Using Your Own Spray Equipment

  • Equipment and Paint Preparation
    • Ready to Spray: Our pints, quarts, and gallons of primer, clearcoat, basecoat, and midcoat are pre-mixed with thinner and are ready to spray without additional thinning.
    • Reducer: We use a medium (mid-temp) universal urethane reducer in these sizes. Typically, we use PPG paints unless unavailable, in which case we might use another brand.
  • Using 2 oz. Size Paint
    • Thinning Required: For using the 2 oz. size in your own spray gun or a Preval Spray Gun, thinning is necessary.
    • Proper Thinner: Use automotive lacquer thinner, not regular lacquer thinner from stores like Home Depot. Ensure the thinner is fresh; do not use if it’s older than a few months.
    • Mixing Ratio: Mix one part lacquer thinner to one part paint (basecoat, midcoat, clearcoat, or primer). Adjust the mixture by adding more paint if too thin, or more thinner if too thick.
    • Spray Gun Tip Size: Use a 1.0mm tip for an airbrush and between 1.2mm to 1.3mm for a spray gun.
  • Cleaning Your Equipment
    • Solvent-Based Paints: Clean equipment with automotive lacquer thinner.
    • Water-Based Paints: Use soap and water for cleaning. To determine if the paint is water-based, see if it mixes with water.
  • General Caution
    • Equipment Readiness: Ensure you are knowledgeable or experienced in using spray equipment to avoid mishaps.
    • Caution with Thinner: Do not use old thinner for thinning paints. Use it only for cleaning or preparation tasks, as it could ruin the paint job on your vehicle.