ok, i got a local body shop to paint my mirriors, and there already chippin, real bad from bugs, and road grime, i am planning on re-painting them my self, what is the best kind of paint to use b/c i belive thay used sum real chep paint, need some that wont chip and fade, is that paint/primer/clearcoat spray paint that u can buy from auto zone any good???

If you are going to do it, get a spray gun and use real auto paint.

I tried painting the mirrors all sorts of cheap ways (spray paint, etc) and I ended up just making a lot more work for myself because I had to sand it all off again and then do the real paint...

Get them to paint them correctly. My shop used PPG paint. I sanded them smooth then they primed, colored and cleared them. NO PROBLEMS AT ALL since done.
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/garageimage.php?do=full&p=10351

ok, i got a local body shop to paint my mirriors, and there already chippin, real bad from bugs, and road grime, i am planning on re-painting them my self, what is the best kind of paint to use b/c i belive thay used sum real chep paint, need some that wont chip and fade, is that paint/primer/clearcoat spray paint that u can buy from auto zone any good???

Like others have said use only quality products!!! dont cheap out you will end up in the same trouble you have now. Also the most important step is to start with a good adhesion promoter Ive used several the best Ive used yet is (DuPont's Plas-stick #2330S) other wise I use mostly PPG products but this one seems to give me better results. Then after the adhesion promoter use your coice of build primer, base, clear etc...

Get them to paint them correctly. My shop used PPG paint. I sanded them smooth then they primed, colored and cleared them. NO PROBLEMS AT ALL since done.


Did you take the glass out or leave it in?

i took out the glass and completel dissassembled the mirrors

i took out the glass and completel dissassembled the mirrors

Is there any tricks to dissassembling the mirrors and removing the glass once the mirrors are off the truck? What grit sandpaper did you use?

Is there any tricks to removing the glass once the mirrors are off the truck?


yep, I got one tip: carefully!:D

very gently pry the mirror glass out from the bottom. If you look "behind" the glass, you'll see the clips that hold it to the base/motor mechanism. Stick a long flathead screwdriver in there and pry the clips off the base.

Then you'll need some Torx drivers to dissassemble the rest. Once the mirror glass is out its pretty self explanitory how to dissassemble them, but if you get stuck post another question.

Definetly completely take them apart and paint the pieces individually. Takes longer, but its the right way to do it.;)

1. Sand the plastic texture down with 120grit. I used a random orbital electric sander. Much easier than hand sanding. Hand sanding would probably take a long time. Even if you dont have an electric sander, its worth the 20 bucks a cheap generic hardware store sander costs... Sand the texture down completely so you cant see the bumps anymore, you dont have to be super anal about it tho.

2. Then after you are satisfied with it, hand sand the whole thing with 400 grit until the entire mirror feels "smooth".

3. Wipe the whole mirror down with a tack cloth. I used a special DuPont "Sontra" low-VOC wipe designed for cleaning/prepping stuff.

4. Then spray paint it with SEM high build flexable plastic primer. It comes in a spray paint can. Spray paint one "through" coat, but dont worry about making it a thick coat. Several thin coats are much better. Let the first coat dry for 5-10 minutes, then spray it again. I did 2 coats on my mirrors and it worked fine. Let it dry for an hour or so.

5. carefully hand sand the primer with 400-800 grit. Dont sand thru the primer! After you hand sand it the mirror should feel really smooth. Blow it off with compressed air and wipe it with a dry clean rag to get the sanding dust off.

6. mix up your base coat. I used Spies-Hecker auto paint because it was what the local auto paint store sold. PPG or any other reputable auto paint will work fine as well. Shake the paint well, then pour it into a marked mixing cup. You'll also need "reducer" too. Basically thins the paint to the proper consistancy. The paint shop will have hte proper reducer. For Spies paint, the paint is mixed with a 2:1 ratio. 2 parts paint to 1 part reducer. Pour the proper amounts into your mixing cup, and stir it really well.

7. adjust your air compressor to the proper pressure. I used about 45 psi static pressure/30psi working pressure and it worked well. If you have an HVLP gun the pressure will obviously be much lower. Paint the stuff in a very dry fairly cool place!!! Painting outside on a hot humid day does NOT work!:)

8. stick a strainer/filter into the paint gun's cup, and then pour the paint thru the strainer into the paint gun. This basically just filters any little things out that could clog the gun.

