Auto painting is a good career. Indeed, every day, new vehicles are manufactured. Of course, it is necessary to take good care of them. Proper maintenance and repair are pretty important factors when it comes to using a vehicle. So, whenever there is any repair to be made for a vehicle, there is surely going to be a duty for auto painters. Hence, auto painters, or the painters who paint automobiles probably would have a very good demand beyond any doubt. They commonly get a very good salary as well. And in this article, we are going to focus on the tools of an auto painter. We hope that you would be able to get a very good understanding if you go through this article if you have the interest.
What do Auto Painters do?
To start with, we must get a very good idea of what auto painters do. Well, basically, auto painters are the ones who paint vehicles. But it is not merely painting. The scope of work has a wide range. So, we thought of telling it to you first.
Auto painters are primarily responsible for doing aesthetic repairs and repainting operations on cars. There’s a lot more, though. The scope of work begins with the preparation of the vehicle surfaces. The sections that do not require painting must first be removed. Following that, it is the applying of lacquers, primers, polyurethane, synthetic enamels, and epoxy. Spray guns are in use by auto painters for this operation. Of course, most of an auto painter’s work would have a connection to spray paint in general. And, in most cases, an auto painter will need to be able to mix colors and follow written and spoken directions correctly. It is vital to be able to use the essential tools. Actually, the auto painters would have to look after the tools as well. Auto painters must, of course, take all necessary safety precautions.
Alright. Now, you have a basic idea of what auto painters do. So, it is time to move to the tools of an auto painter.
Tools of an Auto Painter
Okay, now we are going to talk about the tools of an auto painter. To start with, it would be better to have a list of them.
- Paint sprayer
- Air compressor
- Rust remover spray
- Electric sander
- Sand block and sandpaper
- Body filler
- Primer
- Primer thinner
- Automotive paint
- Paint suit
We know that you would not be happy with this amount of information. You would like to know more about all these in detail. So, now we are going to tell you all about these in detail. Keep on reading! There are lots of things for you to get to know.
1. Paint sprayer
The paint sprayer is the tool that we are going to start our discussion with. In terms of auto painting, there are lots of instances where you would have to use spray paint in the main. Some may also call it air gun painting. Basically, what happens in spray painting is spaying paint to a surface through the air. Paint sprayers almost always use compressed gas. There are both automatic and hand-held devices available. Additionally, there are differences in the spray patterns as well.
Mainly, there are two main types of paint sprayers. They are the can-style paint sprayer and the gravity feed spray gun. In can-style paint sprayers, there is a can underneath the paint spray gun to store the paint. This creates high pressure and potentially can cause overspray. But when it comes to the gravity feed spray gun, the cup that stores the paint is above the spray gun. And this creates less pressure. Needless to say, it does not allow room for overspray as well. Therefore, usually, the choice of auto painters is the gravity feed spray gun. Of course, they reduce waste too.
When purchasing a paint sprayer, it is critical to choose a high-quality one. You would almost certainly have to use a paint sprayer for a long time. And surely, the tool must last that long. So, before you go and buy a paint sprayer, consider its durability as a top priority.
Also, it is important that you use paint sprayers following all the necessary safety protocols. If you fail to do so, you are seriously at plenty of health hazards. Of course, there are many hazardous chemicals in paints.
DeVilBiss STARTINGLINE HVLP Spray Gun for Painting Control 1.3mm Gravity Feed Paint Gun with 600milliliter Plastic Cup
This DeVilBiss spray gun is an ideal choice for spray painting vehicles. This is a gravity feed paint gun. So, you would be able to spray paint efficiently without waste of paint as this creates less pressure. Also, this becomes a great choice as this has used the finest technology that a paint sprayer can use. So, the paint spraying task no doubt would be super-efficient if you use this DeVilBiss spray gun.
This can provide you with a superior finishing touch. And the important part is, this paint sprayer would not require several layers of paint. With a single layer of points focused correctly, you can get the perfect finish. It really does not matter what type of material you use. It can be oil-based or water-based. This DeVilBriss spray gun suits any of them.
