Automobile painting and carriage and wagon painting

Preface

The purpose of this book is to present the practices of today useful in painting and refinishing automobiles, carriages and commercial vehicles by the painter or the car owner.

Many cars are now painted by those who are without much information or experience concerning such work. Under such circumstances the effort seldom results in a fine appearing surface, but had they known what kind and how much preparation of the surface is necessary to insure a beautiful finish, what materials and tools to use as well as how to use them, and the general requirements, they might easily have succeeded with no more effort.

To supply this needed information, to give definite answers to the specific questions which naturally arise concerning details and to furnish a practical working method is the aim of this work.

THE AUTHOR.

Index

Section Numbers.

1. How many Coats?

2. Where to Paint the Car.

3. How Much Material.

4. Drying Conditions.

5. The Mixing of Colors, Pigments and Liquids.

6. Schedule of Operations— New Cars — First Class Job.

7. Rubbing Mouldings.

8. Rubbing Large Flat Areas.

9. Rubbing Curved Small Surfaces. 10. Rubbing Lead Ground Coats.

IL Rubbing Varnish.,

12. Ground Colors. *

13. Flowing on Varnish.

14. A Dull Finished Surface.

15. Lake-Color Pigments.

16. Finishing Engines.

17. Painting the Car White.

18. A Quick Job Schedule.

19. The Quickest Job.

20. Refinishing — Old Paint to be Removed.

21. Refinishing— Old Paint not to be Removed.

22. Refinishing — A Quick Job.

23. Renewing Auto Tops.

24. Brass Varnish and Lacquer.

25. Finishing a New Carriage.

26. Refinishing a Carriage.

27. Wagon Painting.

28. Touch Up and Varnish Jobs — Wagons.

29. Spraying Paint, Varnish, etc.

30. Flowing on Paint and Varnish.

31. Dipping.

Z2. Baking.

Operation Numbers.

1. Cleaning the Surface.

2. Sandpaper to Roughen Up.

3. Priming Coat.

4. Putty.

5. Sandpapering.

6. Dust Off— Wash.

7. Roughstuff Filler.

8. Stain Guide Coat.

9. Rubbing — Pumice and Water.

10. Lead Ground Coats.

11. Horse Hair Rub.

12. Knifing Lead and Glaze Putty.

13. Japan Color — with Turpentine.

14. Japan Color — with Varnish.

15. Rubbing Varnish — with Color.

16. Rubbing Varnish — Clear.

17. Body Finishing Varnish.

18. Polish Ready for Service.

19. Japan Color — with Finishing Varnish.

20. Chassis Finishing Varnish.

21. Ivory or Coach Black.

22. Black Japan.

23. Wood Filler.

24. White or Tinted Enamel Wheels.

25. Natural and Stained Wood Finish.

26. Stains.

27. Removing Mud and Grease.

28. Removing Old Paint.

29. Filling Holes, Dents and Cracks.

30. Taking off Wax Coatings.

31. Touching Up Bare Spots.

Chapter I

Upon seeing this book for the first time, or reading about it, the question which naturally occurs to one who is completely without knowledge of the subject is : — *'Can a car really be given a fine finish outside of an automobile factory?" Painters, and especially carriage painters, know it can, and so that question does not come up with them. At any rate it is entirely possible and practicable for a car owner, a house painter or an automobile mechanic to produce a presentable job, if he will but use the same intelligence exhibited in his every day line of work, provided he doesn't let his zeal to view the finished effect run away with his judgment, and so rush along with the painting process so fast that the job is spoiled. Carelessness about details always goes with hurried work. Paint and varnish are materials which must have their own good time to dry, if really long service is expected of them.

To the car owner the painting ofifers a considerable saving in money, since he can do the job for the cost of materials. The sport of driving a car to many men comes largely from the feeling of independence which a full understanding of every detail of construction, operation and maintenance gives. Mechanics, and those who have been mechanics in various trades, especially are in this class. Then there are others with whom it is strictly a matter of economy in maintenance, because upon their ability to keep down the expense of operating a car depends their right to afiford the pleasure of owning one. One can paint his car for about ten dollars or less, when it would cost fifty to seventy dollars to have others do it ; there is quite some saving to pay for the trouble.

