Quick update on this - I stuck with the regular non-ferrous primer (as I have a couple of cans of the stuff) and made sure that I rubbed it down properly with an old sock to knock the dusty texture off the primer coat. Then it was 2 light coats of black gloss followed by one slightly heavier coat - now I'm totally getting what Magicniner was saying in his post on the previous page... You've really got to watch for that fine line between the paint building up into a layer just thick enough to give you a glossy coat - too much more after that and I can see that it would have run. Luckily I was paying attention and the finish came out pretty sweet...

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