Overspray Removal Advice

**RAG** · 01-05-2006, 05:42 PM

Clay or solvent...which is better for overspray removal? What do you do about the plastic and rubbber trim? In the past, I`ve usually just clayed overspray off, then buffed the paint to remove any marring. But I`ve also used solvent to get overspray off. I`ve removed overspray off a few cars in my day, but nothing on this scale...so I need to be as efficient as possibly if I`m going to make it work as described below.

Here are the particulars: visited a business today that is located next to a body shop that got overspray on ALL the cars in the area. The body shop started removing the overspray on these cars till people started getting pissed off at the hack job they were doing on their cars. Somehow they "settled" and came to a comprimise whereby the body shop would pay (they are now saying $175) to have an outside detailer remove the overspray. There are 39 cars. I can have the job if I want it. The secretary handling the matter told me people weren`t willing to pay over this amount - normally I wouldn`t even consider this, but it is a slow time of year and I`ve only lived in this area for a few months, so I could use the work. I told her I would try a couple cars, but if the removal proves too time consuming, I would defer the work to someone else. I went to the location and looked at the secretary`s car - it had a heavy dose of overspray everywhere on the car.

I "practiced" on a couple spots on her car. First I used a solvent given to me by my former place of work (I don`t know what kind it is). It took quite a bit of solvent and rubbing to do the trick, and it definitely dulled the clear a bit, but it worked. I then tried some Opti-Clay. Also worked and seemed to take about the same amount of time as the solvent, with the downside being that I`d probably discard a bar of clay per car and, or course, it left some marring even though I kneaded the clay frequently. A third option I could try would be to use my rotary with a wool pad and compound - I would still have to use solvent or clay on the windows. Whichever method, I plan on doing a quick polish with the rotary after it`s removed.

Clay or solvent? If solvent, which kind? What about plastic and rubber?

If I can manage to average about 4 hours per car, I`ll do all 39. Otherwise, forget about it. :nono

**SpoiledMan** · 01-05-2006, 06:06 PM

Whatever you do will have to include an exterior wash and I`d say you`re hard pressed to wash 4 cars an hour let alone wash, clay and polish them. You might be looking at something more like 4 hours per car if you can get a system down that`s both effective and quick. If you can find some low cost help you can make some decent money on this otherwise.......

EDIT: I think I remember reading that Clearkote`s Blue Moose Cutting Cream is a good over spray remover.

**RAG** · 01-05-2006, 06:31 PM

Spoildmand...that`s what I said - 4 hours per car. Usually, I spend about 5 hours to clay, polish, and wax - Done right.

No worries though.

**SpoiledMan** · 01-05-2006, 06:34 PM

Sorry, I`m a little under the weather right now and not processing things quite right.

**David Fermani** · 01-05-2006, 08:47 PM

I know this thought will scare most people on this forum, but when I`ve done dozens of overspray jobs, I`ve used 4000 grit sandpaper. Yeah, your saying sandpaper??? Yes, It`s 4000 grit from a company called Micro Surface Finishing Products and it barely mars the paint. They make sandpaper up to 12,000 grit. It`s equivelent to using red clay, but works much better and faster for this type of application. You can literally wet sand a whole car in less than an hour. I`ve used this sandpaper on light color cars that did not have overspray and just waxed them afterwards. You can used it wet or DRY. The key to this product is the backing of the sandpaper. It`s layed on soft cloth and absorbs the friction of each stroke. I dare you to try it, even if it`s too late for this one.

**RAG** · 01-05-2006, 09:06 PM

I`ll try anything once. Actually, this could be an approach worth trying. I can repolish a car that`s been sanded with 3000 in short order with a rotary, so I`ll bet 4000 could be polished out it one step?

It`s not too late...they don`t get the $$ from the body shop for several days.

I guess I`ll try to order some tomorrow.

**David Fermani** · 01-05-2006, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by RAG

I`ll try anything once. Actually, this could be an approach worth trying. I can repolish a car that`s been sanded with 3000 in short order with a rotary, so I`ll bet 4000 could be polished out it one step?

It`s not too late...they don`t get the $$ from the body shop for several days.

I guess I`ll try to order some tomorrow.

http://www.micro-surface.com/

Yes, one step with a foam pad NO problem. Some black cars are easier to just wool pad. You won`t believe how soft the paint feels once your done. It`s way smoother than clay guaranteed. When you get the sandpaper PM me and I`ll tell you about a few tricks and secrets to using it.

**SpoiledMan** · 01-05-2006, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by David Fermani

Some black cars are easier to just wool pad.

OK now, come on. This is destined to leave a horribly swirled finish that will be displeasing to at least some customers and I`ll bet about 99.9% of the people on this forum. This sounds like the "hack" work that many of us have to repair time and time again. Please tell me you finish with something other than a wool pad. Please! :think:

**David Fermani** · 01-05-2006, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by SpoiledMan

OK now, come on. This is destined to leave a horribly swirled finish that will be displeasing to at least some customers and I`ll bet about 99.9% of the people on this forum. This sounds like the "hack" work that many of us have to repair time and time again. Please tell me you finish with something other than a wool pad. Please! :think:

No. What I mean is sometimes you will need to wool pad on a black car 1st, and THEN FOAM PAD IT!!! That`s what takes out those "horrible swirls". Then if you`d like, final wax it. They are not paying for protection, there paying to put their cars back to the condition it was in prior to this accident.

**Bradley** · 01-05-2006, 09:28 PM

I did a Volvo SUV that had paint overspray all over the outside. I used Clay Magic (fine) with plenty of lub. I had to clay the entire vehicle twice including the exterior of the windows. It got all of the overspray off. It`s obvious though that the paint overspray you are dealing with will take a lot more effort to get off.

**David Fermani** · 01-05-2006, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by Bradley

I did a Volvo SUV that had paint overspray all over the outside. I used Clay Magic (fine) with plenty of lub. I had to clay the entire vehicle twice including the exterior of the windows. It got all of the overspray off. It`s obvious though that the paint overspray you are dealing with will take a lot more effort to get off.

You should have tried Auto Magic`s red clay. It has more bite.

**RAG** · 01-05-2006, 09:36 PM

Bradley...The one car I looked at was pretty bad - it just happened to be the secretary`s car who was helping me. I`d bet some are worse (yikes) and some probably aren`t too bad (in which case I`ll probably just clay and buff). It could turn out that claying is the best procedure.

I guess nobody likes the solvent idea?

**David Fermani** · 01-05-2006, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by RAG

I guess nobody likes the solvent idea?

Solvent works very well on some moldings and tight spots. I prefer virgin laquer thinner the best. Believe it or not, Goof Off is safe on lots or parts too(some interior trim, fabric, aluminum wheels).

**RAG** · 01-05-2006, 09:44 PM

Spoildman...LOL. That post was funny. Nah, I`m a perfectionist. I`d never, ever, EVER, let a car go out with buffer swirls.

David F, I think you might be on to something. For $125 they are paying for overspray removal, not a complete detail. Now that you mention it, the girl did say "what if you didn`t do all the extras like the tires and stuff"? I didn`t give it any thought because, well, I`m a perfectionist and I always want my details leaving perfect. BUT, in this case, clay (or sand), polish, and be done would fly for me. Maybe do a 10 minute application of Optimum Wax and put some tire dressing on. But that`s it, I``m going to have to not get carried away. And depending on the wheels, I don`t think I`ll be able to clay the wheels for this price (I had to clay my own Gianelle wheels thanks to the bodyshop and it was a huge pain).