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Stone chips and other minor damage are not only aesthetically displeasing they look unsightly and once they begin to accumulate, especially on dark coloured car. But worse still, because the stone chips, scratches and scuffs have penetrated the clear coat, you car will be prone to rust
Sanding Tools
1. 3M Finesse-It Hand Sanding Pad is a small 1 ½-inch (36.5mm) hand held sanding pad and is used with our 3M micron abrasive discs typically to remove micro imperfections on the repaired dent, or can be used to gain a "read" of the dent by flatting the top of the dent, this usually shows any highs or lows left over.
2. Wurth Spot Sanding Pen
Repairing Paint Chips
It is important to properly set customer expectations; most people will wrongly assume that a paint touch-up repair will make the paint perfect. It won`t. You must explain that paint chip touch-up does not remove the chip; it simply makes it the same colour as the vehicle. You must make it very clear that your paint touch-up service is a quick and inexpensive alternative to going to a body shop to have a fender, hood or door repainted.If you do this correctly, you will hardly notice that chip repair and the colour should match
Why repair paint chips and scratches; to improve the vehicles appearance, to prepare vehicle for lease return, increase retail value and to protect the vehicle from further (corrosion) damage. Chips and scratches aren`t just aesthetically unpleasing, the exposed metal underneath may be prone to rusting or additional chipping. Fixing these spots with touch-up paint is an easy step in protecting your investment
If your repair paint is a good match you can slowly add layers till it`s slightly higher than the surface of the original surface. Then you can use fine sandpaper to blend it and polish the area. Of course test on a hidden or low spot on the vehicle to be sure the repair paint and the original paint will sand and polish well. If either paint doesn’t take to buffing, then the best you`ll be able to do is fill the spot with as close a match as possible and then leave well enough alone.
It’s a good idea to have a bottle of touch-up paint available so that you can immediately touch up any scratches before the corrosion process begins. Do not try to paint over rust; always treat it first by sanding or by applying rust inhibitor paint. Use rust converter as the primer coat if the scratch (chip) is down to bare metal.
Methodology
1. Apply isopropyl alcohol (ISP) to a Q-tip and dab on the rock chip or scratch a few times.
2. Take a clean towel and dry the paint chip.
3. With a utility knife cut the paint around the edge of the chip, the edge of the paint chip indentation will be slightly higher than the surrounding area and/or the edge of the chipped area may have separated from the metal surface or there could be some wax/dirt in the area or the paint may have oxidized on the edges (it is not absolutely necessary, but it does improve the results and will avoid leaving a dark outline)
4. Angle your blade toward the centre of the chip and press down gently. Work slowly and carefully, removing a small piece at a time, it’s not necessary to remove a lot of material. Sand the area with a Wurth spot sanding pen, and then clean the area with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and then allow it to dry.
5. With painters masking tape cover the area surrounding the rust spot
6. Use Nikkens â„¢3000 grit finishing paper and a Unigrit Sanding Block to remove any rust
7. Or a Proxxon Mill/Drill Unit Micromot 50/E – Handheld_Tools
8. Use an AutoSharp paint pen colour matched to your vehicle. The pen itself is very easy to use. You simply shake it, depress the felt tip a few times to start the paint flow, and then begin to "colour" paint into the damaged areas, much like you would highlight a section of text in a book.
9. Do not to try to fix the chip in one application, apply a small amount of paint and ensure that you cover a small area surrounding the ‘chip’, allow to dry, repeat over a couple of days. Once the painted area is slightly higher than paint surface, allow to dry.
10. Once completely dry, using a Nikkens™ 3000 grit finishing paper and a Unigrit Sanding Block (previously soaked for 4 hours or overnight) to ‘feather’ (see note ) and level touch-up paint with the surrounding paint surface
11. Use Woolite® or a car shampoo on the chip repair for lubrication.
12. Wet-sand the raised paint dot by using blue masking tape and a centre punch; with a 1/8-1/4 -inch hole punched into it centered over the blemish and then use Wurth Spot Sanding Pen or 1500/2500 grit sandpaper on the end of a new pencil eraser to bring the paint thickness down to the surrounding level.
13. Use a very light pressure on the sanding block, lightly wiping the area often to check your progress
14. Next, using a Nikkensâ„¢ 3000 grit finishing paper and a Unigrit Sanding Block, using the block in one direction only, feathering the edge out into the surrounding area. Wet-sand to bring the surface back to level with the surrounding area.
15. Do not use a circular motion (it will produce swirls) or a back and forth motion and ensure the sanding block is always wet
16. Keep the area well lubricated with water and shampoo; otherwise it will dull the paint. Once the surface appears level, use a block to squeegee off the excess water / slush (3Mâ„¢ Wetordryâ„¢ Rubber Squeegee, P/N 05517, 2 ¾-inch x 4 ¼-inch) If the water you are using has a high mineral content, don`t let it dry on the car, as it could leave spots which may bleed through the new paint.
