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Thread: OT, school me on rattle-can painting.

  1. #1
    nathancarter is offline Stretch Haters Club #1 BMW CCA Member
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    OT, school me on rattle-can painting.

    [UPDATE] Finished product at the bottom. THANKS BFCOT!

    Cliffs: Need tips on getting the best possible rattle-can finish with Rustoleum Performance Wheel Paint & Clear Coat.


    Bought junkyard rims, they looked like hell.

    Cleaned, degreased, cleaned, patched gouges/curbing, sanded, degreased/wipedown, primered, sprayed 2 coats of paint, lightly wet-sanded with 1000-grit.

    Ready for wipedown then final coats of paint, then clear coat. I'm using Rustoleum performance wheel paint - Einszett was my first choice but it's discontinued, I really should have gone for Wurth but it's not locally available, and is expensive to mail-order.

    Found out in my first coats that this metallic silver is damn hard to spray consistently. It also didn't cover the dark primer very well, so it's gonna take about 4 or 5 total thin coats to get the color even.

    Any tips?

    What's a good wipedown? IPA, mineral spirits? I used mineral spirits for the first wipedown, but I don't want to dissolve the recent coats.

    Should I do a couple of medium coats, then a final very light coat where I try to get the metallic flakes to go down evenly?

    How long should I wait between coats of color? How long should I wait before clear?

    Should I lightly sand again before the clear? Should I do a heavy clear, then lightly sand, then a very light final clear?


    My goal is a 1-footer finish but I'll be content with a 3-footer. Durable is a must, glossy is of course a plus.


    Temporarily mounted before removing the tires and starting refinishing, for your viewing pleasure. More pics are here, if'n you care:
    http://s229.photobucket.com/albums/e...2000/BMW/119s/








    P.S. please don't advise me to take them for professional powdercoating or spraying, that's not in my budget right now, plus I want to improve my skills at doing things like this.
    Last edited by nathancarter; 03-19-2010 at 09:39 PM.

  2. #2
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    Several light coats are much better than one heavy coat.

    Make sure you clean everything well prior to anything, lightly scuff and sand all the surfaces with sandpaper (500grit works well).

    PRIMER. A lot of people think they can get away without using primer. USE PRIMER. 2 light coats of primer applied evenly will work well.

    Use long strokes() not short bursts of paint. You'll have to do 3-4 coats for it to last on wheels.

    If you're gonna do a clear coat, make sure you do it evenly and in uniform lines.

    Shake the can often, allow drying time of at least 20 minutes between each coat and mask everything well before you start doing anything (if you're gonna leave the tires on).
    Last edited by Ace M3; 03-12-2010 at 08:09 PM.


  3. #3
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    1) sand the shit out of them. Get them as smooth as possible.
    2) clean with mineral spirits.
    3) filler primer. Use it.
    4) toss the rim paint. It's no better than regular auto spraypaint. In fact, the silver stuff with flakes is just garbage. It comes out satin finish no matter how much clear you put on it.
    5) plan on 1 can of color for 2 rims, 1 can of clear for each rim.
    In other words: buy 2 color, 4 clear cans.
    Thin coats. Make sure you're in a dust free environment. I'd recommend saving the last coat of clear and waiting on that one. Let the rims dry overnight. Wet-sand with 2000 grit paper, wipe it clean with mineral spirits, let dry and then apply the final coat of clear. You should not need to resand it then.

    When spraying be sure to stay 6-8 inches away. Short strokes. Short bursts of paint. Do NOT hold down the button. In between coats be sure to clear the nozzle by holding the can upside down and spraying until no more paint comes out. Before spraying the rim, spray into the air to be sure the can is spraying out a fine mist.

    Take your time. It takes me 4-5 hours to do 4 rims. Mine typically comes out looking as good as powder coating and stands up to the 6" stare. It's inevitably, however, that they will get chipped up after 25-30k miles, but at that point you just re-do it. Sand down what's been done and start over. Change the color if you want.





    I don't have an up-close shot, but here's a few from a distance.
    protip: If you're reading the post above, it's probably a joke.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ace M3 View Post
    Several light coats are much better than one heavy coat.

    Make sure you clean everything well prior to anything, lightly scuff and sand all the surfaces with sandpaper (500grit works well).

    PRIMER. A lot of people think they can get away without using primer. USE PRIMER. 2 light coats of primer applied evenly will work well.

    Use long strokes() not short bursts of paint. You'll have to do 3-4 coats for it to last on wheels.

    If you're gonna do a clear coat, make sure you do it evenly and in uniform lines.

    Shake the can often, allow drying time of at least 20 minutes between each coat and mask everything well before you start doing anything (if you're gonna leave the tires on).
    OK, let's quantify the length of stroke then.


    18 inches. Follow through with your arm. do NOT continuous spray it. Not even with clear coat. also DO NOT stay in one spot. If you have a run start, do NOT try to "blend" it with more paint. It'll only get worse.
    protip: If you're reading the post above, it's probably a joke.

