I stripped a rod this afternoon and painted it with automotive paint in a spray can from fleet farm and then spar varnish in a spay can also from fleet farm. Is this going to work alright? And it looks good now, but is it going to look good a year or two down the road?

It won't be extremely durable, but it will be okay. It really all depends on how the user handles it. Some will beat it to death in a single season. Others will still have it looking nice 5 years down the road.

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I've got about 20 rods out with customers that are painted and Tom's exactly right, it depends on how well they take care of it. Some look almost like they did the day they were painted after more than a year and others look like crap in less than 6 months. I'd use 3 or 4 good coats of clear and allow the rod to cure for at least a week before using it or giving it to a customer. I typically use a automotive clear. and have not used Spar Varnish, so let us know how it holds up.

permagloss would have been a better coating over the paint. If it did not react to it.

Bill - willierods.com

What paints does Permagloss not react too? I have not found any yet though I really haven't researched issue either. Any recommendations?

Lou
the incompatibility issues are typically with the thinners used in the automotive spray can type paints.
Allowing them to fully dry & giving them plenty of time to do that , before using a urethane Top coat clear is the key to minimising problems.

Myself, I prefer to us a completely compatible 2K Urethane system of base coat & 2-pack topcoat for maximised durability.

i paint my blanks with Duplicolor auto paint and after a day drying I coat with permagloss. You have to be quick and I only put one wet coat on. Works well

Bill - willierods.com

I painted a blank this last weekend using 2 light coats of Duplicolor paint (I believe their paints are acrylic lacquer) followed by 2 light coats of Duplicolor clear coat.
Finished it off by polishing it with white automotive polishing compound. The finish came out VERY nice. After the wrap and epoxy I will wax the rod with good old-fashioned paste wax.

I will let you know in a few years on the durability! ;-)


Walt

I have found that the Duplicolor spray is the way to go short of having a body shop do it with all 2k type paints. I prep first with a wet sand of 800 grit (if it's over the factory clear) then use Adhesion promoter and then shoot the color no more then 3 coats and let dry. I like it to set at least 48 hrs. Then I wet sand with 1000 to smooth. Then I shoot a 2K clear on . You can use regular duplicolor clear and it's fine but can be a bit brittle when it drys, It won't crack but can scratch off kind of easy. The 2K clear (2 Part ureathane) is what body shops use. I have tested this on an old glass rod and beat it to death. It won't chip or crack easy and is crystal clear!!

Does the 2k 2 part finished require mixing at the time of application, or can it be purchased at the Auto Paint store and put in spray cans?

There is a product that you can get that comes in a spray can and it is a true two part finish but it's a little $$ and you must use all of it in 24hrs. You could paint 4 or 5 rods at three coats each with all that's in the can. You also could buy a pint or quart at a auto paint supply with all the reducers and flex agent if you like and spray with air brush or an auto jamb gun. Problem... the equipment!!
I use the can right now and plan out a few blanks and grips to paint all at once. I'm in motion to go the spray gun method so I can tint (for see thru finish) with any color instead of the few I use now. One thing is the fumes... You MUST use a resperator when you spray this and do it outside or have a place away from others.
For the once and a while paint job most could just slip a $$ to your local body shop to spray it up for you. This paint is so far the best type I have found for coating rods! I'll never use Permagloss again for this job. I paint alot... blanks, Grips etc... and this for me is the best way to go.

Hmm, I own a cup gun and an air compressor. I'm just not sure how much effort I want to invest in this if the Duplicolor does the job...