New body/paint/detail guy from NC

R

rcrobbins

New member
Hello everyone, my name is Corey Robbins and I'm from Greensboro, NC. I do a lot of paint and restoration work and kept coming across this site when referencing a lot of my detailing products through Google. I got tired of always clicking the links, so I decided to be a part of the community here and offer my knowledge. I work by myself as a 100% builder, doing everything from rust repair and engine building to painting, wet sanding, and detailing. With every job I strive for perfection and learn something new everyday. I'm only 23 and nobody wants to hire me for my lack of certifications despite having the ability of 80%+ paint transfer efficiency and talent to produce flawless finishes through post paint wet sand/buff. For retaliation, I've been working on restoring an 89 M3 to really prove myself and put my name on the map. I never brag about my work and handle business with complete honesty, which often gets me taken advantage of. Anyways, I'll post some pics and let them speak for me. I look forward to meeting the world class people on this site and enjoying the professional discussion boards.

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Hey Corey... welcome to Autopia, and keep up the good work. Maybe nobody will hire you because you're meant to open your own shop!!!
 
ould be David. Looks to be some good stuff there Corey. The thing is and it's sad to say . . . . now days people tend to judge a lot and they are really scarred to give people of young ages a try as they think the old timrs will always remain the ones with more knowledge . . . . . . though we might think it's not true it's just how a lot of folks are and it sucks.



We wish you the best of luck though . . . . . keep up the good work and great things will follow.
 
Hi, Corey. Welcome aboard. It seems to me that you're going in the right direction. After all, you're trying to be the best in a field you already love to work in. That's more than 90% of the population can say. Keep that passion and you'll do alright. The best of luck to you...Carmine
 
Thanks guys, I appreciate the warm welcomes and comments. I've often thought about opening up a shop and people have contacted me to go into partnership, but after 4 years of pre-med, finance isn't obtainable. As for the old timers, I'm finding they know amazing techniques on metal shaping and ground up building. On the other hand, they're usually the ones asking me questions on the paint side of things. Most are from the lacquer days and have trouble keeping up to date with top of the line product lines and high solids application using HVLP. I know I'm young, but I believe in myself and put my soul into every car I do. I've only shown my work to a few people, but my name is getting around. I just make sure all my customers pick up their cars 100% satisfied and show them every tiny flaw I make. The only time people doubt me is after I show them some of my work (like the cars above) and explain the only gun I use is a $100 Kobalt gun from Lowes :)
 
The only time people doubt me is after I show them some of my work (like the cars above) and explain the only gun I use is a $100 Kobalt gun from Lowes
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Hi, Corey. In theory, it doesn't matter what type of gun you use as long as it covers uniformly. You could actually paint a solid color with a paint brush and sand out the brush marks if you're just looking to prove a point.



I'm one of those "old timers" that you speak of, so maybe I can offer you some advice and share a little knowledge with you. I'm not sure if you're using an old fashioned type syphon gun such as a Bink's model 7 or a gravity feed. The syphon types do a nice job and back in the day, that was all that mattered. I worked in more body shops than I care to remember that had painters who wore either a cartridge type of paint mask, a dust particle mask, or no mask at all. When I was your age, we all thought that we were immortal. The truth is that if you wear no mask, or if you wear a particle mask, and you're using urethane clearcoat, you might want to invest in a bible so you can start cramming for your finals. Cartridge masks were alright in the days of lacquer and they're certainly better than no mask at all, but they won't filter out the isocyanates in activated urethane paint. Make sure if you're working for a shop that they have a good downdraft spray booth, and most important, that they supply you with a fresh air respirator which pumps fresh air from an outside placed compressor. This brings me to the gun that you're using. I've been away from auto body and painting for 11 years now so I don't know of the latest technology. But what I had when I left the business was 3 different Sata Jet HVLP guns - one for basecoat, one for clearcoat, and a dedicated single stage gun. These guns will put the greatest amount of paint directly onto the car and lessen the amount of overspray in the air, which incidentally does get absorbed by your skin and even your eyes. I'm not trying to scare you, but if you do get a little scared after reading this, then I'm not really sorry. Pursue what you love to do and become the best that there is - you've already got the heart. Just keep yourself healthy and maybe one day you'll be an old timer too and you can pass on your knowledge to some young pup. Best of luck to you...Carmine
 
That's good advice Carmine. On the topic of safety, I am well aware of VOC's and their effects. I always wear a full paint suit, gloves, head sock, goggles and respirator, all of which are NIOSH approved. I have a cross draft setup in the garage with high volume exhaust fan and filtration on one end and fresh air intake fan on the other, directing the airstream overhead and into the exhaust. As paint guns go, you're right, atomization is atomization. The difference is how the gun achieves it at the cap. I have a Bink's 7 and numerous DeVilbiss siphon conventional guns, but they never leave the wall. I use the low end HVLP to display complete control over the atomization process by mastering gun settings, paint viscosity and environmental factors as dependent variables. The result being incredible paint savings from higher transfer efficiency to the panel instead of the air in the form of over-atomized overspray as you stated. My point being, very few people can achieve this product from low level guns using the proper 10psi at the cap combined with technique.
 
It sounds to me like you already have the knowledge of the dangers involved and enough smarts to take the appropriate safety steps. That's really refreshing to hear as opposed to a lot of young guys starting out who work recklessly, and scoff that this stuff "doesn't bother me" and how they can take it. That would be right up to the point where the membranes in their lungs turn to catalyzed jello and they can't breathe quite the same way anymore.



You seem to have a pretty good handle on what equipment to use and to get the best adjustments out of them. I guess you've done your homework. You strike me as wise beyond your years. I'd say you're well on your way.



Wow - 23 years old. I'd pay money to be there again...lol...Carmine
 
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