Painters are often required to mix paints in order to get just the right shade to match the original finish.
The painter must sand the area to remove any old paint, primer, or rust, and repair small areas with solder or plastic body filler. The sanding is done with power tools and by hand. Anything that is not to be painted is masked off with paper and tape.
Once the preparation is done, the painter uses a spray gun to apply several coats of primer to the bare metal. He or she then lightly sands the primed surface, applies several coats of final color, and blends it in with the vehicle's original paint.
The car is dried in a special room where heat lamps speed up the process. (On some vehicles this cannot be done, because the heat can damage some of the on-board computers.)
SKILLS REQUIRED
Parts stores and dealerships stock literally thousands of parts, and the counter worker must become familiar with most of them on sight to identify and locate the parts quickly for customers. Sometimes the customer may give only a vague description of the part needed, and the counter person must be able to determine what part is being requested. Especially at the retail level, the customer may ask for a "gizmo that connects to the intake manifold" and try to describe what it looks like. Since most of the time the customer telephones the store, the counter person might have to determine what the caller wants, look up the part in a catalog or a computer, and then check inventory to verify that the part is in stock. All this requires the counter person to have a thorough knowledge of the parts catalogs and the stockroom.
Once the counter person obtains the necessary item, he or she must check the price lists, collect the money from the customer, or fill out the billing forms.
Sometimes the necessary part is not in stock. In these cases, the counter person will have to check for an interchangeable part or place a special order. It may even be necessary to suggest another dealer.
Often the customer-especially the do-it-yourselfer-has no idea what is wrong with the vehicle. The above-average counter person needs a good working knowledge of automobile mechanics and must be able to assist the customer in determining the problem and to suggest the part or parts needed to make the repair. Sometimes the counter person asks the customer to bring in the suspected malfunctioning part for examination. In some instances he or she may use special equipment to test the part, such as coil and condenser testers, spark plug testers, or other measuring instruments.
The parts counter person is often responsible for keeping catalogs and price lists up-to-date. He or she may stock shelves, unpack boxes, take inventories, place orders with suppliers, and set up displays for walk-in clientele.
Many of the larger supply stores may maintain a machine shop. Here they will resurface brake drums and disc brake rotors. Other shops have drill presses, hydraulic presses, and cylinder head re-facing equipment, valve-grinding machines, and more. Although some stores employ full-time machinists, in many businesses the counter person has a chance to learn those skills too.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Automobile painters work indoors in an environment free of contaminants that could settle on the fresh paint. However, they may be exposed to many fumes and vapors that are harmful. Often a special room is provided with ventilated booths to protect the workers, but if it is not, the painters must wear respirators to protect nose and mouth.
Skills you need to be a refinish technician include the ability to:
- featheredge
- mask for urethane, prime, and prep
- prepare and trim parts
- apply guide coat and block sand
- mask for spot repair
- mask for overall color
- select and apply primer/sealer
- wet sand for overall color
- pressure wash and prep
- apply corrosion protection
Of the twelve thousand persons working as automobile painters in the 1990s two-thirds of them worked in shops that specialized in auto repairs. The remainder mostly worked for auto or truck dealerships and for fleets that maintain and repair their own vehicles. Although painters work throughout the country, they are mostly concentrated in metropolitan areas.
TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS
Training for the automobile painter is usually not formal. Instead it takes the form of learning as a helper to an experienced painter. It usually takes about three or four years to become skilled.
A small number learn through apprenticeship programs. The term of apprenticeship is usually three years, and the student learns on the job and supplements this with classroom work.
Good health, keen eyesight, and a good sense of color are needed. A high school diploma is helpful.
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment of automobile painters is growing a little more slowly than average, and the outlook through the years to come is best for skilled automotive refinishers and transportation equipment painters. Salaries are sometimes supplemented with commission income. Wages average between $10.86 and $18.95 an hour for most workers. The highest wages are about $23.00 an hour.
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES
Since vehicles that require painting are often damaged due to collision, painters may be required to know how to repair sheet metal. They may personally, or in close cooperation with mechanics, repair some other vehicle components or systems. This is especially true in smaller repair shops that do not employ full-time mechanics.
