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First let me say that I've never painted a car, just a chassis with a HF gun. Now, I do have a 7.5 hp 80 gal. compressor and a DB FLG-5 with 1.4 / 1.8 tips. I have an 87 S10 blazer that I had installed the GM 3.4 ( 92-95 Camaro / Firebird) engine. I'm fixing it up for my grand daughter who will soon be of driving age. I want a diy paint job in my two car shop and I'm trying to decide on single stage urethane or base / clear, I've read of some saying single stage is easier for a novice and others say base / clear. I would prefer to hear from some one who has actual painting with both types of paint, thanks !
Far from an expert but I help at body shop a couple days a week. They only use base coat/clear coat only. Three coats of base then 3-5 coats of clear depending on a stock 3 coats of clear or 5 coats of clear for more hot rod projects.
Besides the body work underneath you have control the shop temp to match the paint.
Can I suggest you spray the primer and sealer for practice, do all the sanding and then take the Blazer to a body shop and let them spray the paint and clear? They do it everyday and you are novice and paint has gone crazy price wise. Then with their help wet sand/polish/buff.
Thanks, for your input, it makes good sense. I probably should have explained that this is something I want to do myself. It doesn't have to be "show quality" just "good". I have sprayed some acrylic enamel, just not a whole car and it came out well. I'm really thinking that I might sand it to bare metal and spray it with epoxy primer, yeah I know it's a big undertaking for a novice but I don't mind taking my time. This will be good training for my own 98 S10 L33 project and will probably be the only two vehicles that I will ever paint. I leaning toward bc/cc because I have heard it's a easier to fix mistakes.
The other thing to consider is the color you choose is a solid or metallic or solid color.
Metallics need to sprayed with all painted parts bolted to the car/truck. Solids can be sprayed off the vehicle in parts.
Again at the body shop I help at I have not touched a paint gun or mixed paint but I know when they spray solid colors on a hot rod project they mix enough color to paint the entire project car or truck so zero chance of a color mismatch.
I've done a number of down to the bare steel hot rod projects. I always joked I'm in charge of taking paint off not putting it back on. LOL.
Couple of pics of down to bare metal. 66 Mustang and 68 C10. Prior to supervised body work and priming.
The other thing to consider is the color you choose is a solid or metallic or solid color.
Metallics need to sprayed with all painted parts bolted to the car/truck. Solids can be sprayed off the vehicle in parts.
Again at the body shop I help at I have not touched a paint gun or mixed paint but I know when they spray solid colors on a hot rod project they mix enough color to paint the entire project car or truck so zero chance of a color mismatch.
I've done a number of down to the bare steel hot rod projects. I always joked I'm in charge of taking paint off not putting it back on. LOL.
Couple of pics of down to bare metal. 66 Mustang and 68 C10. Prior to supervised body work and priming.
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Single stage or Two stage paint 
