Is it possible to do some painting in the makerspace or would it just make such a mess it’s just not generally permitted. I need to paint my front and rear bumper after an accident, just some small spots. I would also need some help because I don’t really know how. But Im sure I can figure it out.
Depends on how you paint. We don’t have a paint booth. Using anything noxious in the workshop is a legitimate health hazard and promptly fumigates the entire building. Painting in the parking lot is common enough, but that’s outside where there are issues with wind, overspray, and dust contaminating your work.
I recommend doing that sort of thing at home. The makerspace isn’t too suitable for painting. Some level of prepwork can be done here- and paint is all about the prep- but painting inside is inadvisable and painting outside is difficult at best, especially if you want to get a good, clean surface to paint- there’s no water in back.
As far as paint advice, shoot up some pics of the damage. I did paint and body for a little while, might be able to give you some pointers.
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I will take some pictures when I get a chance.
But yea it didnt seem like the place to do it.
It’s not much to fix. It was a small front end collision. But because the bumper had been previously painted, the paint has been peeling off. Initially it looked like nothing really.
It just needs a touch up really, and to stop the peeling paint.
Do I need a sprayer?
Or should I just take it to a body shop?
I’ll not say “you need to take it to a body shop”, but getting paint to last on bumpers can be tricky. You need the right paint, the right flex agents, the right curing conditions, etc. etc. etc.
Body shops do this frequently; home painters less so. Which is not to say home painters can’t do it, but it’s pretty common for a home-painted piece to not be matched and/or not last very well.
Sadly, in my experience, it’s not uncommon for body shops to do shit work, and most of them won’t work on non-insurance work any more, it seems, so YOU might as well do a bad job as pay someone else to…
To answer the next likely question: I do NOT have a body shop I’d recommend. All of those I’ve had the “pleasure” of working with in DFW, I would not go back to.
Unfortunately, everything Jast says is the truth. The good shops in the area are selective and will flat turn work down if they think it’s not worth their time. The rest of the shops are split between absolute shitshows and shops that have stopped taking out of pocket work because insurance jobs pay twice as much for the same repair. Also, plastic bumpers are a lot more flexible than automotive paint. Assuming you can get the paint to stick (which is a pain in itself), it’s a matter of time before it delaminates because it’s just not elastic enough. A good shop can do it, the manufacturer can do it, but a bad shop won’t bother and a home gamer’s budget won’t make it happen in the driveway. You’ll have to relegate yourself to touching it up periodically. You might get only 70 or 80% of the effect, but chasing that last 20-30 will eat up 90% of the budget.
What color is the car?
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There are additives that “better” painters use in the “paint” when panel repair so the the paint will flex and not crack at a later date.
Better painters use better or factory quality paints, primers, etc but you tend to get what you pay for most of the time.
There is a guy I know in the older part of Lewisville(near the intersection of Cowan & north Mill) that mainly custom paints motorcycles - he may be able/willing to help you with a bumper or two. The last time I was there he had a small booth.
An experienced body and paint person can get great results from a home garage too, but like most things, requires great prep work, experience, and knowing what to paint with i.e. which thinner/reducer to use on high humidity days etc. All of this is easy for someone with years of experience, not so much for the first try.
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All that is interesting to learn. That’s basically what I’m dealing with- a small bump and a little chip turned into the paint filled with spider web cracks and then peeling. I can’t remember where I had it done. I think Glass Cars on Oak Lawb in Downtown Dallas. The place was kind of a shitty place