My thoughts exactly and then some. The hardest (and most frustrating) part of the roller painting method is experimenting and getting the right mix and right 'feel' for applying the paint.

I am on week 2 of my project and after 6 coats and 6 wet sandings have finally started to get the hang of it. Once you do, the paint will lay on like glass and will equal and even exceed most factory or aftermarket spray jobs. If you go one 1step further, such as Aussie Driver, Marq, and others have done with the focus on polishing, your paint will be both flawless and stunning with a mirror like finish. I finally did a panel this way yesterday with compound and then polish, and was absolutely blown away with the finish. My negative neighbor who happened by and has a car being painted as we speak, ($6000.00) worth, was actually speechless.

Bottom line is this for naysayers or those who feel intimidated. It works, and it works well, and it is very inexpensive. The whole key is time and patience, and you should really practice on an old fender or deck lid before starting (I didn't).

The most rewarding part of this (other than having a spectacular paint job), is knowing I did it and there are no issues with the paint or body, and I saved $4000.00. Again, practice, practice, get frustrated, and practice, and eventually you get the hang of it. Once you do, your confidence level will soar and you CAN do this.

A few lessons learned:

1. Buy good sand paper such as 3M. Stay away from the junk Harbor Freight sells, it aint worth it.

2. If painting outside (NOT RECOMMENDED), any flying insect within 10 miles will sniff out your freshly laid paint.

3. If you get orange peel, sand and then next coat thin it down more. I had to go 75-25.

4. Wet sanding is no fun but necessary to properly prepare your vehicle for each coat.

5. After much research on these boards and other searches, I chose Brightside paint. After researching, I came to the conclusion that it is probably a better paint to use than sprayed auto paint due to its repairability, UV resistance, and Teflon additives.

6. It has cost me about $200.00 to do a very large vehicle. $140.00 for paint and $60.00 for chemicals, rollers, and sand paper.

7. Work neatly and have a well laid out area with plenty of room.

So bottom line is: stay focused, be patient, and don't be discouraged. Naysayers tend to really motivate me and take things one step further. I am
extremely pleased and self satisfied with my roller job and will post pictures early next week to hopefully motivate others who may be apprehensive about the roller method.