Introduction to Paint and Associated Products
by Frank Colgoni

We're going to take another time out from the fabrication articles to introduce you to the paint and other associated products that we'll use on the roadster. When selecting these products, it pays dividends to deal with representatives of your paint manufacturer that understand the "system" prescribed by the manufacturer. I use the word "system" as manufacturers typically take the guesswork out of mixing and matching of the full range of products that you might use. Specifically, primers and undercoats, single-stage or multi-stage topcoats and the other required, associated, additives like reducers and hardeners. Don't take any (expensive) chances.

We're going to repeat some comments that we made in another series that also apply here.

"You may already be aware, if you've ever been involved with painting or re-painting, that the whole process can be an "interesting" experience. We say interesting because, while it can be a straightforward exercise and (truly) interesting, it can also be a less than rewarding experience depending upon talent, materials and other surprises. Like you, we aren't interested in either a less than rewarding experience or any surprises. In the interest of avoiding both of these, we are going to use top-quality materials and talented people.

Not unlike other technologies, the science of automotive finishes has evolved significantly in a fairly short time. Unlike yesteryear where you might be faced with a choice of only straight-ahead enamel or lacquer single-stage finishes, we can now choose from single, double and triple-stage finishes. Also, the chemistry of the products has evolved so that, while enamels and lacquers still exist, they are based on acrylic and polyurethane formulations".

For this project, we are again going with a two-stage process. That is, a basecoat with a clear topcoat.

We have worked with, and will continue to work with, the technicians at Akzo Nobel / Sikkens. To date, this has involved product selection and we will continue to consult about color and other technical considerations. We are very grateful for their support.

Akzo Nobel is the biggest paint company with bases in 60 countries and 30,000 employees. They have been in operation for over 200 years. The Sikkens brand has also been in around for over 200 years. Providing what you say? How about coatings for horse-drawn carriages!

You can link directly to the Sikkens site by clicking the banner below.

What follows is a material list and descriptions of the Sikkens products that we will be using.
Surface Preparation M600 Surface Cleaner
M600 is a very good general purpose cleaner. It is suitable for cleaning bare metal, existing finishes, primer surfacer, etc.
Primer (metal) Washprimer CR
Washprimer CR is a self-etching washprimer that offers superior corrosion resistance and excellent paint system adhesion to steel, galvanized steel, aluminum, and stainless steel.
Primer Surfacer Colorbuild
The Colorbuild undercoat system consists of 6 colored primers which, when mixed in proper combination with each other, a color close to the topcoat can be achieved. Colorbuild can be used as either a high build primer surface or as a primer sealer.
Basecoat Autobase Plus
Autobase Plus is the color for the Sikkens two stage paint system. It provides color and metallic effect.
Clear Finish Autoclear HS+
Autoclear HS + is a high solids clear coat for use over Autobase Plus. Offers high gloss and is designed for baking conditions.

Sikkens Colormap System
At our last meeting with the Sikken's folks, we were introduced to their Colormap system. The beauty of this system is that you have the opportunity to select a colour from an unbelievable range (3500) in both solids and metallics/pearls. In absence of having a specific manufacturer's colour code, this system permits total control over colour family and variants. You would be hard pressed to not find a colour using this tool.

More on how we used this tool in a future article.

Additional articles will follow in the future relative to bodywork and paint. To learn more about paint and painting, have a look at John Connery's articles in the Connery's Corner section of Canadian Rodder.

Resources:

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