Doki wrote:
"Steve Walker" wrote in message
...
Hi -

Needed to replace my roof-mounted carphone aerial recently, after it
lost a fight with a low-hanging branch. Decided to mount the
replacement further back on clean undisturbed steel, and do a filler
repair on the distorted hole left by the old one. I managed a
lovely smooth repair with mesh-reinforced Plastic Padding, sanded
off with 1200 wet & dry. Went out and bought a specially-mixed
exact-match aerosol of dark blue paint, but now I just can't get any
kind of half-decent paint finish over it.

You need to bear in mind that aerosol paint is very thin compared to
paint you'd actually put through a spraygun due to the propellant and
the lack of pressure pushing it out. I'd be very tempted to put a
heavy coat on - it's a roof, it shouldn't run unless you go really
mad. And all metallic finishes I've seen in aerosols need a lacquer
coat. This is good, because it helps you hide the repair. Cover more
than the sprayed area with lacquer, then polish it up. Be very wary
of polishing aerosol paint for a good while (a warm week later say).
I'd also avoid trying to mask the immediate area - mask most of the
rest of the roof, but leave a good area around where you're spraying
unmasked, to avoid masking lines, then polish out any overspray.
Aerosol paint is definately not 2 pack btw - 2 pack is paint that's
mixed with a hardener to make it set.

Thanks Doki, that almost inspires me to have one more go.... )