SEM Paint Results....

[kramttocs]

Thanks John!

[Gary Lewis]

Scott - I know that you know this since I sent you the permalink to my post on Big Blue's Transformation thread about this.  And it differs from what you were told - also by someone at SEM.  So I don't know which is the most accurate.

[kramttocs]

Thanks Gary.
Yes, one can definitely get their head spinning with the various ways that are floating around.

77723 (acetone safe plastic) was used here: https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Interior-plastics-paint-prep-tp3402p3414.html

but you used 3836 (acetone melts) based on SEM tech support


SEM Doc

I may grab a junk piece of trim and do the acetone test this evening

[Machspeed]

Scott, I guess I did do the Acetone test, as I found the acetone among my SEM interior paint products. I know I called the people at Vinylpro and spoke with them at least twice too. Below is their link and a picture of the products I used.  

http://https://www.vinylpro.com/

[kramttocs]

Appreciate that John. So you didn't use a promoter?

[Machspeed]

Just what you see pictured, Scott.

[Rusty_S85]

I didnt use the soap, I just used the plastic/leather prep, the adhesion promoter and the color coat.

[kramttocs]

But which promoter?

[Rusty_S85]

I used the SEM promoter.

I used the following when I did my door panels.

SEM 38353 Plastic Prep
SEM 39863 Adhesion Promoter
SEM 15043 Shadow Blue

[BigBrother-84]

Hi Matt,
Little late to participate, sorry!

On my side, I used the ColorBond LVP Refinisher «Light Prairie Tan 150».
https://www.colorbondpaint.com/products/l-v-hp-refinisher-ford?variant=311564633

Very similar to the original colour, although not exactly identical.  Anyway, I had to refresh all my mouldings, panels, armrests and dash, so I painted everything, no "colour match issue".
I find this paint ok, nice smooth finish, fast drying, easy to apply.  Maybe a little "fragile" about scratches, but it's probably me who acts too roughly.

[BigBrother-84]

This picture gives a better idea than my precedent one:

[Gary Lewis]

Interior looks very good, Jeff.  

[MattK]

I am thinking of restoring my black trim.  How durable is the SEM paint?  I have seen lots of plastic paint scratch off easily.  The door panels get a lot of abuse.  For those that used the SEM paint what is your experience with the durability of the finish?
 

[Pete Whitstone]

MattK wrote

I am thinking of restoring my black trim.  How durable is the SEM paint?  I have seen lots of plastic paint scratch off easily.  The door panels get a lot of abuse.  For those that used the SEM paint what is your experience with the durability of the finish?

If by "black trim" you mean stuff like the windshield wipers or the frame around the windshield, there is an SEM product called "Trim Black" that I have been using for about 20 years, and the stuff I painted back then looks as good as the day it got sprayed.

If you are talking about interior trim, there are SEM products for that but I don't have much experience with them. I did spray my steering wheel rubber center with an "SEM Color" product that was black, and it's held up pretty well, but that was only about a year ago. I used this same line of products to do my interior, that was over a year ago and it's held up reasonably well. Here's what it looked like after it was sprayed.

https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/81-Interior-makeover-td90007.html#a90027

[Gary Lewis]

I used SEM products to do Big Blue's interior and I've very happy with it.  I will admit that there are black scuff marks on the kick panels where we've hit them with our shoes, but I suspect the black would come off if I cleaned the kick panels.

Obviously interior panels are like anything else and require prep if you are going to get good results.  I followed SEM's instructions to the letter and got good results.

[MattK]

Sorry about the wording.  I was referring to the plastic door panels, dash and other interior pieces.  
My interior is all black, but it rather dull and sun faded.  I would like to brighten it up.  But my previous experience painting plastic is the paint scratches off easy. Given the arms rub against the door panels and feet rub on the door/kick plates I wanted to see how the SEM product held up for everyone.  The good news is the panels are black and I would paint them black so a minor scratch would not be that visible anyway.  

[Rusty_S85]

MattK wrote

Sorry about the wording.  I was referring to the plastic door panels, dash and other interior pieces.  
My interior is all black, but it rather dull and sun faded.  I would like to brighten it up.  But my previous experience painting plastic is the paint scratches off easy. Given the arms rub against the door panels and feet rub on the door/kick plates I wanted to see how the SEM product held up for everyone.  The good news is the panels are black and I would paint them black so a minor scratch would not be that visible anyway.

SEM when used properly is very durable.  However I personally would not use it on soft vinyl such as sunvisors or arm rests as I would be fearful they wouldnt stand up to the flexing and touching they receive.  But for hard plastic pieces it should be great.

As far as door panels goes, Dennis Carpenter sells reproduction door panels for our trucks made off the original molds that only come in black.  Might consider just going that route and not even coloring it since you already have a black interior.

[Gary Lewis]

I used SEM on my sun visors and they are holding up really well.  

[Rusty_S85]

Gary Lewis wrote

I used SEM on my sun visors and they are holding up really well.

It probably would hold up well.  I just out of personal preference found the arm rest and visors in the right blue already just to be safe.

[Gary Lewis]

I forgot the arm rests!  Yes, I painted those as well and they are doing fine.