Any way to blend this in?

Tried my hand at fixing surface rust and although my skills are great for making it look smooth my ability to match the color is not so good.

I have color match paint and clear but it looks to be an orange peel surface and can tell I painted it.

I put four layers on, sanded it with 3000 and then clear coated it.

I thought maybe rubbing compound would work and maybe it will if I keep going

Any ideas?

 

I would hit it with some medium cutting compound and a dual action polisher.

 

From what I know you shouldn’t be sanding the paint but sanding the clearcoat if you’re looking to get it glossy. I think painters typically put multiple layers of clear so that they can wet sand it later.

 

Thanks guys

 

Base coat is typically only one coat. It is not intended to be sanded, only to provide the "color". The base coat should be top coated as soon as it is dry, with two or three coats of clear. If the clear is applied before the color is completely cured, the clear will molecularly cross-link to base coat. The clear is the real paint protection, and where the screw-ups (if any) will be fixed. Some orange peel is normal, and new trucks will have it. If orange peel is excessive, you can finish sand (there is technique) with 1500 grit paper, then polish out the sand scratches.

You can try polishing your new paint with compound and a random orbital polisher, but I suspect you're looking at a re-deux for good appearance. A single coat of clear will not survive finish sanding/polishing without break-through.

 

Sanded it back down and redid it.

Does look a lot better.

Thanks again