Im working on some rust spots on my 82 'Maro. They range in size from a dime to about the area of a small book. All surface rust, very little pitting.

Question 1) After spraying my topcoat ( Duplicolor rattle can gloss white) the paint feels very rough, like it needs to be sanded. -Especially the edges. - The paint doesnt look nearly as smooth as the surrounding areas. What do I need to do?

Question 2) My primer is acting funny. After spraying 2-3 coats, (waiting 30 mins between coats) I found some scratches and went to sand it again. The paper got all clogged up and the primer started lifting and 'gumming up' on all my edges. (This happened to me once already and I had to knock it all down with 80 grit right back to metal, thru Bondo and all.) What am I doing wrong?

Im trying with all my might to avoid a whole new paint job. The car has already been repainted once (before I bought it...) and I dont want to add a THIRD layer to the whole mess. Bodywork is not my thing and Im afraid that Im just making matters worse...................

 

You should try letting each primer coat dry longer before you apply the next coat. or maybe sand after each coat to get the smoothest surface

 

After your final primer coat, wait 3-4 hours for it to dry at around 80 degrees. Then you can start to sand it. What kind of primer are you using? You can should use what's called filler primer or high build primer so that it fills in the scratches. When you get to your final coat, you should wet sand it and blend it in with the regular paint. It will start to look cloudy but just wipe it down with some body shop prep and then spray some clear. Wet sand it again and then use a high speed wheel to melt the clear coat (wool pad and heavy cut glaze progressively going to a lighter cut). It should provide a seemless paint job. The problem with rattle cans is that there is limited catalyst.

 

I have a little rust on my door and by the edge of the spoiler on my 85 should i sand then bondo and touch up or do i have to do the whole car?

 

you could do just those spots but you would have to do some blending

 

Alright thanks....hey anyone know how much racing stipes cost to get painted or can you get a vynall to use instead of painting?

 

Your primer is not cured enough. That is why it clogs. If you can stick a fingernail in it and leave a mark let it dry longer.
The rough paint could be dust. Paint building up on dust makes it look bigger. Or it could be solvent pops. The paint does not dry enough between coats and the traped solvents escape through the next coat.

 

ARGH!! I let the primer dry overnight and went out to it again tonight. I hit it with some 80 grit and within 10-15 passes, the paper was all clogged up and the primer looked like crap. What did I do wrong? Here's how I applied.

In a garage heated to about 70 degrees, I sprayed the primer. Let dry for about 20 mins, repeat. Dry 20 mins, repeat. Did 3 or 4 coats, trying to fill in some scratches.
WTF!!![:@][:@][:@][:@]

I cannot tell you how much I despise body work. It doesnt help that Im so crappy at it!

 

are you shooting strait primer? what are you mixing it with?

 

Nothing more than a rattle can. Plain old chain store auto primer from a can.