If you recently joined a smash repair auto shop as a newbie spray painter, getting your first job right is essential. You need to prove to your supervisor that you understand the trade and deserve a place at the auto shop. Indeed, you might have learned how to spray paint in trade school, but nerves can affect the quality of your first few projects. Doing the job right saves resources and builds trust between you and your supervisor. This article explores simple tips you must remember in your first spray painting assignments.

Spray Several Light Coats -- Whether you are working on a small car part, such as the bumper, or you are painting the entire side of a vehicle, take your time. You might be tempted to rush by spraying a lot of paint, particularly when working on small patches. Unfortunately, this almost always results in paint runs, paint build-up, and incomplete curing. Instead, you can achieve a smooth and uniform finish by spray-painting several light coats rather than one thick coat. To do this, hold your spray-painting gun about a foot from the car's surface and squeeze the trigger gently. Then, spray from one side to the other (horizontally) using even strokes. As the even, light coats build up, they result in a smooth finish that is free of imperfections.

Do Not Break Rhythm -- Of course, you are bound to miss certain areas if it is your first time spray-painting a car for a paying customer. When that happens, most newbies stop and go back to missed spots. However, you should avoid doing this since breaking the rhythm only works against you. Notably, stopping midway to spray an area you missed interferes with paint atomization. Eventually, insufficient breakup of paint particles leads to an orange-peel appearance. If you missed a spot, the best thing to do is to continue spray-painting and allow the coat to dry. Most importantly, be sure to cover the areas you missed in subsequent paint coats.

Do Not Rush -- Your supervisors understand that you are new and do not expect you to finish your first few projects in record time. Therefore, take advantage of this opportunity to produce your best work. Take your time between each coat to ensure that it is completely dry before spray-painting another layer. In most cases, an interval of between 15 and 20 minutes between coats works perfectly. Similarly, allow enough time between primer application and application of the base coat or enamel-based paint. The breaks allow each coat to adhere to the previous one for a smooth factory finish.

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