Build thread for the 72 GMC, finally. Thanks John!

Go, Tuna!

I'm out of time today. Tomorrow tunakid 4 is going to help me clean off and retape the cab. First thing after replacing the fitting and buying more mixing cups is to do the cab. Then I'll push it out and do the bed. I have a short day tomorrow available. Hopefully I can fix and reprime (if necessary) the three icky spots. 

Looks like Saturday is body color. Cripes this is a lot of work. 

I did figure out that I was setting the gun wrong, so at least I have my fan pattern set properly now.

This thing is a logistical nightmare. 

I caused a few runs. I can't fix them until the epoxy is dry. That means no body color today, or even this week unless Saturday is clear. 

The truck fits in the tent. It's roomy enough to walk around. It takes up so much of my driveway that I can't get the truck bed into it because the truck is in the way. 

It is quite the process is it not! You really have to live through it to appreciate how much work it is to paint an entire car. But then you have done this once already.

That said, much of it is "Difficult" in the same way that it was difficult to walk when you started. There was a lot of falling down and getting back up until it became second nature.  Painting is scary because we are afraid to mess it up; thing is, not much can go wrong that a few hours with sandpaper and the paint gun wont fix. I remember losing  a nights sleep over a run or some fisheye when the solution was always going to be to just scuff and re-shoot the panel. 

We have all waited 11 years or so for this moment, a few more days or even weeks is not going to make a lot of difference. Take a moment to admire the parts that have come out great.

I found the solution to getting the bed in the tent! Kids!

I had to have them help me push the truck chassis and cab way back in the garage, I pulled the tent way away from the garage, and they spotted me while I maneuvered the bed cart around the front of the truck. 

I'm almost out of primer. I'm not ready for body color, but by today it ought to be all in sealer coat. 

How soon can I realistically sand this coat? Is it really 24 hours? I am trying to avoid any more sealer coat following today, but I'm almost out of today. 

This is older news now, but uploading is slow

Ran out of primer. Bedsides and tailgate are not finished. 

The compressor might be hurt, too. It sounds bad. 

Sad update:

I have a neighborhood acquaintance who stops by from time to time when he sees me out there working. Tunawife posted about me painting, preemptively asking the HOA not to complain about the tent, so he came over and showed me pictures of his truck project and chatted for a bit.

He died in a car accident last night.

Well I got a bit of time due to a sick daughter tonight. I sanded a bit, getting some of the runs out, and decided to fire up the new compressor. Unhappily, I had set the gun poorly, creating a few more runs. Happily, sanding runs is fine with spi epoxy, and the new compressor works amazingly well. 

Issue: 

The tailgate and bed stayed outside for two hours driving. 

They had condensation on them!!

How much do I need to sand off?

In reply to tuna55 :

Worried about water on epoxy sealer coat? I would not be worried. 

In reply to NOHOME :

I meant, did the epoxy cure correctly before it got wet? I'll find out when I sand. 

This compressor is great. It turned on while I was spraying the bed side, but then after a bit, it shut off again. While I was still spraying. This is a new thing. 

I'm glad that your experience is tracking with the reports I was given by my customers

Block sanding the final sealer coat has actually been pretty helpful. I'm still not pleased with my skills behind the gun. That said, I think I have ideas regarding Saturday, and the session I have. While I will be pinched for time on either end of the day, I'll also have no geography to mess with. At least now I have reliable air.

I have the doors and fenders on one rack. I really can't use the rack for painting all of them. I just can't get to all of the parts well. I'll have to use the rack more for drying and storing than actual painting. I think I'll start with the tailgate. It's not perfect anyway, and it's easily moved about. I'm trying to decide if it's worth another rack of some kind just for painting before re-hanging the parts.

PSA:

Careful putting out your giant tent in lots of wind the night before you need it. 

It's anchored with floor jack, an anvil, a vise, and a brake disc. 

This is spraying and covering very well. The primer was so much harder. It's a logistical challenge. I wanted to start with something easy, so inner fenders and the stake pockets. The next pieces are big enough that I can only for maybe two things on the rack, maybe the doors or fenders. I worry about the bed because moving it is such a challenge. 

Well, after two coats I have some visible sanding scratches on the door so I'm doing a third coat. The first fender just got its first coat, too. 

And the second pass on the first coat ran on the fender. Booo. At least I found the line. The gun and compressor are happy.