Topic: Struggling To Get Charcoal Metallic On Panels Correctly

[IndyFive-O]

I am no stranger to rattle can painting but I am having a hard time getting the right look as I have started a complete paint project of the interior.

I stripped my rear panels to bare metal, put 4 or 5 light coats of SEM Trim Black as a basecoat. The panels look fantastic and I am a little nervous about ruining all the hard work by dusting them with Dark Charcoal Metallic that I got from NPD.

For Practice, I sprayed a test panel with trim black and then lighty "dusted" a few coats of the charcoal. It came out blotchy and had a rough feel due to the paint going on dry.
I must be missing something, I just dont get it.

Can anyone give me some tips on getting this right? I didn't think it was going to be this difficult.

[J_Speegle]

The larger the area the more difficult it will be to get a nice even coat. Continue practicing going heavier and closer to get it to blend just before it goes dry. Also using two light coats at least make the passes at directed directions on the larger panels so you don't get "tiger stripes"

[IndyFive-O]

Thank you Jeff, you answered my question over on the MCA site about gloss levels on the panels.

Is there a better Charcoal Metallic I can be using besides the cans from NPD? I have a touch up gun I can use.
How many coats over the trim black do you think will be needed if I am spraying it right?

[J_Speegle]

Is there a better Charcoal Metallic I can be using besides the cans from NPD? I have a touch up gun I can use.
How many coats over the trim black do you think will be needed if I am spraying it right?

Not sure where your located. Believe you may be able to have the stuff mixed in PPG but not sure with all the reformulation or try TCP Gobal/AutoColorLibrary  (same place) for paint you can shot from a gun. As you know - using a gun will make the blendign and paint application a breeze compared to the rattle cans


http://www.tcpglobal.com

[svo2scj]

I stripped my rear panels to bare metal, put 4 or 5 light coats of SEM Trim Black as a basecoat. The panels look fantastic and I am a little nervous about ruining all the hard work by dusting them with Dark Charcoal Metallic that I got from NPD.

For Practice, I sprayed a test panel with trim black and then lighty "dusted" a few coats of the charcoal. It came out blotchy and had a rough feel due to the paint going on dry.
I must be missing something, I just dont get it.

Hi
Guess this is a tip - it is how I did my panels (after prepping like you above).     

I "fogged" the parts using the SEM and the Charcoal (one in each hand) allowing the paint to fall on the parts from above.   It took some practice BUT the result was what I wanted.  (neither black or all charcoal out of the can)

Mark
P.S.  Funny I want to say Jeff (or someone at 428CJ) suggested the technique 8 years ago and I did it.

[J_Speegle]

Posted the charcoal over the base black so many times since the internet because available to us I've lost track of the number and all the forums Like the gun bluing that you can now find on most of the Chevy, Dodge and other make forums also. Yes I peek at those at times to see what we can borrow/learn 

[IndyFive-O]

Hi
Guess this is a tip - it is how I did my panels (after prepping like you above).     

I "fogged" the parts using the SEM and the Charcoal (one in each hand) allowing the paint to fall on the parts from above.   It took some practice BUT the result was what I wanted.  (neither black or all charcoal out of the can)

Mark
P.S.  Funny I want to say Jeff (or someone at 428CJ) suggested the technique 8 years ago and I did it.

OK, Good stuff- thank you both. How many "fog" coats would you recommend?

[J_Speegle]

OK, Good stuff- thank you both. How many "fog" coats would you recommend?

Enough to assure full coverage (so the panel is fully black) -  you don't want to fill the panel texture and reduce it.  But you don't want it not to cover since the charcoal will not always (depending on brand) add allot of color and coverage. Some brands can be allot of  clear base it seems