spraying metallic celluose

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Marku

Active Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2012
Messages
808
Car
Viano Ambiente 2.2CDI W639, S-Class 450SE W116
What's the trick in doing this successfully? I have read any number of tips which often contradict each other. From what I can gather all coats should be sprayed with about 15 minutes between them finishing with a "dusting" coat with 10% more thinners and the gun about 15/18 inches from the surface. Do I include the clear coat in the sequence?
 
Cellulose takes me back a few decades when i was in the trade.

No apply the clear coat separately.
 
Cellulose paint needs to be applied in a controlled environment with the appropriate breathing apparatus, so if you are asking how to apply it, you should, imo, stay well clear!
Water based paint was introduced largely due to health and safety concerns in the early 1990s. Most car manufacturers now use water based paint and have been for many years.

Care should also be taken with lacquer / clear coat as most contain isocyanates which can (will) cause asthma unless the appropriate breathing apparatus is used.
 
Using cellulose because it's a classic Mercedes and that's what the original colour is.
 
Not used cellulose for many years, though don't ever remember putting a clear coat on it afterwards, though I never did metallic finishes...

This was back in the 70s mind, so things probably changed. We went over to 2k after that, though when spraying cellulose it was always one or two coats of colour (60/40 I seem to remember) then a thinner one to give a bit of gloss. I still remember the polishing, using a harsh cutting compound to remove the orange peel effect, then T Cutting after that.
 
Anyone remember the Mk 2 Cortina from the early 70's where the clear coat peeled off in sheets. Would that have been cellulose. Suggests there is a proper technique/timing needed for good adhesion.
 
Yeah, Blue Mink in particular I seem to recall. :)

And yes, it was cellulose at the time.
 
Lots of information on youtube in video form .I have been on there yesterday .I am about to spray a front wing in metalic paint . Mixed by a paint company on the bay to my exact colour,, made up and and they are in a rattle cans .I sent a sample of the old wing to them to get the paint mix right. .After i used the spray can on the old wing ,, its as good as i will get . For the clear coat you will need K2 clear coat .You can polish it to a very high glass like finish . Much harder shell on the paint finish .
 
What year is your car, are you sure it was painted with cellulose.

Mine is a 70s car painted with metallic base coat and 2k clear.
wing%2028.jpg[img]
 
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Usually, remembering years ago when I sprayed celly, it needs cutting and polishing to get a good finish, didn't use a clear coat over celly.
Surely it may be best to use 1K or acrylic with clear coat on top?
 
Race mine is the same as yours base coat clear coat special paint protector after..
The rattle tins i have had made up is acrylic so i need 2k clear coat . How long can i leave the base coat before i k2 it .
 
I would always clear within an hour or so of painting base coat, but I don't know a definitive answer.

This is how I did my wing, first epoxy inside and out for the best corrosion protection.

wing%2021.jpg


Then 2k high build primer, flatted back.

wing%2026.jpg


Next. 3 coats of metallic base coat.

wing%2027.jpg


Finally 2 or 3 coats of 2k clear.

wing%2028.jpg


The inside of the wing was finished first with gravitex over the epoxy then 2k solid colour dunkle grau.
 
Race Diagnostic Well i will go off your menue with both base coat, and with the clear k2 Yours looks briliant .And even better on the car .Nice job there ...
 
That is truly a great finish wish I could achieve that. Just bought a new spray gun so I hope for better control. The car is 1974 450SE in silver green. Was replacing a few panels including the boot lid. Was doing all right until the clear coat on the lid and just got orange peel a real mess so decided to start again.
 
Clear coat was to dry if you got Orange Peel.

A bit more thinners should help it flow, or a lot of polishing...
 
Certainly more thinners has helped plus new gun. Had no trouble before didn't need polishing either and achieved a good gloss finish.
 
Cellulose paint needs to be applied in a controlled environment with the appropriate breathing apparatus, so if you are asking how to apply it, you should, imo, stay well clear!
Water based paint was introduced largely due to health and safety concerns in the early 1990s. Most car manufacturers now use water based paint and have been for many years.

Care should also be taken with lacquer / clear coat as most contain isocyanates which can (will) cause asthma unless the appropriate breathing apparatus is used.
You can only get cellulose for classic cars of a certain age . And you are supposed to show your documents to prove ownership. As an amateur sprayer I only used face mask and kept the garage well ventilated. No problem really .The reason you can get it is to let the home restorers to continue with our hobby . Makes a change that the government has actually thought for once . I thought with water based paints you needed to bake the paint after spraying .
 
Using cellulose because it's a classic Mercedes and that's what the original colour is.

We may be using different verbiage and if so, I apologize for my ignorance. However, unless you're painting a Model T Ford, cellulose (nitrocellulose) was probably not used. Cellulose is easy to spray as the thinners burn the new paint into the old paint thus making prep work easier which is why hobbyists like to use it on old cars. It's not a resilient paint however and remain soft and fade in the sun.

For metallic, you should probably use solvent based base / clear coat (i think that it's referred to as 2 pack paint in the UK) if it's still available in the UK. Solvent based paints are readily available here and is more commonly used than water based paint because they tend to hold up better.
 
That is truly a great finish wish I could achieve that. Just bought a new spray gun so I hope for better control. The car is 1974 450SE in silver green. Was replacing a few panels including the boot lid. Was doing all right until the clear coat on the lid and just got orange peel a real mess so decided to start again.


I have been cursed with orange peel plenty of times too, I think its just too cold up here to be painting outside, anyway the easy (but time consuming) fix is to wet sand and polish. I had a lot of peel over the rear of the car when I painted it, so sanded it out then polished.

rear%20150.jpg


...and after.

4.jpg
 

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