Auto-Air water-based paints

[thorsen]

Has anyone ever used the Auto-Air water-based paints? I will be painting my 250C this spring, and in my search for an automotive paint that won't kill me, I came across Auto-Air. I ordered some small samples from Eastwood and will try them on an old fender I have, but was wondering if anyone has tried them before.

[danwatt]

It's really more of a airbrush art sort of paint, nothing I would use on broad areas. If you are looking for high quality automotive finishes, go with either Glasurit's 90 Line or PPG's envirobase.

You still have to use the same clearcoat over waterborne paint as you would with regular urethane paint (even the auto-air), so the ill health effects are still there. And the clearcoat is really what you need to worry about. But as long as your whole body is covered (especially your eyes!) and you are wearing a high quality respirator, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Decent HVLP guns won't have that much overspray, and if you set up an exhaust fan it won't linger. I manage an automotive paint shop (jobber) and I'm not going to pretend this stuff doesn't hurt you... most of the painters I know that have been doing it for a long time have all sorts of nervous system problems. Just take all the proper precautions and don't do it for a living. You'll be fine.

[thorsen]

Dan,

The health issue was the major reason I looked at the Auto-Air. After reading some MSDS sheets for uretahne paint, I got spooked. I even looked at purchasing a supplied breathing apparatus, just because I don't want the health effects.

Do you know when they started adding iso-cyan's to the paint? I bc/cc a car in 1993 at a friend's garage, and all we did was set up a filtered intake, an exhaust, and wore masks.

Thanks for the reply.
TP

[danwatt]

It really depends on different state laws regarding the environment and health + safety. Call up a local jobber and see what you can get from them. But all of the catalysts that I sell for clear coat contain iso's, there is really no way around it for now.

[thorsen]

Thanks for the information. I guess instead of deciding what type of paint I should use, I should decide what shop I am going to use.