PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-668
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 668
JULY 2008
29
PS 668
JULY 08
Plan Your Painting
Surface Preparation
•
Face Protection.
Use a face shield or splash
goggles to keep paint off your face and out
of your eyes, especially when mixing. You’ll need
the shield or goggles to protect your eyes if you
use a power sander or grinder to prepare the
surface, too.
•
Respirator.
A respirator—not just a dust mask—
is always required when spray painting with WD
CARC. When spot painting with a brush or roller,
however, you may or may not need a respirator,
depending on the conditions and location.
Contact your local occupational
safety
and
health
ofFce
to
perform an air sample evaluation
of your work area. If a respirator
is required, they’ll do a baseline
medical evaluation, Ft-test you
for the proper respirator and train
you in its use. Let them know if any
sanding or grinding of old paint
will be done. A different type of
respirator may be required to Flter
out dust.
•
Hearing Protection.
Normally you will not need hearing protection when you paint.
However, you will need earplugs or noise muffs if you use a power sander or grinder
to remove old paint and rust. The folks from your local occupational safety and health
ofFce can tell you the right hearing protection to use.
Cure time increases with low temperatures and high humidity. At 70°F, it takes
about one week for a complete cure, though the vehicle can be handled in a few
hours. Good, proper ventilation will also assist in drying when humidity is high
(greater than 70%). Higher temperatures and lower humidity will reduce cure times
for WD CARC.
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
-20
-40
110
90
70
50
30
10
-10
-30
Weather conditions when you paint are important.
Painting when temperatures are too hot or too cold
greatly affect the cure time. The paint may not dry
properly and probably will not last. So paint in the
shade, on overcast days, or in the evening hours to avoid
direct sunlight.
You’ll get the best results when the temperature is
between 60°F and 90°F. The ideal temperature is 70°F
with a humidity of 45-50 percent. You can paint with
WD CARC when the temperature and humidity are more
or less than the ideal, but cure time will be affected.
•
Sanding.
If the topcoat is merely scratched, lightly scuff sand the blemished area.
Damage that exposes bare metal often involves rust. You must remove all traces of
rust by sanding or with an orbital grinder. The surface immediately surrounding the
exposed metal should then be sanded, using a feathering-in technique. In other words,
the thickness of the coat should be smoothly tapered starting from the center and
going from bare metal, to primer, to topcoat. Clean up any dust or paint particles with
a wet/dry HEPA vacuum or wet wipes. You should also use a sweeping compound when
necessary to suppress dust.
plan ahead and
you’ll only have
to paint your
vehicle
once!
ok!
I’m
ready!
not
so
fast!
if you skimp
here, the paint
won’t stick and
you’ll have to
start all over.
here’s the
right way
to do it.
Keep paint away from eyes
with goggle or face shield
Respirator
may be needed
when painting
Ideal temperature
for painting is 70°F
Taper old paint and primer edges down to bare metal
you’re forgetting
the most important
step of spot
painting.
..
surface
preparation.
Bare metal
Original primer
Original topcoat
668.28-29.indd
1-2
6/3/08
3:42:35 PM
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