Painting finishing help needed

glennpm

glennpm

Well-known member
Hi,

I've been working on restoring a 38 steering wheel. The wheel and horn button came out well but disappointed in the dull finish I got from a rattle can. Even with a couple of wet coats, the finish is dull. The single can delivered was $35!

The part is the headlight switch with rod. The pot metal part has a pebble finish. I removed all the old paint, sanded with various grits, used filler type Rustoleum primer and then the final coats. The first picture is closer to the real color and is a match for my car's exterior.,

I'm thinking about sanding with very fine scotch pads that I have and then maybe 1000 or 1500 wet/dry paper, finishing with clear coat.

Suggestions please.

Glenn

520624

520625

520626
 
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I found "some" success with prepping the piece before painting it, THEN I put my piece to paint with a rattle can out in the sun for about an hour or so before painting. Also I start my spray well before I move across the the piece to allow time to attain full pressure and stop well past the piece. You can see in my second photo how cringley the first application went.... then the application as describes above...NOT a "perfect" finish BUT it does have a reflective quality and "fair" smooth finish!!! I also found better success when I did one coat, let that coat sit for a good 1/2 hour or more BACK out in the sun, Then hit the second coat, let that set in the sun again for another 1/2 hour or more, then a third coat. Make sure you keep the spray fan the same distance and speed consistent each time!!!
 

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Me - I'd use automotive paint and a spray gun for best results. And if you want it really shiny, then use a 2-stage approach (base + clear).
 
I painted a rim with a Rustoleum a couple weeks ago and it runed out like crap. It wasn't a collector car and didn't really matter on this truck. The collectors' cars get real automotive paint. I still prepped it like I was using expensive epoxy paint. I have been painting stuff for 45 years, spray guns, spray cans. The factory paint was sanded, cleaned, dry, painted in a cool spot, 50/50 wet overlap coats and the paint just about did what yours did, it would not flow out. It did not like the wet coat of paint it was like an orange peel finish on steroids, almost a crinkle paint finish This is CA and I was thinking they messed with the formula to meet pollution standards. It wasn't me or the prep work. I won't be buying Rustoleum again. It's the world we live in now, if it works good they take it away from us.
 
I too have had problems with rustoleum primer, the top coat would not adhere. I think the base for it is incompatible with most top coat except their own. I would use a good quality self-etching primer , then use a good top coat. In my experience, most puff cans will not have a good shine without a LOT of elbow grease. To me it just makes sense to invest in a cheap spray gun and do it right. just my 1 1/2 cents.(inflation y'know)
 
Glen, if it were mine I would strip it bare, spray with epoxy, then a filler primer sand to smooth the piece out, hit with 400 than base & clear. Second option would be scuff with gray scuff pad, spray couple coats of clear,( no reducer, just the hardener) let it cure, hit it with 1000 grit than couple more coats, if it is smooth enough to satisfy you there would be no need to polish for it will have a great shine. Just don’t use rattle can clear
 
Thanks for all the tips guys!

I'm going to try to scuff it with a grey pad. If it looks good at this point, hoping that I don't go through the color, I'll spray clear on it.

I do have all the spray gun equipment but for such a small piece, i didn't want to go that route.

For the combination of Rustoleum, used it because it is enamel, the ExpressPaint top coat sprayed wet but then didn't flow out, giving me orange peal.

Again, thanks everyone for your input!

Glenn
 
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Thanks,

I put in about six plus hours all tolled I'd guess. After I got to the point that I thought I was done, I'd come back three or four times again with 1500 paper and very fine Scotch pads.

I'm glad it was worth it, otherwise I'd have to start all over :-(

Glenn
 
we did our '60 steering wheel with Rustoleum and and their clear. worked great. painted in the sun with multiple coats. 4 yrs later it still looks good
 
I like to keep parts out of the sun until the paint drys somewhat. the claim is that the sun will dry the top layer quickly but not layers beneath it. I like to upt the parts in my closed van in the sun with the parts not in direct sunlight.
 
glennpm said:
I like to keep parts out of the sun until the paint drys somewhat. the claim is that the sun will dry the top layer quickly but not layers beneath it. I like to upt the parts in my closed van in the sun with the parts not in direct sunlight.
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IF you don't GLOB the coats on I have found, as stated above, putting the part in the sun for about an hour, THEN doing very LIGHT consistent coats in different directions..ie horizontal coat, then vertical coat, then horizontal again with the proper overlap and time given to "gas out".....even painting directly in the sun has produced very favorable results. Just for my eyes, I roll my part back in the shade and spray them BUT I roll it right back out into the sun just as soon as I spray a coat!!!!
 
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