9. set up the mirror parts, hang them by string, whatever

10. if you have never painted before, play around with the gun on some cardboard or something. Practice technique so the paint doesnt run and the spray isnt too heavy. You dont need a lot of paint coming out of the gun. Its better to go over areas a second time than have a crap load come out and drip on the mirror.

11. carefully spray the mirror, use back and forth strokes, squeezeing the trigger fully as you go back and fourth. Dont hold the trigger down and go back and forth!! Wastes paint and makes a mess. Hold the gun about 10-12" away and just take your time and go carefully. Once you fully cover the mirror parts, let them flash (dry) for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes is up, spray a second light coat on. 2 coats should be enough

12. let the two base coats dry for at least an hour. Dont worry that its not shiny...thats what the clear coat is for.

13. mix up the clear coat. I used DuPont clear coat. The clear coat needs to be mixed with "activator", again it will say on the can what ratio, etc...the DuPont stuff I used was 1:3 ratio, activator to clear coat. Mix it up throughly in a cup.

14. clean out the gun very well!!! I use laquer thinner. Take the gun all apart and clean it. I used Q-tips and rags.

15. pour the clear coat in the gun, again using a strainer as before.

16. spray the first coat of clear coat on. Make the coats light!!! dont worry if it looks orange peel-y. As the clear dries it will smooth out. Let the clear coat dry for 20 minutes or so.

17. spray a second coat of clear, make sure you covered the whole mirror. Let it dry again for 20 minutes or so.

18. If you get any drips/runs in the clear coat, LEAVE IT ALONE!!!! DO NOT TRY TO FIX IT OR TOUCH IT!!! You will only end up making it worse!! if the drips are bad you can always wet sand it later AFTER the clear coat dries.

19. 2-3 coats of clear should be fine, dont do anymore than 3 coats.

20. let it dry at least overnight, and check it in the morning. It should look all pretty. The clear will still be hardening for a few days so still be careful putting the mirror all back together. Also dont wash or wax the truck or anything for a week or so. Dont worry about bugs or stuff on the mirrors. You can always wash them off and clean/polish the mirrors after the clear has FULLY set up.

I think thats it.....anyone tell me if I missed anything....doesnt matter if youvve never painted anything...id never even touched a spray gun before I painted these. If you follow the instructions, prep the mirrors well, and TAKE YOUR TIME, the mirrors will come out very nicely and last as long as the truck and not chip or anything..........

Ben

Thanks Ben !! What a great writeup. Gives me an excuse to go buy a spray gun. I'm sure that the majority of your instructions will be useful when I do the front bumper & wheel flares too! Thanks again.

do make sure you spend a fair amount of money on a "decent" spray gun tho. It might even be better to buy an expensive gun used on ebay, than a new el-cheapo gun ;)

Now I want to try this! IF you can do it, I can :D

What kind of gun do you recommend?

From what I understand Sata makes awesome guns...but of course you pay for it. devilbiss I think makes good guns as well, but like I said I dont know anything really about this.

the gun I used was a "Leader" gun.

Sata makes a really good gun. The better gun you buy the better it will work like new.

Astro makes a good Sata copy that will work just fine. Make sure the gun has a 1.4 fluid tip. 1.4 is the best setup for just one gun. There are different size fluid tips for different material, but 1.4 will best all around.

If you have any questions PM me, because I own a body shop and do a lot painting.

...I dont know anything really about this.

Even though this is out of context, I HAD to bring this to everyone's attention. I think it's a first! :D So let it be recorded that on 9-11-06, Ben stated he didn't know something. ;) :eek: :)

ive been wrong many times before ;)

Sata makes a really good gun. The better gun you buy the better it will work like new.

Astro makes a good Sata copy that will work just fine. Make sure the gun has a 1.4 fluid tip. 1.4 is the best setup for just one gun. There are different size fluid tips for different material, but 1.4 will best all around.

If you have any questions PM me, because I own a body shop and do a lot painting.

