Prepping the dashboard for painting...

[logicalChimp]

Can anyone recommend a way to prep an old style FD dashboard (with the rubberised coating) ready for painting?  

I\'ve been using sand paper so far, and no longer have any fingertips left :/  Given that I would like to finish the sanding this evening (just got the main dial facia left to do), I am hoping someone has a suggestion that will make my life easier (or at least less painfull )

[mx1311]

you\'ll have to get all the rubber off first with thinners or else it will react when the paint goes on, then just light scuff, plastic primer and paint

[logicalChimp]

Yeah - I know about the need to remove the rubber - thats the hard part

So far, I have managed to sand the rubber off the gearshift surround, and the stereo surround, and started on the instrument surround.  However, in the process I have also managed to sand off my finger tips (or so it feels - certainly lost most of my fingerprints )

So - what I am looking for is suggestions on the best way to remove the rubber coating

Tried white spirit - didn\'t seem to do anything - hence trying the 120grit sand/wet-n-dry paper...

[mx1311]

white spirit sucks, celluose thinners ftw

[logicalChimp]

Cheers for the tip - the thinners definitely helped

Still took 3 hours to do just over half the main dial facia - but the rubber stuff was peeling off a lot easier than yesterday

for future reference (and anyone searching): I found scrubbing with 120 grit, followed then immediately with the thinners, and then back to the sandpaper worked best - perhaps because it broke the rubber surface and let the thinners in.

Either way, it\'s still a pig of a job - especially trying to do the bevelled edges of all the gauges...

[logicalChimp]

Yay - i get to do this again tomorrow, now

painting screwed up, due to uneven coverage and me getting ticked off and turning the piece around before the paint dried - got a lovely thumb print above the speedo now :mad:

Bah humbug

gotta buy a fresh can of paint too

[logicalChimp]

Right - given I\'m going to be sanding the main dash back and doing it again, does anyone have any tips on how to ensure even coverage on the main face of the dash?

specifically, the area that has given me the grief is where it juts out at the top (to cast a shadow over the dials, i guess).  If I lay the piece flat, the shadow-casting bit is sticking straight up, making it tricky to get an even coating of the same thickness as on the rest of the piece.

Would I be better off trying to paint it in sections?  ie paint the dial covers, then mask those off, stand it on end, and paint the sun-shield?

Any and all suggestions/tips gratefully received (especially if they save me from having to redo it a third time! )

[BenLewisMav]

I think the trick here is to try and use more lighter coats.  
Try \'dusting\' the panels with the colour, letting it tack off (should be a lot quicker) then repeating, not really thinking about the overall colour and finish at this point, but more about where the paint is landing, focusing on trying to keep it as nice thin, consistent coats.
 
Its also always good to remember the basics;
-keep the can exactly 90 degrees to the particular part of the surface you are spraying
-move the spray can to match the contours of the surface as you spray -meaning you keep the can exactly the same distance away.
-keep your movements smooth and consistent. this will help the spray pattern travel at the same speed across the surface of the panel as you spray. the results will be less patchy
 
Sorry if this is obvious but its a hell of a lot harder to put into practice (<< which is what its all about really)
 
Another tip when doing inward-facing surfaces (like tricky recesses for headlamps + indicators on bumpers, gauges, etc) is to first spray a lighter coat(slightly heavier than dust coat) into those recesses only, then start spraying the whole panel/area as one big smooth piece (pretending like the bits you just sprayed werent there). This allows you to keep a nice \'wet line\' going without having to slow down for these little details (slowing down usually leads to too much paint being loaded on and.... runs!), aswell as giving the paint, which is all still nice and wet, a chance to run together and dry smoothly
 
Hope this helps

[Archbish]

Stick it in the oven.  (there y\'go, someone had to say it, and it might as well be me. *sigh*)

[logicalChimp]

Hmmm - between coats? or after the final coat?

And I guess it would be a good idea to take the dinner out first? :wiggle

[S3TH]

If u brush over with thinners followed by a jet wash it makes life easy .