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Lower dash semi-gloss black lacquer supplier/manufacturer

Discussion in 'Color is everything!' started by Buick 72, May 31, 2016.

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Buick 72 Well-Known Member

I am trying to emulate the original semi-gloss finish on the lower dash so I tried the custom mixed rattle can lacquer that several people suggested. It blushed horribly and flashed much too fast for use in the heat and humidity we have here. Sanded and tried again with the same result. If I were mixing it myself I know how to adjust for it but because these are rattle cans there is no way to add a retarder to slow it down a bit.

So all that to ask if anyone knows which manufacturers offer a quality semi-gloss black lacquer for the lower dash in pints or quarts so I can adjust the mix appropriately?

Any recommendations from you guys in the auto refinishing business would be greatly appreciated.
Robert


Buick 72, May 31, 2016

#1
steve covington Well-Known Member

Try Auto Color Library. (www.autocolorlibrary.com) Follow the directions; it's simple. Cross your trim code from the cowl tag. I enclosed the attachment for page two, the interior trim codes
http://images.tcpglobal.com/chips/1972-Buick-pg02.jpg. but sometimes it doesn't update correctly. It is page 2 of the color chip sheet. NAPA can make pints of paint; you'll need the reducer, activator, etc, etc. They can help, at least the guys at MY local NAPA do...

steve covington, May 31, 2016

#2
Buick 72 Well-Known Member

Thanks Steve. I had already looked there and the only lacquer they list is sold as "Restoration Shop Paint". I am not familiar with that brand at all and I want to use a quality paint because I don't want to do it again in a few years. Is that brand good quality? My other option is to just go with BC/CC and live with the gloss finish. That would be a distant second choice because it would probably just bug me ever time looked at it. Robert

Buick 72, Jun 1, 2016

#3
copperheadgs1 copperheadgs1

Did you paint in the shade? I had issues with the stuff as well until I realized it worked best with a cool interior first thing in the morning. Holding can closer to surface helps as well.

copperheadgs1, Jun 2, 2016

#4
copperheadgs1 copperheadgs1

The site Steve mentioned has the Ppg code you can buy in qts which works very good. I have used it in a sprayer. You can then use PPG thinner local to suit your temperature. Don't use another brand thinner however as you may have issues.

copperheadgs1, Jun 2, 2016

#5
Buick 72 Well-Known Member

Dave,
Thanks for the information. I feel better knowing that others have had success with their product. I've just never used it before.

Btw, I shot it in the garage at a temp of ~77 and I had let a dehumidifier run continuously for two days prior to shooting it. The humidity here can be outrageous at times. When I lay lacquer on cabinetry I always use a little retarder and a slower thinner. Requires a little more time between coats but I am not into high production rates. Its just the nature of the beast.
Robert

Buick 72, Jun 2, 2016

#6
copperheadgs1 copperheadgs1

I did have issues with the mixed spray bomb stuff as well. Shooting in the morning really helped. Setting up with temp specific thinner should help.

copperheadgs1, Jun 3, 2016

#7
StratoBlue72 Well-Known Member

There are a few other options for paint other than lacquer: Acrylic enamel with flattener, or Sikkens makes a single stage urethane called Rally Black which is probably between satin and eggshell gloss. Also you can use b/c and clear it with matte clear.
Paints with flattener can be a challenge to end up with the desired gloss, especially acrylic enamel and urethane. Spray them too wet/heavy and the flattener settles to the bottom producing too much gloss on the surface. Spray them too dry/light and they turn out too dull.
Lacquer usually flashes quick and doesn't turn out too glossy.

StratoBlue72, Jun 6, 2016

#8
NZ GS 400 Gold Level Contributor

I am in New Zealand, and I used a PPG lacquer called Dulon. I am confident that it is the same as Duracryl. The guy at the paint shop mixed up some "jet black" at 70% gloss and I think it looks right. It has that soft glow that I was looking for......I think it looks very near factory finish.

It is winter here now, so it gets dark by the time I am home from work. If you want me to take a picture I will by next weekend at the latest.

By the way, a trick I learned to deal with blush is to shoot a light mist of straight lacquer thinner over the blushed parts. It opens up the skin and lets the moisture out. I have had great luck doing that on those late evenings when I am pushing the limits of climate for painting. Also, use a heat gun to warm the surface to be painted will reduce the chances of blush.

These tricks were shared with me when I needed them and they worked. I hope they help you!

P.S. I get a nicer gloss with lacquer when I use a premium thinner. A thinner ratio (2:1) also has given me a nicer finish if mixed that way and spray over a base of 4-5 coats 1:1 or 1:1.5.

NZ GS 400, Jun 6, 2016

#9
Buick 72 Well-Known Member

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I too am going for the factory correct gloss level so I went ahead and ordered the lacquer. I'll have to let everyone know how it works out.

If it blushes again I will try misting thinner on it to open it up again. I had heard some people have done that with success. If you work with lacquer for wood, they sell a product specifically for that purpose however it only works on nitrocellulose lacquer so its no good for automotive finishes.

