>Is this paint special? Remember I'm a novice so be gentle. I had called
>someone selling a restored TR6 recently and they told me they used an epoxy
>paint. Please educate me on paints and advantages for these wonderful fun
>cars.
Steve --
Cellulose paint is the old fashioned "lacquer" that home painters have used
forever. It is sprayed on and after drying (literally drying out - the
carriers are "volatile" and they evaporate into the atmosphere) the surface
is "rubbed" with an abrasive compound to smooth it out. This process is
repeated as often as it takes to get a glass-like surface. The more coats
of lacquer that are applied, the deeper the paint looks. Hot rodders and
customizers will spray a dozen or more coats of lacquer to get the finish
they are looking for. Cellulose lacquer paint is very forgiving of mistakes
(because of the constant sanding and buffing), so it is almost ideal for the
home painter. It also dries very quickly, so dust and insects aren't as
much of a problem as they are with enamel.
Epoxy paint is a newer compound that is an enamel-type of paint. The paint
hardens on the car's body through a chemical reaction. You have to mix the
pigmented paint with a hardener (catalyst). Usually the paint isn't buffed
or rubbed after spraying and hardening as the paint is itself very glossy.
There is, however, an article in the current issue of "Classic Auto
Restorer" where a paint shop owner describes sanding epoxy paint that will
get a clear coat on it after the pigment coats.
After it hardens, epoxy enamel (any enamel really) is harder than lacquer.
This means that an enamel paint will resist scratching and chipping better
than lacquer. There is the problem, however, of enamel paint being too
hard, and thus brittle. If this happens, it will crack and chip easily as
it can't flex. Cellulose lacquer may also oxidize or react to UV more than
an epoxy will, so there will be more maintenance required to keep it looking
smooth. Finally, lacquer will eventually wear through to the primer from
all of the polishing and buffing it takes to keep it shiny.
Epoxy paint is chock-full of evil and toxic chemicals, so don't even think
about using it without a respirator. You have to be very careful with all
modern paints because of the "chemical weapons grade" stuff that they
contain (Saddam H. isn't lurking on the list is he?). Cellulose lacquer
would give you a "buzz" for a little while, but wouldn't kill you or mess
you up permanently from the limited exposure that you would get as a
hobbyist.
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