  6. #6
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    So far we have conflicting advise. One says short bursts while the other says longer strokes.
    Drink wine! BMW CCA #373875 - 2007 M Coupe (project) - 2000 Z3 Coupe - 2015 Impreza wagon

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    Quote Originally Posted by Codeman View Post
    So far we have conflicting advise. One says short bursts while the other says longer strokes.
    I quantified it in the next one.


    What I meant was don't continuously spray. 18" is about right for how far you want to go. No more. I typically go 12"

    The close-up pic is the rim without clear BTW.

    found another pic of the rims but still not close up.

    Last edited by GBimmer; 03-12-2010 at 08:23 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
    protip: If you're reading the post above, it's probably a joke.

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    i think i've perfected the technique of rattle cans!

    here is a couple tutorials i did... http://bmw.tech.officelive.com/Body.aspx
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    I would just sand them down with 400 and or 600 you just really need to scuff them up to allow paint and primer to stick and just use a filler primer. Than do as many coats as it takes to cover the entire wheel nicely with primer always do light coats with quick long strokes. Same for paint. First coat you should still show primer through the paint and keep applying light coats of paint. with clear it really doesn't matter just apply 3 to 4 coats with the same technique.

    here are my wheels I just refinished with rattle cans.
    This is 2 or 3 coats of primer, 8 coats of paint, 3 coats of clear. Very happy with them.



    Last edited by E36RJBMW; 03-12-2010 at 08:39 PM.

  10. #10
    nathancarter is offline Stretch Haters Club #1 BMW CCA Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by GBimmer View Post
    1) sand the shit out of them. Get them as smooth as possible.
    2) clean with mineral spirits.
    3) filler primer. Use it.
    Done, done, and done. Used 600-grit 3M wetordry for the initial sanding. they were about as slick as I could get them, thoroughly and evenly smooth and keyed.

    Filled gouges with body filler. Primed with Rustoleum sandable primer.

    Quote Originally Posted by GBimmer View Post
    4) toss the rim paint. It's no better than regular auto spraypaint. In fact, the silver stuff with flakes is just garbage. It comes out satin finish no matter how much clear you put on it.
    Dang. srsly? .... dang. okay.

    Quote Originally Posted by GBimmer View Post
    5) plan on 1 can of color for 2 rims, 1 can of clear for each rim.
    In other words: buy 2 color, 4 clear cans.
    Have used 2 cans of color already, I'm ready for the last coat(s) of color now, those will use a 3rd can. If the junkyard still has the 5th rim I'm going back for it tomorrow, so will use up the 4th can on that one.

    Thanks for the tip on the clear, I'll need 2 more cans, I only bought 2.

    Quote Originally Posted by GBimmer View Post
    Wet-sand with 2000 grit paper, wipe it clean with mineral spirits, let dry and then apply the final coat of clear. You should not need to resand it then.
    Thanks, this is the kind of stuff I need to know. Last coat (after sanding) should be very light too, right?

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    Quote Originally Posted by nathancarter View Post
    Thanks, this is the kind of stuff I need to know. Last coat (after sanding) should be very light too, right?
    Thick enough to cover but light. If it's too like, the surface won't be smooth because there won't be enough paint. Too thick and you get runs.
    protip: If you're reading the post above, it's probably a joke.

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    Pop(unseat) the outer bead at the rim face with a tire machine anf cover the tire in tape or rags before starting. Then you can paint the lip and the rim propely. When finished and dries, just fill the tire up with air and it will reseat itself. That'll buy you months of time for the paint to cure before putting another tire machine to your new ready to fall off paint.

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    Quote Originally Posted by not2quick View Post
    Pop(unseat) the outer bead at the rim face with a tire machine anf cover the tire in tape or rags before starting. Then you can paint the lip and the rim propely. When finished and dries, just fill the tire up with air and it will reseat itself. That'll buy you months of time for the paint to cure before putting another tire machine to your new ready to fall off paint.
    You don't even have to do that. Just tape the tire in a way that you get the tape down in the crease pretty deep and you're good to go.
    protip: If you're reading the post above, it's probably a joke.

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    I'm sure go ol Ed can help you spray paint something...


    Quote Originally Posted by Kevlar View Post
    Don't be an ass...

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    Rattle painting is different from real painting but when you do real painting you DO NOT DO SHORT BURSTS. That is the first rule they teach you in school.

    To get even paint that looks good, you start spraying to the side of said object (left or right does not matter) then with an even steady movement you move to the other side and spray off the side. Release then spray again off the side and swipe back to the starting side and repeat this action. Do not go to slow or you get runs, do not go to fast or you get uneven spray. Its something you have to practice to get the right speed.

