How do I get rid of raised paint lines left over by tape after touchups?

C

corvetteman71

New member
How do I get rid of raised paint lines left over by the taped area after touchups?

Do I wet sand then compound then polish?

If so what grit sand paper? and in what order?

Thanks in advance.
 
corvetteman71- This might be tricky...there shouldn`t really be any "tape lines". IF it`s b/c paint, I dunno how you`d feather it out to level it without exposing basecoat.

WAS it b/c paint or a single-stage touchup paint? (If the latter, I`d suggest leveling it chemically with something like Langka.)

Was the touchup sprayed or brushed/etc.? (Hoping the latter.)

Wetsanding is perhaps the #1 situation where people do really awful damage in an attempt to fix something. I`m sure not against it (and I`ve done it countless times), but I can`t help but think "if you have to ask, you probably shouldn`t try it on anything you care about", just because of how so many people do so much damage with it.

DO NOT use anything coarser than 2K. Even one stroke too many with that can precipitate the need to repaint. 2K can finish out OK with a decent compound like M101, but 4K is much easier. But again, I really don`t think you should try it, and I`m *absolutely NOT* insulting your intelligence when I say that.
 
Accumulator said:
corvetteman71- This might be tricky...there shouldn`t really be any "tape lines". IF it`s b/c paint, I dunno how you`d feather it out to level it without exposing basecoat.

WAS it b/c paint or a single-stage touchup paint? (If the latter, I`d suggest leveling it chemically with something like Langka.)

Was the touchup sprayed or brushed/etc.? (Hoping the latter.)

Wetsanding is perhaps the #1 situation where people do really awful damage in an attempt to fix something. I`m sure not against it (and I`ve done it countless times), but I can`t help but think "if you have to ask, you probably shouldn`t try it on anything you care about", just because of how so many people do so much damage with it.

DO NOT use anything coarser than 2K. Even one stroke too many with that can precipitate the need to repaint. 2K can finish out OK with a decent compound like M101, but 4K is much easier. But again, I really don`t think you should try it, and I`m *absolutely NOT* insulting your intelligence when I say that.
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Thanks so much for your help. I did mess up a sand job years ago. Honestly this was one bad touchup after another with a brush. I had tape surrounding it to play it as safe as possible. I had a paint leveler like Lanka years ago. They sold it in PepBoys for like $7 but they dont anymore. I can buy Langka but my fear is they will take most the touch up paint with the lines.
 
corvetteman- Ah, OK...a brushed touch-up! I`d revisit the Langka. The worst that can happen is that it`ll take you back to square-one and you`ll, heh heh...have an excuse to redo the touchups better :D

I bet you can do fine regarding the surrounding paint without the taping...give it some thought, and *use magnification*. There I go again, spending somebody else`s money, but using tiny artist`s brushes or the little disposable ones (now available in various sizes) under magnification is really the way to go. You`d be amazed how easy it makes things. Minimal "blobage" to sort with the Langka, easy-peasy compared to wetsanding as long as you`re willing to aim for "much better" rather than perfection.

I`ve even progressed to where I`ll prep rusty chips *with a diamond burr on a rotary tool* (YIKES!!) as long as I`m wearing my illuminated magnifying visor...and between my risk-averse nature and all my, uhm... adventures in Ophthalmology... that`s really saying something!
 
Accumulator said:
corvetteman- Ah, OK...a brushed touch-up! I`d revisit the Langka. The worst that can happen is that it`ll take you back to square-one and you`ll, heh heh...have an excuse to redo the touchups better :D

I bet you can do fine regarding the surrounding paint without the taping...give it some thought, and *use magnification*. There I go again, spending somebody else`s money, but using tiny artist`s brushes or the little disposable ones (now available in various sizes) under magnification is really the way to go. You`d be amazed how easy it makes things. Minimal "blobage" to sort with the Langka, easy-peasy compared to wetsanding as long as you`re willing to aim for "much better" rather than perfection.

I`ve even progressed to where I`ll prep rusty chips *with a diamond burr on a rotary tool* (YIKES!!) as long as I`m wearing my illuminated magnifying visor...and between my risk-averse nature and all my, uhm... adventures in Ophthalmology... that`s really saying something!
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I will buy the Langka as you advised. I welcome your advice. I actually have to buy a spray also for my front bumper cover. Probably 2-3 cans so I may spray some in a cup and use a artist brush as you advise.
 
corvetteman71 said:
I will buy the Langka as you advised. I welcome your advice. I actually have to buy a spray also for my front bumper cover. Probably 2-3 cans so I may spray some in a cup and use a artist brush as you advise.
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Hey, that "spray into container, use brush" is a great way to do it! And the paint in cans doesn`t go bad as fast as the little bottles (as long as you remember to clear the nozzle when done).

For the bumpercover, you gonna pull it off to paint it? You gonna use a Flex Additive? Those are some things worth considering there, even though they sure don`t make the job easier!

EDIT: Oh, and I appreciate that you welcomed my advice. I sometimes wonder how I come across online...
 
Accumulator said:
Hey, that "spray into container, use brush" is a great way to do it! And the paint in cans doesn`t go bad as fast as the little bottles (as long as you remember to clear the nozzle when done).

For the bumpercover, you gonna pull it off to paint it? You gonna use a Flex Additive? Those are some things worth considering there, even though they sure don`t make the job easier!

EDIT: Oh, and I appreciate that you welcomed my advice. I sometimes wonder how I come across online...
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I can not speak for others but I greatly welcome your advice. I screwed things up in the past. I`d rather not follow my previous mistakes.

