Dip Painting

[Paul S]

Who has done dip painting that can give me a few details on what to look out for? -what paint, how thin (the paint itself and how thick the floating layer), number of coats,...? I'm doing a trans crossmember and thought I'd check here for some info before giving it a dunk with what I though was good.

Thanks, Paul

[Chuck S.]

Re: Dip Painting

First, how do you know the part was dip painted?...It probably was, but this is rhetorical question to help you decide if it really NEEDS to be dip painted.

I would actually only dip paint parts that are small enough to fit in a gallon can and "in your face"; i.e. they can be examined closely to see if they have runs typical of dip painting. I never considered dip painting anything as large as a crossmember or a radiator support because the amount of paint required would be cost prohibitive; the factory did it that way, but they spread the paint cost over thousands of parts.

If you have evidence that it was dip painted from the runs and paint collection at the lowest point, then you can attempt to overspray wet coats and try to make runs, but the problem is that this method yields runs wherever the paint is heavy enough, not at the bottom of the hung parts like dip painting. (Hint: only do this near the bottom of the part.)

Second, what is a "floating layer"? The original black primer was a lacquer-based product, and was less viscous than water. From your reference to a "floating layer", I think you misunderstand how dip painting was done...large parts were dipped ONCE into barrels of the paint; there was no "floating layer". If you're thinking the paint was "floated" on water, that's incorrect...maybe you've read it can be done that way, but I would be afraid the water contamination of the paint would gain you a great big mess.

Conclusion: I would spray paint a crossmember with wet coats, trying to eliminate all orange peel. It's hard to see any parts under the car well, and dip painting actually provided a very nice finish; some times evidence of a part being dip painted is very difficult to find if you don't know where to look.

[Dennis C.]

Paul - This is just between you & me, but...

...in the case of most dip painted parts, if I could see the runs or paint puddling on an original part, I would duplicate that with my spray technique. In most all cases, I figured they hung the part in a hole by a wire hook and dipped it in a paint bath.

I never bought enough paint to dip a part. I just painted the part in such a manner as to create an artistic run or two to duplicate the dipping process. Must say, I've never had a chassis judge comment one way or the other on my C1 trans mount paint jobs...

At some point, there IS a limit to duplicating factory originality... Or maybe that's just my silly misguided opinion...

PS - I have been a long time user of Krylon 1613 rattle cans. Not every ones choice, but it works for me. Give each part or panel about 2 full wet coats. Good for black out & other brackets and misc. parts. Cheap, easy and have yet to lose a judging point for its use. Best, Dennis

[Lyndon S.]

Re: Dip Painting

You can use a quart of rustolem paint to dip parts in. you will need a bucket or a tub that you can fill the most part of it with water. Pour the paint on top of the water it will float because of the oil in the paint take and hang your part and then dip it in the bucket/tub and then pull it up through the solution and the paint will stick to your part then hang in the direction you want your run. The is the way the factories did dip paint they had large vats with mostly water and the paint was on top. Good luck.

kelly

[John D.]

Is that how you got the name dip stick???... *NM*

[Chuck S.]

Re: Dip Painting

"The is the way the factories did dip paint they had large vats with mostly water and the paint was on top."

Oh?!...I must have missed that part in John Hinckley's story on dip painting; I'll have to pay closer attention.

It still sounds like a gosh-awful tacky mess to me, and totally unnecessary for the hobbyist, but each of us gets to chose where they spend the effort.

[Gary B.]

Dip painting; it worked for me

Paul,

I dip painted all of the bumper brackets on my '66. I used Rustoleum semi-gloss in quart cans that I thinned quite a bit with paint thinner. I used two, plastic sheet-rock mud trays glued end-to-end (after cutting off one end of each) for the paint container and I hung the parts to dry from my back fence. The thinning of the paint was critical to getting the paint to flow and not leaving large goobers. It was a little messy and I used about 3 quarts of paint in the end, but I was very pleased with the result and I would do it again if I'm ever faced with restoring the same parts.

Gary

[Anthony F.]

[Lyndon S.]

Re: Dip Painting

Maybe I should have used a different term than the factories, but that is one way you could have dip painted a part with out using a lot of product. And that is with a oil based paint like Rustoleum and using water. I suppose one could get the same results with a heavy spray of product with the part hanging in the direction of the run one would want.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Dip painting; it worked for me

Gary,

Any chance that you recall the approximate ratio of thinner to paint?

Also, apparently someone is reproducing "GM Reconditioning Paint" which can be used as-is for dip painting without thinning.

Patrick

[Chuck S.]

Really!...Does "Someone" Start With A "Q"??... *NM*

[Patrick H.]

No. *NM*

[Brian K.]

Re: Who's doing the GM Black?

I love GM Black who's repoping it!!

[Patrick H.]

Re: Who's doing the GM Black?

I saw Melrose T-tops (yes, that's right) with a notice on it last year at Carlisle as well as in-person cans of it, but there's no mention on their current web site. A Google search shows nothing.

Anyone want to call and see about the status?

Patrick

[Gary B.]

Patrick; thinner ratio

Patrick,

I didn't keep track of the ratio, but for someone who has never had an occasion to thin paint before, I was amazed at how much thinner I had to add. If I had to guess after the 4 years it's been, I would say I added 1 part thinner to 3 parts paint.

Gary