For over 35 years I’ve made a career of refinishing various forms of motor vehicles, including rods and customs. Over that span I’ve had opportunities to shoot everything from nitrocellulose lacquer (which was even older than me) to PPG’s up-to-date waterborne Envirobase. Back in the ’70s when I became involved in the trade, an acrylic lacquer job was still the top-of-the-line finish. For the in-and-out jobs, acrylic and synthetic enamels were—well, they were what we had. Unlike the modern finishes we use today, the aforementioned were forgiving in that mixing proportions weren’t so critical. In fact, many mixers of that era relied on a measuring method that took its name from the sound a reducer can makes when it’s opened and turned upside-down, “the glub system.” Here’s an example of how it worked: 3 glubs of color to 1 1/2 glubs of reducer, give or take a few glubs. Don’t try that with today’s primers, basecoats, or acrylic urethane clears. Along with our current material’s superior durability comes magnified sensitivity to loosey-goosey mixing mistakes. Now more than ever, the mixer had best be part chemist—and chemical components must be mixed in exact accordance to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
To some it may seem trivial to expound upon mundane methods of mixing. If that’s your feeling, I beg to differ and I’ll warn you that you’re likely headed for trouble. Any professional mixer worth his or her salt will tell you that mixing should be taken seriously. Nowadays it’s either get it right or suffer the consequences. And if you’re like me, perhaps you could use a little help in seeing what you’re doing. Here’s a brief overview of standard mixing procedures, followed-up with a harder squint at an alternative method developed through personal necessity, by and for the shy-of-sight.
With their tops removed, reducer...
With their tops removed, reducer cans are handy for mixing, and PPG’s universal mixing stick is the ticket to accuracy. I’ve been a PPG convert since the mid-’90s and I got on the stick at about the same time. I still use this method, but lately it’s getting harder to see the smaller marks, especially when they’re deep in the can.
You really can’t beat the...
You really can’t beat the convenience of disposable mixing cups. I stock ’em by the box-load. Lately however, my poor ol’ elderly eyeballs have some difficulty seeing through the cloudy plastic, and once again, it’s especially difficult when mixing small amounts of light colors—gray primer being the worst.
Due props for this idea should...
Due props for this idea should go to my good friend, Richard West. In his own shop in Riverside, CA, he’s been using clear glass mixing cups for years. Lately, I too have come to realize that for the shy-of-sight mixer, these ordinary kitchen aids are the greatest things to hit the mixing bench since corrective lenses.
Pouring such a small amount...
Pouring such a small amount of primer from a full quart or gallon container would surely make a mess. A better handling delivery vehicle was needed, so this time a small plastic mixing cup was sacrificed for the cause. Now look how clearly the gray primer shows through the glass.
Although I’m primarily a PPG...
Although I’m primarily a PPG guy, there are occasions when I’ll use generics. The primer du jour calls for a 4:1:1 mixing ratio. Of the three components, the primer-to-catalyst proportions are the most crucial, and for this minute quantity of catalyst, a surgically clean eyedropper works for me.
In this particular instance,...
In this particular instance, the third component is acetone, which I happen to keep in a sterilized condiment bottle anyway. For controlled reduction of small amounts, this method usually works fine.
The older my eyeballs get,...
The older my eyeballs get, the more I depend on this method. Clear glass mixing cups and eyedroppers can be easily cleaned and reused. I like to run mine through the same gun washer that cares for my spray equipment—all at the same time.
There is a job in progress...
There is a job in progress here. Now that the needed small amount of primer is accurately mixed, I’ll backtrack to fix a little glitch—something I never would have missed when I saw through a younger mixer’s eyes. It ain’t over yet! I know I’m not alone in this. Maybe these mixin’ tips will help you as they’ve helped me.