Synthetic Enamel Reducer

[ocwd]

I found a place that has Dupont 3812 hardner as mentioned above. They only sell it by the gallon. I am going to keep looking around to see if I can find a smaller quantity. If not, i'll buy a gallon even though I won't need that much. I should have gotten the paint from Rapco and ordered the harner at the same time but I didn't.

[TomM]

Dont go for a gallon. The mixing ratio is quite low (maybe one pint per gallon of paint). Also, you may want to ask the price. Automotive paints are getting shockingly expensive. Last week I purchased a pint of Dupont 793s hardner for acrylic enamel and it was $66.
Call the guys at Rapco. If they dont have it they may be able to steer you to someone who does.

TM

[ocwd]

Thanks Tom. They were selling the gallon for around $26 I believe. My first run of paint mixing was going to be 2 parts paint, 1 part xylene, and 1 cap full of hardner. 1 gallon would be overkill. The paint place that I went to suggested another paint store that I have not called yet. I case anyone is interested here is my paint tally so far:

2 gallons each of Gillespie paint and primer and 1 case spray cans $340
1 gallon xylene $15
1 gallon Metal Prep $27

[eviiash]

CGI paint is an alkyd enamel, what this means is that it is somewhat generic in what reducer/hardener you can use. I have worked in the paint department for NAPA for several years now. For our line of alkyd enamel xylene or mineral spirits is the recommended clean up agent. They flash too quickly in most climates to be a viable reducer. For the Martin Senour line of paints the 8004 synthetic enamel reducer is fine assuming you can find it. If you can not virtually any Acrylic Enamel/Urethane reducer will work fine, such as the Crossfire CR732-735 depending on temperature range. For the hardener there are two that are sold by most NAPA stores that will work, and both come in pint sized cans which is the amount needed for one gallon of paint. They are part number IH001 industrial hardener which is not likely to be in stock, or part number PTFH601 synthetic enamel hardener. GCI recommends that their paint be reduced at a 2:1 ratio, and the hardener works at a 8:1 ratio, that makes the ratio 8:4:1 (paint:reducer:hardener) all together. Hardener can slightly increase gloss, but mostly what it does is make the paint chemically resistant. Paint that has not been hardened can be easily removed by most solvents.

Hope this removed some of the confusion
Brian

[leecarr]

I've been playing with paint for about a month. I got some Nason (Dupont) single stage urethane and put a flattening agent in it, I was happy with the color but not the shine, the place where I get the paint has a special camera to match the color. I just tried some satin finish Dupont Imron (the stuff they paint cement mixers and construction equipment with) and I'm quite happy with the color and the shine. I've been using Dupont paint for years and I'm very happy with the results.