Painting, cleaning.... oh boy

[nzcubey]

Hey guys!

Im just wondering, ive tried spraying a few cases, and then sand and respray yadayada, but what i dont know is, after ive sprayed and sanded, what should i use to clean the surfaces? im totally stumped, i usually end up using my hand or some tissues, hehe

Any help would be awesome, just wanna increase my painting skill.

CYA!

~ NZ cubey

[Chingas]

I'm not to sure what you mean. If you have already top-coated and thru on your clear, i usually protect my cases with mothers automotive wax. A three step process that will wax and seal your sprayed case. I hope that's what you meant.

[tybrenis]

...Water and a lint-free rag?

Then yes, I always like to wax and seal my paintjobs too, just remember to wait at least a month after painting to wax.

[Chingas]

Absolutely. Sorry i forgot to mention that about waiting to wax, you want to let the paint cure completely. Tybrenis is right.

[nzcubey]

nah what i meant is when im spraying, and say im waiting between coats, and there is some spray dust on the case (i run my fingers over it, and it gets blue dust on it) whats the best way to clean the surface before another coat?

Also after doing initial sanding, before primer, whats the best way to prepare it for painting? (cleaning wise)

[crazybillybob]

I always use Denatured Alcohol. It will not remove the fresh paint, but it will remove the oils from your hands or tools that you left behind while sanding. I just dump a bit onto a fresh clean towel (lint free cloth is the best, but as shop towel or paper towel will do the trick), put enough alcohol so that the towel is damp but not dripping. Wipe the part down completely (hang it up or lay it on the spray board before wiping it) you don't want to touch the part after it's been wiped down. Once you wipe it down leave it sit for like 5-10 mins (less if it's hot and dry where your at). Now hit it with paint/primer/clear what ever.

You wnat to do this before you lay the first coat too. If you've ever had a paint job where the painr flaked off or rubbed off after just a little use, then odds are you didn't prep the surface correctly. That's 90% of a good paint job, getting the surface preped and cleaned.


Useing water will get the dust off but will not get the oils off, the oils are the parts that keep the paint from sticking, and dring correctly. Plus it takes allot longer for water to evaporate off then alcohol. Also the Alcohol will help get the last bits of water out of the finish or primer that get left behind after wetsanding. (even when it looks dry there's a bit of water trapped).

You can get denatured alcohol at any hardware and many department stores (wal-mart, etc.) Insome area's you have to be 18 to purchuse it, so make sure your parent or graurdain is with you.

Good Luck, keep up the modding!
CrazyBillyBob

[Chingas]

Absolutely Agreed. If you go to depot and you're gonna do a lot of work down the road. They sell it in a gallon can, in the paint isle, right next to paint thinner and acetone.

[nzcubey]

i was thinking about using it, havnt had much experience with alcohols for cleaning surfaces tho. All i know that here in new zealand, its like your a terriest (you can buy little bottle of them from the chemist, like 200ml but its like $5-$8 NZD) for wanting that kind of stuff, you can only buy it through a company, i might have to hit up my IT guy at my school, see if he can get me some and ill reinburse him


EDIT: sorry all for my shocking spelling, i promise ill get better (i want spelcheck, :D)