Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Painting your car for the first time?? Here are tips that will help you cleanly fog a new coat on your 4×4!
10/26/2017 01:00:00 PM
aftermarket car parts, car bumper, car cleaning, car fender, car paint, DIY
2 comments
Painting your car
for the first time can be a fun experience or a complete nightmare! But if you
are a Pro, Paint Job could save you thousands of Dollars. Want to become a Pro?
Follow our Guide. - Brought to you by PartsAvatar Performance Auto Parts.
If you are
restoring a vehicle, a major milestone in the process is when you paint the
vehicle. Depending on your skills, you may wish to tackle the paint job
yourself.
If you have never
painted before, the idea of painting may seem fun. But a slight mistake can
turn your hard work into waste. So, before going on DIY Paint job, follow this
Paint job guide or tips, so that your car won’t turn into a disaster!
Pick a proper time and place
Strictly avoid
painting in wind, rain and snow. Some paints won’t cure properly in overly
cold, hot or humid conditions. It is not recommended for you to paint in spring
because the air is filled with pollens and bugs.
Anyone would go
crazy at the sight of bugs resting on your freshly painted car.
A car should be
painted indoors. Painting over a lawn or under a tree will guarantee you will
have a lot of insects or leaves embedded in your paint. A two car garage works
very well.
A clean workplace
or garage is also essential for a successful paint job. Make sure the garage or
area where you plan to paint your car is clean and free of dust. It would be
wise to mop the floor prior painting a car.
Properly ventilate
the area where the DIY is going to be performed. Make sure the workplace is
dry. Drying the area is very important otherwise corrosion would take place and
your efforts will be in vain.
If you live in
deserts, you can paint your car in summer, early in the morning before the sun
had a chance to increase the air temperature.
But, avoid painting
in direct sunlight. You can create a shaded temporary spray booth with easy up
or masking film.
Use recommended thinner
Use the recommended
thinner and follow the thinning directions. One quart paint cups make mixing
and pouring easier. You can find them at any paint store.
Use a new paint
strainer to pour paint into the car spray gun
or solid particles could clog the tip.
Treating Rust
Rust repair isn’t
hard but its time consuming. It is essential for the car to have all its rust
removed chemically before it is painted because rust causes paint to bubble.
You can also cut
the rusted metal and replace the panel entirely. This is because painting the
rust surface before removing it will just prolong its life.
You can easily
replace car front bumpers,
car doors, auto fenders
and hoods at PartsAvatar under economic prices.
Use Lustreless, Satin and Flat paints
The easiest paints
to lay down are lustreless, satin and flat paints. These also hide the
imperfections in the body and your prep work. Lighter colors hide imperfections
better than darker colors if that’s important to you.
Use high quality Body Filler
The smooth the
surface of your car and prepare it for painting, use high quality body filler.
Low quality body fillers do not last as long as high quality ones.
No one wishes to
get car’s paint job done again. They are also difficult to sand, which
increases amount of time and effort required to make the body panel smooth. Why
not use quality paint products in the first place?
Use quality Primer
Priming is
essential step in painting metal surfaces. You will need to prime before
applying any top coat or color to the car. Primers seal the surface and create
a protective barrier. They also create ideal surface for the color coat paint
to adhere to. Always choose high build primers and make sure the area you plan
to paint is thoroughly cleaned before you start.
Wear a respirator
When you are spray
painting in an enclosed space, you must use a respirator with disposable
cartridges. A good respirator will cost you about $50 if you by it any online
auto store like Partsavatar.ca.
Don’t forget to
take other proper safety precautions when spray painting such as wearing eye
protection.
Practice on a price of scrap material
Practice on a piece
of scrap material and play with airflow and paint adjustments on the gun to
find what works best for you.
Move the gun side
to side and keep practicing.
Hit the hard to reach the crevices first
Round spray pattern
works best for tight spots. You may want to increase paint flow to get better
finish on wheel wells, frames, suspension parts and axles.
Spray the backside of removed body parts
You can first spray
the backside of the removed panels or parts to avoid mess. It is always better
to hang the panels so that they can be painted at once.
Use a pressure regulator and water and oil separator
It is better to use
pressure regulator to ensure paint pressure is not too high or low. Use oil
separator to ensure that paint is not contaminated.
Painting
Whether you are
giving your car a fresh new paint colour, or matching the existing paint, you
will need a correct shade. Use recommended ratios to mix the paint with thinner
and primer.
Each coat will take
about 10 minutes to apply per panel and between 20 minutes to an hour between
recoating for the paint to cure.
Read paint can’s
instructions thoroughly and use the drying time accordingly. Apply three to
four coats.
Before applying
final coat, remove residue with sandpaper and wipe it down with a clean rag.
Repeat it until you get a clear coat lacquer.
You may want to
wait several days for the paint to fully cure before bolting things back
together.
If you follow these
tips, you should end up with a fine paint job. But a last tip for the first timers.
Let your professional handle the paint job and examine him carefully. And for
the second time, the arena is all yours!
Visit
Partsavatar.ca to get best deals in aftermarket auto parts and accessories.
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Learn how to clean cloudy Car Headlights with these simple tips suggested by PartsAvatar Auto Parts!!
