How to spray a truck cab

sprint_9

Rookie
Im working on a C10 cab, I have it in 2 coats of epoxy and plan on starting filler work tomorrow. Once filler is wrapped up I will probably spot in epoxy on any open metal, use featherfill on the firewall and maybe a few other places, epoxy over the featherfill. Then onto regular 2k on all the painted surfaces I want to look nice, so 90 percent of the exterior of the cab and 40 percent of the interior. And then sealer over everything, base and then clear.

With all that how would you go about spraying the cab, would you separate it into interior and exterior, or do it all at once? I would like to do it all at once to avoid trying to mask it, its all the same color. Im just not sure what to look out for and consider as Ive never done anything this big before. Thanks.

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You have a couple of options here. One is to spray the cab portion completely inside and out, then you will do the same with the rest of the body: hood, doors, etc. making sure to follow the exact same steps, mixing, undercoats, coats, spraying overlap and gun settings. This is how I do it.
The alternative is to paint the interior of the truck and the portion of the firewall that will be below the hood. Then paint the insides of the doors, underside of the hood, the inner fenders, grill support and anything else that cannot be sprayed properly once the truck is assembled. Install your fenders, hood and other items on the cab (do not install bed until after cab is completed). Spray the exterior of the cab and then spray the bed separately and install when clear is cured enough.
I am sure there are other ways to go about this as well and hopefully some pros will chime in with their suggestions.
 
Sometimes it's pretty hard to paint the interior of the cab without getting a pant leg in the rocker panel, so sometimes we do the inside (dash, inner roof panel, etc.) first, then mask that interior off at the weatherstrip flanges to do the door jambs along with the rest of the exterior cab.
 
Thank you both for your replies, you have some good points. Im doing it in pieces, so kind of the same steps you follow 68 Coronet, cab now and then the rest of the body later following the same steps. But Crash has a very good point about getting something on the rocker, I figure I could make it in and out but I know that the air hose will flip over and land on it at some point.

Couple more questions. 68 Coronet, if you paint it all at once how do you manage keeping the rocker panel clean and unmarked?

If I do tape how long does the inside need to cure before I can tape over it to do the outside?
 
Sometimes it's pretty hard to paint the interior of the cab without getting a pant leg in the rocker panel, so sometimes we do the inside (dash, inner roof panel, etc.) first, then mask that interior off at the weatherstrip flanges to do the door jambs along with the rest of the exterior cab.
Agree 100%. By taping up the inside after its painted also helps keep those pesky pieces of dirt from showing up at the wrong time.
 
I generally leave one foot on the floor and step into the cab with the other, paint one half and move to the other side. The floor of the truck is usually left in epoxy since it is carpeted so no fresh paint there. Learning to hold the hose so it doesn't hit the vehicle is an art form similar to moves in Yoga!
 
I think I have decided to split it up, Im not handy enough with my gun techniques to try and spray with one foot in and one out of the cab. That and it will be a little easier to manage since it wont be so much at once. I cant imagine doing an all over, my arm was beat after two coats of epoxy on the cab, all this sanding isnt helping things either.
 
Sprint, I'm doing a 57 Chevy pickup. I came to the same conclusion. Take it in small bites. I did the bottom first, then the firewall. Inside is next. Then mask/tape to finish the outside cab. But then yet, I'm doing different color inside/out.
 
I sprayed my truck in pieces as well, but all at in the same week. Just going from memory, but I think I sprayed the cab just like '68 suggested, all at once with one foot in and one foot out. I draped the air hose across my shoulders to keep it from rubbing. Masked it off and sprayed the white top last.
 
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