Flatting and polishing rattle can paint

[DW-Nova]

Hello all, i've just painted a wing on a ford focus in "sea grey metallic" using halfords rattle cans, i painted it with 3 coats of primer filler then let this set for 24 hours i then wet sanded it with 800 wet and dry, then 3 coats of grey primer after letting it set for another 24 hours i wet sanded it like the primer filler but with 1200, then followed this with 4 coats of the actual paint, another 24 hours and i wet sanded it with 1200 and applied 3 coats of laquer, Long process hey !!

Anyhow what i'm just checking is that should i let the lacquer set for another 24 hours and then wet sand it with 1200 ? and then polish it with t-cut and a good polish over the top ? or should i let the Lacquer harden for longer ? in fact should i actually flat the Lacquer at all ?

So far the paint finish really looks mint ! nice and even, shiny and good match ! have i been doing things properley so far ?

Help greatley appreciated !! will post some pics up once done, cheers all. :thumb:

[brainsnova]

you need to leave it for 2 weeks for the paint to fully harden and if it looks that good then just leave it.

[DW-Nova]

Yeh i'd read otherwise that i need to let it set for 2 weeks, is this really true ? seems like a long time ! it dose look suprisingly good yeh ! i just thought that i'd get a smoother shinier finish if i flatted and polished it ?

[jimbob-mcgrew]

its a good technique this, can get a crappy matt finish into a mirror shine with a mild sand and some elbow grease on the cutting front.

have to admit ive never tried it on pure laquer, only on flat colours or mettalic paint thats had laqure mixed in the can with it.

[CoolTiger]

id only polish it if its got bits of **** in the paint

[nova_saloon]

basically id do it with 1500 if you want to flattern the laquer and buff it up or just use some rubbing compound and then t-cut. but dont do it if the paint on the car is not as good

[Benn]

No dont sand the base before you lacquar. Lacquar wont cover sanding marks.

If you dont leave it so long between coats of the base colour you wont need to sand it.

1200 is a finishing paper, not really a sanding paper. All primer should be flatted with 800.

I wouldnt flat rattle can with 1200, use a lil 1500 if you really need to.
1k paint is very thin even then you put on a few coats.

Tcut.. I'd try and get some g3, as tcut will take a hell of a long time to polish anything up.

Be very very carefull of all edges and swage lines, really you only wanna do the flat pannels if you must. Remember you need to be able to polish any where you sand so be carefull getting in to small bits.

Dont use your fingers to sand/flat off either as you'll leave finger marks in it.
Get a med soft foam pad to sand with.

[CoolTiger]

in work we use 1000grit to flat old paint that we are going to paint over, and we use 1200 to flat runs before polish but if no runs we go over it with 3000grit on a buzzer and then polish up with some auto glym green yellow and blue tops

[DW-Nova]

So your not supposed to flat the paint before you put the Lacquer on ? i was just doing what it said on the cans really so not sure, it said to wait 24 hours and flat it to remove the gloss and then spray the Lacquer on top to restore the gloss, i need to paint the door shut next so far i've filler primered it, i'm going to wet flat it with 800 and then grey prime it, so i should flat the grey primer once set with wet 800 correct ? then apply the top coat let it dry and spray the Lacquer over the top without flatting it ? Really appreciate any advice :) thanks.

[Leeboo]

^^^ Yeah!

As said no need to flat the metallic base coat before laquer. If the base coat is metallic then it shouldn't be glossy before laquer anyways? And therefore the laquer will take to it ok.

[DW-Nova]

Cheers for the help, i rubbed the filler primer down tonight and applied the grey primer so all ready to apply the topcoat tommorow once i've wet flatted the primer, fingers crossed it'll all come out alright !!