spraying air vents!!

18th August 2008, 21:06

was pretty excited this morning because i decided to paint all my air vents, center console, glovebox handle and few more bits in metalic silver...

i started with the airvents because i thought if i done it wrong i could pick up some more pretty easily...

well, i sanded them down with some 800 sand paper and then primed them, sanded then when they dried and primd them again...

i applied the metalic silver paint and it started going all wrong, lots of bulging bits of paint and looks a mess, can any1 help me and give me a better step by step on how to make it look good...

i have the primer, coloured paint, nd lacquer...

rep given, Carl.

18th August 2008, 21:14

thinner coats of paint

room temp too hot or too cold

not leaving long enough before drying

theres a few guides for stuff like this, have a search mate

18th August 2008, 21:19

theres no point sanding it down it will only scratch it, take the side vents for example they are flat already, so all you need is a good clean, coat of primer and few coats of what ever colour you want then laquer it and done, i done a car a while back and if you leave the items in a box with a warm light on it you can get a good shine when youve applied the gloss or whatever paint you do, worked for me.

18th August 2008, 21:21

I used about 4 thin coats of clear plastic primer. About 7/8 mist coats of silver plastic spray. Finally 2 light coats of clear plastic laquer. No need to sand imo...

Oh yeah forgot to mention: make sure you degrease the whole thing. Otherwise the paint will just run off

18th August 2008, 21:55

how are you spraying exactly??, how far away from it??? etc etc

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuller292

theres no point sanding it down it will only scratch it, take the side vents for example they are flat already, so all you need is a good clean, coat of primer and few coats of what ever colour you want then laquer it and done, i done a car a while back and if you leave the items in a box with a warm light on it you can get a good shine when youve applied the gloss or whatever paint you do, worked for me.

and you have to key the surface for the paint to stick to it, it may be ok now but it will eventualy flake off

just use a scotch pad to key the surface, followed by plastic primer, paint and finally laquer, best to let it dry for a good week before fitting as you will leave fingerprints in the soft paint etc

18th August 2008, 22:00

I hung mine up on a bit of string so I could get even coverage. Sprayed from about 6 inches I guess

19th August 2008, 03:27

i was also spraying from about 6-8 inches away...

to start with, i gave the vents a good clean, then sanded lightly and applied the primer, (when the vents were dry)

i then sanded lightly again and applied some more primer..

when it dried i applied my chosen colour...

when it dried in sanded lightly and put on another coat... done this for about 5 coats.

started looking shit so i started again... the paint was runnin a lil when i applied it, might of been using a lil bit too much, i'll give it another go tmorow...

19th August 2008, 03:56

5 coats on air vents? Bit o.t.t imo i only used 2 lol

Fuck knows why it's going wrong =\

19th August 2008, 08:13

I have just sprayed my centre console and air vent Yellow!

Step 1;
Clean the plastic down with lots of fairy liquid and a brush. Then RINSE!

Step 2;
Apply 2 or 3 thin coats of plastic primer with 10 minutes between coats. (You can get this from motorworld/halfrauds etc.) Leave it to drie for a couple of hours.

Step 3;
Start with a thin coat of High Build Primer in White if a light colour or Grey if a dark colour as this gives better depth to the paints colour. After an hour or so spray a thick coat on, thick enough so that the paint can level itself.

At this point, touch up any fish eyes (little circles where the paint hasnt stuck) with primer.

Dont be afraid of runs... Yet.

Leave it for 24 hours to dry.

Step 4;
Sand it down so it is completely flat using a really fine wet and dry.

Remember this is goin to affect your final surface quality!

Step 5;
Do Step 1, AGAIN!

Step 6;
Start applying the paint in very VERY thin coats from about 6 - 9 inches away leavin approx. 15 minutes between them.

Step 7;
Once you have the depth of colour that you want, leave it to dry for 24 hours.

(I used 8 coats, as yellow is a poor colour for coverage.)

Step 8;
After making sure there are no specs of dirt on your plastic, (if there are use Step 1 again.) Apply a nice thick coat of laquer, just enough so that it looks wet but not enough to make it run.

When doing this, ensure that whatever you are spraying is lying down.

Continue applying layers of laquer atr approx. 15 minutes intervals until you have your desired shine.

Step 9;
Leave it for a couple of hours then check it, if it has gone dull you may want to apply more laquer.

Step 10;
Once you are finnished laquering, leave it for at least 48 hours

Hope this helps bud!

19th August 2008, 11:35

Wipe the plastic over with white spirit 1st before applying any paints as it gets rid of any contaminants.

Steve.

19th August 2008, 11:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by steev911

I have just sprayed my centre console and air vent Yellow!

Step 1;
Clean the plastic down with lots of fairy liquid and a brush. Then RINSE!

Step 2;
Apply 2 or 3 thin coats of plastic primer with 10 minutes between coats. (You can get this from motorworld/halfrauds etc.) Leave it to drie for a couple of hours.

Step 3;
Start with a thin coat of High Build Primer in White if a light colour or Grey if a dark colour as this gives better depth to the paints colour. After an hour or so spray a thick coat on, thick enough so that the paint can level itself.

At this point, touch up any fish eyes (little circles where the paint hasnt stuck) with primer.

Dont be afraid of runs... Yet.

Leave it for 24 hours to dry.

Step 4;
Sand it down so it is completely flat using a really fine wet and dry.

