paint coverage question

[mikemo]

I'm a rookie and am looking for some advice on paint coverage. I'm going to paint the targa top from an old Honda Del Sol this weekend. It is approx. 4'x2'.
The part is aluminum and moderately faded. I plan on cleaning, sanding with 400, applying epoxy primer, then bc/cc.

It is a metallic pearl "captiva blue pearl" B62P bc/cc. Dupont says "2 medium wet coats" and a "mist coat" in conjuction with the final coat for metallic colors.

I'm fairly sure I understand the "medium wet coat", but what exactly is a "mist coat"? Is it applied right after the second coat, just backing the gun away and misting the entire panel? Any advice will be appreciated.

I bought 1 quart of paint (dupont nason b/c) that will be mixed 8-1/2-4. How much do you think I should mix to lay down the two medium wet coats? I have two cheap HVLP guns, the harbor freight regular gravity feed and the detail gravity feed. I was going to use the detail gun for this part, unless you think I should use the full size gun.

One more question: I've never painted a metallic before. The paint supplier always gives me these white filter cones with my paint, and I've always used them to filter the paint into the gun cup. Should I use these with the metallic color or will it filter out my flake?

Thanks again guys for any help you can provide. I'm really looking forward to doing this on Saturday.
Regards,
Mike M.

[tugboat]

Gday mikemo! the way dupont has suggested is correct to a degree. coverage is different with every color so i'd suggest you try a test panel or a test card from your local paint shop which has a checkered pattern which should give you a decent idea as to how your color is going to cover. application differs between painters but my general rule of thumb is to apply medium coats until i believe the color to be covered. when the last coat is just starting to get an eggshell like gloss i will apply a half coat usually 1 and a half to 2 times the distance from the panel as this will help get rid of any cloudyness (mottle) and stripes in your color from uneven application. being a blue (assuming it medium to dark) you shouldn't have to many problems in regards to orange peel in the basecoat. hope i have been of some assistance! Cheers Tugboat!!!:) :) :) P.S the paper cone strainers you mentioned will be fine. it's usually only heavy(coarse metalflakes) that require a coarser strainer.

[Chris L]

I would mix up 8 ounces first,assuming your base mixes 1-1 with reducer.That will give you plenty to put one coat on..once you have that first coat on,dump your paint out and see how many ounces you used.If you used 4 ounces,then you have enough for your second coat,and the third will take about half that amount since it will be put on lighter.Make sense?For my mist coat,i just back up about 10 inches away and make sure my fan is wide pattern..still keeping steady strokes all the way across,overlapping each one about 50% and that will make your metalic look even.