Fao Painters!

[2052006 10]

Ok, so I've finished re-spraying my bonnet (miami), however, I'm now doing the final sanding down ready to put the lacquer on, but don't know how much of a "matt" finish I need. I've done the whole thing using aerosols and to be honest was quite pleased with the results so far.

 

However, on the side of the lacquer can it says it's important to get a matt finish on the paint before spraying on the lacquer but it seems to me that if I rub down too much, I'll be taking too much of the new paint off...

 

Any advice please??!

 

Thanks

[Paintguy 0]

I don't know what products you are using, but I'd strongly advise you not to sand the base (colour) coat before applying the lacquer. On a metalic coulr like Miami, it will almost certainly show through and spoil the effect.

 

Has the colour gone on really glossy then? If it is indeed a base colour, then it should only dry to a satin finish at best. If it has a good gloss on it, then it may be a single stage product that doesn't need a lacquer, but I'd be surprised if it were.

 

I can only assume that the instructions on the lacquer are telling you to ensure the colour has fully dried before applying it. If you spray it on whilst the base is still wet (and thus shiny) it will cause all sorts of problems, hence their advice.

 

If you've already sanded it, I'd be very much tempted to apply another coat or two of colour to cover your sanding marks, wait for it to dry thoroughly, then go straight on with the lacquer, with no sanding in between. Ideally your last coats should be quite light but even, which will give you a perfect base for your lacquer.

 

I've repeated a lot of words in the above post, but it couldn't be helped...

[2052006 10]

I don't know what products you are using, but I'd strongly advise you not to sand the base (colour) coat before applying the lacquer. On a metalic coulr like Miami, it will almost certainly show through and spoil the effect.

 

Has the colour gone on really glossy then? If it is indeed a base colour, then it should only dry to a satin finish at best. If it has a good gloss on it, then it may be a single stage product that doesn't need a lacquer, but I'd be surprised if it were.

 

I can only assume that the instructions on the lacquer are telling you to ensure the colour has fully dried before applying it. If you spray it on whilst the base is still wet (and thus shiny) it will cause all sorts of problems, hence their advice.

 

If you've already sanded it, I'd be very much tempted to apply another coat or two of colour to cover your sanding marks, wait for it to dry thoroughly, then go straight on with the lacquer, with no sanding in between. Ideally your last coats should be quite light but even, which will give you a perfect base for your lacquer.

 

I've repeated a lot of words in the above post, but it couldn't be helped...

 

Thanks for the reply - I'm using Halfords cans (try not to cringe..). This is my first attempt at painting anything on a car so it's, as I've already found, a little more error than trial. The actual metal was in very good condition, so sanded right down, two coats primer and then 6 (thin) coats of paint, sanding in between each two.

 

So now, I've sanded the last two and (as you say) it looks to me that the differences in shade following the sanding will show through, hence my question. I have always waited for the coats to dry - 24hrs. Trouble is, I'm only really going by what's written on the side of the can.

 

So, you think I should just put another coat (or two) straight on and then lacquer without sanding?

 

Thanks for your help!!

 

Pete

[Paintguy 0]

So, you think I should just put another coat (or two) straight on and then lacquer without sanding?

 

Thanks for your help!!

 

Pete

That's what I would do Pete.

 

Depending on the conditions, you should be able to lacquer over those extra coats in as little as 15 minutes. So get yourself all prepped up for 'the final spray', put on the colour coats, go and have a cup of tea, then hit it with the lacquer

[2052006 10]

That's what I would do Pete.

 

Depending on the conditions, you should be able to lacquer over those extra coats in as little as 15 minutes. So get yourself all prepped up for 'the final spray', put on the colour coats, go and have a cup of tea, then hit it with the lacquer

Nice one. I think I may as well put two more coats on, as one can only does it very thinly and they are quite cheap anyway...

 

It's probably going to cost about half the cheapest pro quote I got, all told, but at least the next one should be a bit cheaper and quicker...and my garage can return to housing the pug instead of just it's bonnet and my makeshift spray booth!..

 

I'll let you know how it goes, cheers

 

Pete

[Juz 0]

i used halfords sprays before to refurb some alloy wheels both on my 306 cab and rx7 fd and was very pleased with the results i got, especially considering how much the sprays cost (with my little brothers staff discount, natch ).

 

with 4-5 coats of primer, 4-5 coats of colour, and 2-3 coats of lacquer, i used very light abrasive wet & dry in-between each layer of primer and on the first couple of coats of colour, but then on the last couple coats of colour and the lacquer i did not do any sanding at all.

[ming 0]

How useful. i'm also at the stage of applying the last coat of colour (also miami blue) to my sunroof-substitute panel.

I was going to follow the can and sand the last coat but was grateful to pick up the advice to not do so just in time. i'm still only learning about paint and its application but must admit it did seem strange to have to sand a metallic finish and then seal in it's dullness with the clear-coat. the can must have thought no-one uses metallic paint on cars....

