I am at the stage were I have primed my spoiler I just have to smooth that down . I read that the last coat needs to be rubbed down slightly before I lacquer it but not if it is a metallic finish . The color code for my car is Fiat 632 F Black , I know it is not solid black like my sons punto but is it metallic and would I need to rub it down before I apply the clear coat ? thanks

If metallic, then you spray as normal, and on the last coat 'dust' it from higher up - this will make the metal flakes stand correctly and give you the metallic finish. Then clear coat over this when tacky.

If with cans, keep cans warm for better finish either with hot water or radiator. Dry cans well before spraying obviously.

Thanks for the advice very helpful:slayer: I had already sprayed the spoiler and it aint looking to bad if I do say so my self being it was yellow . I have got some 2000 wet and dry to give it a slight rub then clear coat it , might even give it another slight black coat now

Get some photos up when you're done

Don't flat down if metallic though - final colour you need to make the particles stand up to give the metallic finish. Flat it, you get rid of these giving less of a glitter to the paint.

Thanks for the advice lads now I am cofused I have been told it is a metallic paint but just to dry rub to get rid of any highlights in the paint

If you imagine metallic paint surface magnified. It is easier to understand the metallic pieces to be 3d triangular 'crystal' shaped - they aren't but you will get the idea quicker.

When you spray normally, they are there and they lay on theor sides, top down etc and this doesn't make the 'glitter' quite so intense, and some people even found metallic paints not to look that metallic at all.

You keep the last 'flat' coat tacky (feel free to flat down coats below this) When the penultimate coat is tacky, you raise the gun and 'dust' the last coat. Things brings the metal flakes - these 'triangular crystals' as we are going to call them into line. They float down and dry as they fall, they all land bottom down and stand upright.

Now you have super-glittery paint finish. You then lacquer over to protect and keep these in place with several coats of lacquer. The last coat of lacquer is then flatted down and polished up.

IF you were to flat the last colour coat, you would in effect, rub the tops off the triangular crystals - and destroy the metallic effect.

The actual shape of the metallic is different, but this is easiest way I can thing of you visualising it.

Thank you very much for that it was very helpful, that being the case I think I have done something wrong

Nothing drastic, flash a quick coat over the top side (just a light one - only needs something for the flake to adhere to), then couple of mins later run the met coat over the top from further away and let it fall.

lm04 said:

Nothing drastic, flash a quick coat over the top side (just a light one - only needs something for the flake to adhere to), then couple of mins later run the met coat over the top from further away and let it fall.

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Thank you again mate for your help yesterday was very warm so I tried to lacquer it so that is not just the top coat I don't know if it has bloomed and if it has weather I could get away with rubbing it down then a t-cut and polish ? I am sorry I should have pointed this out in my last post:shakehead:

Try to cut and either a compound or metal polish to act as the compound, then t t cut, then polish. You want to get rid of the top lacquer. Won't take much on a can job.

Failing, that, it is a runb down and start again.

The temperature needs to be around 20 ideally, around half that and the moisture will effect the paint giving it the milky film. That or thereabouts is probably what the temp has been recently.

I was tempted to have a go but I just sanded it down for now will have another go when its warmer one daft question can I t-cut it then lacquer it when its warmer ? I am hoping the t-cut might make it darker it seems a bit light to me