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Bodywork/Auto Painting Books


RacerX

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I wish to ask some questions please, to those of you who have purchased books/videos on bodywork and auto painting.

 

What was the price you paid for your book or video?

Were they worth the price to you?

Were they very informative?

If not, what was lacking?

What factors prompted you to purchase the book/video?

What would your media preference be if you had a choice: DVD, hardbound book, downloadable e-book?

 

Your input would be appreciated!!

 

thank you,

 

RacerX

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I have a small library of automotive books which include some books on painting and body work. I have found them to be very informitive and the ones that give you test projects to practice on prior to working on your car etc. seem to be even better (good example: books written by Ron Fourner). I personaly like the books like the ones published by HP Books, at this time the only thing I have other than books is a video tape from ZThearipy from several years ago.

 

I think that if someone took the time and money to make a high quality and very profesionaly filmed and edited DVD/tape that shows every step plus gives the viewer test projects to learn on it would be something that I would want in my library as a referance.

 

It sounds like you are trying to decide if you should write a book or something. If that is the case I would recomend that you read several of the books published by HP Books in particular the one called 1001 tech tips.

 

Dragonfly

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I have an ancient Peterson publishing book called 'Basic bodywork and painting' that I like very much... $2.00 at the news stand in the day. (Market coverage counts).

 

I also have an old auto refinishing handbook from Dupont, and a couple similar things from Diztler/PPG. As all paints have changed drastically (for multitudinous reasons) I asked at my local auto paint store, and they have nothing similar available today... or they don't want to be bothered. They have a few binder punched sheets on the wall, but were out of the ones I was interested in (on 2 different visits).

 

A DVD showing techniques could be priceless; some things are much more easily learned through observation. Poor applications/results could be shown, with demonstrations on how to avoid them. Just watching an expert is a beautiful thing... It looks so easy... but unless one understands all the pitfalls the expert is avoiding, beauty will remain his and not mine.

For just hard info, I prefer a paper back... relatively cheap, I can highlight it, and I can leave it in the garage for easy reference.

 

At this stage, I need to learn what paints and materials work the best (ease of application, durability and color retention), which are cost effective (hopefully not a mutually exclusive goal) and how those particular products are best applied. Due to legal wrangling, I doubt if a book of that nature could be published... so how do I pick it up?

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A DVD showing techniques could be priceless; some things are much more easily learned through observation. Poor applications/results could be shown' date=' with demonstrations on how to avoid them. Just watching an expert is a beautiful thing... It looks so easy... but unless one understands all the pitfalls the expert is avoiding, beauty will remain his and not mine. [/quote']

 

I bought the soft back "Pro Paint and Body" from HPBooks and it’s not too bad. I bought a few welding books too in hopes that they would help…so far so good. Also I bought the Paintucation videos set (DVDs) from Eastwood which include: “Metal Prep and Rust Repairâ€, Paint Your own Carâ€, and “Color Sanding and Buffingâ€. While they are not the most cost effective purchase they provide a quite a good bit of info that is easy to follow (well the first 2 do I have yet to watch the last). And if you are planning to compile your knowledge I would love a chunck of it. I've read many of your posts and would purchase something that contained all your knowledge in one easy to access source.

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I like the idea of a dvd to learn how to paint because it will "show" how the steps are done rather than "tell" how they are done.

 

I have done a little painting...though not so much on cars...so I feel I have a basic grasp of the idea of painting. One of the big things that I would like to see is the pace, flow or timing of how painting is done. I don't pick that up well from books. A dvd would be great.

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To actualy reply to some of your questions, most of the books I have cost around $20 each, I feel that each one of them was worth the cost, what prompted me to buy them? They were about something that I wanted to learn more about or get more detailed info about. What is lacking in all of the books is there just is not enough information due largely to budget, publisher restraints, and intimidation factor for the end buyer.

 

I have helped with getting a couple of books published (http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?q3=Txsi8wYfvt4= and http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?q3=LZMU/F2OwBQ=) and in my opinion one of the most important things you can do prior to publication is to come up with a cover and binding edge that cause your book to stand out from the others that will be on the shelf around it and to send copies of the finished but pre-published book to some people you know and trust who can read it and give you a GOOD forward as well as a good "buy this book" referance/endorsement on the back cover.

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Wow those "Paintucation" videos sure arent cheap! $40/video! Seems a little steep to me.

 

I too would love to have a DVD that I could just pop into my laptop out in the garage and watch how they do it while Im doing it on my own car. I would pay $40 for a video that shows right from old paint to new paint. I might even pay a little more if it was a Hybridz'ers! LOL:wink:

 

 

Guy

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Wow those "Paintucation" videos sure arent cheap! $40/video! Seems a little steep to me.

 

I too would love to have a DVD that I could just pop into my laptop out in the garage and watch how they do it while Im doing it on my own car. I would pay $40 for a video that shows right from old paint to new paint. I might even pay a little more if it was a Hybridz'ers! LOL:wink:

 

 

Guy

 

The Paintucation comes in VHS or DVD. You can buy one or all of them.

The video is highly informative. I haven't watched them in a while but it shows everything from how to properly cut out old rusty metal and weld in new to how to prep and paint your entire car to how to repair a small dent or a scratch and blend the paint. It shows how to colorsand and buff properly too. It is great info that anyone can follow.

 

 

Kevin Tetz is the host of several cable how to programs and has been an auto and motorcycle painter for many years.

 

$40 may seem like alot but it will save you hundreds if not thousands if it teaches you to be able to paint your car yourself.

I am in no way affiliated with this guy but I am impressed by the info on the videos. The website offers VHS versions for $25 each but they appear to be out of the one for painting you car. DVD is still available for $40.

 

 

If I had the skills and wanted to produce a similar video (racerx) It would be worth me time to buy a copy of the competitions video and check it out.

 

Just Sayin'

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