Mixing paint

I just finished up my paint on the trailer frame. When i get the tub back i will have to paint that. My buddy gave me back my half gallon of yellow paint and some hardener for it. I am clueless to knowing how much to mix. Is there a website to guide me for this? I am going to paint my tailgate first so i can get some practice before doing the tub, and the jeep when the trailer is done. And do you think the paint will be good after 5 years of sitting? Can it go bad? It was stored inside.

 

Very un-scientifically Dan, I was told that the 1-quart of hardener I bought for my 1-gallon can of paint was exactly what I needed. With my SWAG method of mixing, that comes out to about 4-oz of hardener per quart, and I was told at the paint store to use el-cheapo lacquer thinner if I needed to thin it any more than that. My paint came out pretty darned good for a driveway job.

The only real gripe I had with the two-part paint was that once it is mixed, you have to use it or it will go bad. (harden) I'm to the point where I have a few nicks and chips I'd like to touch up by hand, but I'm going to go back and see if there is still a one-part enamel that I can get mixed in my color for this purpose. HTH

 

Do i need to use thinner on it? I have hardener and reducer. Or do i need hardener because it just speeds up drying. if i do not use hardener how long will it take to dry? I will have to get some mixing containers. I am clueless at mixing it righ tnow. I did use thinner on the oil based rustoleum paint i jsut used and i pretty much guessed, and used only spairingly. my firnd told me that if it was more waterey than paint then to add more paint.

 

I like the wet look on the jeep

OK, so it looks like 4 oz. hardener to 1 quart of paint. So i will go at that. Is that with any reducer or just straight paint and hardener?

 

What kind of paint is it? If you have reducer specific for that paint then that is the thinner. You need to find out the right amount of hardener to use, don't guess. Too much and the paint will be so hard it will be brittle. 8 to 1 might be about right, I think my Sherwin Williams ratio is 8/4/1. The Olive Drab paint I'm using is already thin and used as is, only adding 1 ounce activator to 15 ounces of paint.

 

Here is a picture of what i have. the paint is acrylic PPG.

So you say 8 to 1. is that 8 oz. of paint to 1 oz. of hardener?

and for the Sherwin williams ratio is it
8 oz. paint
4 oz. of reducer
1 oz. of hardener

 

You got it, the 8 to 1 equals the 4 oz to qt that Steve said, but I would definitely find out for sure on the ratio. Maybe you can find the mixing instructions on the can?

 

Doh.. looks like found it

8 DAR : 6 DTR : 1 DXR80

Now that you mentioned the sherwin williams mixture, I found this cryptic "Bar" graph on the side of the can.

Maybe some more you can translate

under the "bar" graph, there is a picture of the spray bottle and some lines and it says 2-3 cts

and under that is a praphic of a book that says P-137

 

Oh i am just joking bout the wet look.. just in reference to McGruffs post about it never drying

I am just using paint, no need for clear coat and the other stuff, it will get scratched anyway, no need to bother to polish and buff and all that jazz, just gonna spray and make it look acceptable at at least 8 feet away

 

Only guessing but maybe that means 2 or 3 coats for coverage? Does it say anything about pressure at the gun?

 

No, nothing about pressure. i have the low pressure gun to spray it with.