My 48 KB-1 on a 96 Dakota Frame - TAKE TWO


The "Hot Rod" version of the K and KB truck

Rusty Driver
Rusty Driver

Posts: 136

Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2014 8:39 pm

Location: Wisconsin USA

Post Tue Jun 07, 2016 5:21 pm

Re: My 48 KB-1 on a 96 Dakota Frame - TAKE TWO

Were the paint bubbles down to metal or between paint layers? Was there rust on the metal below the bubbles? What products did you use? Sorry for your troubles but if we can learn what went wrong then it isn't a complete loss. I almost made a similar first timer mistake. I was shooting epoxy primer on my rear fenders. It was a nice day so I did it outside of my shop under a shade tree. The fenders got put in the corner for a year before I was ready to final paint. There where small bubbles with rust below. I am pretty sure it was tree sap. The bubbles where only on the top surface. I only had to sand off and re-prime two fenders. Not a huge deal but learned a lesson.

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 8937

Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:45 pm

Location: Canada's left Coast

Post Tue Jun 07, 2016 5:46 pm

Re: My 48 KB-1 on a 96 Dakota Frame - TAKE TWO

How about a clear-coat over what you have. You could tell people that you are a dairy farmer and your herd is Burlina.
http://eng.agraria.org/cattle/burlina.htm
I was given two new SATA Jet 5000 B spray guns as payment. These guns are things of beauty. I decided to paint a few cabinets in Tremclad Fire red. I did all of the right preparation then shot the paint. Talk about "fish-eyes". The finish was terrible and had to be redone the next day. The problem was a simple and stupid mistake. I had not pre-cleaned the new gun. I checked the second gun and it was coated, inside and outside in a sticky shipping oil.
I have not gone back to refinish the cabinet, yet.
The "L" on the cabinet is from the graduated driving program. Someone stuck the "L" on my truck. I thought it was a better reminder of LOSER on the cabinet.
BTW. Off subject, but these steel cabinets are really well made and are of top tool box quality. These cabinets were originally used as sewing pattern display cases by SIMPLICITY. I have five of these cabinets left. My friend has 50 - 60 of these cabinets.
There were hundreds originally at $20 each and when the word got out, they sold for $100+ each. Watch Craigslist.
Attachments
PATCH-WORK PAINT.jpg
Last edited by nikkinutshop on Tue Jun 07, 2016 6:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I would rather have tools I do not need than to need tools I do not have
Thinking risks being controversial and possibly being offensive
User avatar

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 678

Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 11:44 pm

Post Tue Jun 07, 2016 5:56 pm

Re: My 48 KB-1 on a 96 Dakota Frame - TAKE TWO

Duane WI wrote:Were the paint bubbles down to metal or between paint layers? Was there rust on the metal below the bubbles? What products did you use? Sorry for your troubles but if we can learn what went wrong then it isn't a complete loss. I almost made a similar first timer mistake. I was shooting epoxy primer on my rear fenders. It was a nice day so I did it outside of my shop under a shade tree. The fenders got put in the corner for a year before I was ready to final paint. There where small bubbles with rust below. I am pretty sure it was tree sap. The bubbles where only on the top surface. I only had to sand off and re-prime two fenders. Not a huge deal but learned a lesson.


The blisters were in the top paint only. No rust through or lower issues. Everything below is solid. When I did a test, I very slowly sanded away a little at a time and they stopped before the primer. I sent pictures to TCP Global and talked to the tech there since I am using Restoration Shop paints and primers. He confirmed that it was air contamination that caused the blisters. I did extensive research for months checking with local shop painters and they confirmed the same. So, I feel that I have the correct diagnosis of the issue.
As far as the correction, the short answer is to remove everything down to the metal. That is not what I am going to do since I have spent countless weeks and months doing preparation on the body that most people would have considered gone. Using a donor cab, I replaced every bottom corner with all 4 cab mounts, the floor, rear valance, the cowl area with the vent opening and other spot places. Custom touches like splitting the rear window, transmission tunnel, battery box in the floor behind the seat, indenting and raising areas of the firewall to allow the 327 ci Chevy engine to fit. Then a major epoxy filler skim and blocking over and over. So...I am not going to do that over again, but I am going to remove all of the paint down to the primer and then re-prime and re-paint. I think I will be safe doing that but, time will tell.
To anyone that plans to paint...make sure your air supply is clean and dry. That includes your hoses as well. Mine were old and I only had a water separator at the tank. There are so many things that you have to be aware of when you paint. Any type of contamination like, wet sanding and not allowing the surfaces to be completely dry before painting, not allowing for a proper flash time between coats can cause solvent pop, not using a surface prep/cleaner and a tack cloth, too humid of a day, not using the right hardener for the temps, not enough reducer in the paint, paint gun not set up right like too much air or not enough, you name it.
When shops do it everyday all of these things are second nature. When we attempt them in our garage or outdoors, conditions are so variable that it is just dumb luck when you get a good job.
I've painted a couple of cars and pickups at home before and I lucked out, they turned out good. This time..not so much.

