So I’ve been doing a few test pieces of flat black and have yet to lay down this paint properly. I’ve tried wetsanding it afterwards but have yet to buff it. What are my options as far as making a flat black paint look even after a spray job?
The paint I’m currently using is techincally semi-gloss, but I’ll be getting some real flat to try out tonight and see how that goes. Any suggestions?
EDIT - I should add that it’s rattlecan paint. 
when your paint gun is worth less than a penny, what do you expect? The best you can do it try to spray evenly and carefully. It’s probably fine for things like wheels if you practice.
I can still get other types of paint to lay down evenly out of a spray can. I’m not asking about spray techniques, I’m asking about how to treat a flat paint when it’s already dry, regardless of how it’s applied.
once flat is down you are pretty much F’d… you really need to spray it good to get it right…
Go buy a real spray gun, even a cheap one from HF will have MUCH better results… and you can get easier paint (ie John Deere Black)
Are you using a spray-gun trigger?
I’ve found that real light coats at 45° seem to kill most tiger-stripe and won’t require much afterwork.
exactly… when it comes to paintwork, people always think you can make up for a bad step by doing extra work in another step (either before or after).
For minor things with normal paints, you absolutely can. Buffing a clear that came out bad will make the results 100x better.
That’s pretty much what I was looking for, thanks. I’m going to try one more time with a different type of paint and if that doesn’t work, I’ll use my old roommates spray gun.
but if the paint under the clear sucks you not going to get anywhere buffing the clear. and if you put the paint under the clear down properly, then why not do the same for the clear.
Well obviously not. I’m not sure where you got that impression. You can try to adjust each stage of the process, definitely not after something else is sprayed on top of it, but that was nowhere in my question either. I’m just trying to get one layer of material to look fine at a time because I wasn’t planning on clearing it. The stuff I just picked up has flat black and a satin clear. I’m not going spray the clear over the black if it looks like shit. That’s why I’m trying to see if I can make it look normal with some sanding (which I apparently cannot with flat) BEFORE spraying the clear onto it.
You can take it down with some 320 wet and reshoot over the top with your existing paint.
Yes, which I’ve been doing to try and perfect my ever so horrible spraying abilities. lol I think this test peice is starting to look noticeably thicker than it’s counterpart.
the cliffs are - get one of the spray gun trigger for use on the spray can… get a gun if you really want it to look good.
lol. I know. I have a trigger but have no fucking clue where it is right now.
I have sprayed rattle can into a paint gun before then painted. lol. improves quality drastically.
^haha. Did you use a reducer as well?
True, but even a rattlecan can give nice results. I just wouldn’t try shooting a car in spraybombs. 
Bike plastics.
Have you tried using gloss black paint and then wetsanding it would result in a semi-gloss/satin look?
You may be holding the can too close to your part (Hard to tell without a pic…got a camera :)). That can cause you tons of headaches. It really is in the spraying technique. If it is on now and looks bad then sand it and start over.
I would never do this but this has good info:
http://www.spraypaintsecrets.com/spraysinglestage.htm