Camron,

I am in the same boat you are.

I am using brightside black (after an attempt with some orange paint I didnt like the color of). I, too, am working outside and there is no way a final coat will look good by itself. Way too much dust and bugs in the air. I have also sanded it, mostly with 1000, down to a pretty uniform dark satiny grey color. I will try polishing it next to see what I can come up with.

When I rinse off the trunk with water after wetsanding, it looks absolutely sick! super shiny and reflective, as good as any factory paint job, a few small ripples but no orange peel. Im just hoping i can get that effect by polishing enough. That is what I should expect if I can polish it absolutely smooth, correct?

Actually, doesnt a clear coat essentially act the same as a layer of water? If I used a clear, should I expect to see what I saw when the trunk was wet?