CollisionBlast.com – Win a (3M Accuspray) spray gun. 3m has a new gun that offers the quality of an expensive gun at a much lower cost. No more buying cheap guns to use as your primer gun. No one wants to purchase a SATA, Iwata, or any other expensive gun [Read more…] about Collision Blast 3M Accuspray Contest – Win Free (3M Accuspray) Spray Gun
Paint and Body Work Is Like Going On A Hot Date – First Things First
If you have ever been on a hot date you should be able to take the first steps to performing auto body and paint work. First, I will describe the dating process, then I’ll relate it to working on cars.
One Of The Most Overlooked or Rushed Steps
Preparing For The Date
I still remember when I first started dating when I was younger. When I was in high school I did a lot of outdoor labor. Haul pipe, work outside in lumber yards, weld cow panels, and other types of work like this. At the end of the day, you could say I was quite sweaty and dirty, but I did not seem to get tired then. I wish that I still had some of the energy that I had then! Anyway, as soon as the work was done, I would hit the shower to get ready for the night. I would shower to remove the body sweat and odors, as I did not want my date to smell BO. Then I would get my hair just right, yes I had a mullet, and of course I would brush my teeth extra good. I did not want to knock my date out with my breath. I would take every single necessary step to assure that I was ready for the night.
Dating With Confidence
When I went on the date I would have the confidence that everything was ready to impress the date. If the chance to set next to them, talk, or even kiss; I knew that she would not be grossed out with bad breath or sweat.
This is how I remember getting ready for a date, however, I am not saying this is how everyone prepares for a date. In fact, I know of some people that did not do much preparation before their dates. Do you thing there dates went well? They could pull every smooth line and slick trick in the book, however, if the date was turned of from the start, the date is probably not going to go well and you may not have a second chance to date them.
So What Does This Have To Do With Car Paint Jobs or Body Work?
One of the common mistake made in auto body and paint work is improper preparation. We’re so excited to get started working on the car and overlook properly cleaning it. Just like being successful on a date, the first thing you need to do before beginning the work is to wash the car with dish soap and water. Then we need to wipe the car with wax and grease remover. Once this is done, you can begin repairs with confidence. However, if you skip the cleaning procedure, the repairs are going to fight you and be difficult throughout the entire repair process no matter how hard you try. Then the end result may have problems like lack of adhesion or fish eyes just to name a few.
Good Advice
So here is my advice to you whether you are getting ready for a hot date or starting a collision repair or paint project. Thoroughly Clean First! 
This story is a little corny, but it does a great job of making a point and helping you remember a simple step that many people forget or rush through. This is in the book I wrote “Collision Blast Basic Auto Body and Paint Training.” If you would like to learn more about the basics, you can purchase the book from Amazon below.
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THINGS THAT YOU WILL NEED TO PREPARE YOUR CAR FOR REFINISHING
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9VMZaSRU4o[/youtube]
Why Choose Collision Repair As a Career and What to Look For in a School
Why Choose Collision Repair As a Career and What to Look For in a School
By Donnie A Smith
Why choose collision repair as a career pathway?
Hands-on: Why should your job be boring and dreadful? You can earn income doing the things you like to do. If you’re someone that likes working with your hands, a high-tech environment and you enjoy being able to step back and see the results of your work; then collision repair may be a good fit for you.
High income potential: I-Car Education Foundation completed a survey, showing the average income that a collision repair technician earns. You may be surprised that the average income of $51,312 is higher then many other comparable trades. In fact, the top 10% earn $88,460. Although, just like with any career, you shouldn’t expect this your first year on the job. These are the incomes you can expect to make with experience and commitment.
Job Security: As roads and highways become more populated with vehicles, the results are more auto accidents. Unfortunately, the automotive industry is not finding enough trained technicians to properly repair these modern day vehicles. This means job security for you.
Work will never be outsourced: Think about it! Could you imagine a damaged vehicle being loaded on a ship, taken overseas, repaired, and shipped back to the customer…it’s not going to happen. We need trained collision and paint technicians right here in the United States, in every state and every city to repair our cars. As a technician, you will never have to worry about your job being outsourced.
What are some of the things to consider when choosing a school to attend?
NATEF certified: Make sure the school is a National Automotive Technician Education Foundation (NATEF) accredited. This gives you peace of mind knowing that the school has met the NATEF standards and is a quality school. NATEF is national recognized in the automotive industry and will give you a competitive edge, when you pursue a job. In order to be NATEF accredited, all instructors must be Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified to teach. This means that you will have competent instructors to ensure your success in the future.
I-Car affiliation: Make sure the school is affiliated with I-Car. I-Car is an organization that helps the collision industry with on-going training. They provide training to technicians already on the job and they provide curriculum and support to colleges and technical schools to prepare students for the world-of-work. I-Car is known throughout the collision industry and will give your potential employer another perk to hire you.
Where do I find a school like this and how do I enroll?
1. Call the school to set up a time you can visit with them and ask to tour the collision repair program.
2. Is the collision program accredited? If so, who are they accredited through?
3. Are they affiliated with I-Car and what curriculum do they use?
4. Ask if one of the program instructors are available to speak with. You can ask them program specific questions. This will give you a better feel of the program and the instructors.
5. What is their student per instructor ratio?
6. Find out what requirements, tools, tuition,and fees are required.
7. Have them explain the difference between a certificate and an associates degree. (some technical schools do not offer associates degrees)
8. Does the college have any articulation agreements with any other schools, which allows the student to transfer into a four-year university?
9. Once you feel you have made the correct decision, ask them to direct you to an advisor. The advisor will walk you through the steps to get you enrolled.
I am the lead collision repair instructor for a community college. I invite you to my free online training to learn how to perform car paint jobs. There you will learn more about the collision repair as a career or learn enough to do it as a hobby.
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Auto Body Repair – How To Clear Coat Over Airbrushed Flame – HD
CollisionBlast.com – Please rate this video. This Auto Body Repair video is the last part of answering a question of how to prepare and complete a car for artwork. We did not spend much time on airbrushing as Danielle, the girl that asked the question, already know how to airbrush. [Read more…] about Auto Body Repair – How To Clear Coat Over Airbrushed Flame – HD
(Auto Painting Techniques) Preparing Cured Paint Surface For Airbrush Work Part 1
CollisionBlast.com – In this video of auto painting techniques, I was asked how to get a car ready for art work. I assume that the person is an artist and already knows how to use an airbrush. She was just not sure how to prep the paint that is already [Read more…] about (Auto Painting Techniques) Preparing Cured Paint Surface For Airbrush Work Part 1