Okay well I am putting a ton of time into this paint job I am doing, and I want a nice shine on a matte black finish (I know, I know, its a contradiction). Anyways I am using rattle canned clear. How many coats should I put on to ensure a nice shine? I know I am going to have to buff it/wet sand it. How would I go about this?

 

, IMHO, if you have not purchased the clear yet, I would suggest purchasing a touch-up gun (at minimum) and use that......the spray can clear is good for small areas but large panels, it is way to easy to get an uneven application (IMHO). In general, you would want to lay down at minimum 3 mil thickness, 5-8 mil is best....but you need to check the paint mfg's specifications.

Wet sanding.....always use a sanding block & never your bare hand....the pressure points will vary considerably otherwise. With spray can, start with 1000 grit, then move up to 1500, then 2500 or 3000 grit. Have a bucket of water and place a few drops of dish soap in it...this helps lubricate & clean the paper to avoid gouges, etc. Go slow & be very patient, sanding in 2 separate directions (90 degree to each)

You are going to then need a buffer to polish the paint...you won't get it by hand. visit your local auto paint supplier for recommendations & products.

 

I has the canned clear already, its a spray can paint job and im shooting outside

 

yeah those are some smart cookies

 

Since no one wanted to answer your actual question, the can will tell you the square footage it covers. I would put more than you think you need because you will be sanding and buffing it down. The reason they recommend a gun is for consistency sake, but it’s a spray can job so doesn’t matter too much.

I would scuff pad your paint job and clean whatever panel you’re working on really well.. soap and water. Dry. Tape off the areas you aren’t spraying obviously.

Spray your coats of clear, scuffing between each coat, waiting however long the can says the working time is.
SCUFF left to right. Don’t do circles. We are evening each layer as you spray the coat down.
Maybe 4-6 coats clear is what I would be comfortable with, not sure how long you expect a cab job to last.

After your last coat, start whatever buffing procedure you want to follow. Google is your friend, also look on the product instructions if there are any.
Start with 600-800 grit and go from there.

Make sure whatever area you’re spraying is clean. And be as consistent as you possibly can obviously.

good luck man