I am needing to prime my 68 this weekend but the weather is changing faster than I need it to. I will be spraying polyester primer outside and then start the block sanding. So what is the lowest temp I can spray outdoors in a covered area.
It will be in the low 60's during the day and in the mid 40's at night.
Help please.
Eldon
Texas

The paint can should give you a range. Typically, the lowest temp is 55 degrees. if you spray it in the 60's, then let it set out at night in the 40's, the paint may not set up properly. When I was in doubt, I used electic safety heaters(no flames- they are like old style radiator heaters) to warm the area to 70 plus. I then shut them down, sprayed the car and waited for the fumes to dissipate. I then fired the heaters back up to keep the area warm overnight, and it worked fine.

Eldon if you are concerned and not prepared to supply supplemental heat, delay painting until the weather warms up a bit. Funky weather is nothing new to Texas and I'm positive this cold snap will be over before you know it.


You know, global warming and all...;)

Eldon
I would check with the polyester primer manufacturer as to what temp it goes dormant.... BEFORE you sand it........I used some polyester primer quite a few years ago... Temp below 70 and it did not cure properly..... month after the color coat was on, it warmed up and then the poly fully cured... tiny bubbles ( gassing out ) all over 4 cars I had to strip and do over......

I will check the can tonight. I can heat the area, it is one of those white temporary type canvas garages. One other thing that I can do is go ahead and build my garage paint booth in my storage at my office and move everything there and prime it. I was hoping to move the car and all the equipment just once.
I know that as soon as I build it and move everything the weather will be in the 80's!!
Thanks for the info.
Eldon
Texas

no hardner works below 58 degrees, now if it does go below 58, you are gonna have to wait till its has sen temps of 68 or above for the total cure time, the standox polyester i use is air dry in 2 hours at 68 degrees, if it is cooler than 68 but warmer than 58 i would give it double that time just to get to to shirnk completely, but polyester shrinks very little but better safe then sorry.
the other thing about being below 68 is metal will take an hr after it reaches 68 to catch up, like here in the winter in my shop, when putting a car into booth i always let it heat up in booth for 10 mins before statrting to get metal temp to 72 degrees
jake

Well I looked at the can last night and it did not give any temp info on the can, however it did say not to spray it over self etching primer. BTW I have that all over my car. The paint shop says it will work fine but they don't care about my Camaro like I do.
The primer that I was going to shoot is called slicksand and the hotrod shop, that left me hanging right before winter with a car that is sanded down to the metal in spots, said that this is what they use.
Should I use something else? Has anybody had any experience with this product?
The weather here is going to be in the low 70's during the day this weekend and I am trying to get it shot.
Thanks
Eldon
Texas

PS If it seems like I am bitter about the hotrod shop thing, I am!!

I would scuff the etch primer and shoot some epoxy .... then use the poly primer... I would go to the paint supply shop that sold the poly primer and get temp info... or search on-line for the info. I would think if the temp is 70 and above you would be fine, but better safe than sorry

I would scuff the etch primer and shoot some epoxy .... then use the poly primer... I would go to the paint supply shop that sold the poly primer and get temp info... or search on-line for the info. I would think if the temp is 70 and above you would be fine, but better safe than sorry


Most paint comanies I've seen don't recommend putting epoxy over etch.
Might want to check on it first. Maybe after extended dry times you can????
A general rule of thumb is that paint stops CURING below 60 degrees. It may dry but not cure. It has to be above 60 for the entire time it cures.
The tech sheet should give a dry time at 70 degrees, if you are below that it will take longer. There is a chart I can't find now that says for every 10 degree increase in temp the dry time is cut in half. The dry time would double for a 10 degree drop in temp.

Here is a look at what I am working on. It has been down to the frame and everything like eng, trans, diff, brakes, you name it it is new or rebuilt. Now just get it painted and next spring lots of fun.http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/ebd54/Camero007.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/ebd54/Camero006.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/ebd54/Camero004.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/ebd54/Camero003.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/ebd54/Camero001.jpg

Thanks for all the help.
Primer this weekend.
Eldon
Texas

Well, I guess I did not wait too long. I also guess that God loves 1st Gen Camaros because he gave me a 80 degree day in the middle of rain, wind and near freezing temps to get it primed. The primer went on no problem and now I have started the long process of blocking it.

Thanks to everyone for the support and advice. I hope to paint in about a month. I am building my garage paint booth now.
Thanks
Eldon
Texas
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/ebd54/th_Camero-primer011.jpg (http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/ebd54/Camero-primer011.jpg)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/ebd54/th_Camero-primer010.jpg (http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/ebd54/Camero-primer010.jpg)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/ebd54/th_Camero-primer009.jpg (http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/ebd54/Camero-primer009.jpg)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/ebd54/th_Camero-primer008.jpg (http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/ebd54/Camero-primer008.jpg)