Thanks for the offer of a picture Ed. Since I ordered the materials already I don't need a picture but if you want to post one it may help someone else.
Thanks,
Robert

Buick 72, Jun 6, 2016

#10
copperheadgs1 copperheadgs1

Robert, try and paint in an Air conditioned garage as crazy as that sounds. I had success painting the lacquer in the low 70's.

copperheadgs1, Jun 6, 2016

#11
Buick 72 Well-Known Member

Its been a little while but I thought I would close this thread out by letting everyone know that I used the lacquer and a "slower" thinner and didn't have any issues with blushing this time around. Ultimately it did come out with a little too much gloss in my opinion but I'm not going to buff it so it will be okay. It also may be that I am used to seeing painted dashes after they were twenty years old so the finish may have lost a little gloss by then.

I think the rattle can lacquer from Tower would have worked fine if the humidity and temperature were at acceptable levels. If you can wait until the conditions are right, it shouldn't give you any problems. If not then you may have to go the route of buying the lacquer and using an fast, medium, or slow thinner appropriate for the conditions in which you are working.

Robert

Buick 72, Jul 29, 2016

#12
pglade Well-Known Member

The factory, IMO, barely sprayed the dash metal from what I have seen upon close inspection of original black dash cars (including a '70 car). Up to a certain point, lacquer seems to SLIGHTLY increase in gloss as more coats are laid on after the first couple are down. The factory probably stopped at one, maybe two, quick coats and they typically missed a lot of areas around the edges and corners (which leads me to believe they didn't spend much time spraying the dash metal areas). Thus, spraying the way most of us do (ie taking your time and getting nice coverage and multiple coats) likely results in a bit more gloss compared to original paint finishes on the dash.

pglade, Jul 30, 2016

#13
scubasteve455 Well-Known Member

I Painted the underneath of my 72 GS. It was carried out of my garage upside down. The weatherman said it was gonna be 76* At 10 am I planned on painting car. At 10am it was 89* 100% humidity! As I started to paint Por-15 the sweat was dripping of my face and the paint was KICKING ! The paint was drying as it came out of the gun long before it hit the panel. I knew I was in trouble! I had many hours sanding and prepping! And now the paint job looked like it! I was completely upset with the way it looked. So because of the heat going through the roof! We carried the body back in my garage to get it out of the hot sun. and shut the garage. With the air condition on ! And the dehumidifier cranking! I had to leave for the day to go bale hay ! The entire day I was upset ! When I come home that night to go down and grief ! And to my disbelieve the paint job did a 360*From sitting in a cool garage with no humidity the paint job was perfect! I was shocked! I mean absolutely stunning! ( humidity and Moisture) is a painters night mare! Try to paint your car when humidity is below 35%

scubasteve455, Jul 30, 2016

#14
buickbill Well-Known Member
i tried some rattle can semi . on mine .looked good , till you touched it. and took 2 days to dry . decided id rather have durability , so i shot it with single stage urethane w/ hardener. i figured id hate it .after its all back together ,i think i almost like it . but im not trying to be politicaly correct . tried to do a matte finish on my gsx stripes ,but after i cut /buffed ,ended up VERY glossy , and i think it looks good now. perfection eludes me . id hate to know how bad it would be if i didnt try. BUT i do have a very thick hard coat of VERY shiny black onthe dash/trim!!
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buickbill, Jul 30, 2016

#15
copperheadgs1 copperheadgs1

If it took forever to dry you used enamel. Big mistake. When you do that it will be tough to cover with anything else. Rustoleum enamel is especially slow to dry.

copperheadgs1, Aug 1, 2016

#16
buickbill Well-Known Member

thats exactly what it was . never again . after trying it , i made the decision to use the gloss!!

buickbill, Aug 1, 2016

#17
TorqueMonster1 Making My GS Great Again!

copperheadgs1 said: ↑

If it took forever to dry you used enamel. Big mistake. When you do that it will be tough to cover with anything else. Rustoleum enamel is especially slow to dry.
Click to expand...

I have to 2nd that comment. I think Rustoleum is a good quality spray paint. On a scale of 1 to 10 I'd probably give it a 9. But it DOES take Forever to dry. For most projects I have switched to Krylon spray paint. On a scale of 1 to 10 I think Krylon is probably a 8 or 8.5 AND it dries in about 10 minutes (on average). Paint from spray cans certainly is not for all cars and all situations but it does have its place. Just my 5 cents worth.

TorqueMonster1, Aug 2, 2016

#18
copperheadgs1 copperheadgs1

buickbill said: ↑

thats exactly what it was . never again . after trying it , i made the decision to use the gloss!!
Click to expand...

Gloss does not look correct. If you use it on the upper dash it will reflect off the glass . Not good.

copperheadgs1, Aug 3, 2016

#19
buickbill Well-Known Member

thats where i used it ,while the glass was out . still there , but i was so UNhappy ,never again!!

buickbill, Aug 3, 2016

#20

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