Ok this week im spraying my FRST kit to go on my fiesta. Its being sprayed moondust silver (ie metallic). Ive already done the spoiler but am wondering if my technique is right as i'd like it to have more of a shine.

120 grit
250grit
400grit
600grit
800grit
primer
rubdown primer with 1200grit
paint (several even coats)
rubdown again with 1200grit
2 coats of laquer.

Ive read before a few times that some people T-cut the final coat of paint before laquering. Is this a good idea, or how do i get the paint/laquer really shining - ie a deep shine.

Please bear in mind im doing it DIY style, and am using areosol cans instead of proper guns.

 

using paint cans, that is about the best method.

 

you dont need to flat it before you laquer it just give it about 15 mins

after you put the colour on it. if you are using areosol cans wet flat it with

1500 grit if you have to. also do it in the warm and put the cans in hot

water will help alot

matt

 

Rick - as much as i'd like to get it properly sprayed, im a tight ass student

st200-tl1000r - cheers, before i was leaving the paint to dry for a day or so before laquering it.

Any one know if the T-cut buisness is a good idea?

 

the more thin coats of lacquur the better no need to wet flat the silver metalic or you will disturb the fleck.

Once you have 4-5 coats of lacquar leave to harden for a few days then wet flat with 2000 grade wet and dry then polish up with g3 by hand or drill/buffer then polish with auto glymm meguires etc.

You want to cut back the Lacquar to leave the glossy shine the clour is almost irrelevant aslong it covers the panel its the final coats of lacquar that make the shine.

have fun mate its a learning curve that only gets better and you will impress yourself.

 

Dont flat the last colour coat before laquer, definitely dont t-cut it.

At least a few hours drying time between paint changes (primer/colour/laquer) over night is best........ 15 minutes

I really dont think its neccessary to go quite as rough to start with the sandpaper. Around 300 is fine.

After primer id say use 800 or 1000 grit at most, so the colour coat can grip. 1200 wont leave much for it to key.

 

Very good points in this post for an amater diy sprayer like me,nice to see good technical help from the more professional/expert sprayers. Regards Micky

 

If the plastic is bare then you need to apply a good specific plastic primer as the first coat - go to your local paint supplier for materials as well rather than the crappy stuff in Halfords etc - aerosols paints are not the best for adhesion on such surfaces - also avoid bending the plastic once painted as the aerosol paints tend to not flex very much and you end up with cracks in the finish

good luck

 

Making it hard work for yourself mate

In simple terms

360 (to remove/smooth imperfections))
600 (if using rattle can primer)
Plastic flexible bond aerosol, leave for 5 mins
Prime
800 (once dry)
basecoat, leave for 5 mins basecoat again, leave for 15 mins
Quick clear coat, leave for 5 mins, clear again, nice and wet..

Leave to dry 24hrs

nib off where necessary using 2000grit, compound and polish

 

Just one thing, dont hammer the coats on, for some reason aerosols have a tendency to run like fook.

Good luck!

 

I def wouldn't leave your colour to go off over night, because the lacquer wont stick to it if it has been left to long.

The other thing is that you wont get a brilliant shine off the lacquer out of a rattle can because it is 1k lacquer, will do the job but if you want a decent shine you are best using 2k lacquer (lacquer+hardner mixed) and spray it through a gun

You can get a basic enough set up pretty cheap for what you want to do

 

Cheers to everyone for the excellent advice - definately alot of great tips there

Just a few questions now - Damo V - Where do i get plastic flexi bond from?

m4dyeti- What is g3 exactly? What is the difference between a compound and a polish?

I agree with you that its a learning curve - will defo be worth it though. I knew something wasn't right with the way i did the spoiler, it did shine but it wasn't a deep shine at all. At least the colour match is spot on

Thanks again folks

 

any local paint supplier

 

Cheers

 

Well guys i painted a sideskirt thisevening using Damo's approach - looks so much better already (and thats only after one coat ). Paint seems to have taken to the plastic far better than before, the paint has dired smooth rather than spekily.