Hi my name is Rusty and I'm a meticuloholic. 
I would have posted this in one of Aviojet's Streak threads since Charles is a fellow meticuholic, but I've already hijacked it once. Yeah, I'm building a puky profile and I want to put as nice of a finish on it as is possible with rattlecans.

So the basic white Yak-9 just got it's first bits clearcoated. I primed, sanded and painted the flaps Rustoleum flat white. This morning, after a couple of weeks of curing by a furnace vent, I lightly wet sanded until they were surprisingly shiny, and shot them with two light coats of clear Lustrekote. They look really good, no orange peeling, just smooth and shiny. But there is a slight texture. I know from past experience I can go back and shoot them with a thick coat and make them smooth like glass, but that L'kote is heavy stuff. I thought of wet sanding with some 1000 grit, but thought I would ask y'all first, if anyone has done it, how long you let it cure first, and if it made it look better.

I know the usual answer is that it ain't worth the trouble for this type of plane, but I'm trying to get as good as I can before I take a step up in my career with a real sprayer for next Winters full fuselage Oriental build. So there is a method to my madness. Thanks for any input.
Rusty

I'll raise my hand as one who has (quite successfully) treated rattle-can LustreKote just like "real" paint in first letting it cure hard and then sanding it flat, this followed by use of various rubbing compounds through to the super-duper stuff. And yes, these were (mostly) pukey profiles...

As mentioned, LustreKote does seem to be heavy so one needs to be careful in applying it. Still, it is real good paint--much better than one would expect from a spray can.

Shake the snot out of the can (rattle-can paint can not be mixed too much!), heat can with hot water or heat gun prior to spraying, do not try to use all of the paint in each can, let it cure as long as patience allows.

Dan
 

Hi Rusty,

If you follow what Dan says, you will have success.  I hope to see you at Huntersville this Spring!

BIG Bear