[BIGSKY]

I run a little shop out of my garage doing dent repair and paint work. I do small stuff to completes. I have concentrated on this work since completing my 67 C10 restoration about four years ago. Prior to that project I had not painted, but between this forum and help from a few local guys I got my truck done and am quite happy with the result. Ok, enough backstory...

I am currently doing a complete on 96 Toyoto T-100. The owner is in love with this 200k mile pickup and is willing to drop three grand on the paint job. I have the box repaired and blocked twice. This is where I come to my question. I learned here to block and prime three times 180/220/320, then wet sand, seal and paint/clear. I am not sure this particular job warrants the three times prime and block process due to my loosely quoted bid. So even though I have to fix five small dents in nearly every panel, do I really need to do all this blocking? I realize there is only one way to get the pickup straight but we are not talking about a six thousand dollar paint job here.

So on the box which is currently blocked out in 220, can I lay down more build primer, DA with 320 then wet sand / seal / paint, or am I screwing up all the work I did in the 180/220 blocking? Also on the cab and front clip which has fewer dents, I want to DA the fairly good condition existing paint, epoxy prime it, then build primer, then wet sand, seal and paint. I guess I am trying to do the right job for the right vehicle here, its not a trailer queen hot rod, and I quoted three grand for the job. I am looking for opinions on my repair and paint process and also my quoted pricing. Am I doing too much? Am I trying to cut corners that I shouldn't?

Fwiw, I am using mostly midgrade primer and paint, although I have considered using a good clear vs. Omni for example...

[OneMoreTime]

main objective of blocking is to get the panels straight..i learned to block with 100-120 grit until all is good and then shoot a coat of primer surfacer and block that with 400 and then base..works for me..try and experiment a bit until you can block a panel with the minimum amount of time and then do the final primer before basing..

Sam

some of the production guys may chime in..

[49ratfink]

you don't block a certain number of times, you block until it is straight.

you don't want to DA over what you have already blocked. what are you blocking with?

[BIGSKY]

I am using an eight inch block and an about a 14" block. The panels after the second blocking are straight to my satisfaction. I have typically continued blocking in finer grits to remove the sand scratches from the previous blocking. I have thought about laying enough build primer to say cover 180, but wondered if piling that much product on was a good idea.

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

A guide coat is your friend when blocking. When the guide
coat shows the panel is straight, it's time to go on to the
next step no matter how many primer coats.
The lesser coats the better I say...

[49ratfink]

oooh...guide coat. yeah.. gotta have a guidecoat.

I'm no painter, but I like to play one on the internet.

I like doing a guide coat with a pair of 15" long board sanders one is stiff, the other flexible.

[BIGSKY]

I am guide coating each time.

So I am concerned about the amount of build primer I can lay down at one time. Say I get a panel blocked out in 180 and I am happy with it. Can I then lay down enough new primer to completely cover the 180 sand scratches? I think that is what you are telling me OneMoreTime.

Fwiw I have a dedicated primer gun with a 1.8 tip and I shoot my build primer unreduced.

[OneMoreTime]

Exactly..work on gun adjustment so you lay the material down wet and slick to minimize sanding..i use a 1.4 and regular build primer at this point and save the high build for when I feel I need it..Good idea to let in set overnite before basing to allow for any shrinkage and then go with the 400 and then base it..

Sam

[BIGSKY]

Great, this sounds like way less messing around and less sand paper too. Thanks for the tips!