Vent: A painter told me my prep work looked like a 'rust farm'

I was getting ready to spray a quarter panel on a 2015 Silverado, and the painter from the booth next door walked over. He pointed at my feathering and said, 'You're leaving too much old primer, that's a rust farm in a year.' I was mad at first, but he showed me how he uses a guide coat over the whole area to find every low spot. Now I always do a full guide coat, even on small jobs. Anyone else have a trick that seemed like extra work but saved you in the long run?

2 comments

2 Comments

seth_wells4913d ago

Shortcuts always cost more later.

maxm5013d ago

I read an article in a body shop trade magazine a few years back that called guide coats the cheapest insurance policy in the shop. It stuck with me. That painter did you a real favor by showing you, even if it stung a bit at first. Skipping that step just leaves hidden problems under the paint. I've seen jobs come back with blisters because someone got in a hurry and trusted their eyes alone. Now I won't touch a block without a dusting of guide coat first.