Fenders On :)

[Miriam C.]

n varnishing an old woodie to get that clean finish the last coats are done at 3-4 am and in your underwear so no lint or dust is carried in to float in the air. Hope this helps.

I guess I should braid my hair too.

[Keith B]

Actually it's the "roll and tip" method with Interlux.. says you can spray but they "said" they had just as good of results w/ the roller, etc... I did spray my trailer w/ cheap 'ole enamel from Tractor Supply.. yes, everyone can say.. "I TOLD YOU SO"; I deserve it. Thanks for the tips on the filters, etc.. I might have to try that on future things I spray...the "best" paint I've ever sprayed is $20 enamel from Tractor Supply.. I really need to practice on some other stuff "with" some other paint. Now, some of my neighbors go to work pretty early, is there anything I need to worry about spraying paint in my underwear at 2AM.. , thanks Les

[martha24]

Keith,
Putting your time, energy & money into it, you want the trailer coming out nice the way you picture it. The first time doing something is usually a learning experience, I know it is for me. We are working on our paint job right now too, although we ended up going with latex enamel - what my husband decided, bondo on the wood so the wood grain won't show - the one thing I didn't want, primer and then paint. I should have done more sanding, I can see the flaws especially when the light hits it just right. I've been figuring out some tricks to make it look better. My doors I sanded right so they will look good.
My point is when I'm feeling frustrated with it, my husband says it is just a trailer, nobody will notice and after it is driven some add a little dirt and such you won't see a thing. And he's right.
So I say do your best and give yourself a break. Plus this could be the reason why people build more than one. Whoever buys the first one, probably doesn't see all the little mistakes at all and is very happy.
Martha

[Keith B]

Hey Martha.. well, I can tell you I'm already thinking about TD #2. I just know I'm capapble of doing better work and for the life of me I can't figure out what the heck I'm doing wrong; I've tried diff. buildings, rollers, thinning, cleaners.. it this last lil bit that's kicking my bottom....anyway... you and your husband are right.. when it's hooked up to the truck I probably wont notice anything and when I'm enjoying "it" I probably wont notice it.. I always tend to "concentrated" and the "exact" task I'm working on - it is a learning process and BOY have I learned a bunch. Hope your TD turns out great.. see you at Minden?

[Podunkfla]

Keith... I know it's no fun when things don't come out like you want them to... But, relax... Your's is an easy fix. Almost ANY paint can be polished and buffed out... after it has cured good. You can check with Interluxe, but most marine paints take a while to cure... like a couple weeks or more. Thirty days would be even better... Then polish out the flaws and buff it to a nice shine. So, you have plenty of time to work on other fun stuff.

[martha24]

Keith,
Unfortunately we can't make it to Minden, as we need to go see our son in South Dakota in Aug. So two trips that far that close together is too much.
But I understand completely your frustration as I'm a perfectionist. I like my work to come out nice. With our TD we are doing it together and some of the things we are doing we have never done before so there is a definite learning curve. Some of the things my husband does I would have liked to have come out better, but better than I could have done.... so some things are fixed with trim and some things I just can't worry about.
After all the most important thing is to have a little trailer to travel in. Sure will be better than a tent.
So I guess it will have to be a future gathering. Oh knows maybe by then you will have done #2.
Martha

[doug hodder]

Keith...what does Interlux say about polishing? any info on the can, or ask their tech people...I'd find out how long to cure before I jumped in and created more issues, I'm with Brick......just a thought...Doug

[Keith B]

Well, Interlux didn't offer much help... The pretty much said "you might contact 3M and see what they offer". I do have all the "3M Perfect It" stuff and some 1500 grit wet paper, so maybe after Minden I can "see" if I can get anything done?... Like I said, I'm "okay" with vertical surfaces, but the horizontal stuff I'm not so crazy about, and I washed it a lot and lots of "cleaner" and tact cloth. Thought I was doing it all right.. but this stuff does stay "tacky" for about an hour, so it might just be the nature of the beast, unlike enamel, auto, etc. that "glazes" over pretty fast. I guess I'll stop messing with it.. maybe some of ya'll could take a peak at Minden and give me some of your experienced advise.

