restoring data plates

[steve-0]

i made my first try at restoring my data plates.

i first removed the paint with paint stripper. then set them on a thick steel table and wacked them a few times with a rubber dead blow hammer to straighten them.

i then painted them with rustoleum gloss black.
using 220 sand paper i focused on the raised letters and border.

i tried after to buff out the paint but it didnt work.
i kind of like the paint  a little dull like this.

im sure there are things to improve upon here. any advice?

[Outsider]

Rustoleum should buff out using buffing compound as that is what I used. Make sure the paint is good and dry (like a couple of weeks old) before you buff them out. Rustoleum takes a long time to dry hard. I like to put parts out in the sun for a couple of days to help the process along.

Oh, and use 400+ wet sand paper so the scratches aren't so deep.

Steve

[dwhite]

I've had good luck using flat black enamel first.  Then, after cleaning up the raised letters, follow up with a clear coat in a mat finish. 

[steve-0]

thanks for the replies.

i only waited until the next day before i started sanding. also the sand paper i used was 150 grit not 220.
i think both of these things contributed to a bad finish.

i tried to clear coat these but the scratches still show through. also i put a heavy coat of clear and it started to curtle the paint in places on the main data plate. i think if i had put a light coat and recoated later i would have been ok.

im going to start over.