This product may be a little more expensive than the others. But the reason for that is its higher quality. As this product functions efficiently and saves paint, you would be having a saving ultimately. So, you would not have to worry about that.
Another important factor is this product’s eco-friendliness and safety to the user. As it does not allow paint drops to scatter, this benefits both nature and the operator.
The users of this product have shared positive views on this product in general. Most users are happy with its efficiency and working condition.
2. Air compressor
Alright. Let us take a look at air compressors as one of the tools of an auto painter next. An auto painter using a paint sprayer would definitely have to use an air compressor as well. Surely, an air compressor can power up all the air tools even other than a paint sprayer. So, an auto painter spending money to buy an air compressor is not a waste of money at all. It is a productive investment for your profession.
An air compressor is a device that converts power into potential energy which is stored as pressurized energy. This air is what the air compressor uses in order for a device such as a paint sprayer to spray its paint.
Nevertheless, you would not have to use a high-duty air compressor for the task of powering up a paint sprayer. There are certain big tasks for which there is a need for high-duty ones. Yet, for a task like this, it is sufficient for you to have a portable air compressor. That would not cost a big amount as well because it is not an industry-level piece of equipment. But it is fairly sufficient for auto painting.
However, there are certain things that you should definitely consider when you are going to buy an air compressor. The main requirement it should have is that it must be compatible with the spray painter that you have. And the air compressor should be durable and must have the efficiency to handle the scope of work that you have to work with. Usually, you would need to have an air compressor with a receiver tank of about 60 gallons. An air compressor with a tank of about 25 or 30 gallons would not be sufficient for the most part.
Craftsman Air Compressor, 6 Gallon, Pancake, Oil-Free with 13 Piece Accessory Kit (CMEC6150K)
This Craftsman air compressor is an ideal choice for an auto painter for his or her auto painting jobs. The capacity of this portable air compressor is 6 gallons and that would indeed be sufficient for an auto painter. Also, this product has a quick compressor recovery time. And that makes the work of an auto painter pretty efficient. This Craftsman air compressor lasts long and is durable. You would be able to use this for a long period of time without any issue for sure.
In addition, this product has received lots of positive feedbacks from its customers in the main. Most of them have said that this product is really worth it for the amount of money that you would have to spend on this. And many have admired the fact that they can take this from place to place quite easily.
3. Rust remover spray
Rust remover spray is another pretty important thing that an auto painter has to make use of. Of course, an auto painter who is running a small business on his or her own would usually get more work with old vehicles. Therefore, the very first task that you would have to work on is removing the rust of such vehicles if that particular vehicle is in such a condition. So, an auto painter would necessarily need to have an auto remover spray. This might not particularly be a tool. But this is essential. That is why we thought of listing this out in our list of tools of an auto painter.
No doubt, you would be able to remove rust even with the use of sandpapers. We hope to discuss that in this article as well. As a matter of fact, if there is a lot, that means that you would not be able to remove the rust using sandpapers. You would need to have something better. That is where you can use a rust remover spray. Usually, a rust remover spray has the ability to remove even a big amount of rust within a few minutes.
But it is important to go for a high-caliber product. If not, you would not be able to remove the rust efficiently and it would take a lot of time for that. So, make sure that you purchase a high-quality product.
Gallon – Rust Bullet Metal Blast Rust Remover, Rust Treatment, Metal Cleaner and Conditioner
This Gallon rust remover is really useful for an auto painter. Of course, this is easily usable and with the use of this, you would be able to dissolve the rust pretty easily. And this prepares the surface for painting really well. Also, this rust remover can prevent the formation of flash rust as well.
There are positive customer reviews for this product. Most reviews say that with this, the removal of rust became a lot easier. Hence, we strongly recommend you to buy this product. This is very useful for an auto painter.
