I love painting with rattle cans I'm just now experimenting with the 50$ rustoleum thing.

I scuffed a rear bumper with emory cloth (50~) grit. would that carve grooves too deep to cover?

What should I be using sandpapar wise?

 

lowest grit you should go is i think 120 or 160.

work your way up.

 

40 with bondo work than finish with 80 than primer
120 - 400 (no bondo work)

this is wat i learn...

 

The final sanding before paint should be 400 or 600. anything less will show through. but you're doing a rustoleum paint job. im sure you dont really care about the results then.

 

its just a race car nothing special trying to save money anyway possible

 

Sure Rustoleum is only 9 dollars a quart as opposed to 60+, but you can take your 60 dollar "proper" auto paint, and still have it come out shitty if the prep work is crap.


Anyway, I used 180 grit on an orbital sander, and it was smooth enough to paint over. Since the Rustoleum self levels, there isn't much orange peel afterwards... Well let me ask, are you using the roll on, or spray method? I'd advise just getting the 15 dollar Harbor Freight gun, and borrowing at least a 125 gallon compressor if you don't have one.

You should mix the paint to mineral spirits ratio at around 3:1, but it probably depends on your location. I live in NE Washington, and painted mine outdoors in probably 95+ degree weather.