Looking for a Bay Area paint supplier, Any experience with the new California PPG Omni? Options

[Gudhjem]

Anyone have a shop in the Bay Area, preferably peninsula, they can recommend for buying my paint?

My compressor, gun and other tools are here or on their way, pretty much only the actual paint left to buy. I've been reading dozens of paint threads, and will likely go with a BC/CC. Maybe BASF Diamont, maybe PPG. Problem is, when I look online, I don't see anyone selling the paints that are discussed in the threads, mostly just house labels.

Do you guys in the Bay Area buy paint online, or have a local vendor you can share?

[windforfun]

Finish Master perhaps?

[underthetire]

Don't think you can buy any real paint in the bay area anymore. All waterbased. Pioneer is the closest, maybe Santa Cruz.

[Mike Bellis]

Hayward Color, right off 92

[realred914]

Finish Master is in san carlos, and there is Hayward color.

however as stated, much of the good paint was banned last November in the greater bay area. your pretty much left with water colors now (and you need specialized equipemnt to shot it)

primers are a real problem too, the good epoxy based stuff is now gone,

beware that many of the new paitns you can get here may NOT be compatibel with some of the metal prep etchs that you are used to using. the newest primers in the last round of selection reduction was no longer compatibel with acid based prep solutions. (the stuff wont cure if coated over an acid prep)


your best bet might be calling a shop in Santa Cruz county, (just do NOT tell them where you live) there was a good paint shop in Freedom just outside of Santa Cruz where I used to be able to get stuff you could not get in the bay area some years ago. (PPG Delstar)

any way do tons of research, make sure everthing is compatible , wash, acid prep, sealer, sanding primer top coats etc.....

pick a brnad and stick to it, stick to teh whole brands system of coatings to be sure
call teh paint maker (ppg dupont etcc) on their tech line and get all the info you can. they have lists of waht is and is not available in your area.

Not all paint shops are up on all the new rules and waht works well or not, some shops have told me what works, yet the manufacturer says otherwise, best bet is the manufactorer for info. it is a confusing over regulated mess right now.

thanks to californazia politicians, vote all the gad dam bums out this time!!!!

[Gudhjem]

Thanks for the replies.

Wow, this is really troubling. I had heard that new regs had made it impossible to get some paints, but I didn't realize there would be no quality paint options left.

A couple of you mention Santa Cruz. Are the regs specific to certain counties and not state-wide? SF and Santa Clara counties are close, and of course there's a half dozen other nearby counties nearby if need be.

My hope was to find a local distributor for a quality paint line and use that line for everything. Now, I'm not sure how to go about this. I'll talk to Hayward Color and the others and see what advice they can give, but they of course want to sell me what they have.

Are DIY painters in the Bay Area giving up, using crappy paint, buying it and bringing it in, something else?

[realred914]

Thanks for the replies.

Wow, this is really troubling. I had heard that new regs had made it impossible to get some paints, but I didn't realize there would be no quality paint options left.

A couple of you mention Santa Cruz. Are the regs specific to certain counties and not state-wide? SF and Santa Clara counties are close, and of course there's a half dozen other nearby counties nearby if need be.

My hope was to find a local distributor for a quality paint line and use that line for everything. Now, I'm not sure how to go about this. I'll talk to Hayward Color and the others and see what advice they can give, but they of course want to sell me what they have.

Are DIY painters in the Bay Area giving up, using crappy paint, buying it and bringing it in, something else?

santa cruz gets a clean air waiver hence it has some of the paints you cant get in bay area counties. san mateo, snata clara, SF alameda as far as i know all have the same nazi like laws

shop around, lots of research.

now go ask how many automotive refinishing shops have left the area. pushing 13% state wide unempllyement, just wait until arnoldnazis global warming law goes into full effect. you aint seen nothing yet.

[Gudhjem]

According to Hayward Color, I have 2 choices: I can buy either water-based paints, or I can buy PPG Omni solvent-based paint. The water-based paint requires special tools that I don't have (stainless steel guns, etc.). The PPG Omni has apparently been tweaked to comply with the California regs. They sell it in both single stage and bc/cc.

I've read in this forum that some have had decent experience with the pre-change PPG Omni, though it seems the prevailing wisdom is that it's pretty much a budget paint that probably wont give the same luster of a more expensive paint.

Does anyone have any experience with the new tweaked formula PPG Omni in single or bc/cc?

[pete-stevers]

i bought a omni primer ...once... the viscosty was rediculously thin
they are a cheaper paint for sure, i am not sure they cover as well as a dbc
and may have a tendncy to run.
(try to buy the old paints out of state)
I am not looking foward to this change over as it is coming to bc this spring.
water base can be sprayed with old guns, but i hear they won't last as long due to corosion