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  1. #1

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    *Cringe* - sorry couldn`t resist...



    I`ve been posting in this thread for the last few days here



    http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=67185



    and I will be trying to compound out some scratches/paint cuts next week. My question is - how should I go about this without damaging the clearcoat? I realise that I won`t be able to remove the cuts completely but I would like to reduce their appearance.



    Questions are...

    1) Any recommended products?

    2) What sort of grade/grit should I be starting out with? Followed by what? And what to finish up?

    3) How do you gauge how deep you are working?

    4) Would it be better to run a fine line of clear coat over the cuts before compounding?



    If someone could step it out for me that would be great.



    Ta



    Nick

  2. #2

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    Given the location of the cuts I would suggest using a PC and doing the best you can then leaving it alone. If you try to use a rotary there, then there is a higher chance of burning through the paint since it`s right on the edge.



    If you want to do better then a PC then it looks like your going to need to do a paint touch up and should follow the directions given on the autopia articles.

  3. #3

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    A few sorta-random thoughts that might not be the answers you`re looking for:



    I`d have it reshot by a shop that can do good blending. I`ve had repairs like that done many times on silver Audis and the results were usually at least OK. IMO you`ll forget how much it cost long before you`ll ever get used to a so-so DIY repair. But it`s easy for me to spend your money, huh?



    Otherwise, did you ever do the touch-ups that Brad recommended? Putting some clear in there might be a good idea. It never works out that well for me, but sometimes it`s better than just additional thinning of already damaged paint. I`d but some 000-00000 ("three-oh" to "five-oh") artist`s brushes so you`re applying with as much control as possible. Or use an airbrush. Its not working well for me undoubtedly has more to do with my incompetence than anything else so it might work a lot better for you.



    Whether you add clear or just abrade it, I wouldn`t use any paper harsher than 3K grit and I`d only use the Meguiar`s Unitgrit paper (yeah, it`s *that* much better) soaked in carwash solution. Then compound/polish.



    If you`re gonna do it with a PC or by hand, I`d try to track down some 3M PI-III RC (05933). Discontinued but still on the shelves at autobody/paint supply places. Follow up with something milder. Alternatives might be the stuff from Hi-Temp at TOL .

  4. #4

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    Thanks

    I have`nt tried anything yet because I am still waiting to get the film removed. It is far too difficult to work around the edge of it and I want the second cut line available to work on too.



    The plan at this stage is to hit it with some very light compounding (will try Meguiar`s Scratch X to begin with) to get the fine "non fingernail catching" cuts out of the clear coat. I might work up to a heavier compound. Then I was going to try a clear coat/touch-up 50/50 mix applied using the Langka "squeegee" method http://www.langka.com/paint_chip_rep...#repairingdeep to push some paint into the deeper cuts. Will be using Mothers "California Gold Paint Chip Repair" as an alternative because I can`t get Langka.



    Finish up with some Meguiars Deep Crystal Wetlook to seal it all in...



    Any thoughts???

  5. #5

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    Well - the film is off... the shop actually ran a brush line of metallic touch up over the top when they had removed it. It looked pretty ordinary (matt colour and matt to the touch) so I just Langka`d it off when I got home, followed by a decent rub with Meguiar`s Scratch X (this didn`t do much), followed by Meguiar`s Wet Look Polymer Sealant. So now it is nice and glossy, but the cuts are still there (albeit slightly fainter).



    So - next plan of attack (open to suggestions here guys...)



    When I Langka`d the touch up off, it just cleaned what little paint there was in the cuts (these things are damn fine) so I don`t think the Langka squeegee method will work too well - these cuts just won`t hold paint!



    So based on recommendations here (thanks guys) I could;

    1) Carefully lay some clear down over the deepest cuts and let it be...

    2) Try a heavier compound and/or some very light wet sanding (3K Grit - thanks Accumulator). Wetsanding scares the crap out of me though especially on an edge like this though - don`t want to kill my clearcoat... Has anyone tried the Langka Wetsand 2000 Kit? What are the Part A and B? Just compound?



    Votes please!

  6. #6

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    Well, I`d still take it to a good paintshop and get it fixed right



    But otherwise you might try combining your two proposed solutions. Put the clear on, let it dry, wetsand with 3k, then polish out the sanding scratches. Try to only sand the new clear.

  7. #7

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    Just an update... I have emailed a few friends the photos I have been posting here, then showed them the damage in person and they have been surprised how "bad" it looked in the photos. So I thought I would post some new photos that give a better perspective.



    This might help explain too why I don`t think I am going to be able to get any paint in these suckers and that with the exception of a full respray, compounding / wet sanding seems to be my only option. Looking at these photos in relation to the older ones it seems like the few washes and polishes might have taken the edges off the cuts a little.



    I have ordered some rubbing compound from Paintscratch.com and plan to have a go with that (I tried Meguiars ScratchX) to see if I can reduce appearance.



    Because of the metallics, they are barely noticable in the bright light (see photos) - the cuts appear to be white in the bright light, and black in the shade. Can you tell which coats they have gone into from this?



    Any thoughts anyone?
    Attached Images Attached Images

  8. #8

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    Sorry - below the red line in each is a zoom shot...

  9. #9
    Brad B's Avatar
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    You had asked at one point if an airbrush pro could help out the situation...These scratches could possibly be helped by airbrush- it may be the only way to get paint into the shallow cuts. (When painted by brush and then followed up by compounding to remove the blob sometimes it just wipes back off. Be sure, as mentioned above, to get the 000+ artist brushes.) Anyway, the airbrush can get a fine coating of paint into tiny voids. Then you can "lightly" polish away the overspray up to the affected area so color match/blending is not such an issue. BUT, airbrush will not bring the scratch up to "level" with the top surface. Make sense? The only way to get airbrush to fill in a chip is with repeated layering and paint build up such as I did on the chip on my Porsche.



    Porsche chip incident:

    http://autopia.org/forum/showthread....ht=chip+repair



    Doing this process on every scratch you have may be an impossible task. But you should check into airbrush experts in your area and ask their opinion.



    I am surprised that painters are unwilling to help you...the process would require a localized color blend fix and then a clearcoat to the entire panel involved. It is a big deal and $$. I would also be surprised if you couldn`t get the film installer guy to pay for this. It is HIS fault. Tell him you are getting your insurance company involved and you may get more action or $$ from him.



    I would be anxious to see how things improve (hopefully) after you work on it with some polish/abrasives. An orbital buffer is your best bet. Maybe a local detailer can help you there.



    Sorry that we can`t come up with a sure bet fix. It`s hard for us car lovers to live with imperfection...especially when caused by somebody else. :hairpull
    The Stable
    2017 Audi TTS
    2014 Porsche Carrera S
    2017 Porsche Macan GTS
    1996 Porsche Carrera 4S

  10. #10

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    SenojNW- Sorry, I`d forgotten the specifics of the situation. But still, as Brad said, the only solution for this one is to add paint in one way or the other.



    Heh heh, Brad`s work on his Porsche was just unspeakably impressive I know my way around my Paasche airbrush, but no way could I do nearly as well. I get it out, look the the car in question, and put the airbrush back away.



    Back to my/our same-old-same-old answer: find a pro, pay the bucks, try to get the money back from the guys who caused the problem. That`s the kind of job that my painters would love to tackle, had something very similar done on my wife`s silver A8 just a little while ago.

 

 

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