I'm on a budget and am going to be doing body work on my camaro, and eventually send it out to get some good cheapo paint job. However, I don't have any paint tools. If I use spray can primer to bondo over, or even things out, is it going to really peel off once the car is painted, or will it be OK?

 

You will be asking for trouble. First you don't want to bondo over your primer but rather 36 grit sand it down to bare metal where your body work will be. Then bondo fill, then putty, feather and prime.

Next if you want a decent job you will want to use a two part catalyst, high build primer over your bodywork. The can primer is much too thin. Any imperfection in body or prep work will be magnified 10 times when the clear coat goes on.

 

So what you're basically saying is that it is not advisable to do any bodywork unless you have an air compressor and your own paint gun, correct?

 

It's not going to peel off. Like he said above, it's not going to 'build' like the good stuff, which is nice for the small imperfections. But if you are going to just get a cheapo paint job if will work. You should put the bondo on the metal. Use some "spot and glazing compound" to fill the minor stuff once you get a nice smooth coat of bondo filler.

 

the guy that i bought my bird from used srpay can primer on it. i am working on painting it, and let me tell you, its easier to take off the spray can stuff and do it right. the spray goes on so thin, that it took almost nothing to get it off. i borrowed the spray gun from a friend and it wasnt hard to use atall. you could prolly rent one for cheap. DO IT RIGHT! hope it helps.

tony

 

Cool, I understand the thickness thing now. Makes sense. Actually, I was thinking of Biting the bullet an buying a compressor and Gun. Anybody know what that compressor would run me?
What kind of specs do I need to look for on it.
Also, any gun recommendations?

Not professional grade, but good enough to do my own priming, and maybe a low grade paint job.

 

I bought two lower prices HVLP guns. One was about 129.00 the other about 179.00. I got two guns because you should shoot one for primer or sealer and one for base/clear. This is a good rule but not written in stone. Also you shoot base/clear with a 1.4mm to 1.6mm nozzle and primer with a 1.6mm to 1.8mm nozzle.

So if you get only one gun I would get a 1.6mm nozzle and clean the heck out of it between shoots.

I got a Sears 6 horse 33 gallon compressor for about $300.00. I wouldn't go under this size.

If I had it to do again I would have gotten an 80 gallon tank and maybe another horse or two. The compressor is so handy to work on cars you wonder how you got along without one. The smaller compressors struggle with power tools and sand blasting equipment.