4. Electric sander
Auto painters also need an electric sander as one of their tools. So, what are electric sanders for? Basically, electric sanders are actually an electric type of sandpaper. You can also use sandpaper. We hope to discuss that next. But here, let us discuss electric sanders. We told you that you can use a rust remover spray to remove rust. Without question, that is the quickest way to remove rust. Yet, you can use electric sanders as well. But there are benefits that you get by using an electric sander.
Mainly, you can make use of electric sanders for body filler tasks and sanding tasks. So, no doubt you can make things pretty easy if you choose to use an electric sander. And of course, buying an electric random orbit sander is a really good choice. They have circular pads that move in an orbital direction. They just do not spin in circles.
All the same, electric sanders come in different power ranges. There are different sizes as well. So, you can choose the one that you think suits you the best.
5-Inch Random Orbit Sander with 14Pcs Sandpapers, 6 Variable Speeds 13000RPM Electric Sander with Dust Collection System, Sander for Woodworking, ORFELD
This Orfeld random orbit electric sander is pretty efficient. It can easily work up to 13000 orbits per minute. And it has a 6-speed dial. It helps you monitor the sanding disk. So, you can do the sanding task pretty easily. This tool has a separate counterweight design. It helps reduce vibration and therefore is pretty comfortable to the operator. Ans you can conveniently adjust the disk of this Orfeld electric sander. Also, there is a high-tech microfilter system. That traps very small particles such as dust.
Many users have recommended this product. They have commended its sturdiness. Also, this product has got positive reviews about its efficiency and ease to use. And of course, this product is worth it for the price that you would have to pay for it.
5. Sand block and sandpaper
No matter what tools we include as the tools of an auto painter, this article would not be complete if we fail to include sandpapers. Needless to say, sandpapers are the traditional type anyone would use if there is any duty in relation to sanding a surface. And together with sandpapers, we need to get to know about sand blocks as well.
They are a form of coated abrasive. You can use sandpaper to sand a variety of surfaces. And this is basically at the start of the process. As you may be aware, you must clean a certain surface before applying paint. As a result, you would have to rely on sandpapers for that.
Sandpapers come in several grit sizes. Grit size is a numerical value. It has a relationship with the sandpaper’s size. A tiny size, such as 20 or 40, indicates that it has a coarse grit. If it is 1500, it has fine grit.
For a sanding process, sanding blocks are as important as sandpapers. So, what is a sanding block, exactly? A sanding block, on the other hand, is a tool that you can use to hold sandpaper. Typically, this is a block of wood or cork. It also has a single flat side. It is as simple as wrapping the sandpaper around the block. In most cases, they are large enough to contain a quarter or half sheet of sandpaper.
The majority of workers in the construction industry utilize one-piece sanding blocks. For commercial applications. They are much more common as well. They also include an abrasive-coated foam plastic block.
So, although there are new other tools, sandpapers and sand blocks are important for auto painting.
Sandpaper Girt 120 to 3000 Sand Paper with Sanding Block Sander, Wet Dry Variety Pack Abrasive Sandpapers Assortment for Wood Automotive Car Furniture Metal Polishing Finishing, 9х3.6”
This Lanny sandpaper assortment has 42 sandpapers in various grit sizes. They come in the grit sizes 120/150/180/240/320/400/600/800/1000/1200/1500/2000/2500/3000. You will be getting three sandpapers for each of these grit sizes. At the back of each sandpaper, they have printed the grit size of the respective sandpaper. So, you can easily check what grit size it is and choose accordingly. Of course, this assortment comes with a sanding block as well. So, you can make use of both of them for your auto painting tasks.
Lanny sandpaper sheets are exceptionally durable and flexible thanks to tensile resistance technology. Every piece of sandpaper in the selection is a standard 9”x 3.6” size that is easy to use. That covers a large area at once and you can possibly do your job quickly and easily. You do not have to cut sandpaper for your jobs.
The sanding block sander that comes with the kit fits sandpaper well and maintains it in place. Also, this sanding block is comfortable and you can operate it with a single hand quite easily.
