Professional paint job

[Zephod]

I'm stunned at the way people spend more on paintwork than their busses. I thought we were making busses into motorhomes because we couldn't afford ready made motorhomes and or needed cheap accommodation.


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[Scott & Heather]

I'm stunned at the way people spend more on paintwork than their busses. I thought we were making busses into motorhomes because we couldn't afford ready made motorhomes and or needed cheap accommodation.

No nope. You're on the wrong forum if that's why you think we are here. Many people here haven't converted their own buses, and of those who have, most of us didn't do it because we couldn't afford an RV or needed cheap accommodation, we do it because we love coaches, we love converting, we love the challenge and the hobby. The skoolie forum has more of the type of people that might be in a school bus because it's cheap. Coaches are not cheap to run, maintain or convert. They are money pits but they are glorious fun and a truly unique hobby. Time and time again people come onto the forum with a financial sob story hoping moving into a coach would be cheap and easy and then they find out after owning a coach for a bit that the REAL sob story is about to hit them. Anyway, this keeps drifting off topic, so to the original poster, do budget as high as you possibly can to get proper paint done. It's worth it.


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[eagle19952]

In the past cars were painted with good paint and fine brushes.  Lots of thin coats rubbed out then waxed.  From a distance you could not tell any difference.  With the good jobs you had to get very close.

Reprint.  Way back in about 1976 or so we hand brushed the side of a fire engine parked too close to a small fire that became a big fire.  Red lacquer with fine brushes.  Looked very good when done.  Fun.

rolls royce, bentley and duesenbergs etc were all painted with brushes...and they still shine...with original paint

[Scott & Heather]

Donald, wasn't that brush on paint different chemically than the paint the government allows us to use today? That stuff flowed and laid down really nice compared to the stuff we use today...


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[Zephod]

Donald, wasn't that brush on paint different chemically than the paint the government allows us to use today? That stuff flowed and laid down really nice compared to the stuff we use today...


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Early paint contained lead. That was banned.
Later paint was cellulose. That was banned.


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[m-werx]

You can still get cellulose from uk just ordered sum for 1966 triumph,

[luvrbus]

Well heck just go to Tractor Supply you can buy a gal of primer for 30 bucks and a gal of paint for 30 bucks that should be affordable enough

[TomC]

Practically all boats and yachts are hand brushed painted. Yes you can spray, but in California, you'd have to completely cover the boat while spraying. They make special paint for hand painting. Basically it takes two painters-first one applies, second applies more with a wet brush to eliminate brush marks. It is a skilled procedure that has a very small window between brush marks and having too much paint causing drips and droops because of longer drying time to allow the paint to flow. But done properly, the paint can come out looking mirror smooth. Good Luck, TomC

[DoubleEagle]

Well heck just go to Tractor Supply you can buy a gal of primer for 30 bucks and a gal of paint for 30 bucks that should be affordable enough

The catch to the cheap oil-based paints is that they are not durable and fade in the sun quickly. The only long term paint that is readily available are the urethanes in either single coat or base coat/clear coat, and they will cost three times as much or more. A good paint job for a bus will use thousands of dollars worth of strippers, sandpaper, primers and finish coats, be done in a truck-sized paint booth that costs big bucks, and be done by an experienced painter that wants lots of money to support his aching arm. Being the cheapy that I am, I will buy the paint myself, paint outside on calm days, and pay myself nothing. It also helps that I don't have any close neighbors that will complain. Most people are stuck with going to Mexico or using an equity loan to pay the big bucks. Painting with rollers and paint brushes will not generally result in a great finish on a bus. Boats don't have too many rivets, and schoolies are not examples of painting that I want to emulate. 

[RJ]

Branderson -

We got our MC-5C painted at Fleet Painting in Spokane, WA.  Their specialty is D-9 Cat dozers, IH combines and other types of industrial/farm equipment, thus they use industrial Delfleet from PPG.  Two colors, $5K.

Those of you who have seen the coach after it was painted can attest to the quality and appearance.

Based on the comments I've received, it was worth far more than what I paid.

FWIW & HTH. . .

[richard5933]

Any chance the high cost of painting was a primary reason the original owners of most of these coaches just went with anodized aluminum for the majority of the body, and only painted the steel and enough of the aluminum to show their livery colors?

If I could easily strip off the layers of paint that's the route I would choose, but at this point I believe repainting would be less expensive and easier than stripping.

Richard

[luvrbus]

Stripping is the pits and nasty if the paint is not peeling paint over it mine was stripped to the bare metal because it was peeling it saves a ton of money just painting over the existing paint,
My MCI is going to need stripping the places it is peeling the so called Pro didn't use primer and it is coming off in sheets so it's going to Mike Wilson in OR to be done right  

[Jeremy]

I'm stunned at the way people spend more on paintwork than their busses. I thought we were making busses into motorhomes because we couldn't afford ready made motorhomes and or needed cheap accommodation.

Just for the record, that's definitely NOT why I'm converting a bus

Donald, wasn't that brush on paint different chemically than the paint the government allows us to use today? That stuff flowed and laid down really nice compared to the stuff we use today...

I bought a large tin of industrial enamel a couple of years ago to brush-paint some big garage doors; it's was horrible, sticky, gooey stuff straight from the tin and impossible to apply in anything other than thick coats which sagged and dripped. Thinking "this can't be right" I did some research and ended-up creating a hot plate from an old domestic iron which I put the paint tin on when using it - and by thinning it with heat in that way the paint was transformed and applied beautifully - and after drying (which took a long time) was smooth, glossy and as tough-as-nails.

Jeremy

[Scott & Heather]

^ that's so cool. Heat huh? Cool.


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[kyle4501]

Interlux boat paint & fine line masking tape.

I have several bay doors that no one seems interested in, so, I am going to spend a few bucks to buy some paint and the recommended brushes & rollers to see how it turns out. A friend has used it with great results.

The only thing cheap about my coach is the owner !
Money is always an issue, but it isn't the only issue. Build quality & enjoyment of use is much more important to me.