There are alot of good guns out there another is Binks think they have been in the painting business since it existed. Best thing is spend some money $300-$400 will get you a gun that will last forever if you take care of it and it will pay for itself in a couple paint jobs. Dont cheap out on the gun better guns do work better. A little tip for those of you "learning" if you get a run in the clear you can use a piece of masking tape to knock down a run a little. Take a six inches or so between both hands and with no pressure on the tape just let it touch the wet clear and remove then leave it alone. The clear will dry and level it self some overnight then it makes it alot easier to sand out I did it a hundered times when I was just starting out.

I really can't understand why ya'll are recommending $300-400 paint guns to paint some mirrors....IMO if your gonna spend that kind of money you better be planning on painting alot of stuff.

I really can't understand why ya'll are recommending $300-400 paint guns to paint some mirrors....IMO if your gonna spend that kind of money you better be planning on painting alot of stuff.

Cause cheap guns are junk, been there done that. If you learn to paint you wont be doing just just mirrors youll want to do more. The better you get the more youll want to do. Body shops get $50-$70 an hour around here, doesnt take much to pay for a good gun with one or two jobs.

Most of us have $40K or more in our trucks whats $300):h

Cause cheap guns are junk, been there done that. If you learn to paint you wont be doing just just mirrors youll want to do more. The better you get the more youll want to do. Body shops get $50-$70 an hour around here, doesnt take much to pay for a good gun with one or two jobs.

If you had read my post you would have read that I said you better be planning on doing more than just your mirrors...

In this case, the thread starter said he wanted to repaint with autozone paint, so I am betting that he isn't gonna spend 3-400 for a sata gun or comparable to paint mirrors that he could take to a different body shop and get sprayed for alot less than the cost of a good gun.

Now, IF you are just gonna paint the mirrors, you would not HAVE to have an expensive gun. Say for example he gets a 3-400 gun and doesn't like it, or it doesn't turn out good now what? Stuck with the gun. Why not get a small touch up style gun? It would do the same thing, and if he never uses is again he is out less than a $100. A NEW cheap gun will spray just fine for the mirrors, and if he keeps it clean could be fine for any small project.

yep, I got one tip: carefully!:D

very gently pry the mirror glass out from the bottom. If you look "behind" the glass, you'll see the clips that hold it to the base/motor mechanism. Stick a long flathead screwdriver in there and pry the clips off the base.

Then you'll need some Torx drivers to dissassemble the rest. Once the mirror glass is out its pretty self explanitory how to dissassemble them, but if you get stuck post another question.

Definetly completely take them apart and paint the pieces individually. Takes longer, but its the right way to do it.;)

1. Sand the plastic texture down with 120grit. I used a random orbital electric sander. Much easier than hand sanding. Hand sanding would probably take a long time. Even if you dont have an electric sander, its worth the 20 bucks a cheap generic hardware store sander costs... Sand the texture down completely so you cant see the bumps anymore, you dont have to be super anal about it tho.

120 is awfully agressive on plastic in my opinion. 120 might be fine if doing the sanding by hand, but with a sander I would bet that 240 would do a good job and create less gouges in the plastic.

2. Then after you are satisfied with it, hand sand the whole thing with 400 grit until the entire mirror feels "smooth".

120 to 400 is a HUGE jump. I'd do this in a few steps if you insist on using 120 to remove the texture. 120, 240, 320, then 400 would be my suggestion.


3. Wipe the whole mirror down with a tack cloth. I used a special DuPont "Sontra" low-VOC wipe designed for cleaning/prepping stuff.

4. Then spray paint it with SEM high build flexable plastic primer. It comes in a spray paint can. Spray paint one "through" coat, but dont worry about making it a thick coat. Several thin coats are much better. Let the first coat dry for 5-10 minutes, then spray it again. I did 2 coats on my mirrors and it worked fine. Let it dry for an hour or so.

This isn't necessary with today's automotive coatings. Flexible additive is in most paints now. If not, you can add it to the color. Also, it makes no sense to spend big bucks on your paint if you're going to use spray can primer. Also, as far as primer goes, you can buy a small amount (1 pint or 1 quart) of sprayable plastic primer that will yield a much better amount than anything out of a spray can.


5. carefully hand sand the primer with 400-800 grit. Dont sand thru the primer! After you hand sand it the mirror should feel really smooth. Blow it off with compressed air and wipe it with a dry clean rag to get the sanding dust off.

At most, primer needs to be sanded to 600 grit.

