Spraying plastics

IIRC, you need breathing gear (i.e. a plumbed-in air supply or scuba gear (!), not just dust masks) to spray 2-pack - it's pretty toxic by all accounts. I'd stick with cellulose.

Also, you might have to treat the grey plastic bits with a special primer before you paint them.

All the best, Andy

Yep, I've used rattle can plastic primer before, under bumper paint (not for a bumper, but for something that needed a satin finish).

Worked well, comes out as a semi-transparent matt finish. If I was using cellulose I would do a couple of caots of normal primer on top, then top coat. And if using a compressor, get it mixed with a plastiser in it too, to help it stay slightly flexy when cured.

Get the top coat (i.e. the cellulose paint) mixed in with a plastiser? Do I need to request this when I get the paint mixed up at the paint shop or do I add in a plastiser to the paint in the spray gun... hopefully me mate will know this anyway :)

Use a proper plastic primer, and scuff it up beforehand so it gives a good surface to key to. Other than that, there's nothing special you need to do. Use plenty of laquer afterwards - it makes a good protective layer on top.

No need for what you're doing. The plasticiser simply makes the paint a bit "flexible" so it doesn't crack when the part bends. But none of the parts you're doing should be bending :)

Yep, normally I think so, when it is mixed (although I can't see why it couldn't be added at the thinning stage, but when they mix it, they can't make sure it is evently mixed in). Primer and top coat. Stops it cracking away as the plastic flexes.

I would have thought the bumper at least would need to flex a little bit, if not the side skirts, and it might as well be one mix of paint instead of two.

I would just like to say I AM IMPRESSED!

A whole thread so far, and no one has made some stuped arsed comment, and everyone was helpful (apart from me making a stupid arse comment)

:-)

Well done guys, beers on me

It would be better, but he'll get away without it. It's most important on the front bumper - but he's not doing that.

You stupid arse.

:)

In article , snipped-for-privacy@Somewhere.Somewhere spouted forth into uk.rec.cars.modifications...

True it is the rear he is doing.

Actually it's a bit of both... got a bit of respraying to to on the front, then colour coding on the rear. I'll see if I can get the plasticiser mixed in when I buy the paint. Thanks very much for everyone's help, much appreciated!! Hopefully if I can do this sucessfully, it leaves me a bit of extra cash for some engine bits :) (not that I'm going to get huge power out of a 1.8 zetec!!)

Insert the story of when I sprayed the Saab here ;-)

Do tell...