Can I really get a factory look out of a spray can?

[Wolverine]

Ok...so I have this very nice air cleaner. Very straight. Very very little rust.

Paint is a little funky. So, I will try to redo it.

Does anyone here believe I can spray this with a CAN of paint and get a FACTORY LOOKING FINISH?

 

[marks73]

You could always have your local Ford dealership do it.

 

[droptop73]

I know some folks can but I have no idea on your rattle can skill. The factory finish is not all that good so the target is pretty low.

 

[midlife]

Bwahahahaha! I've spray painted my air cleaner lid at least 8 times and ended up in failure. I first apply a mist coat of epoxy primer, followed by two coats, let dry. Everything is good. I then go to the color: mist coat (OK), 2nd coat OK, third coat either produces runs, severe orange peel, or I've inadvertently hit it with the air hose, etc. I am NOT the greatest painter (OK...I'm not even a mediocre painter), but 8 times on a rather small object is ridiculous!

 

[Wolverine]

Bwahahahaha! I've spray painted my air cleaner lid at least 8 times and ended up in failure.

You and I are probably related.

I know some folks can but I have no idea on your rattle can skill. The factory finish is not all that good so the target is pretty low.

I have a 1970 351W 2V Air Cleaner factory finish....if I could paint half that good, I would give up one of my free bags to that airline posted on the other thread.

 

[mustbrad]

remove paint, prime,Lots of light coats put a large box over it to dry it will look good. my experience with canned paint is spend the money on better paint and shake it lots remember medium light coats the more the better

 

[Go Time]

Whenever I had to use a spraybomb of any kind In my old body shop days I used to put them on the paint shaker upside down. Thats back when the plastic caps were good and harder to come off. Im not sure if Id do that with the cans today. But man the paint was well mixed.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

Yes. I painted the flyscreen on my Buell last week with rattle cans cause I didn't wanna clean my spray gun

prep it just like you would if you were repairing exterior metal on your car for paint-there are no shortcuts

use a primer sealer, but before spraying you must wipe down the part with a solvent to get it clean and grease and oil free. Do not touch with bare hands after this step.

you must work in a dust free environment-I make a makeshift paint booth with 2x2's and plastic sheeting sometimes, but this time I just lightly hosed down the basement floor and accepted the fact that I would probably have some trash in the finish.

2 coats of primer/sealer allow to dry completely and then some, lightly wet sand with 600 grit or finer to remove any imperfections, wipe with solvent allow to dry completely again and repeat with your paint, two coats 15 minutes apart, if runs etc, let dry 2 hours and clan up with 1000 grit or finer, then 2 more coats, follow up with a final wet sand with a sheet of 2000 grit and move to a clear coat if desired and shoot as many coats as you want to make it look as deep and shiny as any new part.

now it doesn't take near as long as it sounds, but it will probably take two days between cleaning priming drying sanding cleaning priming and drying but if you want it to look flawless it can be done.

Now if I was going to do an air cleaner housing, I'd wet sand it , clean it with solvent and go straight with a high temp paint, 3 coats with no sanding between, clean up imperfections with 1000 grit, two more coats, 2000 grit dry a few days and a coat of wax-it would look damn good-but maybe not absolutely perfect.

 

[Totalled]

You tell me. This was all rattle canned...

So was the tan on my BII.

 

[73vertproject]

Looks great, Totalled! How is the durability on the exterior?

 

[Jim and Jutta]

No matter what method you use to paint anything, how well you prep it is the most important factor to a good outcome, paint technic is important, quality of paint is important, correct paint for application, then there's limiting floating debris from landing on the wet paint and insuring it's allowed to cure in the proper environment. I believe all those factors are more important than if you use a rattle can or not.

 

[Wolverine]

You tell me. This was all rattle canned...

Someone go check out Totalled's work and get back to us.

And if his paint job looks great, we'll up his reputation by 6 points. Otherwise he is going to take a dump he will never forget.

