How to Use Dupont Centari Paint
by Paul Miceli
The DuPont Centari paint mixing system has been used in body shops throughout the world since it first came onto the market in mid-1980s. It is an incredibly versatile material that promotes high levels of gloss retention, fast application and excellent edge-to-edge color matching. The extensive range of reducers available for the Centari range means that the product is ideal for professional use inside a paint booth or for amateur use by air-drying. Manufactured as an acrylic enamel product, DuPont Centari paints should be sprayed and cannot be used for immersion purposes.
Step 1
DuPont Centari paint should always be applied over a prepared working surface that has been primed with a compatible material. Use any DuPont OEM or fleet primer for this purpose. Degrease vehicle panels with clean cloth and remove traces of dust with a tack cloth by wiping each individual panel thoroughly.
Step 2
Activate the paint using a DuPont Centari paint measuring stick. The paint should be activated to a ratio of 8 parts paint to 1 part 793S hardener. Add 2 parts of DuPont Centari reducer to finish. The reducer used should relate to the ambient air temperature you will be spraying in. Use 8034S reducer for temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, 8022S reducer for temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit and 8093S reducer for temperatures between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Add one cap of 8100S retarder per half-liter of paint if the ambient temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir the material thoroughly.
Step 3
Transfer the activated material to a spray gun with 1.4mm fluid tip set-up. Plug the spray gun into an airline powered by a compressor capable of producing 65 pounds per square inch of pressure. Face the panel being painted and hold the gun to the extreme left-hand side of the panel so it points directly to the adjacent masking paper. Maintain a distance of 6 inches from the panel and activate the gun trigger to release the material and promote paint atomization through the air cap.
Step 4
Move the arm steadily in a straight line across the face of the panel, maintaining the same 6-inch distance at all times until you reach the far right-hand side. As you come back across the panel from the right, overlap the paint edges to prevent dry patches. Continue working from left to right, and back again, until the entire surface of the panel has received a full coat.
Step 5
DuPont Centari paints are designed to be applied in a single application so spray a full second coat in the same manner in which the first one was applied immediately. Keep the gun moving at all times to eliminate the risk of run and sags. Carry out a visual examination after the second coat has been applied to check for transparency. Some colors, especially reds and yellows, may need a third coat to ensure complete coverage. The paint can be force-dried for 30 minutes at 160 degrees Fahrenheit or it can be left to dry overnight. Clean the spray gun with cellulose thinners immediately after painting.
References
Things You'll Need
- Paint Gun
- Air line
- Compressor
- Degreaser
- Tack cloth
- DuPont Centari paint measuring stick
- DuPont Centari paint
- DuPont Centari 793S hardener
- DuPont Centari reducer (according to spraying temperature)
- DuPont Centari 8100S retarder
- Cellulose thinners
Writer Bio
Based in the United Kingdom, Paul Miceli has been a professional writer since 2006. He has been published online by Ideate Media and Promiga and has a proven track record of producing informational articles and sales copy. Miceli is educated to U.K. "A-level" standard, continues to work as a paint sprayer and has more than 25 years of automotive body repair experience.
