Please advise: Painting a bucket truck

[kcurbanloggers]

Hey all, I recently purchased a bucket truck. I'll attach a photo for reference. Its a 2011 with a 70ft versalift and 12ft chip box. I'll have a bandit 250xp behind it.
I am planning the aggressively expand this business after I graduate college in the spring. As part of that plan, I have hired a website development firm to redo my website. They can be seen here: https://liftedlogic.com/?gclid=Cj0K...CXJb8qe1m6HOiyCz8fJAYlp2dKLa2-bgaAvA0EALw_wcB

That firm will want to do a photo shoot in a few months.
My company colors are white and green, and as you can see, the truck is mostly red not branded. After buying the truck, chipper, covering taxes and hiring the firm, I am not excited about shelling out more than 10k to have the truck professionally painted. I would like to see if I can't paint it myself.
Toward that end, I'm looking for advise on how best to prep and apply paint for these trucks. The current paint is in relatively good condition. Sand blasting is likely not going to be an option. Can I expect a decent paint job if I sand existing paint, spot treat any waiting rust spots with a wire brush, prime it and apply two coats of the topcoat? Am I any critical steps? Does anyone have any recommendations on application or prep techniques? I do not have experience painting, but I have patience, time, and willingness to learn. My primary priority is that it looks good and lasts. Please let me know your thoughts. My plan is to use a quality paint such as Imron.
Thanks in advance for your advice.

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[J D]

If the paint is sound you could vinyl wrap it, that's a lot quicker & cheaper too. Maybe leave a red strip in the middle like a banner to put your business details on

 

[Steve-Maine]

If the paint is sound you could vinyl wrap it, that's a lot quicker & cheaper too. Maybe leave a red strip in the middle like a banner to put your business details on

truck looks good the way it is. I always bought used trucks until late 90's Tried to find ones that didn't need paint. Then finally went to red with my new trucks.

 

[kcurbanloggers]

truck looks good the way it is. I always bought used trucks until late 90's Tried to find ones that didn't need paint. Then finally went to red with my new trucks.

Are you suggesting to leave the truck as is? I was hoping to get it to match company colors, particularly since it will be on the new website that I'm already shelling out for.

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[cookies]

If you vinyl wrap it you will get whatever color you want in about 2 days time...If you want to paint it you will need to know what specific type of paint was used for the next layer to bond to it properly or you will need to get it down to bare metal to start over...Wire wheel or sand lite rust off then treat it with ospho before primer, heavy rust requires cutting out the cancer then welding in fresh meat. Yea you can paint it but be prepared to get a couple 300+ dollar guns to shoot prime/color and clear and a very dry oil free source of air a organic vapor respirator, lots of auto paint grade masking tape and barrier paper, tac cloths, body filler and more...If you don't care about it being perfect you can get a few gallons of farm implement paint and hardener to roll/brush on...but be warned it likely will be a runny fugly mess if seen from closer than 20 feet and take a month of sundays to dry/harden and who knows it if will stick or peel off in sheets by next summer or break down the paint under it.

 

[iowagold]

yea...
just wrap it, or do fancy smaller banner decals with the art work on them!
start small you can always paint next year or this winter when things are slow.

 

[sonny580]

My cousin here swears by the wrap stuff---has all his trucks done that way and the guy he uses is called Roys Wraps.

 

[user 159780]

How about match the color of the chipper you purchased? Design a custom company decal, with matching color stripes, and apply to the chipper and truck.

National fleets are done this way. When sent to auction the decals are removed.

DIY spraying is possible, if you are not overly fussy about the finish. Imagine all the touch up work that may be needed, in the future with normal use.

 

[sean donato]

Ok so here goes. It's a work truck. Imron is a giant waste of paint. You want white, go get whatever implement paint you have close, the appropriate thinner and hardner. As much as I hate them, harbor freight hvlp guns work surprisingly well for this task. You'll need to prep the old paint by sanding down to whatever grit your paint mfg suggests. Normally your shooting for the 300 to 600 grit range depending on paint mfg. Any rust should be treated, and sealed then primed and feather edged out, and or skim coated if needed to get back to a flat surface. Grey primer would be best. Actually shooting the entire truck in a grey primer would be advisable, red is a bugger to cover over with white. Primer helps. Till your done with the prep work and buying supplies I'll pretty much guarantee you'll be over the cost of the wrap. Paint prices have skyrocketed from the last time I painted a full vehicle. I'd assume you'll need a few gallons to get good coverage on the back of that truck. Plus primer, sealer, and filler. Id also reccomend you find someone familiar with painting to give you some guidance. Making it look good takes some practice. Id personally vote the wrap for easy cover up and the ability to change it at a whim to whatever you'd like.

 

[user 159780]

Id personally vote the wrap for easy cover up and the ability to change it at a whim to whatever you'd like.

In addition to what sean donato posted, to keep bugs and other airborne contaminates off the finish while drying this should be sprayed indoors. A spray booth would be ideal.

 

[U&A]

In addition to what sean donato posted, to keep bugs and other airborne contaminates off the finish while drying this should be sprayed indoors. A spray booth would be ideal.

Hay

Dirt nibs add character


Sent while firmly grasping my Redline lubed Ram [emoji231]

 

[sonny580]

Wraps are WAY less costly than paint now days! --- PLUS you dont have the mess!

 

[Lil Hulk]

Hey all, I recently purchased a bucket truck. I'll attach a photo for reference. Its a 2011 with a 70ft versalift and 12ft chip box. I'll have a bandit 250xp behind it.
I am planning the aggressively expand this business after I graduate college in the spring. As part of that plan, I have hired a website development firm to redo my website. They can be seen here: https://liftedlogic.com/?gclid=Cj0K...CXJb8qe1m6HOiyCz8fJAYlp2dKLa2-bgaAvA0EALw_wcB

That firm will want to do a photo shoot in a few months.
My company colors are white and green, and as you can see, the truck is mostly red not branded. After buying the truck, chipper, covering taxes and hiring the firm, I am not excited about shelling out more than 10k to have the truck professionally painted. I would like to see if I can't paint it myself.
Toward that end, I'm looking for advise on how best to prep and apply paint for these trucks. The current paint is in relatively good condition. Sand blasting is likely not going to be an option. Can I expect a decent paint job if I sand existing paint, spot treat any waiting rust spots with a wire brush, prime it and apply two coats of the topcoat? Am I any critical steps? Does anyone have any recommendations on application or prep techniques? I do not have experience painting, but I have patience, time, and willingness to learn. My primary priority is that it looks good and lasts. Please let me know your thoughts. My plan is to use a quality paint such as Imron.
Thanks in advance for your advice.

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I promise you a great paint job is ALL about the SANDING SANDING AND WET SANDING!!!!!!!!!

 

[J D]

Yup, only takes 15 mins to blow a coat of paint over a car... But can easily be 15 hours of prep before you get to that point.
Of course you can just mask & spray... but it will end up looking worse, failing in a matter of months, & taking twice as much work to re-do