Man, I've done a lot of rattle can painting, starting with bicycles, mini bikes, motorcylces, and on up, including complete cars (even a 64 Chevy Suburban once), and countless smaller parts like head light buckets. The step by step post above is good, but doesn't emphasize enough the importance of wet sanding the primer coat, and that you might do that step several times to get it right before applying color. The block sanding stage, which he didn't even mention, is the most important. The longer you spend on that, the better the job will be, and is the main difference between a good and a great job.
...didn't rattle can it, but used house paint and 3" brush to get this truck mostly one color... ..same with this one...
Ive grown to hate rattle can, due to regulation the paint companies have had to remove so many components its a become a terrible product. The paint itself is very bad. Rustoleum, I have not been able to use a full can for years. Clogs and have to throw it away. Krylon, I can use the can. Rustoleum (or any industrial enamel), acetone, hardener in an HVLP is my go to, works in an aibrush, mini hvlp etc. It shoots fine from a pancake compressor for many jobs with a good regulator at the gun, if you're NOT doing an entire car at one time, it works. Slow the reducer down and let the compressor catch up if you dont have a good compressor. The ability to add a hardener makes a huge difference. Acetone is fast reducer, naptha is medium, mineral spirits is slow. Real enamel reducer is better and I've used multiple brands, 20 yr old enamel reducer and it works fine with rustoleum or valspar. Brushing an industrial enamel is a better solution for me, than rattle can. Overall cost is lower than rattle cans as well. A quart of paint goes a long way. Especially when the rattle cans quit less than half way thru. Rattle can primer is even worse, if you try to patch in with rattle can and real primer, the rattle can is softer and when you block the car the paper cuts it faster.
I got serious enough about painting my '39 with rattle can paint that I purchased two 6 can cases of spray paint. But when I got to the point of spraying sealer, I bought a cheap HF HVLP gun, and shot the epoxy sealer. Then got to high build primer, and used it again. After all that work, I asked myself if I really wanted to rattle can over it; and the answer was NO. I also wasn't that impressed with my $15 HF spray gun, so I went back and bought a higher end gun for $79, and did a test spray with it. It laid down paint much better, so I ordered a single stage acrylic urethane paint kit from TCP Global in their Restoration Shop line. I spent a total of less than $300 for everything (including the $79 spray gun) to do my paint job. It was my first attempt to paint a car, and my shop is certainly not a great spray booth either! Took a lot of time to just prep the shop using clear sheet to cover walls, and floor prior to painting in this dirty area. But I am much happier with how it came out than I'd ever have been with rattle can paint. Just hand lettered it Monday. My first try at that also.
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