To house and sign painters the field of automobile painting oflfers a large opportunity to develop a paying business. It is without the keen competition under which they are working. It otfers steady employment, and especially an income for the dull seasons.

The garage owner whose winter income depends largely on rentals and overhauling jobs will find the painting of cars generally repaired to be a profitable addition to his earnings. He has the room usually, and needs but to study the work to be able to handle it. Rebuilt cars which he may be holding for sale offer an excellent opportunity to increase his profit. A few coats of paint and varnish have sold more cars than much talking ever did. Painting really increases the value of an automobile as well as to make it sell more easily.

Before you have gone very far into this book, you will readily see that it does not present any wonderful new material by the use of which you can perform such a miracle as producing a really fine and artistic finish on an automobile body with but one or two coats and without the use of time tried filling and surfacing methods. Frankly, it cannot be done, as you will readily agree after having tried it. Any method which produces a finish of good appearance requires time and more labor than the brushing on of one or two coats of materials. Later in this work finishing methods will be given which require the minimum of labor, number of coats, time and expense and which will at the same time result in a good looking, serviceable finish.

CHAPTER II. Materials

The materials used for automobile painting determine in a large degree the success which will be met with on completing the job. They are so important that the most skillful of mechanics cannot, with poor materials, turn out a job of painting that is either good to look at or durable. Not only is the use of cheap material unsuccessful, but likewise the wrong materials of even the finest quality fail as completely to accomplish the desired result. Probably more attempts at automobile painting fail because improper materials are used than for all other reasons combined. When for instance, oil is used as a thinner in place of turpentine the coat neither dries nor hardens as it should to stand the necessary rubbing, leveling and smoothing processes. When ordinary house colors ground in oil are used in place of colors ground in turpentine or japan a greasy coat results which does not dry properly. And the use of cheap or improper varnishes leads, usually, to the most disreputable appearing surfaces one is able to imagine. Even with their discouraging appearance they are not durable enough to justify the time spent on them.

Anyone who will take up a pencil and figure the probable cost of materials needed for painting the average car, will quickly see how wasteful of time and material, how far from being economical it is to buy cheap materials. True enough, first class automobile varnish costs four to eight dollars per gallon, while three dollars will buy a gallon of ordinary varnish — but only about half a gallon' is needed for the average car, so- the cost of the finishing varnish is but two to four dollars. In the same manner the colors and other materials cost a little more than ordinary goods, but the quantity of each needed is so small that the total cost is only about one tenth the cost of a finished job turned out of an auto painting shop.

Use the very best materials you can buy, and only such as have been especially made for automobile and carriage painters' use. Have no faith in the many ready mixed paints and so-called carriage color varnishes which are claimed to give you a wonderful finish in one or two coats without preparing the surface, when the most skillful professional automobile painter himself cannot produce a job of respectable appearance and reasonable durability without the necessary filling and rubbing processes and with less than six or eight coats.

A complete list of the materials needed follows:

Red Lead, for priming metal surfaces.

Metal Primer, such as can be had from all well known varnish manufacturers. Made especially for metal auto bodies and chassis.

White Lead in oil, strictly pure Carter Coach & Car Lead preferred.

Roughstuff. It can be purchased in the form of a heavy paste, in one pound cans and larger, at about twenty cents per pound from'varnish and color manufacturers. It should be thinned to stout brushing consistency, about like thick cream, with turpentine and it is then ready to be brushed on. It comes light or dark for use under light tints or dark colors. The man who has but one or two cars to paint had best buy his roughstuff ready for use. The painter with a shop can make it more cheaply where a quantity can be used. The materials needed are white lead and what is called "Keystone Filler," ground in japan and varnish. The formulae will be given under the proper heading. Keystone Filler sells at about $1.65 per gallon and 90c per half gallon.

Dry White Lead for making putty.

Dry Bolted Whiting, for putty.

Linseed Oil, Raw.

Turpentine.

Japan Gold Size or Coach Japan — cost about 85c per quart. A liquid to be used to bind paint and cause it to dry hard. When used as the liquid with putty and fillers it causes them to set quickly and very hard. It may be purchased from varnish makers and paint jobbers.

