I decided to spray my boot space with satin finish plasti-kote paint - not the finest stuff in the world, but readily available and has worked well for me in the past.

The 4 parts that make up the fixed cover for the boot sprayed up beautifully - nice even coating, nice and hard (as it usually is).

The main boot lid, which is roughly 36" x 18" keeps coming out wrong, with stripes of nice even coating separated by dull matt areas that look like overspray. The spray fan from the can seems narrow, so it's hard to keep a wet edge a reasonable distance from the last.

If it was gloss paint I could probably Farecla G3 it to get a nice even finish - but not when it's a satin finish.

Anyone got any idea:

a. Why it went wrong,
b. How I can sort it out.

The alternative is to let it dry for a few days, flat it down, then spray again with something else - but that would mean respraying all the other parts as well...

Sigh... I thought I'd nearly finished, too.

David

Are you spraying with can upright?
Or maybe pinch a nozzle off another can you may have lying around,
Or go in closer.

You have n't got silicone on the panels have you?
Unless you remove it completely, your paint will keep doing the same, over and over.

Errrrr, Hi David,

Errr, um, you didn't use that err plastic coated sheet did you????

Just a shot in the dark, but that glue they put the plastic on with can be a bu**er.


Anonymouse

Are you spraying the panel with it laying on something? have seen problems with thin parts being sprayed like that

Er... lots of questions there...

1. Panel was lying flat first time, then at an angle of around 30 degrees scond time.

2. It was the sheet that had the plastic film on it - but I had rubbed it down and cleaned it with panel wipe.

I think the problem is with the size of the spray fan - I'll see if I can find another nozzle.

cheers,
David

Here's the boot space
Rescued attachment dscf0006.jpg

...and here's the lid - you can just see the stripes (maybe)
Rescued attachment dscf0007.jpg

Was there plenty left in the can? we've had problems with the last 1/4 or so of some cans not covering very well and looking odd, or even the clear laquer and the paint apearing to seperate

That's a big area to cover with a p!ss can, even if you do keep the can level by the time you get to the other end the wet edge will have gone off so it's going to look like a patchwork quilt.

Pete, you're probably right... worst luck!

I'll have to get a can from my local professional paint emporium - they give a really well-shaped fan instead of a round pattern. I can also get the contents made up to make life easier, i.e. a bit more solvent to make the paint take a bit longer to 'go off'.

Buggerit... means I've got to do the other bits again, 'cos you can never make black paint match properly...

David

If it is the length of travel for each pass that is causing the problem then turn the panel 90 degrees and try again.

Tried that! I just ended up with a checker pattern...

never mind - I've sorted it now. Got another can, rubbed the panel down, cleaned it and tried again. It's not 100% but it does look a lot better. I think the basic problem was a very narrow diameter spray pattern. When I retried the weather was a lot warmer and the can was a bit more 'productive' - still not great though.

I can't be bothered to keep faffing around with it, so it's on the car now... whoopie, I now have a lockable boot!

Next time I'll get myself a small spray gun...

Thanks to everyone,
David.