Originally Posted by mtbikerinpa
I just did one with catalyzed-urethane hardener. While it is superior, it can be prohibitive in cost for more than single color jobs. Safety equipment is not to be downplayed with such paints as well. It is a step above any enamel you have used, it's trade off being that it bonds to many things including lungs, eyes and skin permanently. For this reason, I would be reluctant to reccomend you do this unless you are ready to invest in the proper setup.
Urethane/epoxies are easy to spray and produce good gloss with good durability. In your application, however I would still reccomend a baked plain enamel. A little less scratch resistent, but still produces good results.
A respirator is required for all types of spray painting, even the stuff that comes in an aerosol can. A good quality respirator can be purchased at Home Depot for about 25 bucks. Safety glasses go for 5-10 bucks. Urethane hardener can be dangerous if absorbed through the skin, disposable plastic coveralls are also cheap to buy.
With a little precaution, catalyzed automobile paints can be successfully, and safely, used by the novice.