(QUOTE) If I could just find somebody with a booth who would be willing to teach me, I would be willing to do all the work and pay for the materials. But people act like it is some kind of holy secret.

I understand what your saying. From the other side of the fence it is a little different, at least for people who earn their living doing this.

This is my livelyhood, not a hobby. I often have some customers who want to help, so they can save some money. I've tried it, but there are a couple problems with that.

It takes me longer to show someone how to do something, than to do it myself, then they take twice as long to get it done, then I have to check their work closely to make sure it's okay, and redo part of it.

Also they want me to plan my work schedule so they can be here. Now I have hours, or even days that I have to wait for them, often losing working time. Too many days of sitting around, and they shut my electricity off! :-) Just not a good situation for full time painters at all.

Here are a couple tips:
You can buy a spray gun pretty damn cheap, like $30 bucks, that will work better than a spray can. I know you can save money on the paint. I just bought a quart of Ace Hardware "Rust Stop" satin black alkyd enamel and a quart of reducer for $13. It is probably as good as the best rattle can paint you can buy. That's got to be way less than you are paying for spraycans of paint, and you'll get a better job from a spray gun.

Now you need to rent, or borrow a friend's compressor and hose, and find a place to work, and it does not need to be a professional booth. Some sanding and masking materials, and your in business.