Auto-Air Colors waterbased paints?

[scott19]

Anyone had any experience with the waterbased paints put out by

Auto-Air Colors? Sounds appealing, but I haven't found any real non-biased opinions online yet.

[scott19]

Thanks for replying RacerX, I was hoping to have your opinion. Like I said, I haven't seen any non-biased opinions yet. I've looked at their website at length, but of course, their opinion is biased. All I've been able to find otherwise is in a chopper forum, and the opinions there didn't seem to spring from any actual experience, just a "fear of the unknown", which I'm sure was not unlike what urethane and clearcoat systems faced when they first appeared on the market.

As far as repairability goes, it seems that Auto-Air states that the paint can be applied over ANY primer, and that it can be applied over existing paintjobs, as long as the surface is sufficently scuffed prior to application, which I would think would include the urethane clearcoat you apply over the Auto-Air color base. There's a little slideshow on their website of a Mustang, and it appears the shop just scuffed up the original paintjob on most of the body. Sooo, I would think repairability would be fairly easy, just involving reshooting, which is made somewhat easier by the fact that the Auto-Air stuff doesn't require mixing, just pour and shoot. Now if you're talking about repairing a paint run or other defect before clearcoating, I don't know the answer to that. I would think that since they recommend a total of 3 coats, that you'd be able to approach it like any other basecoat, but since it's waterbased and adheres via evaporation ( I think) vs. a chemical process, perhaps there would be adhesion issues. I don't know, hence my posting here.

[scott19]

From the Auto-Air Colors website:

 

"Auto Air Colors can be cured in a spray booth with air movement, by infrared heat lamps, or a heat gun

 

Curing in Spray Booth- A spray booth is the preferred environment for painting vehicles with the Auto Air Colors.

 

Bake paint at 120-150ºF for 15-20 minutes or until colors are completely dried.

 

For quicker drying times, increase airflow rate and booth temperature.

 

Curing in Open Conditions- Recommended minimum temperature 70ºF and low humidity. Curing Auto Air Colors in humid or cold damp conditions may require extended exposure to heat. Use airflow to speed up drying time. Cure when colors are wet or dry.

 

Auto Air Colors are cured with heat. Use heat gun or infra-red lamp to cure colors. If not curing with heat, allow colors ample time to dry prior to taping or clear coat application. Drying time will vary depending upon environment.

 

 

In Infra-red lamp (IR) – allow lamp to cure colors at a safe distance generally over 12 inches to prevent blistering paint. Duration may vary from 5 – 30 mins. coat buil-up, wetness and conditions. Cure colors dry to the touch without tack.

 

 

A heat gun is effective when curing smaller areas such as body panels, tanks, fenders, helmets, etc. Generally colors cure 1-2 minutes per square foot. Keep heat gun moving and at a safe distance of 6” or more to avoid blistering. Cure colors dry to touch without tack. "

 

It does sound like that you would need at least a heat gun. One of the possible pluses of using this paint to me is that, in the 90 degree heat here in Georgia, I was thinking it could cure itself without an IR lamp or heat gun. Perhaps not. Since I'm not gonna have access to a real paint booth, I wonder if I could leave the car outside ( after a night of being inside) to let the sun cure it, or, for some of the body panels, store them in an attic for a day. 120-150 degrees wouldn't be too hard to achieve here.

 

I definitely see the attraction for y'all in California. This paint does boast low toxic levels. But then again, you still have to go over it with a standard clearcoat.

[Metallicar]

I went to my local Auto- Air Colors distrib today. I walked out with four 4 oz. bottles at $7.00 each of metallic colors. My local rep has a very limited stock, sad. I think I bought out about 20% of his inventory.

 

I went back to my shop and scuffed up a spare fender I have.

 

I have never used an airbrush before, so my only knowledge of what I was doing was based on what I have seen on the boob tube.

 

I laid on about two square feet of masking tape and freehand cut some odd shapes in the tape without cutting into the base paint.

 

After figuring out how much air and how to regulate the paint flow, I approached my fender. I have to say, I have never liked painting as much as I have today. I can see now, I am going to be spending alot of time doing this.

 

I am sorry for not taking any pictures, but I can tell you that so far, the paint is lovely to work with. I followed the recommendations and heated for cure with a handheld heat gun. Dried just like they claim. I even wet sanded some back down without a problem.

 

I am going to pick up some stencils, more colors, some clear, paint some more, and then I will post some pictures.

 

I also happened by Pearl Art today and found a water based clear, Check out "Aquathane" on this page:

 

http://www.ronanpaints.com/clear.htm

[scott19]

Thanks for your post, Metallicar! Please do post some pics when you can. The Aquathane sounds promising. Are you going to try the Aquathane Clear, or go for the Aquathane UV Absorber? The UV Absorber sounds like it's just like the clear, but with more UV inhibitors. Let us know...

[Metallicar]

I am going to order some more colors this week, I may even go out to Eastwood and get them. I have been wondering what their retail space looks like.

 

I bought the binder with all of the color chips from the local guy. The colors are as pleasing to look at as the HOK colors. It's a shame the local guy (I mean like 3 miles from my home), does not seem to be real interested in the line. Eastwood is about an hour away.

 

Anyway, I promise some pictures as soon as I can, I will post. In the meantime I am searching for a scheme to put on the Z. I would like to not go with flames, but I do not want to get too far away from old school either ( that is, 70's old school, and I don't mean disco).

 

Though orange yellow and red flames with purple pin lines would look cool on the lime green surfaces.

 

I love the stripes on Oldestzguy's car.