[doug hodder]

Keith...want me to bring my auto polisher to Minden?....I got a generator. roll some on a test piece that is on top of epoxy and we could experiment with it....It's a hard thing to do completely by hand...Doug

[Podunkfla]

Keith... Here's a couple guys that have done amazingly good paint jobs using cheap paint (Rustoleum) and rollers to paint their cars. Their polishing technique is the secret... and worth reading, I think. They pretty near end up with a show car finish! Just thought the info may be useful at some point. They have been posted here before...

http://www.rickwrench.com/50dollarpaint.html

http://carpainting.wetpaint.com/page/69 ... a's+Method

[Keith B]

Brick... many thanks for the links... I'm gonna have to give that a whirl. It can't hurt right? Well, I have the doors yet to build, so in doing so I'm going to create a test piece on a piece of plywood and as you and Doug mentioned I'll let it set for a good while before I do anything - maybe I'm getting in to big of a hurry.

Doug...WOW..thanks for the offer - I really would love to learn the polishing technique, but I'd hate for you to have to lug all that stuff all the way from California - that's a huge favor. I have a polisher, but I think it's an el'Cheapo..always having problems finding pads, etc. for it.. and they all have to be "tied" on.

You know...if all else fails I'm just gonna hit the TD w/ some 60 grit and get it really dulled up, then go back to 120-220-320 paper and maybe try to spray - but that would for sure be a "this fall/winter" project... I don't think I'd have to do much priming, etc. if I did that... that would give me a chance to practice the "real paint" techniques and then who knows...maybe in a year or two I wont be that "afraid of it" for the next TD.

[Geron]

Keith,

Feeling your pain and not wanting to endure such distress myself, I came up with a solution.

Since the "thing" is called a Tear Drop, just think about it. A tear drop RUNS.
It RUNS down your face. To cry profusely generates numerous Tear Drop RUNS.

Now being aesthetically gifted, I decided, upon the application of my Epoxy, to create RUNS in strategic locations easily visible upon a cursory glance. This often required me to go back to the pot and refill my brush in order to get the runs precisely the way I wanted them. I often brushed out the RUNS when they were not aesthetically appealing or appropriate in order to get them "JUST RIGHT."

I do hope that everyone who views my "TEAR DROP" will immediately appreciate the most excruciating pains I have taken in getting the RUNS Exactly Right!!!!

In addition, Since my name "Geron" means in Greek, "Little old wrinkled man or "Elder" and I will be calling it "Geron's Tear Drop" I also decided before beginning my epoxy application to add a number of "Sags" or "WRINKLES" in the most appropriate places between the Tear Drop RUNS

I have spent all morning working out these remarkable AESTHETICS. "GERON's TEAR DROP" is now an amazing work of art.

Again I do sincerely hope that everyone who views my -- (Geron's Tear Drop) Tear Drop will be deeply moved by the remarkable interpretation I have given this amazing work of art.

Sincerely,

Geron -- Little old wrinkled up man.

[Miriam C.]

Well little old man, this little old woman did it first.

[Geron]

:roll: Well little old man, this little old woman did it first.

Oh my Oh my I have plagiarized, I have stolen someone else's idea. Shame, oh shame on me. I was priding myself in being original and artistic.

None the less I am still so proud of my wrinkles and runs. They have to be unique. They are soooo beautiful.

Perhaps we can compete to see who gains the most in commissions from the showing of our unique "art".


g

[Miriam C.]

:roll: Well little old man, this little old woman did it first.

Oh my Oh my I have plagiarized, I have stolen someone else's idea. Shame, oh shame on me. I was priding myself in being original and artistic.

None the less I am still so proud of my wrinkles and runs. They have to be unique. They are soooo beautiful.

Perhaps we can compete to see who gains the most in commissions from the showing of our unique "art".


g

That would be you for using Epoxy and not varnish. And I am sure my baby's tears are from hormones not art. There are just too many and they are so random.