6. mix up your base coat. I used Spies-Hecker auto paint because it was what he local auto paint store sold. PPG or any other reputable auto paint will work fine as well. Shake the paint well, then pour it into a marked mixing cup. You'll also need "reducer" too. Basically thins the paint to the proper consistancy. The paint shop will have hte proper reducer. For Spies paint, the paint is mixed with a 2:1 ratio. 2 parts paint to 1 part reducer. Pour the proper amounts into your mixing cup, and stir it really well.


7. adjust your air compressor to the proper pressure. I used about 45 psi static pressure/30psi working pressure and it worked well. If you have an HVLP gun the pressure will obviously be much lower. Paint the stuff in a very dry fairly cool place!!! Painting outside on a hot humid day does NOT work!:)

Rather than guessing, put a regulator on your gun and adjust the air pressure to what your Product Data Sheet says the product should be applied with. (ASK the person that is selling you the paint for this sheet.) If they can't supply one, I would seriously consider a different paint supplier</a>. Also, remember this: If your spray gun is an HVLP unit, the tech sheet will tell you what CAP pressure to set your gun at. Most people don't have a cap gauge to set thier gun. So, when it says 8 to 10 psi, don't set your regulator at 10. You won't have enough pressure. Get the correct reducer for the heat you're going to paint in and the temperature won't be a problem.

8. stick a strainer/filter into the paint gun's cup, and then pour the paint thru the strainer into the paint gun. This basically just filters any little things out that could clog the gun.

9. set up the mirror parts, hang them by string, whatever

10. if you have never painted before, play around with the gun on some cardboard or something. Practice technique so the paint doesnt run and the spray isnt too heavy. You dont need a lot of paint coming out of the gun. Its better to go over areas a second time than have a crap load come out and drip on the mirror.

11. carefully spray the mirror, use back and forth strokes, squeezeing the trigger fully as you go back and fourth. Dont hold the trigger down and go back and forth!! Wastes paint and makes a mess. Hold the gun about 10-12" away and just take your time and go carefully. Once you fully cover the mirror parts, let them flash (dry) for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes is up, spray a second light coat on. 2 coats should be enough

Follow your tech sheet when it comes to dry time. 10 minutes might not be enough dry time. Again, this is where your reducer comes into play. When you're doing a base/clear system, you want an even color coat on everything. Extra color isn't doing anything other than draining your wallet. Just because you bought a quart of paint doesn't mean you have to spray it all on.

12. let the two base coats dry for at least an hour. Dont worry that its not shiny...thats what the clear coat is for.

Again, read your tech sheet. Most base coats can be cleared in 30 minutes.

13. mix up the clear coat. I used DuPont clear coat. The clear coat needs to be mixed with "activator", again it will say on the can what ratio, etc...the DuPont stuff I used was 1:3 ratio, activator to clear coat. Mix it up throughly in a cup.

Get a tech sheet for this as well. Clear generally sprays at a different pressure.

14. clean out the gun very well!!! I use laquer thinner. Take the gun all apart and clean it. I used Q-tips and rags.

If I were you, I'd be cleaning the gun long before I mixed the clear. Like right after I was done applying color. Q-Tips are not necessary for cleaning a gun unless you left paint in it. Since base coat is non-catylized, it shouldn't be hard to remove from the cup or the gun. Also, don't put the entire gun in your solvent. That gets solvent into the air passages (where paint shouldn't be anyway) What I do is this: When I am done with a product and going to another (primer, color, clear...doesn't matter) I pour some thinner into the cup of the gun and gently "swish" it around in without pulling the trigger. Then, I point the gun at about a 45 degree angle into a cup and pull the trigger. You'll notice the flow is slow at first, then it should become a very solid stream. If the flow remains slow, you have a blockage. (You don't need air on the gun to do this by the way) If everything is running well, take your air cap off and verify that all air holes are clean. (You can do this by sight) Your gun should have a wrench with it as well to remove the fluid tip. Wipe the fluid needle off and verify the paint is gone from the cup and gun's interior. Put the gun back together and do a quick flush with thinner. (This removes anything that was on the rags you wiped the needle down with.

15. pour the clear coat in the gun, again using a strainer as before.

16. spray the first coat of clear coat on. Make the coats light!!! dont worry if it looks orange peel-y. As the clear dries it will smooth out. Let the clear coat dry for 20 minutes or so.

