Paint & Body Work - Procedure for painting

Im trying to finish up the paint on my cage, and it hit me... I dont know what to do....


Ive painted, and sanded, and painted(color) and ive got a good layer on now...

Im ready for clear, but the surface isnt exactly smooth,

I need to know what grit i need

like some steps...

i.e.

1)sand with 800...
2) coat of clear...
3) sand with 1500


I really dont know what to do

thanks, i wanna get out there tomorrow morning and finish this up.

I'm no expert but I can give some input.
When a car gets painted, after it is primed it can get block sanded to get the panels flat, then color coats and clear without any sanding between. Then wetsanding to get the orange peel out after the clear cures, starting with 600 (depending on orange peel) and ending up with 2000-2500, then buffing.

I don't know how crazy you wanna get on a cage, and you don't want to use too fine of a sandpaper if your sanding between coats because you are getting less "tooth" for the next coat to grab onto. So... this is my recommendation if I understand correctly. If you sanded the color coat, use 320-400 grit to get the paint flat. I would put one wet color coat and then clear it. If you want the finish better, after the clear cures, feel free to "cut and buff" until your happy.

Yea, i wasnt sure about doing that, cause my color coat isnt smooth when it dries, so i figured if i just cleared over that, then it would be rough looking forever.

anybody else?

I've watched your build on your other thread. With your cage, use 1000 grit (wet sanding) so use a lot of water as you sand. As you sand you will see the imperfections and can remove them with a small block sander as you sand. Don't use your hand as you will create more imperfections and cause unlevel paint removal. then move up to 1500 grit and then 2000 grit if you want a perfect finish. Once that is done clear it. Since your paint is from a rattle can you can rattle can your clear. It has a tendency to create "fur" due to over spray build up, a soft finish and likes to chip easy. So a spray gun clear would be much better and lay on your paint much easier. Go for it and good luck.

thanks cliff.

im gonna head out there now

woops on the Double post..


So i understand everything... (i think) up to layers of clear....

After the clear, do i leave it(furry) or can i wet sand that? or polish it or something. ive never messed with that.

You can wet sand the clear if you want. If you do a good job with the clear you wont need to wet sand. Instead go directly to buffing or a good wax job. But make sure the clear has hardened for several days before doing any wet sanding.

Thanks alot for your help.

let me just say you never sand base coat unless its absolutley nessecary!!!, if there is dirt or runs oh if you run base coat you fail and ya need to stop

base coat should go on almost wet and not dry if its going on dry your doing something wrong, air pressure is to high fan is opened to much, and your moving to fast, and if you sand base coat ya need to reapply another coat so the clear has something to bind too

if you have yrs of experience you should not have a problem, i never sat there and sanded and bufffed a cage, and if i didnt want to do one powder coat it

this just sounds like inexperience to me, but i would like to know the product and the gun and the size fluid tip your using

Krylon Smoke gray with the EZ touch tip. ;)

You should chill, i made it quite clear that i have no idea what im doin.

thanks for the help:huh:

Just follow what we talked about and you'll be fine for your paint.

Its done. Looks great! :)

Thanks again.

ahhhh rattle can ya they usally dont produce a finish like a actuall paint g un and paint product, but hey if your happy

ahhhh rattle can ya they usally dont produce a finish like a actuall paint g un and paint product, but hey if your happy


No shit? Man... :bang: this whole time i thought everyone was wasting money on pro paint jobs for fun.

yup no shit