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Hi, hope you can give me some advice on repainting a steering wheel? The plastic wheel was painted a few years ago with a flexible primer, PPG basecoat, PPG Deltron clear, followed by a later clear. There are some runs, and a chip down to the plastic. I sanded some of the runs, and I see in places, the second clear didn’t melt into the first clear, and I get a halo as I sand thru the top clear. Can I sand it down smooth, prime, and do the basecoat, clearcoat again, or?
Thanks, Doug
You sure can - prime, base, clear.
Thanks for the advice. I was afraid I would need to completely sand the 2nd coat of clear off before re-painting (prime, base, clear).
Any tips on best painting the wheel? It has a 15" diameter, and I can't get the gun inside the wheel diameter, and it is hard to get good, even coverage, so thinking to mount the wheel on all-thread, spray the wheel bottom, flip the wheel & all-thread upside down, and spray the wheel top (not sure if you follow what I am trying to say).
Thanks, Doug
I don't know if you saw my request for any tips on painting the wheel (see previous post)? Anyway, I did buy some 5/8" all-thread, some washers and nuts, and drilled 5/8" holes in a 2x2, so I can support the wheel on the all-thread while I paint (2x2 is clamped to a saw horse). l primed with the wheel mounted vertically, since it was easy to move the rattle can around to get full coverage, and plan on positioning the wheel horizontally while I spray the base/clear, since it is hard to maneuver the gun in the tight space. I will spray the bottom of the wheel, and then pull the all-thread out of the hole in the 2x2 flip it all, and spray the top of the wheel. Hope that it works!
Regards, Doug
Pics?! Sounds cool. Keep us posted.
I painted my 16" steering wheel mounted on all thread, but instead of moving it around like you're describing, I mounted the all thread (double clamped to a step ladder) on a slight upward angle (maybe 10 degrees or so), and used a small screw driver to rotate the wheel as I was painting, and that allowed me to paint all of the surfaces easier. The all thread was long, at least 24" long. To rotate the wheel, I inserted the screw driver into the small hole near the center of the wheel, and pushed it either clockwise or counterclockwise.Quote:
Originally Posted by Belair-o
All good stuff, this is an area where you improvise with what you have or can get easily.
I don't know if the previous paint was real automotive base/clear paint applied with a spray gun, but this time around it will be far more durable if you used automotive primer/base/clear, applied with a spray gun rather than a rattle can. The cheap touch up guns that you can buy at Harbor Freight, Northern Tool or similar places would probably do a better job at reaching all the surfaces than a full size spray gun.
Thanks you all kindly for the ideas!
Last time, I used SEM's flexible primer (rattle can) which worked well - did the same this time - after sanding w/600grit, the wheel looks and feels smooth. Last time, I used my spray gun for the base/clear (using DeVilbiss Dekups 9oz. disposable cups, which mount above the gun); I found between trying to get full wet coverage, and keeping the gun a decent distance away from the wheel, I introduced some runs on the clear, plus I haven't painted much with the setup. I figure to use that same spray setup, but will look at trying Bitchin'57's idea on positioning the wheel for spraying. Thanks for the idea on the smaller gun, I recall the gun came with an even smaller paint pot that I will look at as well.
Thanks, Doug
I bought a HF touchup gun for about $25 and I'm impressed with how well it works. I've painted and primed quite a few small parts with it. I originally bought it for spraying Cerakote Clear on my suspension parts and it worked great.
Chevynut,
Thanks the additional vote for the touchup gun. I figure to setup the wheel today, and mock spray the wheel (should turn out great, in my imagination!), and see if it seems like I will get the maneuverability I hope for. If so, I will spray for real, if not, I will have to order up a small gun. (I am pretty rural, and not close to a Harbor Freight). BTW, I am down the road from you, down in Franktown.
Thanks, Doug
The guy who I'm working on Hemi55 for lives in Castle Rock. If you need to do some painting feel free to come up and try one of my guns or just to chat and have a beer sometime....I'm retired so I'm almost always home. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Belair-o
This one looks decent, and the price is hard to beat. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BEH3JF0...511407090&sr=1
Thanks for the kind offer! I will keep all that in mind.Quote:
Originally Posted by chevynut
Thanks! Doug
Wow, that price is insane! Thanks for the link!Quote:
Originally Posted by Bitchin'57
Thanks, Doug
Chevynut,
BTW, it would be great to see your setup in person, both your shop, and your amazing 56 Nomad build!
Thanks, Doug
I was finally able to get in the shop and finish repainting my steering wheel. I had primed it w/SEM flexible primer (rattle can). The following pic shows my crude little painting jig. There is a through horizontal hole in the 2x2, and a blind vertical hole. I sprayed the primer with the wheel mounted horizontally (not as shown in the following image), flipping the all-thread in the hole, to paint the top and bottom of the wheel.
http://www.trifivechevys.com/attachm...&thumb=1&stc=1
I then used my spray gun to shoot two coats of the PPG base, followed by three coats of the clear, by mounting the wheel horizontally in the jig, spraying the bottom of the wheel, flipping the all-thread end-for-end, and spraying the top of the wheel. Praise be, I think it turned out better this time - I don't see any runs, and seems pretty smooth:
http://www.trifivechevys.com/attachm...1&d=1511563008http://www.trifivechevys.com/attachm...1&d=1511563008
Thanks for your help and encouragement on this! I also repainted the pieces for the upper part of the steering column, so after the paint cures a bit, I can reassemble the column, re-install it and the seals around the column base, and move on to hooking up the shift indicator rod, and adjusting the shift linkage.
Regards, Doug
Looks like a good cheap user friendly setup, and maybe you didn't need that small paint gun after all.
On the other hand the Amazon link touch up gun looks too good to pass up. I have a cheap touch gun with a suction feed cup. Sprays very well for the money. If that one would even come close to matching, it would be worth. Plus no biggie if it's no good.
Hi Rick,
I totally agree on the wee gun, looks like a sweet deal. At this point though, now that I am retired, I am trying to not buy anything that I don't have to, even though I seem to break that rule weekly!;)
Regards, Doug
Nice job on the steering wheel, and especially cutting the threaded rod long enough to have it stick out on both ends so you could flip it over.
This goes to the point that Chevy nut was talking about, if more of us would post, then we would see many other good ideas like this---and make the site more interesting.
Thanks Lee - I appreciate that!
I tried to walk the line on the all-thread length, just long enough to keep the wheel about an inch above the jig (in both positions), so it would be as short as reasonable to minimize getting in the way of the spray gun.
Thanks, Doug
Thanks Doug for posting your work on painting your steering wheel (Very Good Stuff )
Stuff like this Helps everyone on this site
Thanks Sid
The paint job came out very nice! Two thumbs up!
Thanks for the encouragement!
I must admit, that compared to most everybody on the site, I admittedly am a hack! I am self-taught from books, and sites like this one, so I sure appreciate the advice and direction I get. Since I am a hack, I keep reminding myself of the, 'excellent (or very good) is the enemy of good', since I don't have the skills to reach the high levels I so often see online. Now retired, I also see an accelerated decline in execution, and am more risk adverse. Drat, gettin' old ain't for sissies!
Thanks! Doug