Metallic paint - flatten before clearcoat?

[Grrrmachine]

I'm not new to bodywork, but this is my first time painting metallic (diamondschwarz, to be exact.)

I've laid down a few coats of colour, and it's looking a little orange-peely. Do I flatten it back before applying the clear coat, or should I let the laquer do that? I've searched for this but I'm getting conflicting info.

[sideshowbob]

No expert on paintwork but from experience the mote flatting down you do between coats the better the finish. You need to build up the 'colour'with the base coat experience shows lots of light coats works best. Then flat down with say 1500 wet and dry then start building up the clear coat, again lots of light coats flatting down with very fine wet and dry say 1500 - 2400 grade. When you feel you have a finish you are happy with a final rub down with 2400 grade wet and dry followed by a polish with G3 compound then polish wish with normal car polish and a final wax should do the job....god luck and remember be patient !

[m_jermyn]

Absolutely not......... Infact if you havnt already put the clear coat on the paint work is stuffed.... There is a maximum time allowed between coats and if you exceed this you will run into all sorts of issues.. For one paint delamination... We refer to this as flash off time and it goes for base coat and clear...

And to answer your question if you touch the metallics in the base coat it will be visible under the clear... Even with a tack rag... Never touch the base coat if its a metallic. You can get away with it on a non metallic base however.

Sorry for the bad news mate

[Grrrmachine]

that's ok m_jermyn. I was getting all sorts of conflicting info, which came to:

a) spray the clear within half an hour of laying the final colour coat
b) spray the clear 24 hours after laying the final colour coat
c) sand the final colour coat after 24 hours, then lay the clear
d) sand the colour after every layer, then lay the clear.

In the end, I rubbed the thin coat I had laid, then went for option a. If it comes out shit it'll just have to come off. It's only a wheel arch repair and god knows, I need the practice ;)

Thanks for the info guys. I'll polish and blend it to the rest of the panel with G10 or G3.