Brutally Hard Paint

Gonzo · 03-07-05, 04:30

I was polishing a white Lightning yesterday (http://www.haloclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=11565) that had after market hard tonneau and shaker hood - both fibreglass contstruction. I started on the tonneau with an orange pad and Menzerna PG being spun with my Metabo. NADA. OK, up to yellow cutting pad. NADA. OK, move on to DACP and cranked up the RPM to the #4 setting. NADA. I ended up using a wool pad and High Temp's Extreme Cut Leveller at about 4.5... Some of the small scratches disappeared but none of the larger ones did. It would barely hologram! Pretty much the same on the hood.

MB needs to toss the PPG cerimaclear the use this stuff! BTW, the paint is about 1 1/2 years old, so pre-dates the Ceramiclear's availability.

Suggestions for my next detail on this kind of finish?

TOGWT · 03-07-05, 05:46

Some scratches are beyond the capabilities of a PC and require the use of a HS Rotary (speed + heat makes a major difference)...
JonM

Gonzo · 03-07-05, 05:47

Metabo IS a rotary, just not a Makita.

Setec Astronomy · 03-07-05, 05:54

Gonzo, are you sure it's not a gelcoat? That's different than paint, I think...they put it in the mold before they lay up the fiberglass...others on here know more/how to treat it.

Gonzo · 03-07-05, 06:27

Setec,
Maybe on the hard tonneau - I wouldn't know gelcoat if I tripped over it.

The hood, on the other had was painted, twice, to match to Oxford White color of the Lightning. The only explanation I could come up with at the time was that the paint used was a SS white = titanium oxide pigment. Everyone know how tough titanium is (Mike Phillips even wrote a whole dissertation about it some time back). The truck owner will be persuing the hood paint issue with the body shop sometime this week and get me info on how to "de-marr" it. When I find out, so will everyone else.

Accumulator · 03-07-05, 08:25

Quote:

Originally posted by Gonzo
The only explanation I could come up with at the time was that the paint used was a SS white = titanium oxide pigment. Everyone know how tough titanium is ...

That's what I was thinking when I read the initial post. Let us know what you find out.

TOGWT · 03-09-05, 08:18

Try 3M Automotive, Marine and Aerospace : 3M™ Marine Fiberglass ...Designed to remove HEAVY oxidation, chalking, fading, minor scratches, rust and exhaust stains; plus provide protection on fiberglass/gelcoat.
JonM

Artificial-I · 03-09-05, 10:40

Im wondering the same as Ive worked on a few CF (carbon fiber) hoods and they have gelcoats. Even last night I DACP'd a gelcoat on a CF hood twice and the scratches were barely even phazed.