I`m considering spot sanding the bumper cover in two small areas and spraying it. It could come out badly. If it does I can remove the bumper cover and start fresh. Would like to try since its a lot less work.
 
corvetteman71 said:
I can not speak for others but I greatly welcome your advice. I screwed things up in the past. I`d rather not follow my previous mistakes...
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Heh heh, just hold that thought as I respond to....

I`m considering spot sanding the bumper cover in two small areas and spraying it. It could come out badly. If it does I can remove the bumper cover and start fresh. Would like to try since its a lot less work.
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I dunno...that says "unlikely to be satisfactory" to me. I sure understand not wanting to [fool] around with taking it off (and propping it up on something sturdy in just the right way, and and and..), but spotting stuff in that way is really tough even for people with great skill. When I first saw this thread, I was worried that the "tape lines" were related to something like this..sprayed DIY repair..and that`s what had me thinking "uh-oh" in a big way.

Let`s see if we can head off disappointment...what exactly are we talking about here? Color, contours, size/nature of damage and planned repair, whatever you can think of to mention...
 
Accumulator said:
Heh heh, just hold that thought as I respond to....



I dunno...that says "unlikely to be satisfactory" to me. I sure understand not wanting to [fool] around with taking it off (and propping it up on something sturdy in just the right way, and and and..), but spotting stuff in that way is really tough even for people with great skill. When I first saw this thread, I was worried that the "tape lines" were related to something like this..sprayed DIY repair..and that`s what had me thinking "uh-oh" in a big way.

Let`s see if we can head off disappointment...what exactly are we talking about here? Color, contours, size/nature of damage and planned repair, whatever you can think of to mention...
Click to expand...


I believe the taped lines were from getting too close to the painters tape and then leaving the painters tape on overnight. I now believe if I stayed away from the tape and removed the tape while wet that would have been much better. That is not on the bumper cover area. Different job.

The bumper cover area has some cracked paint in a area most people do not even see unless they are looking for it. If I have to remove the bumper cover and spray the whole thing I will but you do not think it is worth trying to fix two separate 1-2 inch areas while on the car first? Might save me a lot of work. I do not need brand new professional work there. Just not an eye sore. I was considering sanding a small spot gently to remover the cracked paint and then trying to gently spray those areas.

I did order the Langka as you recommended. I also ordered spray and a handle to make the can more like a real sprayer.
 
corvetteman71- Eh, I just don`t use aerosol paints in my Detailing shop. Like...period, ever. Just too paranoid about overspray :o Atually, I seldom use tape either...if I had to spray a spot-in repair, I`d spray it through a "mask"..a hole in a piece of light cardboard. I`m all about avoiding "hard lines".

I had some damage that sounds similar to yours on my previous Crown Vic. I brushed it, using DrColorChips and thought it came out a lot better than it should have! But I was working on white, and as long as that matches OK it`s just sooo forgiving. With another color it would probably be a different story.

If I had to try spraying a repair like yours, I`d use an Airbrush. Although I haven`t shot autopaint through my Paasche since the `70s.
 
Accumulator said:
corvetteman71- Eh, I just don`t use aerosol paints in my Detailing shop. Like...period, ever. Just too paranoid about overspray :o Atually, I seldom use tape either...if I had to spray a spot-in repair, I`d spray it through a "mask"..a hole in a piece of light cardboard. I`m all about avoiding "hard lines".

I had some damage that sounds similar to yours on my previous Crown Vic. I brushed it, using DrColorChips and thought it came out a lot better than it should have! But I was working on white, and as long as that matches OK it`s just sooo forgiving. With another color it would probably be a different story.

If I had to try spraying a repair like yours, I`d use an Airbrush. Although I haven`t shot autopaint through my Paasche since the `70s.
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I do not have an air brush. I actually have had some past success spraying a bumper from a can. That was a much larger job. In regards to the spot repair there is one area the cardboard could work great. Thanks for that idea!
 
corvetteman71- Ah, OK (most of my vehicles are some version of silver). See how it goes, and you can be confident that the Langka will make it easy (maybe too easy :D ) to start over.

If the b/c touchup paint is too much of a PIA, try a single-stage one instead. For small chips, I would go with the ss as IME it`s really tough to layer basecoat and then clearcoat into a tiny spot.

With silver, doing the big area without it looking obvious might be a challenge..if you decide to spray it we`ll probably have more to discuss ;)
 
Accumulator said:
corvetteman71- Ah, OK (most of my vehicles are some version of silver). See how it goes, and you can be confident that the Langka will make it easy (maybe too easy :D ) to start over.

If the b/c touchup paint is too much of a PIA, try a single-stage one instead. For small chips, I would go with the ss as IME it`s really tough to layer basecoat and then clearcoat into a tiny spot.

With silver, doing the big area without it looking obvious might be a challenge..if you decide to spray it we`ll probably have more to discuss ;)
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Right now I`m doing brake job. Painted calipers. That paint came out great. Very easy to apply. After that I will re-do the touchups in a week. I will let you know how that goes. Only after all that is done I will consider my front bumper cover.
 
corvetteman71- Hey, something occurred to me- this is a modern car with no previous paintwork, right? Just asking because if I took Langka to my Jag it`d take off *all* the paint right down to metal! Ditto on some of my cars that`ve had areas repainted. Factory/baked paint is different...

Glad the calipers turned out nice. Whose stuff did you use?
 
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