[Old Fool]

Originally Posted by deadbodyman

Brian,AS much as I do respect your talents and knowlage I just cant let this one slide by ...Excuse my lack of diplomatic wording and sentance structure..

Well if no one else will say it I guess I will......COMPLETE B.S.
When I read this crap it sounds like youve never stepped foot in a body shop ,EVER...
You can put ANY base over ANY primer ANY clear over ANY base..thats the long and short of it....
What you dont want to do is use reducer or hardener in an other brands primer, base or clear thats where the trouble can start... As long as each uses its own system it'll be fine ,Thats how we get the best of the best materials with fantastic results...
In all my years of actually working in a shop (many shops) nobody sticks to all One brand ,thats rediculas ,not even the shops that sign a contract with PPG only to use thier products, use only PPG..... we want the BEST bondo, primer for the money and the all BEST materials to get the best work and its just not possible from one brand ....sure You can "get away with it",using all one brand, but it wont be the BEST you can do...I really feel sorry for the ones that actually believe this crap but I do understand how confussing it can be and how playing it (somewhat) safe seems like a good idea and thats what these big paint companies want you to think... Dupont chroma base even tried to make it true with their basemaker reducer ,you'll have problems using anything else but as long as you use the basemaker spraying it over any primer and using any clear isnt a problem....
Just tellin it like it really is...Sorry

I was told that back in the early 80's what started this whole "use the same system" was Classic came out with a universal activator for acrylic enamels, classic was the beginning of U-Tech. The pint of activator sold for about $10 compared to a pint of DuPont or PPGs $30-40, what about quality? It was superior in every way and shops took notice. They started buying the Classic activator and the bigs took notice.
So the phrase you must use the whole system started since the "bigs" didn't want shops not buying their overpriced lesser quality (independent lab proven) product. ( facts provided by competent authority on auto paint )

If you put a product over a cured product of a different brand and the 2 products are compatible (no lacquer over enamel for example) there should be no problem. SPI primers and clears are living proof of this.

We are all conditioned to listen to the big guys, but if we are smart we evaluate their rhetoric and make decisions based on facts and ours and others experience.

Thanks to all the replys, both on the board and the pm's. Happy New Year to all.

[69 widetrack]

I agree Mike, some of what is recommended in tech sheets from a manufacturer is recommended to produce more sales for the manufacturer...the key is, as you said, is to stick to the reducers and catalysts designed for the product. For example, if you use a 2K primer, use the proper reducer and hardner, if you use base coat, stick with the proper base coat reducer, choose any clear but, stick with the additives designed and built for the product. Above all, don't become a chemist, just because a can is labeled hardner or reducer doesn't mean it will catalyze or reduce any paint. But once a product (like primer) is cured and prepped properly it can be top coated with any base, any or any single stage. Once base coat is properly flashed, it can be top coated with any clear.

As I've mentioned before, in Canada we have had VOC regulation since 2011, I know of many shops that purchased many gallons of non VOC compliant clear to be put over top of water born base...why...because the VOC compliant clear that was introduced at that time by several manufacturers was less productive (bake at metal temperature of 160 F or higher, not the typical 140 F air temperature), more difficult to work with, (although, at best in many cases did match factory finish quite well) and cost. I still stay in touch with many of these shops and adhesion has not been a problem.

[TucsonJay]

Here is a system I have used with no failures for about 20 years...

Marhyde Ultimate primer
Sherwin Williams lacquer based sealers
either R-M... House Of Kolor... or X-otic Colours basecoats
HOK SG100 mid-coat clear...or X-otic 34-200 mid-coat clear
R-M DC92 clear
...all reduced with GROW universal urethane reducers

I won't say that this will work with everyone's products, as I see a few manufacturers are putting some of their chemical components into things like reducers or catalysts. This is done so that you will... HAVE TOO BUY ONLY THEIR PRODUCTS!!!

In the last 40 years I have been screwed over several times by paint manufacturers... who have even intentionally lied to me ...so don't expect them to always be truthful.

As far as a manufacturer's paint warranty... they don't pay you to repaint a car when it is their fault it failed... so don't think the cost of the additional paint makes it worth being loyal to them. The labor is always the bigger cost! I stand behind my own work, and use the materials that perform for me 100% of the time.

To me... much of this is very similar to being told that I have to use things like epoxy primer. For a guy who grew up using lacquer primers, which the entire automotive industry was built on for about the first 75 years... 2K urethane primers have performed flawlessly in my world. The one exception I would consider is, to use it if the car will be left in primer, and exposed to the weather long-term.

