[Slickriffs]

Working on my '55 Chevy truck again with some regularity. Finally have the welding out of the way and I've started the filler work at which I've always been comfortable. After a day or two of long board sanding I like to shoot some epoxy primer to get a good look at the body work and get some time in with the gun.

I shot 2 gravel panels with black epoxy primer that were in a not well lit section of the garage..a lot of runs...no surprise right? Then I shot the back of the cab white epoxy primer..only one section sagged a bit but I realized as I stroked the gun that I would loose the wet/dry edge often. Instead of using my eye to time how fast I moved the gun over the surface, I had to guestimate my speed. This is something I have to resolve before paint day this summer. Final color will be Omaha Orange(BC/CC)

There must be a science to lighting for painting. Florescent OK? If not what else? Where located and how many?

I also bought a 13 x 27 party tent with side plastic windows last year for possible use as a paint booth. I assume natural lighting might be the best? Would be a pain in the *** to put up but if it's the best way I'll do it.

Any ideas on keeping the wet edge in sight would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Slick

[low50s]

Florescent lighting is ok, in every booth that i have used thats what they use, but they use about 4 sets on each side, with 4 bulbs in each set, then a few across the top, remember the better the light the better you will be able to see what your doing, and the better your results will be i have use some redneck booths where i just set up some flood lights

[Old Fool]

IF you use the party tent I suggest you only use the frame work. Instead of using its cover, use clear 6 mil visqueen plastic.

[CustomConspiracy]

Fluorescent bulbs usually give off a green cast. Sodium vapor give off yellow, and regular incadecants are a little on the red side.
When you buy your bulbs make sure you are getting "daylight" bulbs or or lamps. They are balanced to try and resemble actual daylight. That is because it has a lot of blue in the light.
You may already know this but I would suggest using all the same color primer, and that it be grey or white if you are going to shoot orange over it.
If you shoot orange over blake it will take a LOT more color to cover the black, and the lighter primer will help it kinda PUNCH a little better.
And one more thing.......real paint booth lighting is "sealed" in an attempt to make it explosion proof. If you are painting and should back into a bulb and break it.....and the paint/thinnner/vapor/fumes are just right you could have a rather nice EXPLOSION. Electrical outlets are also a no-no because when you pull a plug or insert one there is always a little spark.
I have shot a lot of stuff in small garages, with bad ventilation, and just florecent fixtures propped up against the wall, and have never had a problem but there is a REASON every code in the country requires explosion proof lighting.....I think.
At any rate I never risked someone else's or someone else's cars safety doing it. It was just me and my stuff.

[cboy]

Originally Posted by CustomConspiracy

... If you are painting and should back into a bulb and break it.....and the paint/thinnner/vapor/fumes are just right you could have a rather nice EXPLOSION.

There are a lot of potential "igniters" in a garage/shop situation. Fans, open flame heaters, electrical outlets, broken bulbs and maybe even static electricity from your unruly hair to a grounded object.

I would never suggest that anyone not take the greatest of precautions against creating an explosion. But I'm just curious as to documented, real life incidents of a hobby painter blowing themselves up and the conditions which caused any such accidents.

[D9ZZ]

I had a bunch of lights when I painted mine. Like 13 4' double fluorescents.
It still wasnt enough.
I think the key is to not have a shadow anywhere.
If you can see a shadow when you move your gun over the car, you will lose the edge.
Thank God for color sanding.
It saved mine.

[Slickriffs]

I noticed booths often have the lights in the ceiling corners mounted at a 45° angle..Not directly pointed down. I was wondering about mounting 4 of those lights construction people use like when then do sheet rocking-they throw alot of heat thou..anyway some kind of spot lights mounted to a makeshift board...say 12 ft long...one on each side of the garage mounted at the ceiling corners at a 45° angle.

Keith

[milo]

some painters will wear sunglasses when painting whites to help see that wet edge

[Slickriffs]

These might be a big help

Lights

Keith