This product has received incredibly good reviews from its customers that this is a worthy product from which you would be able to arrive at the completion of your job quite easily. They have said that these sandpapers are decent and you can use them comfortably. Also, it has got positive reviews about the ease to handle the sanding block.
6. Body filler
Let us consider body fillers now. Body filling is usually the process that happens right after sanding. After sanding, there can be dents or nicks. If so, you would have to fill those places. For this particular task, you can use body fillers or glazing putty. Of course, it is through this process that you would be able to get a fairly good finish for your auto painting task.
To apply the body filler, you would need a putty knife as well. Most types of painters would surely have to make use of putty knives. Whenever there is a task of applying putty, any type of painter would have to use a putty knife for that. And of course, auto painters also have to make use of them in terms of auto painting.
Needless to say, it is with the finishing of something someone would judge a particular task. If you succeed in getting a good finish for your auto painting tasks, you would surely be able to get the credit for that. So, body fillers are therefore pretty important in this aspect.
Bondo Professional Gold Filler, Stage 2, Superior Adhesion Ideal for Vehicles 1998 and Newer with Galvanized Coated Metal, 12.8 oz
This Bondo professional-grade body filler is an ideal choice for any auto painter. It easily repairs holes, dents, and scratches. This product works faster and efficiently. Smooth, simple application and sanding are made possible with its resin technology. This is water-resistant. So, it does not allow rust to be created. Also, its minimal shrinkage creates the perfect surface to go ahead with painting the surface which is an auto painter’s next step.
The filler is simple to mix and applies easily over a variety of vehicle surface flaws thanks to the included Red Cream Hardener. It has a 5-minute working time and a 20-minute curing period for a great balance – enough time to do the job while keeping the car body restoration operation going.
This product has also received great customer reviews. They have appreciated the product for its fast-drying ability to smooth application. But it is important that you apply the right amount of body filler. Application of too much body filler might make your work even messier.
7. Primer
Now, it is about primers that we are going to consider. You would not want the paint that you apply to fade away soon, would you? In order to improve customer satisfaction, you would need to make sure that the paint would last long. For that, the best procedure you have to follow is using a primer for your painting tasks.
Using a primer is also important to increase the smoothness of the paint that you use. That is another important fact why you should use a primer.
To seal the paint with the body metal of your automobile, use the primer before applying the paint. If feasible, use an epoxy-based primer, which resists corrosion and adheres to the paint better than conventional primers. To obtain the greatest results, you may need to apply two or three coats of primer.
Rust-Oleum 286258 Primer, 31.5 oz, Gray
This Rust-Oleum primer is a great choice for any auto painter for auto painting work. The water-based composition of this primer seals evenly and adheres to the surface even without the need for sanding. But sanding initially would possibly make it even better. It dries in 30 minutes, is ready to recoat in an hour, and covers up to 100 square feet. It has good stain resistance too.
Priming is more than simply an extra step in the painting process. It assures that you can save the time and money that you spend on painting. To ensure that nothing interferes with the final appearance of your work, use primer as a buffer between what you need to paint and the top coat you wish to employ. So, our recommendation is this Rust-Oleum primer. You can easily arrive at the completion of work like this in no time.
This product has got good customer ratings. With the use of this primer, you would be able to make your auto painting tasks much more efficient and effective.
8. Primer thinner
Let us get to know about the primer thinner next. To be frank with you it is not really essential to use a primer thinner. The necessity of a primer thinner as its name itself suggests is to thin the coat of primer. But if you are an expert in applying the primer, you surely would not have to use a primer thinner. You would then apply exactly the right and requisite amount of primer to the surface of the vehicle.
Yet, you may not be perfect with this task. There is a possibility that you may apply more primer accidentally. Then, you would have to thin it and make it smooth. So, you would have to use a primer thinner. Therefore, there is no harm in keeping a prime thinner with you. An auto painter would probably need one.