Varnishes. There are several varnish manufacturers who make first class automobile varnishes. The Sherwin-Williams Co., Chicago, and Valentine & Co., Chicago, are probably to be preferred from among the American manufacturers, while Robt. Ingham Clark & Co.'s products are among the best English varnishes for automobiles ; they may be purchased through paint jobbers, as Pratt & Lambert, Chicago, have the American agency.

A Quick Rubbing Varnish, or what the English call Flatting Varnish, is needed for mixing with the second color coat and to be used clear as the first varnish coat. It drys hard, dust free in six or eight hours, and may be rubbed in about 48 hours.

An elastic rubbing varnish would seem to be the best for the reason that it allows more freedom and time in working and enables the painter to flow on say an entire wheel or part of gear and then return and lick the defects or thick edges out in time for the whole mass to flow together in a body. Thick edges, laps, etc., should be avoided, and, naturally, they can best be eliminated by using an elastic varnish that sets slowly enough to allow for catching up any possible defects without pulling the coats in layers or causing them to pile up.

Color Varnishes are generally about the same as rubbing varnishes except that a certain amount of Japan color has been mixed into them. They may be purchased in most standard colors. They can be rubbed the same as rubbing varnishes and are used in place of them.

For the last coat what is called Body Finishing Varnish is needed. It is more elastic, dries more slowly and not so hard as rubbing varnish.

As a rule ordinary carriage varnishes are not very durable on automobiles, because of the hard usage resulting from so much vibration, mud, oil, grease, roadoil and the dust driven against the car by its great speed. The varnishes made especially to withstand these conditions had best be used.

The line of automobile varnishes of one of the best known manufacturers is listed below:

Price Per Gal.

Body Varnish $6.00

For Finishing Coats Only.

Finishing Varnish 5.00

For Finishing Coats Only.

Chassis Finishing 5.00

The Best Finish for the Hoods, Fenders and Underparts of Automobiles.

Gear Varnish 4.50

For Finishing Coats where a heavier, quicker Varnish than the Body or Finishing is desired.

Quick Gear Varnish 3.50

For Finishing Coats on Quick Work.

Quick Finishing . 4.50

For Finishing any Equipment where a very quick Hard Drying Finish is required.

Leveling Varnish 4.00

A 36 to 48 hour Rubbing.

Flatting Varnish 3.00

An 18 to 24 hour Rubbing.

Pale Body Varnish 6.00

For Finishing Coats where a paler Varnish than our regular Body is desired.

Pale Gear Varnish 5.00

For Finishing Coats where a heavier, quicker Varnish than our Pale Body is desired.

Pale Quick Gear Varnish 4.00

For Finishing Coats on Quick Work where a paler Varnish than our Quick Gear is desired.

Pale Leveling Varnish 5.00

A 48 hour Rubbing for use where a paler Varnish than our Leveling is desired.

Pale Flatting Varnish 4.00

A 24 hour Rubbing for use where a paler Varnish than our Flatting is desired.

Black Japan. For black fenders, chassis and hood what is called Black Japan is often used as undercoats of varnish. It is in reality a hard drying varnish which is not transparent, and which dries in eight or nine hours and may be rubbed in 48 hours. It may be used as a finishing varnish for these parts also, or coated with a regular chassis finishing varnish.

It is not advisable to use two different brands of varnish on the same car ; that is, if two coats of rubbing varnish are used take the varnish from the same can for both coats. Likewise do not use two different brands of finishing varnish on a car which receives two finishing coats. There is a difference in elasticity between different brands of the same kinds of varnish. When the surface gets hot from the sun or the engine one varnish coat may expand more than the other and cause what is called ''crazing," which means small hair lines or cracks in the varnish.

Enamel. When wheels are to be white, cream, Ivory, straw or some such light delicate tint you can do no better than to use one of the first class white enamels made for house work, after giving the necessary ground coats as mentioned later. The two best known enamels for this purpose are the English product called "V^itralite," sold by Pratt & Lambert, Chicago, and the Dutch enamel called "Ripolin," sold by most paint jobbers. Both come only in the white, but can readily be changed to any light tint by adding the right color ground in japan as listed later in this chapter. These enamels are put up in cans from one-fourth pint at about 20c, a quart at $1.35, half gallon at $2.60, and one gallon at $5.00.

