Here's what I use priming prototype and custom stuff at my work nason 2part epoxy primer. Good stuff!

As for painting it's not rocket science. We use full acrylic or urethane. I've done it so much I don't even measure them anymore like your (supposed) do. I've even tinkered around and mixed acrylic with the epoxy hardner, with good results! Just follow the directions, use a compatible primer and prep the surface first! Your paint job is only as good as the surface preparation! Get it clean, rust and oil free an smooth. No rough scratches.

If you painted with Lacquer, you will find the new stuff much more forgiving and easier to use.

I like Matrix products because they have a website with all of the MDS sheets example;
http://matrixsystem.com/docs/tech/MP-200%20TDS.pdf

Just follow the steps listed, do the work, you'll be fine.

Always wear a respirator. Lacquer was never a good thing to inhale, but the new stuff is worse. They are relatively cheap to buy, get used to them.

I always use one extra coat of clear, that allows room to wetsand and wheel the finish.

Guys that paint for a living can lay the clear down good enough, so it does not require wet sanding.

But for a DIYer, without a down draft paint booth, wet sanding is the next best thing.

My truck, I painted in my shop, many moons ago, before;

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y24...d/asbought.jpg

After;

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y24...inished002.jpg

I must have read these post through 3-4 times, lot to take in when you haven't used anything but a rattle can for a long time. Farm tractors/equipment and lawn mowers would be the extent of my painting. I tried to paint a car once only to have it made real obvious my body work skills are pathetic.

So, if I get a notion to paint something around here, assuming the seals and stuff in my old siphon feed paint guns are OK, (Chinese copies of a Binks I think) would that still be my preferred style of paint gun? Back in the early 90's it seemed everyone was going to HVLP systems that were quite expensive. Anything cheaper/better out--as in Harbor Freight models?

As I typed this, I got to thinking about how much we used to paint, I can recall 12 tractors and 3 lawnmowers from around 1986-2005. Amazing when you "leave the game", how foreign this all becomes. Attached is a pic from 1994. It's my IH T-20 crawler, I used lacquer primer and 2150 red from the IH dealer.

I'd keep the siphon gun for primer and pick up a cheap hvlp for paint, the hvlp makes alot less over spray so there's less wasted material and alot of the new paints were designed for hvlp.

Here's the one I got and other members here as well. Of course there are way better ones but this one does well, has good reviews.

http://m.harborfreight.com/20-oz-hig...not%20provided

PS I like this thread, been wanting more info on this. I'm new at it but have a few jobs under my belt and always good to get some more pointers from the pros.

I cannot over emphasize the precaution of wearing a respirator like Mike mentioned.
The chemicals will get you in the end if you don't.
A cheap dust mouth/nose mask is not a respirator!!!!!!!!
Make sure it is rated for paint with appropriate filtration.
I remember the days when we lived with asbestos and they didn't tell us it was bad for us, now we have it haunting us.
Same as for paint, if you cannot afford a good respirator, please wait till you can.
Your family, yourself, and lungs will thank you later.
The idea that respirators are for professional painters,
not a hobbyist like me, is not applicable.
If you never buy another tool, do purchase a good paint respirator.
It's your life, protect it.

Sound advice! I used to never wear one, then I got a small one with a cloth type filter. Finally went to one with the pear shaped filters and charcoal canisters. I've had a couple of those, used for other things such as adding insulation to my attic or sandblasting. I generally give them a day to dry out inside then put them in a gallon Ziploc bag for storage.

I do worry about my lungs more these days when I think back to all the dust and pesticides I was in on the farm, All the paint and rust I ground off tractors I was restoring. As I had a dr tell me, no need to worry about the past because we can't alter it, do the right thing going forward.

Dang that's pretty cheap! I paid $50 ea for mine 25 years ago. I imagine it uses less air? When we were painting we had to run 2 small compressors for the siphon guns.

Yes less air, hvlp stands for high volume low pressure.