Thread: Glossy smooth finishes

Hi all,

Having only started doing some woodwork the past year, and now just starting out in airbrushing, I am interested in the various "shines" or glossy looks that I see on finished work. So I'll be specific:

* Glossy shine on helmets - how many coats, what material is used, how is it applied.. airbrush, paintbrush, big air gun?

* Wood - (I am building some cornhole game boards, hoping to apply my soon to be learned basic airbrushing on it). I have a gallon of polyurethane I think it is called. There are different sheens you can buy, I think I got semi-gloss or gloss. Satin I think is below semi-gloss. Is this the stuff to use? Or is there something better? How many coats, how do you apply it (air gun, airbrush, paint brush?)

* Metal - going to mess around with doing some stuff on my kids bikes, and my computer cases.. just to practice some more air brushing. Looking at custom computer cases, they always seem to have a glass look to it. How is this done? Again.. what is used, how is it applied?

* Cars/bikes - Not that I plan on ever doing anything this good, but if I ever pick up a beater mobile, it would be fun to mess around with some flames or something. I realize there is a lot of sanding/prep work before airbrushing is done. After the airbrushing, how do you give it that glassy show car shine?

* T-shirts - the final frontier. I bought a load of t-shirts for cheap, really just wanted to have some fun with my kids once I get the hang of this, let them do a little painting, some stencils, etc with their own colors. How do you get a shine if that is even possible? I don't know that it is, just asking in this case.. generally I don't think you'd aim for a glass look on tshirts, but curious none the less.

Thank you.

T-Shirts really don't have a glossy finish

The others depends on the paint you are using

Most paints come with tech sheets which should provide you with clear coats instructions

Helmets, bikes, cars, metal all require 2 part automotive clear which you really should use with extreme caution
again these type clears come with tech sheets for best use

wood just about any spray bomb clear should wood

Originally Posted by andjarnic

Hi all,

Having only started doing some woodwork the past year, and now just starting out in airbrushing, I am interested in the various "shines" or glossy looks that I see on finished work. So I'll be specific:

* Glossy shine on helmets - how many coats, what material is used, how is it applied.. airbrush, paintbrush, big air gun?

* Wood - (I am building some cornhole game boards, hoping to apply my soon to be learned basic airbrushing on it). I have a gallon of polyurethane I think it is called. There are different sheens you can buy, I think I got semi-gloss or gloss. Satin I think is below semi-gloss. Is this the stuff to use? Or is there something better? How many coats, how do you apply it (air gun, airbrush, paint brush?)

* Metal - going to mess around with doing some stuff on my kids bikes, and my computer cases.. just to practice some more air brushing. Looking at custom computer cases, they always seem to have a glass look to it. How is this done? Again.. what is used, how is it applied?

* Cars/bikes - Not that I plan on ever doing anything this good, but if I ever pick up a beater mobile, it would be fun to mess around with some flames or something. I realize there is a lot of sanding/prep work before airbrushing is done. After the airbrushing, how do you give it that glassy show car shine?

* T-shirts - the final frontier. I bought a load of t-shirts for cheap, really just wanted to have some fun with my kids once I get the hang of this, let them do a little painting, some stencils, etc with their own colors. How do you get a shine if that is even possible? I don't know that it is, just asking in this case.. generally I don't think you'd aim for a glass look on tshirts, but curious none the less.

Thank you.