need advise about silver

[Ragtop68rs]

I'm getting ready to spray a 69 camaro. This will only be my 3rd paint job. The first 2 were solid colors. I want to paint it silver but from everything I have read that is the hardest color to spray. Are all silvers hard or are some easier than others? Are all silvers metallic? Are metallics that much harder to shoot than solid colors?

[Gordz32]

Metallics are a little trickier. If you don't lay the base down even then you get what they call mottling or buching of the metalflake causing some spots to be darker than others. Whenver I spray metallics I lay down my first 2 coats of base as even as possible and on the 3rd coat I bring the gun about 20 inches from the surface being sprayed, turn my fluid up, an kind of mist the paint on, I call it dusting. To far away and you'll get a ruff surface. But the misting will help to even out the metalics. Good Luck and I'm sure more people will chime in!

[PRRC]

We have found that some colors just take more coats to get uniform coverage.The problem that most run in to is getting to much paint on a panel to quick. We dont count coats we just put as much base on as we need to get good coverage. your gun will make a big differance as to how well it will lay down a metallic base. On a large panel we will put first base coat down rather dry. 2nd coat we will start to use a 50% over lap. 3rd we will flip the tip and go in a verticle 50% over lap. last coat/coats (depending on needs) will be back to the horizontal using the same 50% over lap.
Alot of guys will tell you you need to paint a metallic car all at the same time. we have never done this nor have we ever had a problem with color match. We will paint the body, jambs and fire wall first. and then lose panels.
Just make sure you have enough material to do the entire job from the same batch of paint.
Tim

[ProdigyCustoms]

I like to over reduce metalics, silvers, so the base does not go one cobly (chunky). If it goes on real thick the clear will magnify the drops and it will look grainy (chunky) under the clear. I think Trapins car is posted on here somewhere and was the perfect example of grainy chunky) base. Everyone does it a bit different, but I like to lay all the primary coats on wet so they lay down, shooting each coat in a different direction. Then fog the last coat in a checkerboard, then a checkerboard at 45 degrees, all at a distance and kinda dry so the metalics stand on end. then i like to shoot a over reduce interlock clear to lock in the metalics. Let that flash real good then pound it.

[Ragtop68rs]

Thanks guys, keep them comming. Are there silvers with less metallic in them than others making them a little easier to lay down or doesn't it really matter?

[Brendan 67]

Hi there.Dont know what paint system your using but most have options for reducer drying speed.Fast,Normal,Slow.I would use normal or slow in the basecoat.It helps alot with the metallic lying down and drying out evenly.Metallics with bad coverage are the ones people have the most problems with because if you have to put more than 3 or 4 coats on it will affect the end finish.Also when doing silvers especially,everything has to be even better than usual.Prepping,spray gun and setup,painting environment,flash off times,technique etc.Hope this helps.

[ProdigyCustoms]

Hi there.Dont know what paint system your using but most have options for reducer drying speed.Fast,Normal,Slow.I would use normal or slow in the basecoat..

Ahh, very good, I failed to mention that part. Also in addition, I guess I did not mention I do not tack rag the last fog coat so as not to disturb the metalics.

[69keith]

A high quality gun makes all the difference in spraying metallics...

[Gordz32]

A high quality gun makes all the difference in spraying metallics...

Agreed!

[Ragtop68rs]

Thanks guys, thats a lot of good advice.

[Derrick M]

You have gotten lots of advice on shooting metallics, and that is good, but the reason some people find silver paint harder to shoot and look right is due to it's semi transparency. When you mix paint basecoat in a certain color, it is made up of a bunch of different toners bound together by a clear basecoat converter or balancing clear. This formula makes the color you choose from your paint code or paint chip. With silvers, 99% of the base is your mica flakes(metal flake) in the silver toners which are weak toners, with very little strong toners in the formulas. They are bound together by the clear basecoat converter, hence a semi transparent basecoat. Just make sure you spray sealer on the car first, or make sure your primer is uniform over the entire car. If you accidentally sand through a body line or edge before you paint it, it will be hard to hide it when you paint it(it will tend to show through). Also with silver, like they said, make sure you have the right speed of reducer. To fast, and it will spray dry and look rough, to slow, and it will look blotchy. Silver looks good when it is done, but I am biased.:)

[ProdigyCustoms]

I like late ninteys GM Sebring Silver. It is a very bright silver with fine flake, and covers like crazy. Billy's Goat is Sebring silver.

