Diving into your first automotive painting project can be as exciting as it is daunting. Selecting the right HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) paint gun is a critical step toward achieving professional-looking results. Here’s a comprehensive guide to selecting the right gun for any first-timer looking to paint their own car. What is HVLP Technology? HVLP paint guns are designed to deliver high volumes of paint at low pressure, resulting in reduced overspray and improved paint transfer efficiency. Understanding the basics of HVLP technology will help you make informed decisions when choosing a pa ..read more

It’s not everyday you get to rescue a legend, but one of our local shops did just that. After nineteen years sitting on a private property, Pottstown’s Hollywood Garage brought home a Buick Grand National they’d had their eyes on for years. The original paint was still there, but was buried under years of dust and debris. There was even moss and mildew growing on its black paint. We brought in a local detailer to work his magic, revealing the current condition of the car. Watch in this video as it gets its mojo back. The post A Rescued Buick Grand National Revealed After 19 Years appeared fir ..read more

Sahara Tan. Cavalry Blue. Cacti Green. Nardo Grey. Chalk. You may not know these colors by name, but chances are you’ve seen them on the road recently. You may even be wondering what’s up with all these colors that look like, well, clay. Over the last few years, carmakers have been adding these muted mineral tones to their pallets. From a distance they look like old single-stage lacquers from the ‘50s. But they’re not quite flat, and in fact many are enhanced with the close-range shimmer of fine mica or pearl. In contrast to their unassuming appearance, however, these desaturated colors often ..read more

Eastwood’s is proud to announce that the cost to participate in its summer car show, the Eastwood Summer Classic, will remain just $5 per car. Registration will take place on site only on the day of the show, Saturday, July 20, 2024. As always, spectators and guests are free. The show is a rain-or-shine event and will officially open at 8:00 am and run until 2:00 pm. Judging for all classes will start at 10:00 am and end at noon. Awards will be announced starting at 1:00 pm. This year’s awards are for the following categories: Best Custom Rod (traditional hot rod, street rod, or custom build ..read more

A few years back, our guy Matt got hold of an old Cushman motor scooter. True to Eastwood tradition, it was a rusty pile – not much more than a starting point. Matt had plans to not only bring back the looks of the old icon, but also give it new life as a hot rod of sorts, in his own style. This video series encompassed more 20 episodes, but each one includes a thorough breakdown of the processes, techniques, and tools used to give the Cushman a much-deserved second life. The video below is the kickoff episode, but you can check out the full playlist for individual episodes as well. The post ..read more

As an amateur welder, every arc you strike is an opportunity to refine your technique. Along the way, however, you may find yourself grappling with a common frustration: welding splatter. Those  droplets of molten metal can turn your welding session into a messy affair, leaving you wondering what went wrong. But once you understand what causes welding splatter and how to avoid it, your work will quickly improve. Welding spatter, the small molten metal droplets that scatter during the welding process, primarily originates from the welding arc. When an arc is established between the welding ..read more

We spend a lot of time talking about restoration and repair on older vehicles. But once an upon a time, we decided to try something a little different. We built a go kart. From scratch. Over the course of a ten-part series, the Eastwood video team built a traditional single-seat, gas-powered go kart using the whole arsenal of tools from our catalog. The started with tubular steel to make the frame, using our metal-cutting benchtop band saw and professional tubing notcher. The tubing was then formed in our mechanical tubing bender. All of this was stitched together using Eastwood’s MIG 250 weld ..read more

There’s nothing worse than seeing rust start to bubble through your paint after you’ve repaired a panel. It’s a sure sign that moisture has gotten into work zone. And that begs the question – does body filler absorb moisture? To help answer that question, Eastwood’s senior product manager Mark tested two types of body filler for water absorption. He did this by curing a small batch each of Evercoat’s premium polyester filler and their Everglass filler with fiberglass strands. Once the two blobs cured, he weighed them, trimming the heavier piece to match the weight of the lighter one. The two p ..read more

Open the sliding doors, strap the cargo carrier turtle on top, then jam three bikes, two coolers, and five suitcases with Tetris-like precision in the back… This is how family vacations typically start. But I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be like that! I recently ran off to Las Vegas to get hitched. While it was a vacation for me, the (new) missus, and a couple of buddies, it was far from the scenario above. While the main point was to get married, play some table games, and enjoy ourselves, upon reflection I realized the trip had been accidentally infused with a bunch of activities th ..read more

For DIY automotive painters and professionals alike, are an occassional hurdle on the road to a flawless finish. Even if you lay down a flawless coat, other “nibs” like dirt, hair, and even insects often find their way onto a wet surface. However, with the right tools you can tackle all these imperfections with confidence. Since these types of flaws are typically above the paint surface, the process requires leveling and blending. The process, generally known as “denibbing,” focuses on repairing only the affected area without ruining the whole panel. Denibbing can be performed between paint co ..read more