Liquid Paint and Varnish Remover. This preparation will be a lal)or saver when removing old paint and varnish from wheels and other parts, although the paint burner or gasoline blow torch is more useful for many surfaces. This liquid remover can be had from any paint dealer.

Colors. Colors used for automobile painting are ground in Japan. Colors ground in oil are not suitable, except for tinting ground coats. The so-called carriage paints carried by most paint stores are of no use at all for this purpose, they are simply colors and varnishes mixed together, useful, perhaps, to paint an old wagon when even the wheels are not taken off. They produce quick jobs, but their virtues end about at that point.

A complete list of the Japan Colors carried in stock by a Chicago jobber follows. They are put up in 1 lb., 5 lb., 10 lb. and 25 lb. cans. The list prices given are subject to 50% discount to painters. Varnish manufacturers also make such colors and all paint jobbers can supply them. Japan colors come in paste form and are to be thinned to brushing consistency with turpentine and thoroughly beat up.

SUPERFINE COACH PAINTERS' COLORS.

For Coach, Carriage and Car Work. The Best Ever Made.

These colors are ground in japan and will dry at once.

Put up in one pound cans or five pound press cans.

Per lb. Per lb.

Black, Coach Painters' Blue, Ultramarine 88

Drop $0.44 Brown, Russett 80

Black, Ivory 52 Brown, Vandyke 44

Black, Jet 66 Car Body Color 54

Black, Lamp 44 Car Body Color, Pull- Black, "Monogram" man 60

Drop 40 Dutch Pink 70

Blue, Azure 54 Green, Apple 66

Blue, Permanent 1.00 Green, Brewster Light

Blue, Perfect 1.50 or Dark 56

Blue, Cobalt 1.20 Green, Brilliant 70

Blue, Peacock 90 Green, Bronze 70

Blue, Prussian 1.10 Green, Concord 56

Royal Purple 1.70 Green, Coach Painters',

Per lb.

Light, Medium or

Dark 60

Milori Green 1.50

Green, Merrimac, L. M.

or D 70

Green, New Haven 90

Green, New 1.10

Green, Olive 66

Green, Quaker 60

Green, Sage 70

Garnet Color 90

Imitation Gold Striping. 1.20

London Smoke 80

Olive Brown 70

Golden Ochre 44

Red, Amesbury l.OO

Red Ascot, light or dark 1.10

Red, Bostonia 90

Red, Brilliant 1.20

Red Carmona, light or

dark 1.30

Red, Chicago 84

Red, Coach Painters' ... 1.00

Red, Cart 70

Red, Coral l.OO

Red, Eastern 1.20

Red, Indian 42

Red, Mystic 1.60

Red, New Haven 1.60

Red, Merrimac 1.00

Red, Permanent 72

Red, Tuscan 48

Rose, Pink 48

Russett Color .70

Jersey Tan 70

Straw Color 70

Sienna, Italian, raw or

burnt 50

Umber Turkey, raw or

burnt 50

U. S. Mail Red 1.00

Vermilion, American,

Per lb.

light or dark 54

Vermilion, Bay State... .84 Vermilion, English, light

or dark 1.70

Vermilion, unfading 72

Vermilion, one coat 60

Vermilion, Eureka 1.00

White, Flake 60

Yellow, Canary 76

Yellow, Chrome, light,

medium or dark 56

Yellow, Chrome, extra

light 60

Yellow, Concord 56

Yellow, Milori 1.20

Yellow, Naples, light or

dark 1.10

Yellow, Perfect, light or

dark 2.50

Yellow, Street Car 1.50

Yellow, Primrose ...... .80

LAKES.

Per lb.

Carriage Part Lake $0.90

Carmine, No. 40, 1-lb.

cans 9.00

Carmine, No. 40, ^-Ib.

cans Per can 4.50

Carmine, No. 40, ^-Ib.

cans Per can 2.50

Carmine Lake A 4.00

Green Lake 4.00

Munich Lake A 3.00

Opaque Carmine 3.00

One Coat Claret 1.00

One Coat Scarlet 1.34

Ground for Carmine.... 1.20

Rose Lake 1.40

Scarlet Lake 3.50

Wine Color, A .44

Wine Color, B 48

Yellow Lake 2.50

White. The white pigment to be used with the above colors for the most part for making various tints and shades is listed as Flake White. This is pure white lead under a different name. It is ground a little finer than the grade of white lead sold for house painting and with japan or turpentine for the carriage trade, rather than linseed oil. Otherwise the two products are identical.