I will also mention that I do this full time since 1986... so adding "unnecessary cost and labor" to all of my jobs would threaten my ability to make a living in our tightening economy. Good paint work is already too expensive for many. If I make it even higher... for no real gain... I only drive people away.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by deadbodyman

Brian,AS much as I do respect your talents and knowlage I just cant let this one slide by ...Excuse my lack of diplomatic wording and sentance structure..

Well if no one else will say it I guess I will......COMPLETE B.S.
When I read this crap it sounds like youve never stepped foot in a body shop ,EVER...
You can put ANY base over ANY primer ANY clear over ANY base..thats the long and short of it....
What you dont want to do is use reducer or hardener in an other brands primer, base or clear thats where the trouble can start... As long as each uses its own system it'll be fine ,Thats how we get the best of the best materials with fantastic results...
In all my years of actually working in a shop (many shops) nobody sticks to all One brand ,thats rediculas ,not even the shops that sign a contract with PPG only to use thier products, use only PPG..... we want the BEST bondo, primer for the money and the all BEST materials to get the best work and its just not possible from one brand ....sure You can "get away with it",using all one brand, but it wont be the BEST you can do...I really feel sorry for the ones that actually believe this crap but I do understand how confussing it can be and how playing it (somewhat) safe seems like a good idea and thats what these big paint companies want you to think... Dupont chroma base even tried to make it true with their basemaker reducer ,you'll have problems using anything else but as long as you use the basemaker spraying it over any primer and using any clear isnt a problem....
Just tellin it like it really is...Sorry

You really aren't saying anything different than I did! LOL I said NEVER mix product components like hardeners and reducers YES even reducers unless you know a lot about the system.

I had shot for years yes in a number of shops doing collision and restoration including my own which I own and did all the painting in for 13 years, I went to work as a paint rep. As a rep I went into hundreds of shops. I talked to different painters every day, patterns emerged, very clear patterns. Those patterns were as clear as clear can be.

Those who followed the tech sheets had fewer problems, period. Following the tech sheets include using the products told go use on those tech sheets.

I am not saying you must use all the same brand, no where do I say that.

I will repeat again what I said, which is NOT that you MUST use all the same products in a line.

If you want to eliminate issues, if you want your project to go as smooth as you can, you stick with all the same products as they are suggested on the tech sheets.

For the home hobbiest, follow the tech sheets, use all the same products from one line and you are going to be WAY better off.

If a home hobbiest wants to have fewer problems he is going to follow the tech sheet. Tell me, how can you follow the tech sheet if you are using a primer from some other brand paint? How can you follow the tech sheet if you are using another brand clear?

And where I work now we have ALL the same brand. We were S-W for years and now AkzoNobel and EVERY SINGLE PRODUCT in the shop is of that brand.

Following the tech sheets is the first and foremost in producing a nice finished product, deviating from the tech sheet is the first and foremost reason for failure.

You and I know that you can deviate from it a mile and it isn't going to explode in front of you, we also know there are portions of that tech sheet that if you deviate from it an inch it is sure failure, if the home hobbiest who is doing this for the first time doesn't know which one it is, what should he do?

FOLLOW THE TECH SHEETS! Is a very simple and precise rule that the home hobbiest simply can not make a mistake with.

If he has a question about this and asks a professionals advice (hopefully are qualified pro like yourself) and can then deviate without fear of failure. But baring learning what can and can't be deviated from, FOLLOW THE TECH SHEETS is the best advice I can give him.

Brian

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by TucsonJay

In the last 40 years I have been screwed over several times by paint manufacturers... who have even intentionally lied to me ...so don't expect them to always be truthful.

As far as a manufacturer's paint warranty... they don't pay you to repaint a car when it is their fault it failed... so don't think the cost of the additional paint makes it worth being loyal to them. The labor is always the bigger cost! I stand behind my own work, and use the materials that perform for me 100% of the time.

YES they DO pay for the labor! YES they do! We have had a few failures, we give them an estimate of the repair and they paid it! This includes from S-W who paid for one AFTER we weren't even using them anymore!

It is a lower hourly rate of course, we aren't making a profit on the warranty job of course, but they pay the labor, YES they do. We have a legal contract with them, we do 3.5 million dollars a year in sales, it is a big business and you can bet your butt the owners make damn sure with lawyers that it is a binding contract and it means what it says it does.

Brian

[TucsonJay]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

YES they DO pay for the labor! YES they do! We have had a few failures, we give them an estimate of the repair and they paid it! This includes from S-W who paid for one AFTER we weren't even using them anymore!

