Post
by Speedster » Mon Feb 09, 2015 7:57 am
I feel your Pain. I'm going to guess the paint you are using is an enamel paint and that is what is causing your problem. Think of Enamel paint as "Problems in a can" and never use it on a pinewood derby car. The dark spots you are experiencing is called Mottling. This happens when the paint gets too wet, or doesn't dry fast enough, and the flakes flow together which causes the dark spots. Gold and Silver love to Mottle. Here's how to make your life easier. Go to Walmart and get a can of Rust-Oleum Automobile Primer. Even though it is actually a Primer/Surfacer (a building product) since it is in a rattle can the spray comes out very thin. In your case we will use it as a primer by putting on 2 coats and let it dry. Don't sand it. This will make what you are painting all one color, it will adhere to the base and give the top coat a good base. Go to a store that services Body Shops. Tell them you want a Gold base coat in a rattle can. They'll show you lots of gold colors and pick out the one you like. They'll put it in a rattle can for you. Base coat colors are designed to cover fast, dry fast, and they are not designed to shine. All you want is the color so you don't want to lay it on heavy. This will stop the mottling. When it is dry, maybe 10 to 15 minutes if spraying above 65 degrees, you are ready for the clear coat. Buy air dry clear coat from the store where you get the base coat. This will give you the highest shine. If you are going to use the entire can of clear you might want to get the 2 part clear. It will dry chemically and faster. Once you puncture the can for spraying, the entire can will activate. The two part clear is dangerous to your health so don't have any children around and make sure you protect yourself. The second best system is to primer the parts and then buy Testor's 1 coat covers lacquer paint. I always put on 2 medium coats. Lacquer will mottle but it dries more quickly than enamel and the paint would probably run before it would mottle if you are laying it on that heavy. The paint itself gives an acceptable shine without clear coat for what you are painting. If you insist on clear coat, get the clear from the store that services body shops. Be careful because Testor's also comes in Enamel and you don't want Enamel. I think Testor's can be purchased from Hobby Lobby and Michaels.
Those are beautiful trophies. When summer comes I'm going to make some for my scouts. Thank you for the idea.
Good Luck with the refinishing.
Cheers
Bill