For ground color coats and, in fact, in most places where white is needed the regular white lead ground in oil for house painting is suitable, if care is taken to get a pure lead that is very fine and really white. See that you get Carter White Lead and you will have the whitest and finest in the land. A special grind of this lead known as Coach and Car Lead is made for the automobile and carriage trade.

For use in lightening up colors which for the most part are transparent or semi-transparent white lead is not the best. Zinc oxide, which can be had from most any paint stock, is not so opaque as lead and is better for this purpose where covering capacity is not wanted.

When using for auto painting, either white lead or zinc ground in oil, the oil is sometimes drawp from the lead. To accomplish this mix the lead or zinc paste with turpentine, using enough of the liquid to make the paste rather too thin for use with a brush. When thoroughly mixed let stand 24 hours, or better yet 48 hours. The oil and turpentine will rise to the top and may be poured ofif, leaving the lead in the bottom of the pot. Mix the lead thus left with fresh turpentine and it is ready for use alone or as a base for light colors.

Wheels which are to be finished pure white, ivory white, straw, cream or some such very light tint rtiay be built up with pure white lead coats and finished with two coats of high grade white enamel put up for house decorating.

By adding raw sienna to the white enamel a straw, ivory or cream color is produced for finishing coats. Ground coats had best be white. Likewise any light tint may be had by adding the proper japan color in very small amount to the white enamel.

CHAPTER III. Tools

What was said in the previous chapter about the economy and wisdom of using the very best materials is equally true of tools, with special reference to brushes. The sins of a poor brush, whose only ambition in life seems is to become bald, are indeed great if not numerous. And the poor brush usually, but not always, is the cheap brush. Brush makers, like most manufacturers, are honest and if you pay for a really good brush generally you get it, unless some retailer sells you, at the price of a good brush, what the manufacturer sold him as a cheap one. At any rate buy well known, trade marked brushes having the manufacturer's name on them, preferably the *'Rubberset" brushes or those whose bristles have been vulcanized in solid rubber. Then you will get what you pay for, brushes that will not lose bristles to mar your paint or varnish and waste your time picking them out, brushes having the correct shape, the right spring and good quality of bristles.

Below are listed the brushes which an automobile painter must have to get along. The car owner who has but one car to finish may get along with fewer in number, but certainly he should not attempt to do without equally good brushes.

Brushes for Primer, Roughstuff and Lead Coats.

Use for large surfaces a first class Oval Varnish Brush, preferably set in rubber, like Figure 1, costs about $1.50 each. The bristles are usually Chinese Black. For small surfaces and mouldin2:s one inch and three

»«»ay for atralntar.

FIQUPB 7 inch flat varnish brushes made of best French bristles or of the same bristles and set in rubber are most suitable. Figure 2 shows such brushes. A one inch size at 50c each and a three inch at about $1.50 each will serve the purpose.

Brushes for Color Coats. Color coats require more care to secure an even distribution free from laps, brush marks and rough places than any other coats, not excepting varnish coats. Varnish coats help themselves considerably by flowing together and leveling up, which eliminates these defects, but color, coats will plainly show careless and crude brush work, especially with varnish over them to emphasize the defects. All of which goes to show that just the right kind of brushes are necessary for spreading color coats. The best color brushes for this purpose are called "Double Thick Camel Hair," "Badger or Ox Hair Color Brushes." They are made in various sizes, a one inch at about 50c each .and a three inch at about $1.80 each are sufficient, usually. Where more than one color is being used at the same time it is, of course, necessary to have a set of brushes for each color. These brushes are flat with rather shorter and softer hair than bristle brushes have. See Figure 3. Every retailer of paint usually has a line of cheap camel hair brushes which are no earthly good for this work, nor for any other so far as the author knows, except to sell. If you cannot get a really good Badger Flowing Brush or a Camel Hair Color Brush, by all means use the flat Chinese Bristle rubberset brushes specified for priming, for roughstuif and lead coats. Do not, however, condemn any brush without a fair trial. Most new brushes lose a few hairs at first. Many of them can be shaken out while the brush is dry. You know, of course, that no brushes are made of real camel hair, but rather the hair is taken from such fur bearing animals as the Russian Gray Squirrel.