It is a lower hourly rate of course, we aren't making a profit on the warranty job of course, but they pay the labor, YES they do. We have a legal contract with them, we do 3.5 million dollars a year in sales, it is a big business and you can bet your butt the owners make damn sure with lawyers that it is a binding contract and it means what it says it does.

Brian

Brian, I am certainly not trying to mislead anyone. Only going by my own painting experiences of almost fifty years. I can say that nobody offered to pay me in the late '80s and early '90s, when those things happened to me. It was at about that time I decided to just take the responsibility for my own work, and use paint products that consistently perform for me, and of course my customers. (Besides that... I don't like allowing lawyers into my world... since I am not current on my tetanus shots.) :-)

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by TucsonJay

(Besides that... I don't like allowing lawyers into my world... since I am not current on my tetanus shots.) :-)

Oh yeah baby, my bosses ex-wife was a buddy attorney, what a PIRANHA!

I have been thinking about this subject and wanted to explain something.

I am 54 years old and painted my first car in 1977. Things were MUCH different as many of you can agree, there were a few paint manufacturers and that was IT. There weren't all the brands, available here (in the US) and there sure as heck wasn't all the "off brands". The store where I bought the material to paint that 31 Model A acrylic enamel in 1977 was a Napa auto parts store that sold Ditzler (PPG). That is the ONLY paint line they sold, they had all the Ditzler products, and that is what I used. We are talking even the "bondo" was Ditzler labeled part number 999! A few months later I painted the first lacquer job, a 64 Nova, again, all Ditzler. A few months later my 1948 Chevy pickup, yep, Ditzler acrylic enamel, with Ditzler lacquer primer under it and Ditzler 999 filler under that. (lots of it. )

My first full time job a week after high school let out 1977, I was working full time at a body shop buying our materials from that same store! My next full time job, Dupont, everything was Dupont! My next job (full on restoration) Ditzler, and I was there when they changed the name to PPG I believe, shot Delmont there with the tech rep when it came out.

A few more shops, all I remember is spraying the same products, no different brands of anything. Once in a while a specialty product like I remember very vividly at my own shop around 1982 spraying a waterborne primer called "Nova" prime to bury a sensitive substrate. But generally used all the same products.

So I came from a place where that is simply what you did, used all the same products.

When I became a rep as I said I saw so much failure all do not following the tech sheets, with the worse being the guys who would have all different brands of products on their shelves, it looked like the beer and soda coolers at a Quickie Mart for goodness sakes. I REALLY wanted to find out why something failed, I wasn't one of those reps who throw a gallon of clear at you to make you happy, I wanted to SOLVE the problem, I would still give you a gallon of clear even if you screwed something up, but I wanted to learn, and I wanted the painter to learn so it never happen again to them, or to me.
Like I said, there was a pattern like you can't believe. We are talking VERY clear patterns. The guys who thought they were brilliant chemists and that I was a dumb bastard yes man from the paint company, they were the ones with the most failures, HANDS DOWN! And I am not talking "my primer isn't drying fast enough" kinda problems, I am talking total catastrophic failures! I had one guy who had a complaint that bird crap was attacking his customers paint, (a SS industrial value line). I went over there, grabbed a lacquer thinner soaked rag and did the rub test. It came OFF, we are talking the rag was WHITE from the paint and with a few rubs was going THRU the paint! I then walked over to a tailgate I had painted a few days earlier on a gun demo and used the same paint. We walked over to it and rubbed it as hard as I could with a lacquer thinner SOAKED rag and it didn't even touch the paint! This type of thing happen over and over. Was it BECAUSE he used a different band clear, of course not, but it is funny how it happen to ONLY the guys with the habit of not following the tech sheets. I have event after event with a couple of different guys who did this over and over the 5 years I was a rep.

I got even more determined to preach from the mountain tops FOLLOW THE TECH SHEETS with every day. If like I said, with experience we do something different, than cool, if we can pass on something to someone where it works, than cool. But without the knowledge, going by the tech sheets is going to be the newbe's best bet.

Today with all the different brands and all the different "off brands" with only clears or primers available to us, maybe if I was brought up in this environment I would think differently. There ARE shops and home hobbiest all over mixing brands of primer, paint and clear and they ARE producing great work doing it. But again, I can't stress this enough, I am talking to the people without the experience NOT to the pro's, in this regard. If they follow the tech sheets down to using all the products from the same manufacturer AS THEY ARE in those tech sheets they will have less to think about, and less problems.

Brian