What did you do to your TJ today?

[chili_pepper]

While things are progressing a bit slower than originally planned on Tessie's hardtop refinish, I believe they'll work out in the end after this week. Since last posting, prepped and ready for sealer and top coat, I started experimenting with the Raptor material as well as my equipment. It quickly became apparent that both my compressor and a neighbor's borrowed compressor were not going to be up to the task, even with my bargain basement LVLP gun (more on this later).

I needed something ASAP, so did some poking and settled on a locally available quiet Husky unit. Due to my living conditions (garage included), I need to be very mindful of other tenants, and dB reduction helps. Mixed feelings on the brand overall but initial fire up and testing would indicate it's on the manufacturer's numbers for performance so I'm happy with it for now.

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I should say more than happy as I just finished spraying the epoxy sealer with it and it had no issues supporting the spray gun. My days of spraying cars ended before HVLP guns were much of a thing and now there are LVLP options as well, which is what I ended up with. The somewhat unfortunately named InoKraft Drizzle D1 actually performed well above expectations for an $80 spray kit. Drizzle it did not. Running a 1.5 cap and needle, it put down the epoxy quickly and evenly with minimal overspray. Plan is to use a 2.0 setup for the thinned Raptor (hopefully tomorrow).

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Bonus, also found a very local source for things like gun sprayable epoxy, etc. When I stopped to pick up the epoxy and activator, turns out they have a tint rack in house and can mix up any auto paint my heart desires. I see some PX8 base coat in my future for the half door project, no more ordering online.

I accept that it's unlikely anyone here was on the edge of their seat regarding the refinishing of my hardtop, but I'll share an update anyway.

I did manage to spray the thinned Raptor material since last posting, suffice it to say the top is now black and textured. However, not all sunshine and puppy dog tails...yet. Two issues need to be addressed before I can finish things off properly.

Let there be light. My facilities are undeniably limited and cramped but I'm managing alright, though I found it very hard to see while spraying, especially on the sides and on the second coat overall. Too damn dark. I grabbed some relatively inexpensive 4' LED fixtures at the local Ace Hardware and screwed them to the side walls about 3' off the floor. Should help with the vision, methinks.

Molasses in an Alaskan January. Maybe a bit unfair, but even thinned 20% the Raptor is still quite viscous. I'm using a gravity gun and a disposable cup system that came with. Very easy cleanup, but if used frequently it would be wasteful. In the case of spraying this material with a very short pot life, I'm fine with it. Anyway, the lid of the cup system (which is actually the bottom of your cup when spraying) has a filter screen built in, well had, I cut it out because it's too fine to allow the Raptor to flow properly. A side affect of this was, towards the end of each coat, the gun would start spitting large globs of Raptor material as it sucked the contents out of the cup. Not ideal. But since some asshole cut the filter out...

Fortunately, the gun will also accept a standard gravity cup filter, unfortunately, those tend to be quite fine as well. After a bit of a search on the interwebs I found some DeVilbiss 600 micron (0.6 mm orifice) cup filters, so we'll see if that sorts out the chunks. If all else fails, I might just whip up a design and 3D print some with even bigger holes, though might be diminishing returns on that.

I'll need to scuff the current top coat before respraying since it's well into curing. Plan is to respray this weekend. Pretty happy with the material overall, just need to feel out the quirks of working with it.

 

[ColoJeep]

I accept that it's unlikely anyone here was on the edge of their seat regarding the refinishing of my hardtop, but I'll share an update anyway.

I did manage to spray the thinned Raptor material since last posting, suffice it to say the top is now black and textured. However, not all sunshine and puppy dog tails...yet. Two issues need to be addressed before I can finish things off properly.

Let there be light. My facilities are undeniably limited and cramped but I'm managing alright, though I found it very hard to see while spraying, especially on the sides and on the second coat overall. Too damn dark. I grabbed some relatively inexpensive 4' LED fixtures at the local Ace Hardware and screwed them to the side walls about 3' off the floor. Should help with the vision, methinks.

View attachment 650896

Molasses in an Alaskan January. Maybe a bit unfair, but even thinned 20% the Raptor is still quite viscous. I'm using a gravity gun and a disposable cup system that came with. Very easy cleanup, but if used frequently it would be wasteful. In the case of spraying this material with a very short pot life, I'm fine with it. Anyway, the lid of the cup system (which is actually the bottom of your cup when spraying) has a filter screen built in, well had, I cut it out because it's too fine to allow the Raptor to flow properly. A side affect of this was, towards the end of each coat, the gun would start spitting large globs of Raptor material as it sucked the contents out of the cup. Not ideal. But since some asshole cut the filter out...

Fortunately, the gun will also accept a standard gravity cup filter, unfortunately, those tend to be quite fine as well. After a bit of a search on the interwebs I found some DeVilbiss 600 micron (0.6 mm orifice) cup filters, so we'll see if that sorts out the chunks. If all else fails, I might just whip up a design and 3D print some with even bigger holes, though might be diminishing returns on that.

View attachment 650900

I'll need to scuff the current top coat before respraying since it's well into curing. Plan is to respray this weekend. Pretty happy with the material overall, just need to feel out the quirks of working with it.

