| Author | Message | ||
     00green |
I'd like to hear from those who have paint experience with the M2 tanks. Mine had the decals blistered and some other imperfections. I dropped it off at the body shop I use with paint information from this site: PPG primer we use Primer is K36 PPG Hardener is K201 PPG Reducer can be any of the following DT-895 DT-885 My paint guy called back tonight and said the K36 is not a reduced primer, it's mixed 5:1 with hardener. Is there a reason to add reducer although not recommended by the manufacturer? This guy has been in the business a long, long time and all he uses is PPG. He has his own opinion for a plastic tank but is trying to follow the information I provided. Comments or suggestions? (Message edited by 00green on September 26, 2011) (Message edited by 00green on September 26, 2011) | ||
| 00green |
The primer was mixed with hardener at 5:1 as suggested by the mfg and then topped. It looks great, time will tell! | ||
| Petethekiller |
Here's what I did that worked a few years back and is still looking great. Nasson urethane primer whichever suits your needs. Nasson Base and Clear Good prep to tank..MUST BE CLEAN. Shoot primer/paint/clear. Let it cure for 3 months.....yep 3 months. Do not put gas in it any sooner that that. The only time I had issues with my tuber tanks bubbling is when I'm in a rush and pour gas in the tank too soon. Let the paint cure and you will be fine. | ||
| Chauly |
I can't resist. Every time I see this thread title... This is what it looks like after painting:  | ||
| Coxster |
Chauly that looks more like a M60 or maybe a M48, just too big for a M2  | ||
| Chauly |
If a man were standing next to it, his head would be about halfway up the side. It weighed 20 tons. This was the predecessor to the M3 Stuart ("The Haunted tank" for comics fans) This is the M48 (50 tons):  This is the M60 (54 tons):  Now compare those with the M1A Abrams (67.5 tons!)  (Message edited by Chauly on October 16, 2011) | ||
| Chauly |
Slight Correction: I showed a pic of the M2 Medium Tank; what I meant to show was the M2 Light Tank:  | ||
| 00green |
"I can't resist. Every time I see this thread title... This is what it looks like after painting:" Chauly, I asked for advice a month ago from "those who have paint experience" because of all the BS posts on here about plastic tanks. Do you know anything about painting? The tank was painted by a professional and looks like glass. As a matter of fact it makes the original paint on the rest of the body work look like crap. It took a month to get the tank back because my body guy fell from a tree while limbing one and shattered his leg requiring steel plates, screws, pins, and bolts. He still can't walk but managed to shoot the tank for me because he knew I wanted to finish the bike and warm days are numbered. People like you kill the credability of a good board and those on here that provide constructive advice. | ||
| 00green |
Pete, Thank you for sharing your experience. Nasson urethane primer is a highly respected product. I'm not sure about waiting 3 months for top coat as that stuff can be sanded in 2 hours and if I read the spec sheet right it's cured in 72 hours. Regardless if what you did worked then thats what I asked for and people need to know. Mines already been fueled and I'll follow up if there's been any problems. I doubt there will be, the PPG primer cures as fast as the Dupont. | ||
| Chauly |
It appeared that you received good advice from a couple of different sources. No, I haven't painted in looong time, so I am not up on the latest and greatest way to paint a plastic tank. Split a steel tank, pound the dents out, weld it back together, paint it and stripe it as new, well, yes, I can do that. As for the levity, that is part and parcel of a forum that is fun to read; sorry if it offended your sensibilities and diminished in some way the quality and credibility of the advice that you received. As far as your painter is concerned, I have done what he has: fallen out of a tree! If he can still do a great paint job, it's worth the wait, and you'll be doing him a great favor by giving him the business; I'm sure it would be a boost to his morale... (Message edited by Chauly on October 17, 2011) | ||
| Coxster |
00green: I had a guitar painted by a local 'star' in the paint/bodywork field. The guitar was painted in May, and we're waiting until November for the colorsand/buff in hopes of attaining maximum hardness prior to finishing it. In this case the wait will improve the product. Good Luck ( sorry about the tank jokes. My Bro-in-law was a M60 commander until he took over a tank school in TX) | ||
| Littlebuggles |
I left my plastics to dry in the hot August sun on my deck for a full month at the suggestion of my painter, he said let it cure in your garage for a few days then stick it in the sun until you can't smell the paint anymore, then give it a little longer. That was in 2006, some of my vinyl overlay's bubbled up a bit within the first year, but there's been no problem with the paint adhesion. Some who've followed all the recommendations for paint on vinyl fuel cells (errr... tanks) have still had problems with bubbling. So it will be good to know how it works out for you, may take up to a year to find out though. Sounds like your painter is a hell of a guy. Please post pics, or a link with them once the bike is complete. Sorry for the lack of response, sometimes these threads slip through in the M2 section, I tend to lurk, and a lot more in the general Old School section. I can see we need to peek on here more often. Did you find your paint info in the Knowledge Vault? -Mike (Message edited by littlebuggles on October 18, 2011) |