Remember this is goin to affect your final surface quality!

Step 5;
Do Step 1, AGAIN!

Step 6;
Start applying the paint in very VERY thin coats from about 6 - 9 inches away leavin approx. 15 minutes between them.

Step 7;
Once you have the depth of colour that you want, leave it to dry for 24 hours.

(I used 8 coats, as yellow is a poor colour for coverage.)

Step 8;
After making sure there are no specs of dirt on your plastic, (if there are use Step 1 again.) Apply a nice thick coat of laquer, just enough so that it looks wet but not enough to make it run.

When doing this, ensure that whatever you are spraying is lying down.

Continue applying layers of laquer atr approx. 15 minutes intervals until you have your desired shine.

Step 9;
Leave it for a couple of hours then check it, if it has gone dull you may want to apply more laquer.

Step 10;
Once you are finnished laquering, leave it for at least 48 hours

Hope this helps bud!

thanks for that, quite a bit of a long process isn't it... i'll try and follow this and see how it goes.

19th August 2008, 15:35

i had a similar problem when i sprayed my air vents the rattle can was cold when i used it instead of being room temp but when i warmed the can up it seemed to work fine.

19th August 2008, 15:43

still missed keying the surface out there

white spirit imo leaves a residue behind i prefer methylated spirits

also when you have finished spraying the layer your on turn the can up side down and press to spray until just air comes out and give the nozzle a wipe, will prevent drips on the next layer you do

19th August 2008, 17:36

sprayed them and here is how they look. 2 coats of primer, a few coats of colour, and 2 coats of lacquer...

still not the best job but oh well...

19th August 2008, 17:43

next im doing the glove box handle, fuse cover and the handle that are in the armrests of the doorcards...

20th August 2008, 08:34

The plastic primer reacts with the plastic to creat an extremely fine key.

It changes the surface so that the paint will stick therefore no need to key and you get a really good finish.

20th August 2008, 11:17

still best to do it though, its good practice imo

20th August 2008, 16:15

i've just finished the glovebox handle and the handles inside the armrests...

glovebox handle looks pretty smooth, alot smoother than the airents, just leaked a little bit when i masked up the box.. will use some back to black to get rid of this lil smears...

im gna do the center peice now...

how do i remove it? i took out the 3 screws, 2 near the HU and 1 at the bottom under the ash tray, i took out the HU, cig lighter and air vent sliders... now what, just pull it out?

Carl.

20th August 2008, 16:18

there should be 5 screws, two are behind the heated rear screen button, the blanking bits on wither end hide the screws

20th August 2008, 16:39

so do i just need to pop all the buttons out and there should be another 2 screws on each end where the buttons were?

also, how do i pop them out, just get a flat headed screw driver behind them?

20th August 2008, 16:43

Just carefully pop the 2 end pieces off with flat head. The screws are under there.

20th August 2008, 16:49

try and get one out with your hand if you can, if not just a small flathead should get one out and then the rest should be a doddle

20th August 2008, 16:57

ok thanks for that, i'll give it a go now..

20th August 2008, 17:40

i got the center piece out, but i cant get the cig lighter, air vent at the top and the airvent power twister thing out...

need help on this now, when i got these out i can give it a clean, light sand and then a first light coat of primer...

20th August 2008, 18:14

got the top air vent out, and the air power control button.. but just cant mange to get the lighter out... undone the screw then the black bit from inside and out, but cant find out what to do next..

20th August 2008, 18:37

hanynes manual says to just push it out, looking at it looks like you need to push 2 clips around the circumference in for it to come out but i gave up and just masked it up

20th August 2008, 18:59

lol that cig lighter is a nightmare!!! I ended up just ripping it out...oops. Good job i have 2 consoles tho!

20th August 2008, 19:15

the cig lighter you have to take to bits like all the parts in it to get the plastic insert out

20th August 2008, 22:27

came to a problem, when i was drivin to football, i touched the light bulb that is supposed to be behind something in the center console, and it constantly stays on, even when the ignition is off, and now my indicators wont work

please help!

Carl.

21st August 2008, 17:22

masked up the cig lighter coz i couldnt get it out...

i've just put my last coat of lacquar on and just letting it dry...

1 problem tho, my indicators dont work

, y-day i touched a liight that is supposed to be behind the center piece and ever since then the indicators dont work...

do you think they will start working again when i get the center piece back in and all the wires wired up properly?

Carl.

21st August 2008, 17:25

hazard switch back in???

21st August 2008, 17:28

no, all the switches are out, i've been driving the car without the center console in... coz i needed to go to football y-day and coudlnt fit in the piece as it was drying off...

so basically, no switches are in, its just the Hu lieing in the center lol

and all the wires that were connected to the back of the piece

21st August 2008, 17:29

yeh put hazard switch back on, and chances are youll of popped a fuse now

21st August 2008, 17:32

i've checked all fuses and all of them are fine

21st August 2008, 17:42

indicators wont work without hazards plugged in, also thing reverse lights dont work either

21st August 2008, 22:34

fitted the center piece back in and everythings working, pretty happy with the result..

sorry about piks being a bit dark, i took them at 8 ish

21st August 2008, 22:35

need to rsize them too...

next on list is to do speaker grill covers

26th August 2008, 23:13

They look sound mate!
Will post some of mine up tomoro if i get a chance!