[Bow Tie 67]

Quote: " Then fog the last coat in a checkerboard, then a checkerboard at 45 degrees, all at a distance and kinda dry so the metalics stand on end. "

Frank,

I'm not following what you mean by checkerboard pattern. Does that mean no overlap, with gaps between each pass of the gun?

Matt

[ProdigyCustoms]

Front to back on the hood, side to side on the hood, then diagonal at 45 degrees to the panel the same thing, up and donw, side to side. So as to total eliminate any potential tiger stripes

[MuscleRodz]

Something else that needs mentioned is solids you can final sand 400-600. Silver needs to be final sanded in the 600-800 range to further even out the finish

Mike

[Bow Tie 67]

Front to back on the hood, side to side on the hood, then diagonal at 45 degrees to the panel the same thing, up and donw, side to side. So as to total eliminate any potential tiger stripes

Thanks, now I know why I have a light tiger stripe on the hood of my 4th gen. I did not do a 45*, not to mention my lighting was less than stellar. The only good thing is a tiger stripe is fitting for prowler orange. Lol.

[ProdigyCustoms]

Thanks, now I know why I have a light tiger stripe on the hood of my 4th gen. I did not do a 45*, not to mention my lighting was less than stellar. The only good thing is a tiger stripe is fitting for prowler orange. Lol.

Ya know, you could have said you did it on purpose.

[Ragtop68rs]

Frank, Do you have a paint code for the sebring silver?

[Davezz28]

I will agree with all said above, final sand with 4-600 or the silver will maginfy the sanding scratches, mist on the last coat with over reduced paint, and use the best gun you can get your hands on.

I have painted a couple cars over the years and find silver the hardest color to paint without it getting mottled (splochey etc.). Just finished up painting a Camaro with Dupont Chromabase in BMW Titanium Silver and I thought getting the paint even would be the death of me.

[ProdigyCustoms]

1997 Camaro Sebring silver is 13U, cannot remeber the WA right off.

[aussiebj]

Im not an expert at painting though i have painted a lot of cars in my garage and my last 68 camaro was my first silver paint job i went with PPG Base clear BMW Titanium silver as it has a very fine metalic in it, and i think it turned out fine ..Here is a pic or two before and after, these pics are with no wet sandig or polishing yet straight off the gun in my garage...I think it is a nice silver and was very easy to paint this was also my first base/clear coat paint job and cost me $680.00 in paint.......Barry
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[Ragtop68rs]

Looks good Barry, Do you have the paint code for that or at least the year it was used?

[aussiebj]

I painted the camaro in 2004 when i bought the paint i just asked the paint store guys for the silver that was on BMW`s , so i am guessing it is from that year i will call the guy that bought it from me and see if he still has the paint code as i gave him extra paint when i sold the car...I got alot of compliments on the colour at the local cruise`s but at that time where i live there were not alot of silver camaro`s still i would definatly use this silver paint on another car i might even paint my Maverick this same silver ..Hope this helps a little like i said i will try and get a code for you....Barry

[Oldsmobird]

Another thing to watch out for is when you lay the clear. If the basecoat has not flashed enough (dried) the clear can re-wet the basecoat causing the metallic to float and cause stripes. Some silvers are more prone to it than others. The comment above about the intercoat clear helps remedy the problem. Gregg

[aussiebj]

I could not find the code but the silver i used is the same silver they put on todays BMW`s and its still called Titanium Silver.....

[lbdz28]

When I do metalics, and silver is the worst, for the last coat of color I mix half color and half clear. The clear I am talking about is still basecoat color, in the PPG line it is called ??500. This approach thins out the metalic and allows it to go on even.
The other big item is to have a good gun.

[Posi12Bolt]

some good advice in here for sure...