Rick Harris is one of the best pinstripers working today. He can production stripe factory cars, He’s striped custom electric guitars for Gibson, he’s hand lettered and striped NASCAR race cars, and more. Over 2 years in the Gibson factory he striped over 1000 custom Les Paul guitars. Back in the 90s when the American car companies had a big problem with delaminating paint, he was one of the guys who tasked with repainting the factory pinstripes perfectly. He came in to the studio and did a live how-to demo with Kevin.
Tag: tech
Metal Buffing Tips and Tricks
Buffing is just the process of smoothing the minor high and low spots on a surface until it is perfectly smooth. Typically it is done with fabric wheels and abrasive compounds of various types. You progressively move from a very aggressive, to a less aggressive compound, and matching wheel, until you polish your piece to a near mirror finish.
How to make a Custom Metal Hood Scoop from Scratch- With Ron Covell
Ron Covell is a master of forming sheet metal by stretching, bending and shaping. He has made a series of how to DVDs which Eastwood carries, in which he teaches you how the things he makes look so easy. He also does classes and workshops all over the country, including at Eastwood headquarters in Pennsylvania. He uses our tools, and for several years now he has attended the SEMA show in Las Vegas and demonstrated them, from hammer, sandbags and dollies to the English Wheel.
One of the projects he likes to use as an example is a traditional styled, hot rod hood scoop out of 1/16 inch thick aluminum, from start to finish in less than an hour.
How to Control Warpage on Sheet Metal on a Weld Joint with Gene Winfield
There’s a misconception among enthusiasts and even some professional body guys about welding sheet metal. The fact is that no matter how good or careful you are, metal WILL warp when you’re welding on sheet metal.
Tech Tip- Making Dimple Holes without a Press
Dimpled or flared holes in panels not only strengthens the panel, but also adds a “industrial” look to a panel that is really hot right now. This process dates back to the WWII era when panels for aircraft were done this way to add strength and save weight. That look trickled down to post-war race cars and eventually has become mainstream in styling into custom cars.
How to apply body filler- Fix, Fill, and repair body damage Correctly.
In this how-to session Kevin goes over the various Eastwood Contour polyester body fillers and surfacers, as well as other Eastwood products. He talks about which to use where, how much to use, how to apply it, how to shape and sand it, and how to get it ready for primer and paint.
How To Paint & Set Up Your Spray Gun With Kevin Tetz
How To Paint & Set Up Your Spray Gun With Kevin Tetz In September of 2013 Kevin Tetz from the Paintucation DVDs did a live stream and demonstration at Eastwood HQ in Pottstown, PA. If you missed it you can watch the whole thing on YouTube as Part 1 and […]
How to Repair Clearcoat Defects
Since the 1980s the automotive manufacturers have been painting cars with two stage, base coat/clear coat systems. That may not seem all that long ago to some of us older guys, but these cars are now 30 years old and entering prime project car territory. Because drivetrain technology had hit its stride by then, cars like 5.0 Mustangs are still running and driving just fine. But many cars from the 80s and 90s have clear coat paint that is just peeling and flaking off in chunks. Some cars, like the Plymouth Neon, seemed to have paint and clear coat failing before they were even off lease.
Mixing Urethane Paint- Color and Clear Coat
Our tech hotline answers lots of calls every day about everything we sell, and how best to use it. A lot of questions are about welding and technique, and a lot of questions concern paint and applying it. We are happy to answer those, and any other automotive related topics. If we don’t have an expert on the line immediately, we’ll be sure to find out the answer from one and get back to you.
Recently a customer called with a question about mixing single stage urethane paints with a urethane clear. Single stage paint already has plenty of gloss and is UV stabilized to be used as a top coat by itself. So, you may ask why mix a single stage color coat with a clear top coat? When people do this it is typically because they have been painting since the lacquer days, or the person who taught them was from that era.