Cost of paint.

Well this evening I actually looked at some of the Hunter Green Rustoleum and it won"t do at all. Too far from the proper shade, so much so that I would not be pleased at all.

So I"ll have to price automotive paint tomorrow, i.e. acrylic enamel since I don"t have the proper safety equipment for isocyanates.

In the meantime can anyone give me an idea of the cost of acrylic enamel paint per gallon or quart.

Another opinion, wouldn"t a quart after thinning be plenty to paint just the cab of a 1949 Chevy truck?

Thanks.

As far as PPG OMNI MAE acrylic enamel goes, I paid about $13 for a quart of orange about 3 years ago. The reducer for it was about $15 a gallon. I don't know what they currently go for. The OMNI MAE is mixed 4:1 so you would get 2-1/2 pints of sprayable material from a quart of paint. I really don't think that's enough for at least 3 coats. Personally, I'd buy a gallon and not have to concern myself with the possibility that I would not have enough to complete the job.

If you go looking for a higher end AE such as PPG's Delstar or DuPont's Centari, you'll pay a lot more. They are great but not worth three times the cost for an AE, in my opinion. If you want to go with DuPont, look into the NASON line, specifically their FastDry AE. That's the only NASON AE that doesn't require a hardener, as far as I know. I believe Martin Senour (NAPA) could also fix you up with an AE (that doesn't require a hardener) at a reasonable price but I am not that familiar with their products.

Before you buy, get the tech sheet and make sure that the product can be used w/o a hardener. Most AEs should be that way. However, NASON's Ful-Cryl II AE actually requires an iso-containing hardener so it's best to be sure. And see the manufacturer's written instructions for yourself. Don't take anyone's word for it. See my post to Muley directly above. The tech sheets from the major manufacturers are available on-line so it should be easy to check out before you even go to the store.

Rod

I went to a supplier that I hadn't been to before and didn't know existed until I spotted it in the Yellow Pages yesterday. The owner is an old time acquaintance so I bought from him at $85 per gallon. His other supplies were cheaper so I gained back the $10 difference.

The product can be used with or without hardner but I opted to get some. I didn't read the label until after reading your post Rod, and indeed it does have hexamethylene diisocyanate polymer in it. Bummer. It will have to go back.

The owner invited me to join the "American Truck Historical Society" which has been mentioned on this forum before. As an incentive he informed me that Hutchinson, Kansas, where I live, has secured their national event for 2008. At least I remember it as 2008. Perhaps if my paint job on my working truck looks decent I'll join the local chapter.

Thanks all for the information and advice.

Expect I"ll just get a gallon to be on the safe side rather than taking the chance of running short. Appreciate the info on the amount.