Dull paint questions & applying compound by hand...

[qwik]

I have recently got a new paint job and on the inside of the fenders where there is a lip for the hood to close into. Anyway its pretty dull looking, so i tried to apply some 3M Finesse-IT II finishing material for fiberglass (to bring the shine up) and it didn't do much. It also feels very rough, i am not at home now so i can't send pictures but i will respond with some.



Its a very thin area maybe an inch or 2 at the most so it would be hard to get a machine in there and i don't have one either, so i was wondering what i need to fix this. Do i need to color sand that area? Do i need to use a heavy duty polishing compound? If so what kind? Can i use the polishing compound by hand? Thanks.

 

[jr weeks]

From your description, it sounds like you have some "dry spray" paint and overspray on there, where the painter didn't apply enough paint in order for it to "flow out" and gloss over. It's not uncommon in underhood and out of the way areas of a car. I see it on door jambs a lot in my work.



If it were me, i'd colorsand it to remove the rough feeling top paint, then compound and polish by hand. It won't be easy access, but with perseverence, it can be made to look good. Best of luck.



P.S. Wet sand with 1500 or 2000 and go easy-just enough to remove the rough feeling paint.

 

[shaf]

Yeah, it could be overspray. Try a search for this to see more options. :up

 

[qwik]

ok thanks guys for the advice, i bet that is what it is too. BTW this is on the sidewall of the fender, so its close to the top of the fender which is nice and shiney etc, if i accidently get some sanding onto that area will it be ok since its so fine a grit? I can polish that out aswell correct? Thanks

 

[jr weeks]

It won't matter if you accidently wet sand some of the area outside of what you're trying to fix because you'll be using rubbing compound then polishing compound on the sanded area regardless, and you'll need to blend the polished area with the rest of the panel. You will just buff out anywhere the sandpaper touches, in order to bring up the shine. You can of course tape off any adjacent areas that you want to avoid.



If you need specific advice on wetsanding and then buffing it out after, just speak up, don't be bashful. It's your baby, you want to have the utmost confidence in what you're doing with it. We're here to help.



If you're scared to attempt wetsanding, you can buy a heavy cut cleaner compound that approximates the sandpaper grit. You'll still have to follow it with less abrasive polishes to bring back the clarity.

 

[qwik]

Guitarman - thanks fo the support and advice. I might try the heavy cut compound route first just to see what results i achieve. Just like everyone recommends use the least abrassive method first hehe. What compound would your recommend?

 

[jr weeks]

Some choices;



If you want to err on the side of caution; 3M Perfect- It II Rubbing Compound.



If that doesn't get rid of the bad paint, then you will have to get more aggressive with;





3M Super Duty Rubbing Compound (heavy cut) or Meguiar's #85 Diamond Cut compound is also pretty aggressive , it will be fairly equivalent to 2500-3000 grit paper. That or #4 Heavy Cut Cleaner. Most of those are of the "diminishing abrasives" type compounds that break down finer so as not to scour the paint. They are generally also made for use by machine, but they can work via hand also.



I think something along those lines would be better for you, because wet sanding takes a bit of practice at first, and mistakes do happen.

Try them with moderate to light pressure (if by hand) at first, so you can get a baseline on what you're doing. Spray some isopropyl alcohol onto the area and wipe after you do each step. Follow any of those up with Meguiars DACP (Dual Action Cleaner Polish) Or 3M Finesse It II Finishing Material, and then lastly even a really fine swirl remover for ultimate finish clarity. Be aware, you may have to repeat the compound and especially polish steps more than once to get good results by hand. It will take some grunting to remove overspray / glazed paint this way.



Best of luck.