When I shot the 4Runner 6 years ago , I thought the garage was well lit , until it was 2nd coat time and I thought I was in a cave. My son-in-law shot Raptor tinted blue on my daughter's TJ . It worked well , even though I'm not a big fan of a textured body color. Sounds like a good product for the hardtop refresh !
Good job Chili !

 

[chili_pepper]

Sounds like a good product for the hardtop refresh

Given my repairs jacked up the factory texture, it seemed like a viable one shot texture and paint solution. I think the bumpers are going to get the same treatment, maybe even the Rubi rockers. The stuff seems very tough when cured.

FYI, they make a tintable version of the product as well, so you can color match to paint.

 

[MountaineerTom]

Well BB is still slow to fill, I'm at a loss, but since I don't DD it anymore I'm not going to let it bother me.

Roll over/anti splash back valve is working.

Vent lines are all there.

I can’t remember, did you do the repair on the little cage with the spring and ball in the past?

If so, maybe your vent line is plugged up.

 

[John Cooper]

I can’t remember, did you do the repair on the little cage with the spring and ball in the past?

If so, maybe your vent line is plugged up.

Yes, roll over valve is fine, vent line seems fine also.

I have no clue as to what else it could be.

 

[DavidBT]

My Jeep can be a little picky at certain pumps around here.

 

[macleanflood]

My Jeep can be a little picky at certain pumps around here.

Same. The cheapest gas station in Eugene is my nemesis. Zero issues with just about everywhere else.

-Mac

 

[Kiwi TJ]

I accept that it's unlikely anyone here was on the edge of their seat regarding the refinishing of my hardtop, but I'll share an update anyway.

I did manage to spray the thinned Raptor material since last posting, suffice it to say the top is now black and textured. However, not all sunshine and puppy dog tails...yet. Two issues need to be addressed before I can finish things off properly.

Let there be light. My facilities are undeniably limited and cramped but I'm managing alright, though I found it very hard to see while spraying, especially on the sides and on the second coat overall. Too damn dark. I grabbed some relatively inexpensive 4' LED fixtures at the local Ace Hardware and screwed them to the side walls about 3' off the floor. Should help with the vision, methinks.

View attachment 650896

Molasses in an Alaskan January. Maybe a bit unfair, but even thinned 20% the Raptor is still quite viscous. I'm using a gravity gun and a disposable cup system that came with. Very easy cleanup, but if used frequently it would be wasteful. In the case of spraying this material with a very short pot life, I'm fine with it. Anyway, the lid of the cup system (which is actually the bottom of your cup when spraying) has a filter screen built in, well had, I cut it out because it's too fine to allow the Raptor to flow properly. A side affect of this was, towards the end of each coat, the gun would start spitting large globs of Raptor material as it sucked the contents out of the cup. Not ideal. But since some asshole cut the filter out...

Fortunately, the gun will also accept a standard gravity cup filter, unfortunately, those tend to be quite fine as well. After a bit of a search on the interwebs I found some DeVilbiss 600 micron (0.6 mm orifice) cup filters, so we'll see if that sorts out the chunks. If all else fails, I might just whip up a design and 3D print some with even bigger holes, though might be diminishing returns on that.

View attachment 650900

I'll need to scuff the current top coat before respraying since it's well into curing. Plan is to respray this weekend. Pretty happy with the material overall, just need to feel out the quirks of working with it.

Looking great so far….

 

[B1Toad]

I accept that it's unlikely anyone here was on the edge of their seat regarding the refinishing of my hardtop, but I'll share an update anyway.

As a fairly accomplished amateur paint & body man myself I was waiting and in fact just checking tonight for an update. My day will come for my black top.

Bummer about the blobs. I don't think I could spray in cold weather like that. Our weather here provides nearly year round optimum painting conditions. In fact it's almost 8 PM and 72F here. No way to temporarily heat the garage?

Good idea with the lights. If you've ever seen a real spray booth they mount them vertically all around the booth. Explosion proof fixtures of course, which just means they are sealed from vapor and dust.

 

[ColoJeep]

As a fairly accomplished amateur paint & body man myself I was waiting and in fact just checking tonight for an update. My day will come for my black top.

Bummer about the blobs. I don't think I could spray in cold weather like that. Our weather here provides nearly year round optimum painting conditions. No way to temporarily heat the garage?

Good idea with the lights. If you've ever seen a real spray booth they mount them vertically all around the booth. Explosion proof fixtures of course, which just means they are sealed from vapor and dust.

For what it's worth , I believe chili was a body and paint man for many years.

 

[B1Toad]

For what it's worth , I believe chili was a body and paint man for many years.

Didn't know that. All the more reason to follow along and learn something.

 

[MountaineerTom]

Yes, roll over valve is fine, vent line seems fine also.

I have no clue as to what else it could be.

Oh, ok. I think I wasn’t connecting it being called the roll over valve. I think I’ve heard it called something else, but I don’t remember what.

 

[Kiwi TJ]

Didn't know that. All the more reason to follow along and learn something.

every day is a school day…

 

[chili_pepper]

As a fairly accomplished amateur paint & body man myself

Cool!

