capnjonny 

My latest (Rustoleum) rattle can paint job is on a Centurian Elite. I want to put a clear coat over the Black Night metallic paint but have been paranoid about using the Automotive clear. I have been having a problem with the clear Alligatoring the paint underneath. One of their Techs indicated that the Automotive clear used Acetone as the solvent and that could cause improperly cured paint to wrinkle.

In order to insure that the paint was thoroughly dry I have been hanging the frame in the sun. Before I clear coated the frame I called Rustoleum again to see if the problem was with the Automotive clear, thinking their standard clear might have something other than acetone as a solvent.

Here is what the tech told me:

When painting, spray when temp is 70 - 90 deg. relative humidity close to 50%
Do not spray outdoors in direct sun on hot days
spray color coats as follows.
1st coat
wait 1/2 hour and check for missed spots
spray 2nd coat . Spray whole bike , not just spots to reset clock. (Must spray within 1 hour of previous coat or after 48 hours)
wait 1/2 hour and check coverage (Always wear rubber gloves while handling frame before and during painting. oil from fingers can ruin paint)
Spray 3rd color coat if necessary . If color and coverage is good spray clear coat .
wait 1/2 hour , check , and spray second clear coat if necessary.
While painting the 1 hour recoat time window resets after each coat is applied.

After painting , hang frame indoors in a well ventilated place with good air circulation and keep temp between 70 and 90 deg.
Full cure of paint at least 2 weeks . the longer you let it hang the better the paint will cure.

Rustoleum rattle cans are cheap. Always buy an extra can. You don't want to run out of paint. Also, when the can is almost empty it will not spray consistently . Additionally, if you use part of a can then let it sit a while the next time you try to use it it might not spray or may spit paint. both of which can ruin your paint job. make sure the paint is warm in the can. I hold it under hot water till it is about body temp before I spray. Cold paint might not atomize properly.

markk900

My experience with Rustoleum is consistent with what you were told, except I had issues with the second/subsequent coats even if done within the 1 hour window or especially after the 48 hour window). I now wait for at least a week between coats.

I also find Rustoleum once cured takes well to wet sanding but don’t try it between coats without that week of curing; the paint will be way too soft.

Finally I clear the nozzle after each use and wipe away paint build up around the hole while it’s wet.

I have had good success other than even after curing for a year the paint is still quite soft and chips easily.

(oh and for those that know I am in Canada I use Tremclad not Rustoleum but they are made in the same place by the same company with the same MSDS and same usage instructions)

Velo Mule

I will add that markk900 comment on clearing the nozzle is a good one. I take the spray nozzle off and use a small bottle with a thin pointy spout to push acetone through the nozzle and then spray the outlet of the nozzle. The other tip that I have is to mix the can up real good. I made this paint mixer and can verify that it works well.


I had an old can sitting around for years that I tried to paint a vise with this weekend. I was too lazy to go into my basement to get the SixtyFiveFord shaker, so I did my best to shake it by hand. The heavy parts of the paint settled to the bottom of the can and the nozzle kept clogging. Fortunately, I had my acetone bottle and kept cleaning and retrying. Then, I got the drill powered shaker, and finally started painting rather than cleaning the nozzle.

On more tip came from talking to the rep' at Rustoleum. He said turn the paint can upside down a day or so before spraying so that heavy stuff will resettle at the top of the can and the lighter stuff, that is less likely to clog the nozzle, will be at the bottom.

Of course, I didn't do that with the vise. But I wish I would have.

This bike was painted with Rustoleum 41 years ago. The paint looks a shiny because it is wet. It is actually a bit dull. My plan is to go over it with an automotive two component clear coat. That will bring back the finish and protect the decals.

gugie 

Brilliant, I'm adding that to my bag of tricks!

jdawginsc 

Yep. That’s a nice McGuyver!

RustyJames 

Most of the best results are on the can label and I follow those. The only thing I have to add is that the longer the curing/drying time the better. If feasible, a few months are ideal. No, not joking. I set forks that had cured a couple of weeks on a cardboard box and when I picked them up a couple of weeks later they made that tacky sound. No damage to the paint but I was surprised by that after what I thought was an adequate curing period.

Prowler 

+1 and heat. I have no bake oven but I do have loft above my shop that gets pretty warm these summer days. A few hooks screwed into the rafters to hange painted items on. And I have a car that's parked in the sun. It can get hot in there. I hang painted things in there for a couple of days - bent coat hangers hooked on those grab rails above the doors, or from the rear view mirror.

Hey, it's only a car and the bouquet blows out quickly when I next drive it to a trail head.

Wileyone 

Are we getting so bad we need a machine to shake a can of paint for us?

Velo Mule

I would have said the same up to a few months ago. This is not laziness, this is a technique to get an old paint can, or even a new can that has been sitting on the shelf of the hardware store for some time, to work. When the paint can sits, solids settle on the bottom and start binding together. The straw inside the can picks up from the bottom. Just shaking for two minutes doesn't get the solids mixed good enough so the nozzle clogs. This drill powered shaker allowed me to finally be able to spray paint after spending a frustrating amount of time hand shaking and cleaning the nozzle only to have it clog up again.

My laziness is that I had this can shaker and I didn't get it first. The good thing to come out of that experience is that I learned this drill powered shaker solves clogging nozzles.

capnjonny 

In looking over my previous post there is something important I forgot to mention. I told the Rustoleum Tech that I was hanging the newly painted bike in the sun for a week before spraying the clear, He told me I shouldn't do this. He said if I did the exterior paint would harden but the paint inside would not. Apparently this paint dries from the inside out. that is why using heat is a bad idea as the paint will appear dry and hard but isn't underneath. That is why it is so easy to chip when freshly painted. I have an old Peugeot frame I painted years ago with Rustoleum and the paint is very hard and chip resistant. by hanging the frame indoors in a temp controlled environment the paint is able to cure at a constant rate until it is cured completely throughout.

3alarmer 

...this is often due to nozzle clogging. The spray nozzles on most Rustoleum cans are removable, and can be soaked in a small bottle of acetone for a few hours (or overnight), to clear them. I save some of the ones from empty cans, so if I notice the nozzle starting to spit or spray inconsistently, I just remove that nozzle, and toss it in the acetone bottle. Then replace it with one of the clean ones.

Wileyone 

That's why I don't buy my paint in a hardware store. Most high end auto parts stores have a service where they put auto grade paint in a rattle can. With millions of colour options it is far superior to hardware store paint.