Drying, Easy Sanding, Excellent Adhesion – Apply Over Metal Steel, Body Filler Putties, Automotive Industrial
This thinner is an ideal choice for your auto painting work. In fact, this is a quality, lead-free primer surfacer that gives an excellent build for rapid filling without shrinking. It has great adhesion and color retention and may be sanded to a fine feather-edge wet or dry. It adheres well to metal, steel, aluminum, fiberglass, previously painted surfaces, epoxy, and self-etch primers, body filler, glazing putties, and other appropriate substrates. It’s a great primer for automakers, fleet managers, industrial product producers, and OEMs. therefore, this is really beneficial for auto painters.
This product has got a lot of good customer ratings. So, this would be a good choice for any auto painter.
9. Automotive paint
And this is what you would need in the main. An auto painter needs automotive paint to paint vehicles. In actual fact, this might technically not be one of the tools of an auto painter. But we thought of listing automotive paint in our list of tools of an auto painter because these are things that auto painters necessarily need at all times. Needless to say, automotive paint is the main thing that an auto painter would need to paint a car. In terms of automotive paint, there are two main types of paint. They are waterborne paint and solvent-borne paint.
So, what is waterborne paint? Any surface coating or finish that employs water as a solvent to disperse the resin applied to make the coating is referred to as a waterborne coating. Water may make as much as 80% of the mixture, with tiny quantities of additional solvents such as glycol ethers. Waterborne coatings are both ecologically friendly and simple to apply due to their high water content. Hence, waterborne paint is much more popular among auto painters.
Paint with a solvent basis, such as enamel, urethane, or lacquer, is known as solvent-borne paint. Although it contains more organic volatile components, it is more difficult to apply solvent-borne paint to a car body. But at the industry level, solvent-borne paint is very common. Actually, this is the professional type of paint between the two.
Dupli-Color EBUN01007 Universal Gloss Black Perfect Match Automotive Paint – 8 oz. Aerosol
Dupli-Color Perfect Match Premium Automotive Paint is a high-quality, fast-drying acrylic lacquer aerosol paint that is easy to apply. For smooth, even coatings, it has an adjustable EZ Touch 360-degree nozzle and a broad spray pattern. Ideal for extensive touch-ups, color-matching automobile accessories, motorbikes, and other similar items. So, it is undoubtedly one of the best choices for any auto painter.
Most customers have commended the quality of the paint and the convenience to make use of it. Also, most customers are happy with the great finish and beauty it adds to the automobile after you use this product for painting. So, if you follow the right steps, no doubt, you can easily arrive at a great finish with your auto painting tasks.
10. Paint suit
And finally, we have the paint suit in our list of tools of an auto painter. Of course, this is not to be used to paint cars. This is to ensure that the auto painter is safe from the hazardous and toxic chemicals of automotive paint and other substances. In other words, an auto painter needs to use a paint suit to protect himself and be on the safe side.
Normally, an auto painter would have to go for a liquid-proof painting coverall. Doubtlessly, this type of paint suit would provide you with the adequate protection that you would need as an auto painter.
By any chance3, if you do not have a paint suit, it is always advisable to cover up your entire body. Anyway, the best thing is to have a paint suit. That is indeed the ideal choice for an auto painter.
Together with the paint suit, there are certain other things that you must have. They are safety glasses, nitrile gloves, and a respirator mask. If you have all these and if you wear them properly, you are not at a risk with your job. Do not take this for granted. Having these is really necessary as tools for an auto painter if you wish to go ahead in your career as an auto painter.
SAS Safety 6938 Moon suit Nylon Cotton Coverall, Large
This cotton coverall comes in a super-comfortable finish. This is lightweight and is durable. It has a full pullover hood, zipper front, and elastic waist. It also has Hook and loop wrist and ankle closures. And in addition, it makes things convenient because this is washable.
There are many happy customers who have brought this product. They commend the durability of this product and the safety it provides.
Conclusion
We gave you clear and descriptive analyses of the tools that an auto painter needs. And we hope that you will have a pretty good idea of the tools of an auto painter by now. All the same, you can read about the tools of other types of painters. You can read about the tools of a metal painter, wood painter, and house painter. Ultimately, we wish you all the best for your auto painting career!