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 2028

Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2016 4:52 pm

Post Tue Jun 07, 2016 6:32 pm

Re: My 48 KB-1 on a 96 Dakota Frame - TAKE TWO

Some people paint in open dirt floor sheds without dessicators, masks, taping off anything, kids and dogs running around.
It just sucks that you took so many precautions and it bubbled.
We have an experienced body man here that never has painted anything without it bubbling to my knowledge. In his case I think there are solvents left unvaporized. I surely don't know, for sure. I'm glad I don't paint for a living. Good luck with the next paint job.
User avatar

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 678

Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 11:44 pm

Post Tue Jun 07, 2016 7:28 pm

Re: My 48 KB-1 on a 96 Dakota Frame - TAKE TWO

Monsonmotors wrote:Some people paint in open dirt floor sheds without dessicators, masks, taping off anything, kids and dogs running around.
It just sucks that you took so many precautions and it bubbled.
We have an experienced body man here that never has painted anything without it bubbling to my knowledge. In his case I think there are solvents left unvaporized. I surely don't know, for sure. I'm glad I don't paint for a living. Good luck with the next paint job.

Yup, it sucks but I'll get it done. Thanks for the thoughts.

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 486

Joined: Sat Mar 23, 2013 6:36 pm

Location: Pocono Summit , Pa

Post Thu Jun 09, 2016 6:46 pm

Re: My 48 KB-1 on a 96 Dakota Frame - TAKE TWO

I feel your pain, Bob. That tends to knock the wind out of your sails in a hurry. I do admire your decision to go back after it. You 've apparently done a lot of research to find the cause and are taking steps to correct it. I've not seen that style of dessicant filter. Does it have a sightglasss or window to see when the pellets turn pink and become saturated? I use a canister style that holds about a gallon of the beads and it has made a big difference, along with a dedicated air line for painting only. A small inline dessicant filter at the inlet of the hvlp gun is an extra measure just in case. Good luck with the do-over, I'm rooting for you.
User avatar

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 678

Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 11:44 pm

Post Fri Jun 10, 2016 6:51 am

Re: My 48 KB-1 on a 96 Dakota Frame - TAKE TWO

MACGIVER wrote:I feel your pain, Bob. That tends to knock the wind out of your sails in a hurry. I do admire your decision to go back after it. You 've apparently done a lot of research to find the cause and are taking steps to correct it. I've not seen that style of dessicant filter. Does it have a sightglasss or window to see when the pellets turn pink and become saturated? I use a canister style that holds about a gallon of the beads and it has made a big difference, along with a dedicated air line for painting only. A small inline dessicant filter at the inlet of the hvlp gun is an extra measure just in case. Good luck with the do-over, I'm rooting for you.

Thanks for the well wishes! The Devilbiss snake does not have a sight window. It must be the poor mans snake filter. I also use the small circular ones at the gun. I have a Devilbiss Starting Line gun set that I have used up to not long ago. I am a product of the past and I went back to a gravity feed spray gun. The hvlp was hard for me to get used to setting it up. The gravity feed is what I have used for almost 40 years and I have a second nature to setting it up and not getting any orange peel on anything I have ever painted. Not so with the hvlp. Just me but I don't like the low pressure guns. They are supposed to save paint and put less into the air..I did not experience that. I am sure I had it set up wrong. Sometimes you can't teach an old dog the new tricks. lol
User avatar

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 678

Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 11:44 pm

Post Tue Nov 15, 2016 6:42 pm

Re: My 48 KB-1 on a 96 Dakota Frame - TAKE TWO

Making progress finally and getting close to painting the truck again. This time all precautions for clean and dry air are in place. I am blocking the primer now and have finished 1/2 of the cab so far. One more good day and it's ready to paint. I feel good about the quality of the base this time around and don't regret my decision to strip it down to bare metal again and refinish the cab. It was a setback but had to be done to satisfy myself. Here is what it looks like now in primer and another of when it was painted the first time.
repaint 001 11-12-16(3).jpg

033.jpg

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 486

Joined: Sat Mar 23, 2013 6:36 pm

Location: Pocono Summit , Pa

Post Fri Nov 18, 2016 7:11 am

Re: My 48 KB-1 on a 96 Dakota Frame - TAKE TWO

You made the right decision, IMO, to start at the beginning. Looking good, soon to be looking great.
User avatar

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 770

Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2012 2:29 pm

Location: Thunder Bay On

Post Fri Nov 18, 2016 1:29 pm

Re: My 48 KB-1 on a 96 Dakota Frame - TAKE TWO

Hope it goes well for you this time around. I'm guessing your location may be part of the culprit. Higher humidity. I use a disposable paint filter although the same disposable filter has been on the gun for a few years. As well as a air dryer on compressor and I still drain off bottom of compressor tank between coats.
No doubt stripping cab right down is your only alternative.
PreviousNext

Return to The Modified K-KB

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
Designed by ST Software for PTF.