Tech sheet for dry time.

17. spray a second coat of clear, make sure you covered the whole mirror. Let it dry again for 20 minutes or so.

18. If you get any drips/runs in the clear coat, LEAVE IT ALONE!!!! DO NOT TRY TO FIX IT OR TOUCH IT!!! You will only end up making it worse!! if the drips are bad you can always wet sand it later AFTER the clear coat dries.

19. 2-3 coats of clear should be fine, dont do anymore than 3 coats.

Why not? :D

20. let it dry at least overnight, and check it in the morning. It should look all pretty. The clear will still be hardening for a few days so still be careful putting the mirror all back together. Also dont wash or wax the truck or anything for a week or so. Dont worry about bugs or stuff on the mirrors. You can always wash them off and clean/polish the mirrors after the clear has FULLY set up.

All pretty? Oh so pretty, or just kinda pretty? ):h



I think thats it.....anyone tell me if I missed anything....doesnt matter if youvve never painted anything...id never even touched a spray gun before I painted these. If you follow the instructions, prep the mirrors well, and TAKE YOUR TIME, the mirrors will come out very nicely and last as long as the truck and not chip or anything..........

Ben

:D

DO IT LIKE THIS! ben and i just got done with mine:cool:

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/11/web/2279000-2279999/2279785_21_full.jpg

:D


thanks Scott:)

Mind if I copy and paste your stuff/combine it with mine, and put it all otgether in the DIY section???


Jed, nice mirrors.....nice trailgate handle too.... See guys if Jed and I can paint stuff anyone can!! ):h

thanks Scott:)

Mind if I copy and paste your stuff/combine it with mine, and put it all otgether in the DIY section???


Jed, nice mirrors.....nice trailgate handle too.... See guys if Jed and I can paint stuff anyone can!! ):h

yeah, honestly

thanks Scott:)

Mind if I copy and paste your stuff/combine it with mine, and put it all otgether in the DIY section???


Jed, nice mirrors.....nice trailgate handle too.... See guys if Jed and I can paint stuff anyone can!! ):h

Absolutely!! I was going to mention that this info would be good for a stickey, I do appreciate all of the comprehensive posts that you create.:)
All the Best
Scott

thanks Scott:)

Mind if I copy and paste your stuff/combine it with mine, and put it all otgether in the DIY section???


Jed, nice mirrors.....nice trailgate handle too.... See guys if Jed and I can paint stuff anyone can!! ):h

otgether?? what's that?? ):h

Tell you what, Ben..I'll write up a bit more one of these nights along with a few pictures of different guns and such. When I get it put together, I'll email you..Along with a shemale video or something ):h

no Mr. Ed tho :Nonono: -:t

no Mr. Ed tho :Nonono: -:t

Nick told me you loved that one?? :confused:

thanks alot guys!!, i am lookin at ebay, and i am lookin for a good decent gun to use, and printed out what Ben (DURAtotheMAX) wrote, that helpet me out alot cant think u enough!, b/c this will be tha first time of me painting. and like someone wrote above this would be a good sticky!

thanks alot guys!!, i am lookin at ebay, and i am lookin for a good decent gun to use, and printed out what Ben (DURAtotheMAX) wrote, that helpet me out alot cant think u enough!, b/c this will be tha first time of me painting. and like someone wrote above this would be a good sticky!

You don't need a high dollar gun to do your mirrors man. For less than 100 dollars, you can buy a gun that is more than capable of putting a quality finish on your mirrors.
A Sharpe Finex, for example, would work great.
What do you have for an air compressor and such?

well since im new at painting and a virgin at it, i have a air compressor, what else should i need? i have a buddy that went to nashville auto diesel collage and he is gonna help paint them he should no what else i need...but for some reason when he was n school they DIDNT paint mirriors, just fendors!! .....must be that high dollers education this days...

well since im new at painting and a virgin at it, i have a air compressor, what else should i need? i have a buddy that went to nashville auto diesel collage and he is gonna help paint them he should no what else i need...but for some reason when he was n school they did paint mirriors, just fendors!! .....must be that high dollers education this days...