17. Dry the surface with a clean towel and inspect with your fingertips.
18. If you can feel a high spot, repeat the sanding / feathering process.
19. If done correctly, you will hardly notice the repair.
20. A good car polish (Menzerna Intensive Polish or Menzerna Final Polish II ) will restore the paints lustre
21. Finally apply wax/sealant protection
Note - Paint blending is basically painting an area larger than the defect and then blending or feathering the clear to match the surrounding paint, then wet-sand to bring the surface back to level with the surrounding area.
Run Razor - This cleverly-designed tool will take care of any problem areas that crop up toward the end of the painting process. Run Razor holds standard razor blades at a precise angle to shave down semi-hardened runs, sags or dust between colour and clear coats. Just pass it gently over the surface, dialling down the blade position indicator in.001" increments until the imperfection is gone –Eastwoods
Alternative products-
1. Lanka Paint chip and scratch repair technologies, is both a chemical and mechanical process, once the touch up paint has dried, The Blob Eliminator® will re-soften the paint, and the light rubbing mechanically begins to "smooth" down the excess paint, with the touch up paint now appearing on the cloth
2. Langka and Metallic Paint-the reason metallic looks different after using the product is the metallic flakes migrate to the upper level of the paint surface while setting up. To counter this, use the blue sanding card on edge immediately after applying the touch up, like a razor. This will remove most of the touch up while the metallic flakes are still suspended evenly throughout the paint, smearing the excess across the local area. Let dry and use the Langka to wipe away the smear tail left across the original (OEM) paint. -
3. A system called Sprayless Scratch Repair
4. AutoSharp pen the pen itself is very easy to use. You simply shake it, depress the felt tip a few times to start the paint flow, and then begin to "colour" paint into the damaged areas, much like you would highlight a section of text in a book.
Note: The newly applied paint will appear darker; it will eventually lighten to match once it has been exposed to UVR
5. Dr. ColorChipâ„¢ Paint Chip Repair system
6. Touchup123- Use detailer’s clay on panel to be treated, Wipe on Final Touch Compound to prep surface, Wipe Colorfill on ENTIRE panel to cover all the blemishes, Wipe on Final Touch Compound to remove excess Colorfill, Wipe off haze of Final Touch Compound to leave a polished shiny finish, Touch up any leftover larger chips with a brush (can be built up and smoothed out later with Final Touch Compound if desired)
Metallic paints, silvers and gold’s, have to be applied with care to avoid problems with the "colour flop". Colour flop is the term given when metallic flakes in the chip reflect light giving you a lighter or darker appearance. This is a variable that cannot be controlled, for best results; shake the paint very well to get the metallic flakes evenly distributed before you apply
7. Auto Touch-Up Paint - dedicates itself to touch up paint, aerosol spray paint, and auto or car paint backed by a strong exact colour match guarantee for your basecoat/clear coat original finish. They offer touch up paint packaged in aerosol spray paint cans and touch up bottles with a brush in cap applicator as well as auto paint packaged in pints and quarts cans. Auto Touch-Up Paint
They guarantee your touch up paint or spray paint to match the original factory finish on all vehicles. Orders are custom matched to your vehicle using your original factory paint code and the highest computer technologies available. Not only is their touch up painting the exact colour; the size of metallic and pearl colour is the same in your paint.
8. Touch-Up Magic – TOTL
Application:
• Thoroughly clean each chip or scratch with a silicone remover and shampoo.
• Cover chip or scratch with touch-up paint.
• Allow paint to dry to touch, but not hard. (Time varies with paints)
• Dab-on Touch-Up Magic, wait 15-30 seconds.
• Rub across blob with a soft cloth.
• May also use plastic razor blade if necessary (included)
• After repair has completely dried (24 hours), follow with your favourite swirl remover and wax.
9. Quixx GSRS German Scratch Remover System
Paint chip repair
[Here’s a fix for the chips. Take isopropyl alcohol on a q-tip and dab in only in the rock chip or scratch a few times. Take a clean towel and dry the paint chip. Take a match out of a matchbook. Use the opposite end of the head. Dab this in touch-up paint. (Do not thin out touch-up paint) Very carefully dab a very, very minute amount in the chip. Do not get any paint anywhere other than the chip depression. The trick here is not to try to fix the chip in one application. Do this every day until the paint in the chip is even with the rest of the paint surface]. Sal Zaino’s method
CliffNotes® version
Repairing small / medium paint chip
1. Sand area to remove any rust and enable paint to ‘key’
2. Clean area with isopropyl alcohol
3. Apply a rust inhibitor (POR-15)
4. Over fill the chip by painting thin coats and allow to dry, repeat
5. Wet-sand the area with 3000 grit finishing paper
6. Polish wet-sanding marks with suitable polish
7. Apply paint protection
Touch-up or Panel Paint Supply
PaintScratch specializes in original factory touch up paint for your car, truck or SUV. We sell paint pens, touch up bottles, and spray cans and larger sizes up to a gallon. Paints are custom mixed and your color match is guaranteed. Phone orders are welcome. 800-225-2855 (toll free) 775-831-9493 (local, NV)
Prevention
One simple method to limit the damage of stone chips it to get a plastic film fitted to the areas of your car that are prone to stone chips
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