All u guys that paint for a living at a collision repair shop, what do u do on a day to day basis?

do u guys do alot of blend jobs? what does it take to become a painter?

TecknikalSupport wrote:All u guys that paint for a living at a collision repair shop, what do u do on a day to day basis?

do u guys do alot of blend jobs? what does it take to become a painter?

I'm a head painter in the shop. I started as a bodyman and did lots of body work and then when our former headpainter quit his job my boss offered me to be the head painter. As a headpainter in the shop all I have to do is wait for the 'ready to paint' car. And yes I do a lot of blending. Outside the shop I do fiberglass for speakers and such (i make pretty good money for this side line.hehehe)

where can i find info. on blending?

Yes, blend everything, be sure to have good equipment, yes you can blend mettalics with cheap guns but it will be much easier with good equipment, go to performancecoatings.dupont.com look for the tech manual, go to basecoats, go to special proceedures and you will find info on blending, understand blending is a s subjective as art, ask 10 guys and get 10 ways to do it, just listen to everyone and try everything and figure out what works for you

TecknikalSupport wrote:where can i find info. on blending?

It's not that hard to blend but tinting the paint to match the OEM finish is somewhat challenging. You kinda have to learn how to play with the paint formulas.

BLENDING VARIABLES


A MUST READ for GUN CONTROL! Read how gun setup can effect the colors. This is a GREAT READ for Color Matching and the effects of the VARIABLES.
READ THE LINK FOR MORE INFO
http://www.abrn.com/abrn/article/articl ... p?id=19625

"When using a metallic, you are no longer painting a color but are applying a color effect. This effect is shown by the various shades that are seen when viewed by the human eye. This broad spectrum of color is the result of "reflective action"--metallic flakes do nothing more than reflect a light beam that has penetrated the finish."
READ THE LINK FOR MORE INFO
http://www.abrn.com/abrn/article/articl ... p?id=19583

"The problem of successful color matching is compounded by the fact that color itself is a perception. Every person differs in how he or she values the different aspects of color and in how discriminating they are in viewing color. Industry has long been trying to bring order to the messy field of human color perception."
http://www.abrn.com/abrn/article/articl ... p?id=19577

"The goal of blending is to achieve a color match between the repaired section of the vehicle and the original paint job, so the process naturally starts with looking at the color match. First, make a sprayout card. Blank cards are available from all paint venders and several aftermarket sources. Most have a black and white contrasting pattern, such as a checkerboard, and many have a hole in the center to facilitate comparison with the vehicle. Comparing the sprayout card with the vehicle will either verify that the formula chosen is blendable or demonstrate the need to try a different variant or possibly even tint the color."
http://www.abrn.com/abrn/article/articl ... sp?id=1386

"The high volume of vehicles that the vehicle maker produces, as well as multiple facilities that use the same color code on multiple vehicles, can lead to differences in the appearance of the color, although the paint code will remain the same. Also, the translucency of the basecoats allows for undercoats and primers to show through the topcoat, giving the color a different effect."
I-Car Blending LINK

There is a lot of "good info available for FREE" to the people that want to follow the links above and read about them in more detail.

I've been painting cars since August. I own a small shop with
one bodyman, a helper and myself as the painter (among other things).

What does it take to be a painter? Good question with many answers.

Almost a year has past since i picked up a spraygun. Spoke
with many other painters, researched online, bought books and videos.
Made lot's of mistakes (costly redo's). It takes a lot to be a "good"
painter, as with any other profession. I've seen the work of many
so called "professional" painters with decades of "experience"
and yet their work is slopy. And on the flipside, i've seen the work
of novices that are very professional looking.

Young or old, experienced or new, one thing is for certain;
a good attitude, with a real desire to learn and adapt to differences
is key.

I highly recommend taking a training course. I would if i had the time,
but i practice and learn as i go. I'm very proud of what i've accomplished
so far. I'm finally confident in my painting abilities to say that i'm
a "good" painter. I haven't really advertised or promoted my shop
because i felt my work was just so so. But things are much different now.

I want to be the best "painter" in California! (the best shop too).
I wanna be better than anyone on this forum!

BUT i have miles to go before i sleep...

If you want to be a painter. Then be one. Go for it. soak up
all the knowledge you can. Be humble and confident.