Well, what size air compressor do you have, son?? :D

well its just a little 5 hp 30 gallon compressor....don lough...its cute

well its just a little 5 hp 30 gallon compressor....don lough...its cute

Okay, you need to get a touch up gun then..You don't have enough volume to run a full size gun.

thanks alot guys!!, i am lookin at ebay, and i am lookin for a good decent gun to use, and printed out what Ben (DURAtotheMAX) wrote, !


no, thank Scott (partsguy) for that;)

If you had read my post you would have read that I said you better be planning on doing more than just your mirrors...

In this case, the thread starter said he wanted to repaint with autozone paint, so I am betting that he isn't gonna spend 3-400 for a sata gun or comparable to paint mirrors that he could take to a different body shop and get sprayed for alot less than the cost of a good gun.

Now, IF you are just gonna paint the mirrors, you would not HAVE to have an expensive gun. Say for example he gets a 3-400 gun and doesn't like it, or it doesn't turn out good now what? Stuck with the gun. Why not get a small touch up style gun? It would do the same thing, and if he never uses is again he is out less than a $100. A NEW cheap gun will spray just fine for the mirrors, and if he keeps it clean could be fine for any small project.

You don't need a high dollar gun to do your mirrors man. For less than 100 dollars, you can buy a gun that is more than capable of putting a quality finish on your mirrors.
A Sharpe Finex, for example, would work great.
What do you have for an air compressor and such?

well its just a little 5 hp 30 gallon compressor....don lough...its cute

Okay, you need to get a touch up gun then..You don't have enough volume to run a full size gun.


Which proves my point, you don't need a high dollar gun unless you have the equipment to use it. Now wouldn't you guys feel pretty ****ty had he bought a $300 gun and doesn't even have the compressor to push the paint through the thing?

Take a que from scott and get a little more info on the person before suggesting they buy all this high dollar equipment.

Back on track, you need a water seperator, and like scott said earlier you will also need a small regulator at the gun. He gave me that advise a while back and makes a huge difference.

If you had read my post you would have read that I said you better be planning on doing more than just your mirrors...

In this case, the thread starter said he wanted to repaint with autozone paint, so I am betting that he isn't gonna spend 3-400 for a sata gun or comparable to paint mirrors that he could take to a different body shop and get sprayed for alot less than the cost of a good gun.

Now, IF you are just gonna paint the mirrors, you would not HAVE to have an expensive gun. Say for example he gets a 3-400 gun and doesn't like it, or it doesn't turn out good now what? Stuck with the gun. Why not get a small touch up style gun? It would do the same thing, and if he never uses is again he is out less than a $100. A NEW cheap gun will spray just fine for the mirrors, and if he keeps it clean could be fine for any small project.

Well said and I agree.

Partsguy662,

How large or a tank/compressor do you need to run a full size gun? Also, Do you have any recommendations on a full size gun in the 200-400$ range?

Partsguy662,

How large or a tank/compressor do you need to run a full size gun? Also, Do you have any recommendations on a full size gun in the 200-400$ range?

Depends on what you're painting. In theory, if you're painting something small, a 20 gallon tank (or smaller) would work. Where you run into problems is if you're painting something large and you need to keep it wet. Run low on air = definete finish quality issue.

For what it's worth, I have an 80 gallon tank. Air is never an issue. Then again, I also have enough pump volume to make sure I never run out of air. The tank size alone doesn't determine if you have enough air or not.

Now, when it comes to paint guns, if you're willing to spend 3 to 400 dollars, I would look at a SataJet and nothing else. In my opinion, there are Sata's, then there is everything else. There is a reason the painters in your local body shops use these guns: They work...Also, they make a half-way decent painter look like a genious.

Sata Jet is a good gun for basecoat. Iwaita is a good gun for single stage and clear coat. Any gun you buy will work, just make sure it has a 1.4 fluid tip. That is the best size for everything if you only have one paint gun. You need volume of air instead of high air pressure. Paint small items you can use a small tank. You may have to let the tank fill after paint each item.


I just finished painting my mirrors, handles, tailgate bezel and handle, and the xm antenna. The truck has a different look. I like the look.

They work...Also, they make a half-way decent painter look like a genious.

Now that's what I'm looking for! :) Thanks I will pick one up!

I have a 50 Gallon tank with a decent compressor. I'd imagine that it will be ok to paint smaller body parts, such as a fender.