    Be sure to overlap evenly so you do not get lines. You want the surface to be smooth but not glass smooth or the primer wont stick. Lay a few layers of primer, lightly wet sand, then lay several light coats of base coat (your color) then lightly wet sand to smooth it out. lay several layers of clear coat then wet sand. that will give you the glass like smooth finish in the end. If you dont wet sand you can still get a decent finish depending on your skills.

    Here is a little diagram I drew up to show you proper spraying tech. This is how I was taught in school where I learned to paint cars and do body work.


  16. #16
    nathancarter is offline Stretch Haters Club #1 BMW CCA Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kuane View Post
    I'm sure go ol Ed can help you spray paint something...
    Oh man, I love wheeler dealers. My wife likes it too, we watch it together and she caught my not-so-subtle hints that I needed to start building my air tool collection, and got me an impact wrench for Christmas. And, watching Edd (two d's btw) gave me some of the tips to get this far - but he usually doesn't bother to spray clear when he does rattle-can paint.

    I had thought about stripping them down to bare aluminum, and polishing to a shine. but I don't have the tools to repair the places where the aluminum was gouged and curbed, so I just used body filler.


    Quote Originally Posted by not2quick View Post
    That'll buy you months of time for the paint to cure before putting another tire machine to your new ready to fall off paint.
    The tires and valve stems are off. I pulled these off a junker that had been in a fire, and two of the tires were burned beyond usability. The other two are mismatched brands - I may keep one of them to go on the fifth as a spare. These will be getting four new tires when I'm done and the paint has cured - probably a couple months, gotta save my nickels a little longer for tires.


    The worst burned one when I got it, and the same wheel after cleaning (and cleaning and cleaning) and patching with body filler:





    It got hot enough to destroy the tire, but not hot enough to anneal the metal. The ignition point of rubber is 300c and the annealing point of aluminum starts at 350c. Since the tire was intact at the bead, and since the valve stem and center cap were still in good shape, I'm confident that it didn't get hot enough to compromise the metal. Also had 'em checked for roundness, and they're fine.

  17. #17
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    Just sand it down make sure you have all the imperfections out and every bit of dirt and grime off. Then several light even coats, don't worry about hitting it all the first time around, really not even the second or third time, just light coats and it'll even out as you go.

    But I have to say, it WILL chip, if you don't mind painting again down the road then it's fine, but just be aware. I'd say don't bother stripping to metal or with primer or any of that junk, I've painted several sets of wheels several times with different kinds of rattlecan, the longest lasting paint I've had was just sprayed over a cleaned and unsanded wheel. I stripped all the way down to metal on one set primered and painted and it chipped just as fast as any other time.

    If there's any curb rash then go to any hardware or auto parts store to the glue/epoxy section and get some stick weld that adheres to metal, it's sandable and paintable, works really well, been over a year on my current wheels and you still can't tell it's there, it's on every wheel though.


  18. #18
    nathancarter is offline Stretch Haters Club #1 BMW CCA Member
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    Finished. I disregarded the advice to toss the metallic wheel paint, since I had already bought it. Guess what? They're glossy as hell, and really sparkly in the sun.

    That last 2000-grit sand and wipedown before a final coat of clear REALLY did the trick.

    THANKS BFCOT! BOK BOK!




    ...and this is the burned one, sorry it's slightly out of focus.

    Last edited by nathancarter; 03-19-2010 at 10:01 PM.

  19. #19
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    excellent work!
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  20. #20
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    Wow, those cleaned up pretty well. Nice work man
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    Tip #1: do not spray the paint into a paper bag and huff it.

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    I know this is a bit of a revival but...

    OP, I saw that you bondo/puttied some of the edges of the lip where the tire and rim touch. Did you have any of it crumble or break off when you got them mounted? I've got some curbed rims I want to try this on but don't want to go through the trouble of refinishing myself if it's going to just get damaged again during mounting.

    Thanks!+

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kuane View Post
    I'm sure go ol Ed can help you spray paint something...


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    Quote Originally Posted by LockDots84 View Post
    I know this is a bit of a revival but...

    OP, I saw that you bondo/puttied some of the edges of the lip where the tire and rim touch. Did you have any of it crumble or break off when you got them mounted? I've got some curbed rims I want to try this on but don't want to go through the trouble of refinishing myself if it's going to just get damaged again during mounting.

    Thanks!+
    I've read of a reverse mounting technique used on the Roadstar rims -- I've not witnessed it but I *think* it means that both lips are brought over the back of the rim so that no tool runs along the outside lip. Actually, if someone can confirm this I'd like to know for sure.. Regardless, if it could be or was done that way I don't think you'd have any issues with damaging the freshly painted and bondo'd lip.

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    Quote Originally Posted by tmaher View Post
    I've read of a reverse mounting technique used on the Roadstar rims -- I've not witnessed it but I *think* it means that both lips are brought over the back of the rim so that no tool runs along the outside lip. Actually, if someone can confirm this I'd like to know for sure.. Regardless, if it could be or was done that way I don't think you'd have any issues with damaging the freshly painted and bondo'd lip.
    In to see this too!

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