Actually it doesn't take as much air volume for an HVLP as a standard paint gun. High Volume Low Pressure is what it stands for, so you don't need as much. But you still need a big capacity any time you use a paint gun.