How to wetsand a rattle can paint job?

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Mike Phillips

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How to wetsand a rattle can paint job?


I get e-mails, PM's and FB messages all the time with questions that are better asked and then answered on this forum for a host of reason. One reason is more eyeballs see the questions and answers so more people are helped versus one set of eyeballs in an e-mail, PM or FB message.


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Hi Mike,


I've been searching the all over, on Auto Geek in particular, and am having a hard time finding the information I'm looking for.


I just painted my car with Dupli-color acrylic enamel clear coat, and on the horizontal surfaces I have what looks like tiger striping caused by misting off the nozzle.

I was planning on wet sanding at 2500 grit, then working my way finer with compounds.

A friend of mine advised against it saying that would be too aggressive for a simple enamel out of a rattle can, and that it would take too much off.

From what I've read so far some guys say to wait a month or longer before doing anything to it, others say a week, and some say 48 hrs.


Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated

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Great questions!

Let me see if I can shed some light....

The tiger stripes you're seeing from the rattle can paint job are pretty common for this type of paint application.

#2500 is actually pretty fine grit for a sandpaper or finishing paper. It used to be 10 years ago #2000 grit was considered fine grit and now we have, #2500, #3000, #4000 and #5000

You're friend is right in that any sanding on a rattle can paint job is probably aggressive unless you're laying down massive amounts of paint.

Keep in mind,

  • Sanding removes paint.
  • Compounding removes paint.
  • Polishing removes a little paint.
You only have a so much to work with.


Sanding and buffing may remove or reduce the visible tiger stripes, you won't know until you try. Sand lightly and use a high quality compound to remove your sanding marks.


As for waiting time, check the back of the can or the website for the paint you're using and see if the company that makes the paint has their own recommendation as they know their product best.

When it comes to rattle can paint jobs, the paint tends to dry pretty fast and harden in a few days, so I would think that waiting 2-3 days would be fine. I'm not sure if rattle can paint would be any harder after a month than it will after 2 days.


Good luck with your project, by the way... what are you working on?



:)
 
Ah, thanks, Mike!!

Just what I needed, just when I needed it - as always!!

My Dad and I did a bondo job on his car last week, and well.... It turned out ok. We're going to clear it, and see what we can accomplish.
 
Great thing about rattle can paint jobs, the cost to repair is $8 vs $400. So if you get a wild hair and want to try wet sanding and rotary buffing, go for it.
 
As long as you put enough clear everything will be fine

I duplicolored a car i was selling the door was a different color i sprayed it green then put on the clear coat super rich so i can level it and have enough to play with

My friends and father in law couldnt believe how good it looked for spray can results
 
Thanks Mike, typically I don't like to post questions like that publicly, because then you get a whole host of negative comments like "your first problem was painting with a rattle can".

I definitely agree though, your answer is more effective on here than in an email.

The car is a 01 Jetta, Dragon Green Pearl they call it.

I think I'm going to try hand polishing it first with a ultra fine compound. I laid down 3 medium coats of clear enamel. I was afraid of wrinkles or cracks if a put down any more, as there was 3 medium coats of color under that. So I want to minimize the amount of clear I remove.

On a different note for purely interests sake I primed the whole car in a black primer, and it really made the color look much deeper and richer

2015%2B-%2B1

"Tiger Striping"

IMAG0922.jpg

Polishing compound

IMAG0925.jpg

Wax

Is there a product that would better protect my enamel clear coat better than the wax pictured? Something that might even protect against abrasion? As far as I know the wax pictured will only protect against UV
 
Oh, and I'm also thinking of waiting a year, A) because I'm running out of warm weather, and don't have a booth B) I want to be sure all the solvents in the enamel have evaporated out, and laying a Urethane clear with hardener over top so I don't have to worry about my paint. So I might be best to leave any protectant off the paint until after it's re-cleared. That way I don't risk having any contaminates fouling the Urethane clear coat. Thoughts?
 
greenvw said:
Thanks Mike, typically I don't like to post questions like that publicly, because then you get a whole host of negative comments like "your first problem was painting with a rattle can".



Is there a product that would better protect my enamel clear coat better than the wax pictured? Something that might even protect against abrasion? As far as I know the wax pictured will only protect against UV
Click to expand...


Don't worry about people hating on a spray can paint job. If you like how it turns out, that's all that matters. I hope you didn't think my comment was meant as a putdown.

I still think this guy had a great result from a roller and a TON of work. http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/60544-mercedes-50-rolled-paintjob-completed.html

As for the wax, I believe mike is quoted as saying "use what you like and use it often." So anything from turtlewax to swissvax will work. I have excellent luck with DP Poli coat, collinite 845, max wax and blackfire crystal seal.

For abrasion, look into the coatings offered. They should offer more protection than most waxes. I've no first hand experiences with them yet though.

Chris
 
greenvw said:
Thanks Mike, typically I don't like to post questions like that publicly, because then you get a whole host of negative comments like "your first problem was painting with a rattle can".

I definitely agree though, your answer is more effective on here than in an email.
Click to expand...



Plus with the volume of questions I get the "time factor" to type for only one set of eyeballs just doesn't compute. If you were to look through the forum group created for me you'll find lots of threads where I do the same thing, that is take the FB, PM and e-mail messages I get and turn them into threads and then send the person asking the questions the link. (It's not just you) :D



Thanks for replying to the thread.

I have to disappear from my office for the rest of the week for a new project, I'll get back to your thread as soon as I get time.


:)
 
hollerstiltner said:
Don't worry about people hating on a spray can paint job. If you like how it turns out, that's all that matters. I hope you didn't think my comment was meant as a putdown.

I still think this guy had a great result from a roller and a TON of work. http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/60544-mercedes-50-rolled-paintjob-completed.html

As for the wax, I believe mike is quoted as saying "use what you like and use it often." So anything from turtlewax to swissvax will work. I have excellent luck with DP Poli coat, collinite 845, max wax and blackfire crystal seal.

For abrasion, look into the coatings offered. They should offer more protection than most waxes. I've no first hand experiences with them yet though.

Chris
Click to expand...

No everyone on this thread has been respectful, I was referring to past observations. All too often, when researching a project, I see some who is doing something unconventionally, and people jump all over the poor guy.

When you say "look into the coatings offered" could you please elaborate? Offered where?


Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
Plus with the volume of questions I get the "time factor" to type for only one set of eyeballs just doesn't compute. If you were to look through the forum group created for me you'll find lots of threads where I do the same thing, that is take the FB, PM and e-mail messages I get and turn them into threads and then send the person asking the questions the link. (It's not just you) :D



Thanks for replying to the thread.

I have to disappear from my office for the rest of the week for a new project, I'll get back to your thread as soon as I get time.


:)
Click to expand...

Thank you for taking time out of for busy schedule to answer my questions, it is greatly appreciated!!
 
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