Paint Your Wagon - with a roller!

[CovKid]

Agree, even when its warmish like this, the paint remains soft for at least a week. For smoothing out, yep a sanding down followed by a polish. Depends how good your layers were

[Llamapup]

Llamapup

You really need to give it a week between coats, then flatten back

Yes. I have been giving it a week to dry between coats. It was a typo where I suggested I put two coats on this weekend.

I'm guessing two weeks is probably best this tine of year as this paint really does take its time to harden off. Both sides got their second coat today, but one side had been dry for two weeks and the other for just one and the paint did seem a little harder on the two week side when flatting back.

When I was painting today one side of my van was facing the sun and was warm to the touch. I had to move much quicker to catch drips on the sunny side before they dried.

[CovKid]

I think if it were me. I'd customise a roller handle to take a cut-down roller. Thats no bad idea actually. The worst area to get at is the bit immediately below gutter line. Some areas, including bumper gulley (for want of a better description) are ok with a brush, in fact many areas not on display like lowest part of the sill. I'm in year three now and attacking those areas I felt I hadn't gone to town on with the grinder and welder but the great thing is I can patch in areas like this easily as the paint doesn't appear to have faded and you just don't notice in the same way you would with a sprayer.

I've said this before but a rollered van is like a narrowboat of the road and actually, it makes a whole load of practical sense all round. The more you get into it, the more the attraction. If I start to get a load of dents somewhere I can fill and roller on a localised area fairly easily. I do tend to make it a panel for blending purposes, but unlike spray, you don't have overspray issues and you can do it on a quiet Sunday morning without any hassles.

By the way, I tried the dry brush technique used towards end of this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3UCEbGZmz0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and it does work well! - knocks out any bubbles and surface irregularities. Pat (who made the video) confirmed this evening that the dry brush does remove the air bubbles!

[Cruz]

I found the channel (not sure what to call it) that runs around the van in the middle of each panel to be a pain to roller without some minor runs

[Llamapup]

I found the channel (not sure what to call it) that runs around the van in the middle of each panel to be a pain to roller without some minor runs

That's the bit I mean. You can knock back any imperfections in the paint with a second go with a roller on the large panel sections but the "channel" is too big for a roller and is quite a noticable section of the van should there be any imperfections. The sponge brushes do work okay, but a 2-3in roller would be perfect, for those bits. Either way lots of sanding between coats seems to fix the problem.

[CovKid]

Nah, go up and down on those. Not had any probs myself.

Added your new 'orange' look to WIKI Llamapup.

[CovKid]

Having started all this, I'm on year three and just given the whole bus a gentle flat down and an extra coat for the Summer - weather been perfect this week! Go LLamapup, go - you won't get as good a bug-free week as this buddy.

Managed to get round with just three mini-trays of paint and got a much better finish this time - very close to modern 'production car' spray jobs and not polished out yet. Was very lazy with mixing the thinners too, mixing most of it as I went with the roller .

And you know the best bit? It'll be dry by the morning and ready to rumble - with repaired windscreen lip and new windscreen seal too. Do your worst you pesky British weather Filled in the old rear windscreen washer jet hole on back this time too. This thread is officially three years old this week too. Happy Birthday roller friends! Over 55,000 views and over 60 pages...

AND (fanfare) we made it on Rustoleum's official site - http://www.rustoleum.co.uk/products/metal-paint" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - they will give 80/90 members a 10% discount too! Rob and I are doing a more comprehensive video this year.

Next job is to help repaint Chickenkoop's camper - that guy changes vans like the weather...grumble, grumble...

For anyone who is interested, the colour is 7328 - RAL 5002 on the chart. Its marginally darker than it looks in photo. Pics are raw - ie straight after rollering with no flatting/buffing/polishing.

[chickenkoop]

Just breaking you in easy with yours first,
As Covkid said, we will be doing my westy cal in a few weeks but will be doing a comprehensive coverage.
if Covkid polishes his van it'll look very good.

[CovKid]

Yup, the video Rob (Chickenkoop) and I made was a rather hurried thing and lots have asked us to do a more comprehensive video so we thought we'd do another showing all the tools you'll need, the prep required and detailed tips and hints on getting the best possible finish. It won't be available on the site but will be available mail order at reasonable cost with an estimated running time of around 30-45 minutes - ideal for anyone considering doing it themselves or to gain some insight into how to improve subsequent coats. As always, we'll start from a basis that the owner has limited funds and skill, and suggest workarounds or alternatives where relevant.

[rattybird]

i have just read this thread on volkszone and this guy made a fantastic job of his bug i thought it might have some pointers for people !


http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/showthread ... 435&page=9" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[eatcustard]

I have let the side down and gone for a respray.

but I will finish rollering the inside cab/door

[rattybird]

I have let the side down and gone for a respray.

but I will finish rollering the inside cab/door

if you dont want to let the side down lol you can help me ! should be or ordering the paint on thursday ! so should arrive monday all being well

[CovKid]

Make sure that body is FLAT rattybird. Any lumps or bumps will be BIG lumps or bumps if its not dead flat.

[catflaps]

Hello,

I've been looking into buying the combicolor paint for my van. I've tried both companies suggested here (Lawsons and Paintshop.ie), and the prices are very interesting. Im based in Belfast so postage is always going to be a bit more for me but I was shocked at the price difference between the 2 companies.

For 1x 2.5 litre tin of ral 9010 and 1x 750ml spray can of the same colour (including vat and delivery) Paintshop.ie will charge me £81
For the same from Lawsons it's cost me £54

I know which i'll be going with!

[eatcustard]

I have let the side down and gone for a respray.

but I will finish rollering the inside cab/door

if you dont want to let the side down lol you can help me !

I can help you paint the van and floor as well . I have some rollers you can have