How to get a car paint glassy smooth finish?

[chrisx16x2008]

Hey guys, I'm using spectra tex airbrush paint by badger and I'd like to get a glassy smooth texture. The best references I can think of are..

-how car paint is like glass
-like an XBOX 360 controllers Directional Pad
or
-the glassy smooth texture that you get with water transfer printing.

I also use just whatever clear coat I have. The general process is... sandblast plastic, airbrush it, cure it with a heat gun, clear coat it, cure that with a heat gun. It comes out smooth and slightly glossy but nothing like the references I described above. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[bikergranny]

Well most of the time cars don't come out glossy n shiny, there is always some dirt or some dang bug walked across it and died right in the middle of the roof where you can't reach it without jacking up the sides.... (hmmmm can ya tell some of us have been there done that?) that being said, usually what happens after the clear has time to cure hard enough, it's time to cut n buff. That means sanding it with increasing grits of sandpaper and then using polish and a buffer or by hand (elbow grease anyone?). It's a lot of work but when it's done and done correctly it's a thing of beauty.

 

[Mr.Micron]

Now are you wanting to paint a car with the ultra high gloss shine , Or are you wanting to paint plastic and have it shine like a car?
Never use a heat gun on clear coat!! It can and most time will dull the finish more and sometime cause unwanted bubbles in the clear coat from not allowing the off gassing of the clear.

Use a good clear coat , never a rattle can clear. Rattle can is thinner and does not set as hard and durable as something like 1k or 2 k will.

 

[chrisx16x2008]

Now are you wanting to paint a car with the ultra high gloss shine , Or are you wanting to paint plastic and have it shine like a car?
Never use a heat gun on clear coat!! It can and most time will dull the finish more and sometime cause unwanted bubbles in the clear coat from not allowing the off gassing of the clear.

Use a good clear coat , never a rattle can clear. Rattle can is thinner and does not set as hard and durable as something like 1k or 2 k will.

I'm painting small pieces of plastic. I just checked and I was using Createx Gloss Coat. If you know what the XBOX 360 directional pad looks like, that's the effect I want.

 

[wmlepage]

Have you seen Mr.M's pic? He has a better chance of remembering the finish on an Atari 2600 controller. Or maybe a pong paddle. Lol!

 

[jord001]

One easy way is to clear your controller and when its gone off, use a rag and some light Polishing compound to buff the clear, it will take a little longer but you will be able to get into the little nooks and crannies. I've polished crash helmets the same way with great results. Hope this helps.

lee

 

[Mr.Micron]

Have you seen Mr.M's pic? He has a better chance of remembering the finish on an Atari 2600 controller. Or maybe a pong paddle. Lol!

Hey ya forget I got kids , So Xbox 360, PS 1,2 and 3 Wii and game cube, and yes I still own a atari 2600 and coleco game system.

I have 3 pong paddles......LMAO Oh I forgot Game Boy , PSP , DS3 3ds gameboy color and the list can go on.

For the record I still play game , Cabal, Guild Wars 1 and 2 , and even Halo
But Final Fantasy 1-12 are my favorite Yes I never grew up by the time 50 rolled around and I guess I never will . life is short so have fun..

 

[Stu-Art-Designs1244]

the best way to get a glass like finish is put plenty of even coats on of clear. then wet sand with 1000 grit to get the orange peal out. u will see this when you dry it, you want it compleatly smooth no ripples etc. then get some cutting compound, this will take a very small layer of the clear off . then ove on a a finer compound then polish then wax, it will be like glass, this is how i do it on xbox cases, idk how u wud get in all the nooks and crannys on the controller tho!

 

[MrDigBick]

Yeah lee and Stuart do it the same way I would. Also as mentioned above don't heat gun the clear. Once your clear has hardend just get a nice moist piece of wet and dry and if your unsure spray a little test piece at the same time as your project. You will feel it go smooth under your paper as you gently rub away the imperfections.
The reason you're not getting that glass finish is along with the heat gun not helping things the light isn't making a clean pass through the clear, you end up seeng all the little ripples (orange peel). There's loads of vids on YouTube on clear coating.
I have used a dremel drill to polish tight spots on bike parts before. Might help you...