I didnt mean to post this one.

Misshydro you think that the harborfrieght brand would be a good enoungh choice my brother says the same. I do have a store in my town I love shopping there because of the prices. I just didnt think there paint guns were probably any good. I think i should just go with that and move on to the next step.

Most cases I suppose you get what you pay for. I however have had several of these cheapo guns and have had lots of success over my 15 year painting career with them. I have guns that I've paid over $300 for that don't perform as well as the $50 gun I currently use for gelcoat and several other products. My suggestion to you is unless you're in the business, stick with cheap. It works, and gets just about the same job accomplished. Have had my little gelcoat gun that I purchased from Home Depot for 8 years. Used off and on, love it! Recently replaced with the current model of Husky brand as I forgot to clean the gun after shooting gelcoat into one of my molds. Found out I forgot 8 hours later[:@]....

as for scale ships, some guys use waterslide transfers

a little tip.

paint your colors as normal, then use CLEAR GLOSS acrylic before you add the water slides. once waterslides are down spray over the boat with satin laquer, what this does is make the film of the waterslide go invisible.

ya I would get them. two for that prices is a bargen! Yes I love my accuspray gun!! I'd wanted to get one since 91!! I was at a paint seminar when the rep thrown the gun accross the shop and even ran it over with a car!! It still sprayed great!!!! That gun is made from delrin,like of a kevlare. Its a two piece body version. Life time warnitie on the body at that time.When they design that gun the rep told the designers that it better take a throw from a painter if the paint job messes up!! or if he accidently forgets the spray gun behind or in front of the car and runs over it. But in 98 when the issac newton gun came out,I'd feel in love with it!!! I'd finnaly got one in 2000!!That gun is all alum body. I'd never thown a gun,but thown wrenches accross the shop.They dont break and dont cost 300+ to replace eather!!

Paint Compatability Chart

This shows what kind of paint can be applied over each other.

To simplify...
Lacquer can be covered by lacquer, enamel or acrylics.
Enamel can only be covered by enamel or acrylics.
Acrylics can't be covered by anything but more acrylic.

Nice chart by the way

Ok in vocationalschool were I took autobody in high school, My teacher gave us a test on spraying laqure over enamels. Yes it can be done!!! you have to spray couple of light coats,that acts as a berrier coat. then you can start spraying it,but not to wet!! Got a A on that test. I'd shot over acrylic enamels with urothanes paints before. If the enamel has hardner in it and its old ,then you can paint over it.Just use paint sealer over it first!

this was done at a paint shop last year,i forgot who painted her,thoght id post befofe i ship her off to the new owner,{just for some ideas to make that white hull not so drab]white boat is the sister ship,still in white jelcoat

Amazing pictures. Where did you get this kit?

Everyone thank you for your help so far. I am now passed the paint gun problem now (harborfreight or lowes makes the most sense for me). Time to move on to the paint. You guys already started giving me good advice on paints and has helped me out alot. I am thinking of buying this kit http://www.tcpglobal.com/hokpaint/it...OK+KANDYKIT-4Z I am wondering how many ounce's of paint does it take to to paint a boat (in my case on average a 36" boat) I am going to paint each boat aleast 2 colors and may decide on painting the bottoms (if solid color) with auto spray cans. I like the kit because it gives me options on colors without alot of extra paint. Just not sure if its enough of each color.

if you want great advice and how to's you should check out http://www.airbrushtech.info/AIRBRUSH/forum/index.php great artists and great people over there!

The k-3 sprayer works good for me, by harbor freight add a moisture valve good to go , klass kote all the way

Na Crossfire&NASON urethanes all the way..! cheaper on the walet...

your boat looks amazing, did you just airbrush over the white gelcoat and clear it?

not to thread jack here but i am in the same situation at the moment, I have a shockwave 36 i just finished sanding all down, its ready for paint, should i lay down a coat of white gelcoat on it first than airbrush my designs onto the boat, followed by a clear gelcoat? or just put a white base down to paint my art on followed by a clear of some sort? I dont have any experience in air brushing or spraying any paint other than paint cans. I do have to guns i got from my ex step father who was a painter, one is a devillbliss he used for primer the other im not sure the brand or what he used it for, both still work but are not gravity feed. any help for which way to go about painted would be appreicated, I also have a 42" sprint cat that i need to sand down smooth out than paint as well. but I do need to know where to start at, white gelcoat base or white paint base, airbrush or spray what i want, than clear gelcoat or just a clear coat.

No hijacking here, that's why I made this thread a sticky. Don't add any more gelcoat. Gel is the BEST primer you can ever get! Since it's already gelcoated, simply scuff and apply your white base color. Add your other colors or graphics, then finally apply some sort of clearcoat system using any of the brands. There are many inexpensive brands out there such as Nason by Dupont and Crossfire by Martin Senour. I'm sure if you do some more Googling, you can learn HOW to use the equipment you have acquired which I'm sure is more than adequate, long as you have an air compressor. I would explain here, however your best to watch video clips and see pictures of how the process is done. It's not like rattle can painting. Just remember that a good paint job is 90% part preparation, 10% actual painting......at least that's what I was while I was taking my painting classes at a trade school LONG time ago.

thank you, I will need to spray down a white gelcoat than since the hull was dinged up all over the place and im filling it today with white marine putty from my fiberglass store. the cat hull i have needs some touch up filling too, and the guy i got it from sprayed gray primer over the whole thing so ill probley end up sanding that down and doing a white gelcoat base for a good starting point.

I was referring to the gelcoat that's already on your boat, not adding more because it's a good base. If you have primer already, just use a body filler and prep like you would a car.

If you STILL think you need gelcoat, which you do not, you need to use the right kind. Feel free to call me and I'll explain more. Too much to type here.

410.588.9249

here is my hull as of now

Good talking to you....

Not as bad as you made it out to be. Just do things like we discussed and she'll look great!

great talking to you too! you gave me a lot of helpful little pointers that will definately help me along through the process, this white putty stuff i got to is amazing so far. i only got to the one side and part of the bottom but i will take some current pics and pics as i go along too. if you want I can call up the fibgerglass place and ask what exactly the stuff is.

Yes, please do....very interested.

well with work and all its been busy trying to work on this hull i need to sand it some more but here are some pics after the white putty, Scott that putty I told you about is a polyester resin with nytal

on average how much does a quart of red and white base paint cost?