 

Cheers, Paintguy

[2052006 10]

So another couple of coats of paint on, then straight on with two coats of lacquer.

 

BUT, I got a v small bit of "fluff" (for want of a better word) on it in between the first and second coats of lacquer. Tried removing it but couldn't and was in the middle of putting the 2nd coat on. What's the best way of dealing with this?? Is only a small imperfection - is there anything I can do to remove it easily without sanding it out once dried etc - this will probably make it worse no doubt...

 

cheers

 

Pete

[Paintguy 0]

I get this all the time with our old, leaky spray booth

 

Depending on what type of material it is, it may turn virtually transparent when the lacquer soaks into it, so all you can see is a raised 'lump' (following your lead here with the technical terms )

 

The only way to remove this is by very careful sanding. I use a hard sanding block with very fine paper on it (1500 or 2000) to flatten the 'lump', then use a machine polisher to remove the sanding marks. Clearly you have to take care not to go too far and sand through the lacquer!

 

I guess you don't have access to a polisher, but the sanding marks can be removed by hand using a suitable abrasive polish, even T-Cut, if that's all you have.

[2052006 10]

Guess I'm going to have to wait and see what it looks like. If it's not too bad I'll probably just leave it - I don't really trust myself - but thanks for the help paintguy!

[ming 0]

Question - i have just applied the last coat (4th) on my roof-plate and it's starting to look ok now. just went to see if it was dry enough and it feels smooth and dry to the touch but i'm still getting traces of blue on my fingers

someone suggested it as paint dust that just needs rubbing/washing off but i wanted a second opinion.

If it's ok i'm ready for lacquering.

Cheers,

Ming

[2052006 10]

Question - i have just applied the last coat (4th) on my roof-plate and it's starting to look ok now. just went to see if it was dry enough and it feels smooth and dry to the touch but i'm still getting traces of blue on my fingers

someone suggested it as paint dust that just needs rubbing/washing off but i wanted a second opinion.

If it's ok i'm ready for lacquering.

Cheers,

Ming

 

Now that I'm the expert in such matters (not), I only waited about half an hour for the last paint coat to dry before applying the lacquer and it has turned out ok....

[Paintguy 0]

Yes, it could just be traces of overspray on the surface. You don't tend to get it with the wet coats, as the surface recovers its own overspray, but with the last lighter coats you can get some of the paint becoming dry before it hits the surface, so it stays on top, rather than 'soaking' in.

 

It is possible to remove it using a tack rag, a wax impregnated cloth that removes dust etc from the panel, but again it can sometimes mark the paints surface, so I'd advise you just to leave it be and lacquer

[ming 0]

yeah. i've gone ahead and done so. just gave it a bit of a rub down and put on a couple of coats of lacquer. looks ok so far. as jack h. pointed out, if it looks too new, it'll outshine the older paintwork. so it's been more of an experiment to see how i can get the finish before doing some more important panels.

Thanks for your excellent advice paintguy,

Ming

[Paintguy 0]

Thanks for your excellent advice paintguy,

No problem, that's why I'm here

 

Although I'd be here a bit more often if the forum would work properly for me, but that's another story....

[2052006 10]

No problem, that's why I'm here

 

Although I'd be here a bit more often if the forum would work properly for me, but that's another story....

 

Continuing this thread....at what point can I wax the new paintwork? Do I have to wait for it to all harden or something? Don't want to undo all my hard work at the last moment....

[cheapthrills 0]

not 100% as it probably depends on the lacquer used but usually it takes a while to cure properly and if you wax it to early it stop this happening, i think about a week should do it

[Paintguy 0]

I did reply to this earlier, but as usual the forum seems to be pissing me about, and it hasn't appeared!

 

Leave it as long as possible before waxing, so that any solvents (thinners) have time to escape before you seal them in. Rubbing compound or glaze will be fine though, as they'll leae the surface 'open'.

 

I left my car 3 months before applying anything like wax, but that might have been a bit extreme A few days out in the sunshine should be fine

[Rippthrough 98]

I did reply to this earlier, but as usual the forum seems to be pissing me about, and it hasn't appeared!

 

Leave it as long as possible before waxing, so that any solvents (thinners) have time to escape before you seal them in. Rubbing compound or glaze will be fine though, as they'll leae the surface 'open'.

 

I left my car 3 months before applying anything like wax, but that might have been a bit extreme A few days out in the sunshine should be fine

 

 

Not just you, buggering me up too.

[welshpug 1,628]

A few days out in the sunshine should be fine

 

3 months it is then

[2052006 10]

Well I've had to put the bonnet back on today and waxed it so hope it's ok. It's had a couple of days to dry. All in all though I'm pleased with the results, considering this was all new to me. Cheers for all the help!