Clearcoat or no Clearcoat?? And dirt nibs!

Hi guys,

So I am working on a project where I am trying to get a glossy black surface. After some failed attempts using alclad black gloss base laquer, I decided to switch to rustoleum glossy black spray paint. This has yielded a great result, however, I am having the problem I have always had with pieces of dust falling in the paint despite using a cardboard box over it while it dries. It's kind of impossible not to get dust on some something that takes hours to dry like that.

So now I am faced with how to deal with these dirt nibs. I had not planned to Clearcoat it but I am considering now sanding and putting future floor acrylic on it with a brush as a Clearcoat, but there is no guarantee that won't get dust in it too. I also have considered wetsanding but I think I would have to do the whole piece instead of just the spot with the nib and then Polish it back up... Problem with that is I tend to burn through the edges everytime I do this.

I guess my question is, what exactly is the point of glossy black paint if you plan to use a clearcoat? Is it only for when u don't use one? I assume flat black would look the same as sanded glossy black once the clear is on top, it will all be glossy right?

Also if anyone has a better suggestion for removing the dust from the paint without having to do all this I would welcome that.

Thanks.

Once dust is in the paint, it's just in there. I still havnt found a very good way to paint something like this and NOT get dust on it. Sorry to hear about this mishap. A little dust never killed anybody so I wouldn't worry about it.

I would say don't clear coat because your risk of getting a ton of dirt, and dust in it is really really high as it didn't work well when I tried this exact same method.

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Yeah I have gone through this before and kept sanding, repaint, sanding, repaint.. Until finally I said the heck with it and let it go. Only thing about this piece is I plan to sell it so I am a little more concerned cause I want it to look professional and hate to give someone a piece that has a blip on the paint like that. It's pretty noticeable. :/

CottonFX said:

Yeah I have gone through this before and kept sanding, repaint, sanding, repaint.. Until finally I said the heck with it and let it go. Only thing about this piece is I plan to sell it so I am a little more concerned cause I want it to look professional and hate to give someone a piece that has a blip on the paint like that. It's pretty noticeable. :/

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That makes sense. Do you have photos? Would help alot

I'll plan on posting one tonight when i can.

The only way to get a perfectly dust free paint job, is in a perfectly dust free paint booth. It's just not realistic for what we do, on such a small scale. Just keep in mind, when you make something and have that personal connection, you will see every speck of dust. Given to someone, be it a customer, or just a friend inspecting it... they won't even notice it. I am a painter myself and I see every single little flaw and wish I could fix them but it is just unrealistic.

As for your question, I personally hate gloss black paints. Especially rattle can ones. Too inconsistent, takes too long to dry, etc.. I always use a flat or satin black, and clear over it. This will give you similar results but save a whole lot of head ache. It also allows you to wetsand and add another coat quickly if there is a bigger imperfection.

Ever try blowing a fan on your pieces while painting? I've found that running a little desk fan at a low speed aimed in the general direction of whatever I'm painting greatly reduces the ammount of dust that settles in the paint. It also keeps stupid gnats and such from landing in my paint in the spring and summer months.

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As someone mentioned, a dust free spray-booth is possible, but you'll have to do a few things before arriving to that point.
Using one room only for any paint job. If you use this room for other purposes than painting, you're doomed.
Filters!! While you're spraying you'll have to get a fan that sucks your over spray (you're spraying toward your fan & filters) and to add to your free dust booth, a wall of water.
That's right, a wall of constant running water to attract any dust floating around the room. Good luck

Getting dust In paint is very frustrating. Wet sand it out if you can with say 2000 grit then buff if it has a clear coat. I've hung sheets of plastic together in my garage to make an improvised paint booth and have wet the floor to keep dust down. Also hang the part to be painted. That way you won't get dust from whatever horizontal surface it's sitting on .

MCM said:

Ever try blowing a fan on your pieces while painting? I've found that running a little desk fan at a low speed aimed in the general direction of whatever I'm painting greatly reduces the ammount of dust that settles in the paint. It also keeps stupid gnats and such from landing in my paint in the spring and summer months.

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I've thought about this but figured the fan would just blow dust right in it. Interesting maybe I'll try that one time.

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joberg said:

As someone mentioned, a dust free spray-booth is possible, but you'll have to do a few things before arriving to that point.
Using one room only for any paint job. If you use this room for other purposes than painting, you're doomed.
Filters!! While you're spraying you'll have to get a fan that sucks your over spray (you're spraying toward your fan & filters) and to add to your free dust booth, a wall of water.
That's right, a wall of constant running water to attract any dust floating around the room. Good luck

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I've been thinking of getting or making one of those small airbrush booths that has a fan on the back side and filter and was wondering if having that running would save it from dust or if it would just pull more dust in.

Can you explain the wall of water? Like a waterfall? where do you put that?

Mr Mold Maker said:

The only way to get a perfectly dust free paint job, is in a perfectly dust free paint booth. It's just not realistic for what we do, on such a small scale. Just keep in mind, when you make something and have that personal connection, you will see every speck of dust. Given to someone, be it a customer, or just a friend inspecting it... they won't even notice it. I am a painter myself and I see every single little flaw and wish I could fix them but it is just unrealistic.

As for your question, I personally hate gloss black paints. Especially rattle can ones. Too inconsistent, takes too long to dry, etc.. I always use a flat or satin black, and clear over it. This will give you similar results but save a whole lot of head ache. It also allows you to wetsand and add another coat quickly if there is a bigger imperfection.

Click to expand...

Agreed with using flat or satin then clearing over it. Flat paints dry alot quicker, less chance of getting nibs in your base coat. Being able to sand out nibs from the clear and then buff is super helpful. I use to work at a body shop and base coats were always flat and then we would clear over them. Unfortunately using typical rattle can clear usually requires several coats. Brands like Eastwood sell a 2 part rattle can clear, it's like 20 bucks and a one time use, but it is comparable to automotive clear from a spray gun. I've used it a few times and it works really well.
http://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-s-...e=&network=g&gclid=CKz-0rbsk9MCFcRhfgodQGcEPQ
Also I think someone already mentioned this, but spraying water in the air ahead of time can help with dust