Dip painting parts

[Lloyd Lind]

 I have done this with good results for years. Fill a bucket (five gallon) with water, pour in a quart of single stage color like semi gloss black on top of the water and then slowly dip my parts In to paint them inside and out. This works great on lower control arms to leave one end to look like bare metal stopping at a perfect parting line just like factory and the water never touches the part if you slowly dip and slowly remove the part..

Anyway here is my problem, as of late the paint wants to sink to the bottom instead of floating, I have used rustoleelm. I got a partial fix by mixing in some urethane reducer, it made most of the paint float but I still lost some paint that sunk. I hate reducing it since it's less protection of the part.

Any ideas why oil based paint would not float in water? It just does not make sense to me? I'm getting ready to do some more parts and I really want to do them this way and have it work better this time.

[Roadman]

 

[Dakota]

Not sure exactly what's going on.   A guess would be that paints with lower VOC (volatile organic compounds) mix a little more readily with water.

It would be great if you could post a couple of pictures of some of the parts you've covered with this method - this is a new approach to me.

[RUNCHARGER]

Yes, this is interesting. I have heard about it but never tried it.

[Daveh]

New to me also but would love to see the finished product.  Sounds like a great idea.   

[pink aar]

Water weights 8.34 lbs per gallon. What does you paint weight per gallon? If the paint is heavier it will sink.

[ToxicWolf]

Asked my engineer wife and she said to check and see if there is lead in the paint that sinks. Some paints use lead for faster drying paint.

[Daveh]

I didn't think you could buy paint with lead in it any longer?  That's why you see bridges being painted constantly today as opposed to 50 years ago.  The lead in the paint sticks and protects way better than todays paint.

[ToxicWolf]

I didn't think you could buy paint with lead in it any longer?  That's why you see bridges being painted constantly today as opposed to 50 years ago.  The lead in the paint sticks and protects way better than todays paint.

Lead is only banned from household paints.  She saw it many times in industrial paints.  Just depends on the paint. 

Added: PPG says they will eliminate all lead in their paints by 2020

[HP_Cuda]

Paint's are not the same anymore.

Are you sure you are using an oil based paint?

[soundcontrol]

 

I have seen it done on guitars:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPlbKUt0W9k

[Lloyd Lind]

Lead in the paint makes it heavier, that makes sense. I was able to add a reducer and get it to float so I may have to do that each time now.

[GY3R/T]

Many automotive paints contain " Heavy Solids ". Could it possibly be seperating and sinking from sitting too long ? 

[cuda hunter]

I've done color and camo dips on AR15's with great success. 
Makes sense that the same process would work on anything painted. 
patiently awaiting pictures......