Bummer about the blobs. I don't think I could spray in cold weather like that. Our weather here provides nearly year round optimum painting conditions. In fact it's almost 8 PM and 72F here. No way to temporarily heat the garage?

Yeah, the blobs are irritating, quite a ring-clincher when the first one flew out and landed on the middle of the top surface...was like a slow-mo scene in a movie, a muffled "Nooooooo!" coming from my respirated mug. But as I'm the surgeon who did the filter-ectomy on the gun cup, I kind of have to own a bit of that one. I suppose I knew the potential risks, but one also can't technically paint if the material won't flow, so there's that.

Fortunately, the temps haven't really proven to be a major problem, yet. But it's a quickly developing issue and that's part of the push, trying to finish this project off before the mercury really drops...which feels like it might not be far away. I can and have put some heat in before spraying with a buddy heater, not ideal but it works in a pinch.

For what it's worth , I believe chili was a body and paint man for many years.

Is true, though more "many years ago" than "many years" now.

Proof, not that anyone needed it...

Good idea with the lights. If you've ever seen a real spray booth they mount them vertically all around the booth. Explosion proof fixtures of course, which just means they are sealed from vapor and dust.

Given the above noted former life, I should have know better that it would be too dark, but I was putting myself under an unnecessary amount of pressure to finish the job and convinced myself it would be good enough early on. Actually wasn't bad when applying the light gray epoxy on the mostly black top, with the added benefit that it applies smoothly and with a shine. But the black on black of the Raptor coupled with the texture made it hard to gauge application.

Didn't know that. All the more reason to follow along and learn something.

Some things still apply, some things have changed. Materials and spray equipment being the biggest changes, to be expected I suppose, though true panel beating is a thing of the past on modern disposable vehicles.

I'll be honest, usually when someone posts here asking about body or paint work advice, I typically avoid responding. When it comes to body and paint, most folks asking don't really want to know how to do it properly, more so quickly and cheaply to make it look better for a year or two. In saying that, I do accept that the work can require specialized materials and tools that may not be easy to come by or master.

 

[Weasellee]

Today went well. Tied in Billy’s new split AC to his panel, wired AJ’s new attic fan, stopped by moms house and visited the grumpy lady who I love AND replanted and mulched the wives berry bushes she’s been growing.

Oh the LJ. Got the fuel tank in, wired and plumbed.
Belly skid installed and torqued.
Hooked up battery cables, two turns of the key and fuel pressure was present, turned key and we had ignition. She been sitting more’n 12 months now so that was a good thing.
I still need to finish rebuilding the rear CA’s and then put the rear axle in.
Close is an understatement.


View attachment 631746

Little follow up without new pics. Upper coil spring perches are welded in, finally. This sucker is ready to go back together. Fuel tank and rear axle next few days then measure for new driveshafts.
Pics as soon as I make a bit more progress.

 

[B1Toad]

Is true, though more "many years ago" than "many years" now.

Proof, not that anyone needed it...

View attachment 650941





I'll be honest, usually when someone posts here asking about body or paint work advice, I typically avoid responding. When it comes to body and paint, most folks asking don't really want to know how to do it properly, more so quickly and cheaply to make it look better for a year or two. In saying that, I do accept that the work can require specialized materials and tools that may not be easy to come by or master.

It's true on most every forum, they are usually looking for a quick and easy solution.

My most popular paint jobs were Ford Rangers, I bought and flipped close to 20 of them. I chose them because they were so easy to restore, fix the dents and spray them, throw on a seat cover for the bench seat and there was a whole dash overlay piece that fit over the old dash if it was cracked, 2 new floor mats and out the door. The rear cab corners on a pickup are the worst for runs when you're learning.

My expensive Devilbiss siphon feed gun collects dust now while I use a $35 Amazon HVLP.

 

[chili_pepper]

Ford Rangers

That photo of me was taken at my last job in the body business. The story behind the photo is absurd, but not for this thread. Anyway, it was a Ford dealer and, at the time, Ford had a paint peeling recall on 5th and 6th generation F-150s and 1st generation Rangers. I stripped bare and repainted more Ford trucks than I care to remember, probably 2 per week, including the one in the photo. The stripping sucked as we were not allowed to use chemicals by Ford mandate, but it sure did boost my gun time and I rarely didn't enjoy mixing and shooting paint.

My expensive Devilbiss siphon feed gun collects dust now while I use a $35 Amazon HVLP.

Yep, similar boat. Both my DeVilbiss siphon and gravity guns are essentially paper weights now. I've got an inexpensive detail-sized Paasche HVLP gravity purchased for Cerakoting small parts and now the unfortunately named Drizzle D1 LVLP gravity gun...which is doing well considering the price (and the name ).

 

[TheBoogieman]

Went to visit my TJ and put in a whopping $10 of gas.

 

[John Cooper]

Went to visit my TJ and put in a whopping $10 of gas.
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Was that a little over 4 gallons???

 

[TheBoogieman]

Was that a little over 4 gallons???

Barely. Gas just dropped around here to $2.71.