10/15/2017 01:00:00 PM
aftermarket car parts, auto body replacement parts., automotive lightings, Car Headlights, DIY
No comments
If your car’s
headlights aren’t shining like they used to, here’s how you can do it yourself
and save your hard earned cash!!-Brought to you by PartsAvatar Replacement Auto Parts!
If you’ve started
to notice that your car’s headlights don’t shine as bright as they used to this
could be a sign that they’re in need of sprucing up. It is necessary for the
headlights to be kept clean as it keeps you safe on the road! Also if don’t
want to earn a penalty ticket!!
Cleaning headlights
isn’t a tough job. You don’t need to call a professional or need to replace car headlights
if you think they aren’t working fine! Clean them first! You have got two
choices: either restore old headlights with a restoration kit or spend $40 on
new ones or even more depending on quality!!
If still, nothing
changes, then you probably need replacement of car headlights.
Are they cloudy on outside??
Before you start
cleaning headlight, make sure the cloudiness is on the outside of the lens. If
you see moisture on the inside and some hairline cracks, then the problem is on
inside and you will have to spend money on buying a new one.
Why do headlights become hazy or cloudy?
You keep your car
shiny but can’t help noticing that your car’s headlights are foggy. So what’s making headlights cloudy
even if you clean them? Mostly cars use halogen bulbs plugged in the back of a
large plastic reflector. Outer surface of these headlamp modules is moulded
polycarbonate plastic.
To combat the
porous nature of plastic despite of being strong, they are covered with a protective
film. The film over the years is exposed to heat from the bulb, UV rays and
harsh chemicals that come up from the road. The film eventually fades and
allows the plastic to become oxidized which gives headlights a cloudy look.
How to clean it? Read
further!
Wash your car
The very first
step, wash your car thoroughly. Washing the car will help in removing any
surface dirt left on outside of lamp. Wash the headlights with regular car
soap. Just give your car a wash with regular warm water or car wash soap. Wipe
them carefully and let them dry. Now, you can examine what the problem is!
Look for hazing, yellowing, peeling and cracks
Now that you have
washed the headlight, you can notice what the actual issue is. Haziness will be
caused if the hard coat has worn off the headlights and soft polycarbonate is
exposed beginning to absorb scratches that create hazing.
If this is the
problem, doing a cheap quick clean can be effective.
Yellowing is caused
when the entire hard coat begins to thin out and lose adhesion to polycarbonate
lens. The UV spectrum creates a new repeating unit in carbonic chain which blue
light and ultimately leads to yellowish appearance. Using some polishing
compound or rain X you can clean the yellowish coloring.
When the hard coat
begins to deteriorate, it will appear to flake off or peel off. They will
develop cracks deep into the lens and it will need to be resurfaced by a
professional. Cracking is the worst case- you might need to replace them with
new ones!
Sanding
Sandpaper is used
to scuff away the outer layer of haze. 3M is the best brand for sandpaper. But
before beginning the task, make sure to buy some blue, low tack painter’s masking
tape. Mask the area that needs to be polished.
This isn’t
necessary but to protect your car’s paint job, it won’t hurt you to do so. Before
sanding, wipe down the headlights once more for your own satisfaction. You can
use a bit of alcohol to rub and use clean paper towel to wipe it down.
This is the most
important step, so be precise. Soak a piece of 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper in
cold water for at least 10 minutes. You can even use pressure to sand away the
yellowing until you get a dull surface.
Use light straight
strokes as sanding technique. Cover the entire surface sanding back and forth
in one direction. Make sure not to let the surface dry while you work. Repeat
the process until the finish changes from dull to satiny.
Don’t rush this
part. Sand until pits, scratches are gone.
Now perform the
same operation with 1500 grit wet/dry sandpaper this time sanding at the right
angles to the previous work. Keep the paper wet, repeat the procedure until the
abrasive powder is eliminated. Repeat it with 2000, 2500 and 3000 grit wet/dry
sandpaper.
Polishing
Once you are done
with the sanding, it’s time to polish the headlight. Use some buffing compound
which are available are auto parts store. For cheap option use can use toothpaste (plain blue) to clean
headlights of car.
Take a clean towel,
apply some compound and work n circular motion, polishing repeatedly. As the
polish gets ground into the cloth and dries out, it lifts the haziness right
off the lens.
Continue rubbing
until the headlight looks clear. Apply some elbow grease and soften any
remaining clear coat. Next wet sand the lens in the circular pattern with
medium pressure, starting with coarsest sandpaper and work your way to the
finest grit.
Re wet the lens
frequently with clean water. Go until you are satisfied. Clean off the entire
polishing compound and make sure the headlight lens is dry before you apply the
new clear coat. Now wax the lens thoroughly with a paste car wax. This will
keep the headlight safe from acid rain, dirt and road salt.
Now check the car
headlights by parking the car a few inches away from the door or the wall and
check the beams.
Clean off the
polishing compound and make sure the headlight lens is dry before you apply the
new clear coat. Wipe on the clear coat and let it dry for at least four to six
hours before heading off to road.
Remember, if your
car’s headlights are beyond repair, you can be sure to find the right set for
your vehicle at PartsAvatar Car Parts!
Shop Today!!
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