paint still dull after hand buff.

Discuss anything after that final masking comes off.



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PostPosted: Wed May 16, 2012 10:30 pm
Hey all,
Using the "rustoleum method" (due to financial reasons) I painted my car gloss black enamel and did a final wet sand with 1500 grit. I did not use a clear coat. Of course, when I was finished with the sanding, it was very dull looking. Now, from everything thing I've read and watched, a final buff should bring the shine back to it. So using Meguire's Ultimate Compound, I went ahead and hand buffed (again, financial reasons) the hood. Now, at first, it looked pretty good. Aside from swirl marks, it brought the gloss black out. However, when I was done with the hood, I looked at where I began, and, the color was gone and had that dull look to it again. Now the whole area has that look. It was actually shiny, due to the buff, but the color had faded and had the dull color look to it.

So I guess I am looking for some basic advice here. What could cause the color to fade like that. I've read good stuff about the Meguire's Compound and I read about other products to use on this website. Should I try a different product? Do I need to buff some more? Does the fact that that I used a single stage have anything to do with it? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

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PostPosted: Thu May 17, 2012 8:54 am
Explain to me what the "Rustoleum method" is.
1968 Coronet R/T


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PostPosted: Thu May 17, 2012 9:52 am
How many coats of rustoleum are on there, how long between coats, and how long before you wet sanded and compounded?
You have to wait at least a week for the paint to cure before sanding and compounding, a month is better.



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PostPosted: Thu May 17, 2012 11:38 am
'68 Coronet R/T wrote:Explain to me what the "Rustoleum method" is.


Sure, it's basically using foam rollers to apply the rustoleum paint. Couple of coats, wet sand, couple of coats, wet sand, etc. It's a less expensive process than using a gun, but it's also a lot more time consuming. There's a ton of videos out there on the process.

edpol wrote:How many coats of rustoleum are on there, how long between coats, and how long before you wet sanded and compounded?
You have to wait at least a week for the paint to cure before sanding and compounding, a month is better.


I actually lost count, but there is at least 10-12 coats if not more. It kept on burning through in certain areas so I had to keep applying coats. I would usually sand in the morning, apply a coat, wait 6-8 hours, apply another coat, and then repeat the next day. Between the final wet sand and compound, I did it the next day, so not even a full day. However, it was a few days between final paint and compound, because I wet sanded with 800, 1000, finishing with the 1500, and that took a few days.

Even if I buffed the next day, wouldn't at least some of the color show through?



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PostPosted: Wed May 23, 2012 6:10 pm
The problem you are having is that the EPA is forcing paint manufacturers to take more and more of the solvents out of paints like hardware store Rustoleum enamels. These paints used to harden up after a few months but now its like they never really get hard.

Since they never get hard, they won't ever really buff out.

I know there has been a lot of descriptions online of using this method of rolling on thin coats of hardware store enamels to paint cars with some success but I believe that was with earlier generations of this kind of paint, I don't think it will work with today's low VOC enamel paints, its really crappy paint. We use it sometimes on small metal parts we fabricate and the only way to get it to harden is to pop it in a 200 degree oven for about a half hour.

However, some manufacturers still sell an optional hardener that can be used with enamel paints, for example Tractor supply sells an enamel with an optional hardener. If you used one of these paints you might have a chance with this method but that doesn't help you with the paint you already have on the car, you're probably going to have to strip that paint off as its always going to stay soft.

You'll need a breathing mask designed for urethane paint if you try to use some of the paint with hardener, 3M makes some half-masks that are only around $18. You need the mask even if you aren't spraying as the fumes are still dangerous.

But if you are set on painting the car but without spraying it, I think you would have better results with a single stage automotive urethane paint that uses a hardener. There are budget lines of this paint (like Limco or Kirker) that are still a pretty good paints and if you can get 3 or 4 coats on with your roller it would likely look pretty good after a color sand and buff out.

But it would be a lot more work than just spraying the car in the first place.



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PostPosted: Sat May 26, 2012 10:31 pm
i dont know if this will help, but i found when i was buffing my cars paint after wet sanding, that the paint was still chalky and dull, but it was just from the cutting compound i was useing that was still on the surface, but when i used a differnt wax the dull wax came off and it was shiney underneath, could be helpful



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PostPosted: Sun May 27, 2012 10:49 am
there is a high probability that since you are working by hand, you really arent doing much considering you say there are still swirl marks. i am thinking that to remove sanding marks by hand with UC, it would take a lot of time on a hood alone. what were you using to apply the UC and buff with?

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PostPosted: Sun May 27, 2012 12:02 pm
tomsteve is right,that compound is a machine compound to be used with a rotary.

I've had some success using my compounds by hand in small tight spaces....but it is a *lot* of work. Even using 3M's heavy duty cutting compound which says it can be used by hand. Doing around a hand sized area will take you a minute or two with something like a cotton rag.
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