If this isn't in the right area, please feel free to move it.

I have discovered my most recent paint job turned out kind of pebbly. I attribute this to the paint drying before actually hitting the model and have made that adjustment to the way I airbrush, but that is not the question.

How do I fix the pebbly paint job? Everywhere I google, it always talks about sanding the clearcoat. I don't want to clearcoat a garbage paint base.

What do?

Charlie, your only true option is to sand the basecoat, re-apply, then clearcoat. You may not need to sand off the basecoat entirely, just use fine sand paper to get it past the pebbly surface-- or better yet, when this happens to me, I like to fall back on my old standby of #oooo steel wool. I find it works better than sandpaper since it conforms nicely to curvatures. The idea is to eliminate the pebbly surface, not to remove the paint, so go lightly. However, after using steel wool, you need to rinse the model in running water, let it air dry, then give it a quick few shots of 50-60 PSI air to make sure all the dust, any remaining water, and steel wool fibers are removed. Make sure you do this step in a relatively dust-free environment. Then re-paint in light coats, let dry, and then apply your clear coat.
VR, Russ

Totally agree with Russ. Wet sand with fine sanding sponge or wet/dry paper, careful to avoid sanding off any details, until your surface is smooth, then a couple more light coats of paint.
Personally I haven’t tried the Steel Wool, but there are plenty of modelers that I know that use it a lot.

Cheers, D

So is the steel wool a replacement for a sanding sponge? Only asking because the former is a lot easier to acquire than the latter.

I would say yes-- because I've never found a sanding sponge that conforms well enough to the curvature of the surface being sanded, or to get into tight places. I use the finest steel wool I can get, and go gently in circular motions with it. It can also be cut it in small sections too, to get into smaller areas. And it's easier to hold onto. I have an old "Sonic care" electric toothbrush that I've cut the bristles down by about half, and I apply a small "patch" of steel wool to the bristles (the shortened bristles hold it in place) which can then be used in tight places. Make sure your steel wool is at least #oooo grade or higher. That's about the finest grade you can commonly buy in a hardware stores, but I have seen finer #ooooo in specialty auto shops in the paint section. The trick is not to rub the surface too hard-- just enough to "polish out" the paint to a smother surface.
VR, Russ

That is a super idea, a mini detail sander/polisher! I will be hunting down a cheapie to have a play with this. Thanks for the tip Russ.

Cheers, D

Damian, yes it works very well-- I also have several different "heads" that came with the Sonic Care brush, some of which I've adopted for sandpaper patches too. But I use those primarily for puttied seams and bare plastic sanding. The Sonic Care brush is very expensive, and frankly, I think you can do better with some of the battery powered toothbrushes that have a circular pad in the middle. The only reason I put my Sonic-Care to use this way was because my dentist recommended I stop using it because it's so powerful it might have been damaging my teeth enamel. So I was trying to think of ways I could use it and I came up with the idea of using it for sanding and polishing. It's all self contained, with a rechargeable internal lithium battery, which is nice, but I think you can do just as well with one with expendable batteries. Try it, you'll like it-- and it sure saves on "elbow grease"-- but it's not real good for large shaping projects-- you still need to put some effort into those!
VR, Russ

I love asking questions and getting all these secrets of the trade!!

Wife runs a dentist office so we get free sonic care stuff all the time!! Might have to disappear a brush!

From what I have been looking at, I don't think the pebbling is as bad as I thought it was. It looks almost identical to that Ferrari posted in the other thread. It just feels a little rough to the touch. I think I am gonna clear is with some duplicolor clear and see what I can do.

Worst case, I have that three step polish and I can polish it up real nice!