painting frame..first timer

okay so I'm scared of painting... lol here are some questions that I haveoh and there are some pics of the frame in my profile

1:what kind of paint should I use on my frame..(single stage (do I need to primer?),basecoat-clearcoat?) any brands you like?

2:since I ground down all of my welds with flapdisk wheels and then finished them off with some 3m roloc disc it's pretty smooth,but still has scratches.. I want a nice finish without noticable blemishes and I sure as hell don't want to sand/prep the frame..... is this possible?

3:if I do use primer first do I have to sand it before basecoat? if I don't what will the end result be?

4:I have a gun for primer but not one for paint any way I can get one that can produce a show quality finish for around 100 bucks? I will be painting the body also

5:Is this a coating on the steel tubingthat I built my frame out of?? if so do I need to remove it?

6:how much paint do I need? (standard cab short bed mazda b2200 frame)

Primer was used on mine, than just a PPG single stage. its just a frame after the trucks put back together u wont see much of it anyways. U can't see mine except through the wheels and wheel wells. Also no sanding or anything just sprayed it let it dry for a day or 2.

That frame looks really good.

As far as the coating on the frame, it looks like new steel, so it will have a light grease coating on it that prevents corrosion. This most definitely needs to be completely removed before attempting to spray anything on the frame. I would clean it a few times with mineral spirits or lacquer thinner. Clean it until the rags stop coming off black, then clean it again and run across the whole thing with a tack rag before shooting any primer.

Thats as far as my knowledge goes on this. I don't know dick about paint.

seth.. I was going to get my frame powder coated cause they told me $300 on the phone then I sent a few places some pictures and theyre sayin anywhere from $500-1300 bucks!
and that's just the frame no arms or links
how much did you pay for the frame?

If bare metal then shoot with a etching primer to inhibit rust.
Let cure then sand with I think 400.
Then paint and clear it.
I am a newb though best to listen to someone with more experience.

Originally posted by SlammedStroller



seth.. I was going to get my frame powder coated cause they told me $300 on the phone then I sent a few places some pictures and theyre sayin anywhere from $500-1300 bucks!and that's just the frame no arms or linkshow much did you pay for the frame?

It was about $600 roughly for them to do the frame. I can't say exactly because I got a package deal. And I took my frame to them covered in grease and mud and paint. They pressure wash it, sandblast, then acid dip and neutralize. Then they coated it with an epoxy filler and baked it, then wet sanded it and put the color coat on and cured that. It turned out great. Everything is ridiculously smooth, can't even see the grinder marks. I was impressed, they even got the inside of the frame! I can't see where the powdercoat ends with a flashlight.

On mine I had it sandblasted just to get all the rust off then sprayed it with etching primer so the actual primer will stick. After that sand it, then seal it, and then shoot it. Im going in to work tomorrow to repaint mine cause the guy that originally did it didnt prep it right so you could see sanding marks everywhere.

oh yes we scrubbed it to baremetal got all the shit off of it than cleaned it all with a laquer/thinner till like seth said rags werent coming off black anymore. I knew the frame wouldn't be seen really so sanding and clearing wasnt needed just single stage I think i spent like... 115 bucks maybe total in paint and reducer.

Far as powdercoat I don't know I paid 150 bucks to have a KP 6-link, panhard bar (no longer have watts link kicks ass) - and upper lower control arms powder coated.

Clean the hell out of the frame with lacquer thinner to remove the grease/oil. Shoot a good coat of self etch primer over it, let it flash about half an hour, and lay down a few coats of high build primer. Sand it down with 320 grit. Seal it, then spray your paint. I'd single stage it. You won't be able to see much of a difference between single stage and bc/cc, especially on a frame. I'd try a quart and a half to spray the frame, plus hardner and reducer.

thanks for all of the good info... very helpful