Just a very quick question,

Can you get a decent finish using spray cans? I can get hold of a bulk lot of spray in the colour I like, just wondered whether I would get a good finish. ( I understand it also depends on preperation and conditions etc)

Who's done it? Pics would be good too!

Thankings

Andy

Depends upon how large the area is! I done my seat cowl on my BMWR1100S and it came out looking GREAT. Gloss black with clear coat on top. About 4 coats of black. Using 1200 wet n dry in between coats. Same again for the clear coat.
Also used rattle cans on my VT750 cruiser. Done the tank, front and rear fender. Not sure how to post pic's on here yet so I can't show you the results.
If you do go for it make sure the can are from the same batch.
Also worth placing the cans in a bucket of warm water.
What colour is the paint?

It depends on what your options are. If you have access to a compressor then there is no substitute for spraying with a proper spay gun. Also a 2k paint will give you the opportunity to cut it back, remove any dust and nibs, and compound to a high gloss.

It also depends on the quality of the paint in the flick cans. If a quantity is going cheap ... do you really know why? and what is in them.

It can be done but unless it is a small area best to hire or borrow a compressor and gun. Biggest problem is runs due to over thinning, secondly a poor shine, it may need a laquer finish to give a gloss. Good luck.

go and stand in WH Smiths for 30 min.



read the latest classic cars mags---i think its practical classics this month , there is a good feature on using cans.

IC

I did all my black parts with rattle cans, nose cone,scuttle and aeroscreen and rear arches.
Two coats of Upol etch primer, three coats black, two coats clear.

Vents

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preperation is the key. I always warm them in a bowl of hot water rightly or wrongly but this helps with the pressure and mixing I find

It does depend on the can spray head. My local paint supplier supplies paint in cans with a variable spray head which gives a pattern similar to a gun. He did say that plenty of body shops buy cans for small repairs as cheap and quicker than setting up full kit.

I sprayed a Focus bonnet which is largish panel. Prep properly, lots of thin quick coats, finish with clear coat. Trick is not to rush cutting back the finished panel as the paint takes longer to harden compared to baked finish. I left mine for a week, cut back and polish and finish was same as factory. Best thing was the colour match that the pro shop supplied, it was met black and spot on compared to the crap from Halfords which was miles out.

Thanks for the replies so far, but does the fact I want matt black change anything, or just the same preperation is key?

Just the same, and for the record I have seen some fantastic results with rattle cans...

As some gents say Prep is the key but to add to that..If you want natural gloss make sure what you are painting is warm and stays warm through the drying process then it drys gloss

In my experience of using the 5000 cans in the past...to paint the one motorcyle with full fairings and frame...
was such a good job the bike only lasted a week before it got stolen...took me 8 months to manufacture bit by bit working 10 hours a day on it....
Ahh the Joys of living in South Africa!

My stanchions came out looking great, but the glass fibre arches turned out terrible. Looked good at first and turned gray. This was apparently because a proper sealer wasn't used first - just automotive primer, which wasn't good enough for the GRP.