I have spent the past week attempting a rattlecan repaint. It seems to have gotten a bit ugly and I want to know if it's worth fixing or if I need to strip it and try again (or pay out the schnoz for a shop). I stripped it to bare metal, bondoed the small dent, wetsanded the hell out of it. primed and sanded until I ran out of primer. Then I wet sanded with 800 grit until it was super smooth. I painted it with high gloss duplicolor black, two light coats then one medium, wetsanding with 1000 grit between.
It looked like crap. Really, really bad. It was all splotchy and uneven, and you could see individual droplets in the light. I've wetsanded it to a flat black, to maybe try again, but I don't want to mess it up this time.
There are some factors against me. I don't have anything like a temperature and humidity controlled environment. I am a college student, so I don't have any place to do this at my own house. I've been using my girlfriend's mom's garage (no garage door). It's not cold per se, but definitely not warm. (about 55-60 F) This may be causing some of the problem. If you guys think it will help, I can take a pic of the the tank in it's current state of black flatness.
I really want my bike to be in great shape for spring, so any advice from you guys would be appreciated.
safe riding,
Cary