Customer Reviews

Automotive Paint Handbook: Paint Technology for Auto Enthusiasts and Body Shop Professionals

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is really a great book on "how to" do a paint job on your car. I liked Boyd Coddington's How to Paint Your Hod Rod a bit better, but it has less scope than this book. It covers a new paint job, but this book covers everything...paint types, repairs, resprays and even paint care. A great book.

There is a lot of useful information between the covers of this book and it was a great help but I'm left with this vague sense of having missed something even though I read it cover to cover. There is substance but it's a little light on detail which the 170 pages would tend to bear out. While I gained a lot of clues, I still feel that I need to read another book in order to really know what I'm doing. Some how-to books are satisfying like a shotgun blast at close range... Their authors just lay out what you need to know and deliver it in a way that imparts confidence. This book is like being hit by a scattergun from 100 yards- you pick up a lot but don't really know exactly how much flew right on by. This guy kinda meanders all over the place seemingly without a coherent outline. I felt that the author really knows his stuff but left out a lot of necessary context that a beginner like myself needs to form a clear picture. And the typos, (hundreds!) missing sentences, and even missing paragraphs just about drove me nuts at one point. But they lessen towards the end of the book. Still, the price was right and it brought me to 5 on a scale of 10 so I can't really complain too much.

The publishing date of '98 dates it a little also. Seems like everything is going the way of computers and computer information where 6 mos. old is already obsolete. These poor authors are just going to have to realize that if they have the impulse to write a book then they are going to have to resign themselves to update them every two or three years or they will rapidly become useless! All knowledge and technology is just moving so danged fast these days.

So, I would buy it again but I ain't about to spend hundreds of bucks on paint and create a disaster until I find some better information.

This book is great for anyone looking to get started up painting cars, motorcycles, etc. I used this book and have saved a great deal on custom paint jobs restoring classic trucks and street rods. Well worth the money!

The description and a review or two state the book is "revised and updated" but the last revision was in 1998. I bit on this line, a mistake, since I wanted to know about current methods.
Techniques change, materials and tools evolve. If you want info on the latest technology, pass on this one

I was disappointed when reading this DIY paint book. While it does provide some background on paint, spray guns, techniques, tools, and painting, it lacks depth in any of these areas. Seems each chapter is really a high level view, but reading the author's background, he could have put more detail in the book.

It looks like I should have spent more time reading reviews as this book tries to cover too much in less than 200 pages. What is there, at least thru the first 7 or 8 brief chapters does cover some pretty good territory - after that - I guess if I wanted to know how to add tape pinstripes, polish my car, install spray on bed liner, inspect a car or get certified as a paint tech, the rest might have served the need. Thank goodness I bought the book cheap

This book is both informational and entertaining if you have an interest in painting your own car/s. This is the first book I have ever picked up on automotive painting and it has paved the way for me. I will obviously use more resources, but this was a spectacular start.

Review: "Automotive Paint Handbook", John Pfanstiehl

This book presents a comprehensive overview of automotive finishing and includes the historical progress of automotive paint systems. The book is not, however, a "do it yourself" help manual. The chapters on equipment, repairs, and the complete paint job are akin to a guided tour in a paint shop. The text and illustrations throughout are well organized. The arrangement of topics is logical moves from basics through the operation of a paint and body shop. I am an amateur vehicle restorer and although the book was interesting, it wasn't particularly helpful for my hobby.

This book covered everthing except installation of the kitchen sink!! Very nice how the author explained the painting techniques over the years and how things have changed. I also enjoyed the section on inspecting a car for hidden repairs.
Would have liked the book better in color but very nicely illustrated.

First impression from the book - is that all pictures are black and white and it does not help (cmon - this is a book about paint!). I will update the review once I finish reading the book.