Brushes for Varnish Coats. The choice of brushes for use in putting on the varnish coats seems to be pretty well settled as between two general styles. The first choice is called an ''Extra Fitch Hair Flowing Brush, Double Thick." Substantially the same kind of a brush is listed as a "Badger Hair Flowing Brush, Double Thick." Figure 4 shows the style of both brushes, with a long handle and fairly short bristles. They are best set in rubber and once they have been ''broken in," as the painter calls it, they are a joy to work with on fine varnish surfaces. These brushes are flat and made in various sizes. A one inch brush at about 70c each and a three inch at about $1.60 each, will serve the purpose nicely, although in a shop doing considerable business several brushes of each kind are needed.

The second varnish brush which deserves mention is made about the same style and shape but in place of Fitch or Badger Hair they are made of selected Chinese Bristles or the finest French White Bristles. Such brushes have their virtues, to be sure. Being made with longer bristles and thicker they carry a larger quantity of varnish, which is an advantage on large surfaces. The stififer nature of the brush appeals to the man with strong arm muscles as he can spread the varnish about more quickly than with a soft, short hair brush. The soft hair brush lays the varnish on in a finer manner but the long bristled, firmer brush lays the varnish so fast that it really flows together and levels up, making as fine a finish in the end.

All brushes are better for having been used awhile. Automobile painters use their new varnish finishing brushes in the lead coats first, then in rubbing varnish coats, in chassis finishing and finally for finishing coats of varnish on the body. With this in mind, then, it may be well for one who has but a single car to paint to buy simply two or three first class finishing varnish brushes ; that is, the Fitch or Badger Flowing Brushes mentioned, and one three inch flat rubberset bristle varnish brush for spreading roughstufif, which is too stiff to be spread with so soft a brush as those mentioned. After the roughstuflf coats have been laid on such a brush will be very useful to dislodge pumice

Stone from crevices and panel corners while washing up after rubbing.

While we are thinking about brushes it is in order to specify the manner in which good brushes ought to be cared for:

Any brush which has to be used again next day may most conveniently be .left right in the pot of paint or varnish, taking care to see that the bristles, not the handle or metal ferrule, are covered most of the way up with material, and that the whole pot and brush are covered over with paper to be dust tight.

In the paint shop where the brushes are used at intervals of several days or weeks the brushes should be filled, each with their respective materials, and carefully put away in pots or tanks in an upright position, with the bristles off the bottom.

Primer, Roughstuff and Lead Coat brushes are to be put away in a bath of raw linseed oil. The oil ought to be changed every few weeks so it will not become fatty or rancid from oxidation. Hang the brushes upright with bristles off the bottom.

Color Brushes used at short intervals ought to be filled with the color and suspended upright in pots or tanks full of water covering the bristles or above. Keep the bristles off the bottom, so they may not curl up and also to keep them out of the sediment and skins accumulation on the bottom.

Varnish Brushes may be cared for the same as color brushes except that the bath should be varnish, not water. Finishing brushes should preferably be stored in finishing varnish to cover the bristles completely, heel and metal ferrule over the top. Wire Brush Suspenders as shown in Figure 5 are a great convenience.

All brushes which are not to be used again should be wiped out on a board, then soaked in benzine, kerosene or gasoline and finally washed clean with laundry soap and warm water. Lay flat to dry and later wrap up in old newspapers and store where they will not be too dry.

Rubbing Materials. There seems to be but little^ choice between sandpaper and the newer material called "Steel Wool" for the first cleaning and smoothing up of the car. Both materials come in various grades of fineness and both are numbered to indicate these degrees. The medium fine grades of either matrials which are marked : .No. 0, No. 1, No. 2, are the only ones likely to be of use on auto surfaces.

Rubbing Bricks are used to smooth and level down the roughstufif coats in place of pumice stone lumps nowadays. These bricks are artificially made of solid stones composed of abrasive materials similar to pumice stone. The bricks are about three by three by five' inches, flat pieces are sawed ofif and shaped with a file for use. This material comes in three degrees of fineness and hardness. "The Fine Grain Medium" is the proper degree for rubbing lead coats, roughstufif and varnish.