AguaDream

So as you know I have to get my little trailer painted in time for Hardly Strictly Blue Grass the first weekend of October.  I decided to roll on paint using the $50 dollar paint job method that is very popular for both cars and trailers.  If I had it to do over again I would probably try to spray cause it took so long! Soni Bergman  lends a hand Getting Started--Primer Day 1 After maybe 15 hours of prep work done over the course of a week, my fellow vintage trailer friend Soni came over the lend a hand for the day. We finished up the prep and taping by noon. Followed with self etching primer--2 coats with wet sanding between and after. Then laid down the first top coat with a roller...Ace Rust Stop (basically rustoleum) paint (tinted to Benjamin Moore Mexicali Turquoise) thinned 50% mineral spirits, but no hardener. I'm thinking maybe too thin, and need to go ahead and pop for hardener (Japan Drier is all they have at HD and my local paint store) wh...

I consider myself fortunate to have retained the original dinette bench seats complete with springs.  These are very comfortable both to sit on and sleep on but the original vinyl after 56 years was showing it's age.   Time for a facelift.  Estimates for a custom upholstery job...ran upwards of $700 for both seats--so DIY was definitely in order.  Readers of this blog know I had been considering up-cycling vinyl saved from convention signs.  I even went so far as to pick out sheets of vinyl.  Several factors kept me from proceeding. Not much experience sewing vinyl and a home sewing machine.   Fear that the pattern would have detracted from the overall look Concern that the ink on the vinyl might bleed upon interaction wtih sunscreen. So I decided instead to go with Sunbrella fabric (found for $13/yd with free shipping, job required 5 yards) for it's durability, water resistance, UV protection.  For my seats I'm using Glacie...

I have been a little obsessed lately with paint.  Now that the doors are "almost" done (still need to hang it) I am turning my attention to the most obvious undone aspect of my restoration....exterior paint.  There are many options here...most of which have their own sub options. The first decision was DIY or send it out or a combination. Send it Out Maaco $500-800 depending on the amount of prep required. Higher End Resto/Paint shop $2-3K or more Combination Do the prep myself-- send it out/hire Hire the prep out -- paint it myself Either of these probably comes out to costing around the price of Maaco DIY-- great resources and discussions at these forums Rolled On    or the Vintage Shasta Trailer Forum(VSTF) Rattle Cans --believe it, some very nice paint jobs have been done with rattle cans, this link is to a video by a VSTF member $50 paint job--  with Rustoleum or equivalent Alkyd Enamel   roller method http://www.freewebs.com/kc8...