 

[guys72Mach1]

Yes. I painted the flyscreen on my Buell last week with rattle cans cause I didn't wanna clean my spray gun

prep it just like you would if you were repairing exterior metal on your car for paint-there are no shortcuts

use a primer sealer, but before spraying you must wipe down the part with a solvent to get it clean and grease and oil free. Do not touch with bare hands after this step.

you must work in a dust free environment-I make a makeshift paint booth with 2x2's and plastic sheeting sometimes, but this time I just lightly hosed down the basement floor and accepted the fact that I would probably have some trash in the finish.

2 coats of primer/sealer allow to dry completely and then some, lightly wet sand with 600 grit or finer to remove any imperfections, wipe with solvent allow to dry completely again and repeat with your paint, two coats 15 minutes apart, if runs etc, let dry 2 hours and clan up with 1000 grit or finer, then 2 more coats, follow up with a final wet sand with a sheet of 2000 grit and move to a clear coat if desired and shoot as many coats as you want to make it look as deep and shiny as any new part.

now it doesn't take near as long as it sounds, but it will probably take two days between cleaning priming drying sanding cleaning priming and drying but if you want it to look flawless it can be done.

Now if I was going to do an air cleaner housing, I'd wet sand it , clean it with solvent and go straight with a high temp paint, 3 coats with no sanding between, clean up imperfections with 1000 grit, two more coats, 2000 grit dry a few days and a coat of wax-it would look damn good-but maybe not absolutely perfect.

To answer your questions. YES YOU CAN! Jeffs on the money, but I would say for an air cleaner the 1000 and 2000 grit is a bit overkill, but that would make it come out perfect, just take a lot of time.

For a little quicker, still effective method, I'd clean with degreaser, then soap and water, sand it down with some 180grit, then again with some 320, clean with soap(non detergent) and water again, then wipe down with some solvent that removes oil and wax, blow dry with air, then light primer coat, little more primer to cover, then base coat, cover coat, then final coat. Boom factory finish in a few hours time. Take your time, light it dry between coats and you are all good.

You tell me. This was all rattle canned...

Someone go check out Totalled's work and get back to us.

And if his paint job looks great, we'll up his reputation by 6 points. Otherwise he is going to take a dump he will never forget.

Sitting on a stand is pretty, but after 10,000-20K miles if you want it to still look that way, you must prep it properly before you shoot it, or over time, all that will start coming off like a dress on prom night!

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

here are my results, but keep in mind I am no where near a perfectionist on a 14 year old bije whose primary purpose is to go fast.

 

[Wolverine]

Sitting on a stand is pretty, but after 10,000-20K miles if you want it to still look that way, you must prep it properly before you shoot it, or over time, all that will start coming off like a dress on prom night!

I never wore a dress on prom night....Oh...now I get it.


Now for some REAL controversy, what is a QUALITY paint can I use for the primer and the DARK FORD BLUE?

Walmart?

KMart?

Duplicolor?

Rustoleum?

A guy has to start his paint career somewhere.

 

[guys72Mach1]

I have had good luck with duplicolor for the engine and pulleys and stuff. For engine compartment's or exterior stuff I'd use Rustoleum or even OSH brand works good too. Get the clear coat to match and make sur ethat the primer, color and clear are all the same brand and base, so you don't have any orange peel or spider webs.

I have even painted a few motorcycle's(black no less) with the Rustoleum and they came out looking good enough that people asked me who painted it? even got a few other paint jobs from one of them.

Rattle cans can be trick though, need to make sure that you keep the tips clean, otherwise they will clog and not work well.

 

[midlife]

Sitting on a stand is pretty, but after 10,000-20K miles if you want it to still look that way, you must prep it properly before you shoot it, or over time, all that will start coming off like a dress on prom night!

Now that's funny!

That's worth a point or two.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

another trick is to have enough fresh paint on hand-nothing wosre than having the can start spitting and ruin a final coat because you were almost out of paint!

Start spraying from past the edge, come across the object to be painted and keep going without altering speed until your spray pattern is clear of the object you are painting. repeat and overlap with a wet edge and resist the urge to try and hit it with "just a bit more" overlap enough for the paint to lay down and then stop after one complete coat and wait a bit.

Also eep in mind you can be the dust source so wear clean clothes unless you are a hot chick then paint in your birthday suit and send me video

 

[Wolverine]

Is it better to have the item being painted held vertically so the paint runs down the item, or should I lay it down so the paint puddles?