Suggest a good starter automotive paint

[Tjay]

I am now practicing with createx just learning to control the brush
started researching automotive paint.
Will be used on abs plastic and metal surfaces
Looking at tcpglobal there are at least 3 brand options.
I want to snag a basic starter set to get used to reducers and paint flow.

Any tips or suggestions?

[draggin81]

Personally, I'd recommend E'Tac. It's water based and non-toxic, so you don't have to start worrying about all the nasty chemicals. Either the PS or EFX line works, since there are plenty of people who use both, and they're interchangable. I prefer the EFX line (I like being able to use eraser and scratching techniques if I want).
Either one is just as durable as anything else out there after it's cleared.

Plus using water based paint has the advantage of meaning you won't have to switch back to water base from uro's (more stringent VOC and air quality requirements are making in necessary for alot of places to go to water based paints)

[Tjay]

That is the second time I have seen sherwin williams, didnt even know they made automotive paint.
The Etac looks good, but looking on their website forum. I could not get a good feel for what I would need to order for reducing the paint.
Does it not require it?
they seemed to offer products but no real clear instructions on what to order with a basic color set
Also what clear would you use over this?

[prtchevy]

Over E'TAC I have used automotive clearcoat and spray can clear, depending on what it was that I was painting.

As far as reducing E'TAC, you can their Reduce-Air, Extend-Air, or a couple drops of water. Extend-Air and Reduce-Air will dilute the color with effecting the properties of paint, water will thin the paint and change all the characteristics of the paint. The Extend-Air will make the paints "rewettable", which what I do is spray straight water over something I have painted and the water acts like an eraser dissipating the paint. It leaves a look of a subtle scratch mark for highlights or can almost erase a little mistake.

The different lines of paint they offer, Private stock being more their textile type paint dries quickly and is very durable. EFX line is rewettable and erasable and seems to do best with some sort of clearcoat. You can intermix the EFX and the Private stock depending on what characteristics you need or what color combination you want (some colors are only available in Private stock)

I have had no problems with E'TAC paints, whether I am using the EFX for portraits, or combing the EFX and Private stock to paint a computer case then spray with an automotie urathane clearcoat.

I hope I didn't confuse you more. It does take a little time to play with it and get used to it, but I feel it is well worth it.

[Shiva]

your BIGGEST 'make your choice' needed piece of info..

WHERE do you spray this? IF you are INSIDE a house or enclosed place, then look at water based.. the Sherman Williams is great stuff BUT, its solvent based and that eliminates spraying 'in a spare bedroom' for example.. you go boom accidently OR drop over from solvent poisoning.
a little better than average fan/filter setup to suck 'particulate matter' out of the air using water based paints is doable.. but NOT for solvent based.

[Cowboy]

Like Said , Do Yer Research On Automotive Paints More For the Fact of Safety Then Anything Else. Because You, Yer Family .pets Or Neighbors Safety Should be the # 1 Factor, In all Cases .

Also I,m not Going to Put Down Any of the Products Mentioned. But IMO, If it Has Water, In The Name anywheres in the Product or Ingridients (Coarse Unless Yer Forced to Use It in Your Country or State ) & You Were Doing Something For Me on a My Custom Vehicle Or Bike . Well, Aint No Safety Gear Gonna Help ya there .

Sorry Folks Ya,ll Are are Throwing Cross Signalls out there IMO . Dont Matter That Createx is Being Used NOW , For Practice or whatever . If You are Asking For sugestions or info on Automotive Paint , Do Some Real Research, Check , PPG , Dupont , Glasurit , Xotic ,Several other Quality Brands out there . But You Need To Learn after Researching the Proper info about safety Equipment needed & Costs involved.

Sorry Just My Thoughts No Offence Intended to Anyone, Mainly Tjay , My Sincere appologies , Just Cuttin through the BS . If Your Just Wanting to do things For Yerself, Friends & Neighbors & Not charge Them Very Much . Then Go for it , If Yer Wanting Serious info, For a possible carear Later & Wanting to Learn the Right Info now. Different Story Completelly. Best of Luck Which Ever You Choose .

[seadog]

The Etac looks good, but looking on their website forum. I could not get a good feel for what I would need to order for reducing the paint.
Does it not require it?
they seemed to offer products but no real clear instructions on what to order with a basic color set
Also what clear would you use over this?

I found that with E'tac too. because you can use them for anything from motorbikes to t-shirts the instructions are equally obtuse. but they are nice to use and go down real smooth :)

basically the colours are ready to spray out of the bottle.. if you want them to be more transparent you mix with "E'tac Reduce-Air". but that doesn't reduce the consistency.
if you want it to be more watery you just add some bottled water.

so I'd get some reduce air and some colours and give em a try. they do some multi sets of primary colours you could look at.

the H2-Uro and Pol-Etac are two other additives you could look at if you decide you like these paints, but they aren't really needed.

[draggin81]

The E'Tac forum is a good plac to get questions answered, and the e'tac-europe site is fairly new, so it has lot more information.
Since they are a new company, keeping up with demand is hard enough, plus doing R&D, coming up with new products, etc, etc updating the main wensite has been kind of pushed to the back burner. They are working on a new one, though. I just don't know when it's going up.
Bill, the mad scientist behind the whole thing, is very helpful and is always wiling to answer any questions. Although you should be warned that his answers might leave you with even more questions. lol.

I'd agree with the general consensus on here that where you'll be painting should be the biggest deciding factor on what products are available as options. Spraying in your house/basement/garage, uros just wouldn't be a smart way to go.
Same goes with clear coats (even more so, actually). They contain isocyanates, and can go boom, leave you unconscience on the floor, or cause a life-threatening allergic-type reaction.
Read the directions and MSDS of any product you use. It will tell you the level of safety equipment you'll need. If you can't do it, don't try to be creative and rig something up "just for now". You can most likely find a local body shop willing to spray your clears for you.

[Tjay]

I am part of a local car club, and for now this would not be a career. Though with the job market who really knows what we will be doing a year from now.
I paint in my garage so no real professional ventilation.
So would the approach of using etac on small projects, getting them clear ready, then having someone clear them when I am finished. Meaning someone with proper equipment to clear be a doable short term approach?

Sorry to ask so many noob questions, but I gotta start somewhere.
And no offense taken by any opinion offered, I would rather have honest no BS answers than waste time.

Thanks everyone

[Shiva]

I am part of a local car club, and for now this would not be a career. Though with the job market who really knows what we will be doing a year from now.
I paint in my garage so no real professional ventilation.
So would the approach of using etac on small projects, getting them clear ready, then having someone clear them when I am finished. Meaning someone with proper equipment to clear be a doable short term approach?


there are 'clear coats' that require a full body suit, with pressure supplied air to the face mask-NO body parts exposed.. the stuff is dangerous.
plus I factor in the cost of the clear.. in my area I can get a 'good' clear for $100 a gallon, plus the hardener. How fast would I USE a gallon of clear? enough to justify it sitting around? no.. ask in your car club-WHO is a GOOD body painter, go talk to him.. I need some small items cleared, would you be willing and how much?
its a 'save me money situation, not to mention the BIG compressor and other big HVLP guns needed in addition. I dont mind giving the other guy something to do on his slow days, either..

[Tjay]

sounds reasonable
We have a guy in the group that does clear now.
So I will team up with him
Thanks