Need help and advice with using touchup

[imported_RedlineIRL]

The other day I managed to get a rock chip on the front bumper of my car, and it has been driving nuts big time ever since So I need some help and advice on touching it up. Normally, I don't worry about the tiny ones that are hard to notice but this one is fairy decent sized IMO and annoying to look at. It chipped off an area about 1/8" by 3/32" in diameter, and the fact the the way that it bounced off it made a white mark in some of the area that makes it stand out more from a distance.



The thing is though, the front bumper was repainted a couple years ago so I am not really sure what options will work best and match the best. As of now I am thinking of just going shop that spryed it and have them mix up a small amount of touchup with base and gloss, and use that over the typical touchup bottles that never look right. I thought of using the Langka kit to smooth it out, but their site mentions that it is best used for factory finishes. Is there anything out there I can use that will smooth everything out once I fill the area in, either sold or something I can do myself?



To be honest, I am a little worried about touching up an area of this size, thinking that it might look worse afterwards than before I touched it at all. Is it possible to get this size of a chip to look better? I know it will be really hard to get looking perfect as if it was untouched unless I wtsand and put many many hours into it, which involves much more skills than I have at this. As long as it unnoticeable for the most part from a couple feet distance I guess I could live with it. Another thing that has me really worried since the front bumper was repainted, is it possible for the touchup to get under the existing pnainted areas surround the chip and start to lift the panit up? I was planning on doing thin multipe layers to build it back up with a toothpick or small brush, or will it be better to fill it with a larger blob and try to smooth it out?





Do you guys have any reccomendations and links to where I can buy some real good quality fine tipped touch up brushes, I can't seem to find anything good at all locally?





Sorry for all of the questions at once, but I really want to get all of the information I can from you all before jumping into this. Plus I want to be fully confident that I can do a good quality job on this. Thanks for any help at all with this

 

[BluBrett]

First: unless you have some experience, DO NOT TOUCH IT UP! it almost always looks worse up close.



Second: if you do touch it up, there are really no bottles that can get a good match besides going to a shop like you said.



Third: if you aren't going to get it done professionally, do lots of research! If wetsanding isn't an option, you should get some lacquer thinner (Although Langka is a safer option). after letting the touch up paint dry, put lacquer thinner on a microfiber and wrap the microfiber around a credit card. Then, co back and forth with the credit card until the excess paint is gone, and then immediately stop. it should then be unnoticeable to anyone but you.



Fourth: if all else fails, you either A) are back to how it was before, or B) have a blotchy touched up chip. Either retry it or remove all of the touch up paint with the lacquer thinner.

 

[Accumulator]

The other day I managed to get a rock chip on the front bumper of my car, and it has been driving nuts big time ever since So I need some help and advice on touching it up. Normally, I don't worry about the tiny ones that are hard to notice but this one is fairy decent sized IMO and annoying to look at. It chipped off an area about 1/8" by 3/32" in diameter, and the fact the the way that it bounced off it made a white mark in some of the area that makes it stand out more from a distance...

*IMO* that's not too big and "real cars have stonechips". I wouldn't sweat it, but you're not me, so...

The thing is though, the front bumper was repainted a couple years ago so I am not really sure what options will work best and match the best. As of now I am thinking of just going shop that spryed it and have them mix up a small amount of touchup with base and gloss, and use that over the typical touchup bottles that never look right.

I'm surprised the shop didn't give you some paint for touchups. They might be able to beat "regular touchup paint", but I bet it won't match 100% anyhow. And if it's a metallic, it *WILL NOT MATCH*, period, just the nature of the beast.

I thought of using the Langka kit to smooth it out, but their site mentions that it is best used for factory finishes. Is there anything out there I can use that will smooth everything out once I fill the area in, either sold or something I can do myself?

The Langka works OK on on nonfactor finishes, but it's a lot more aggressive (as in, it's basically ineffective on factory paint but *can* mess up repainted areas if you overdo it). I've used it on repainted panels with no problems. But still, that's me and, eh...I think I'd lean towards either just letting it look uneven or doing the wetsand/compound/polish thing. But you might try the Langka...sorry, it's just hard to crystal-ball this stuff :nixweiss



I myself (and there are others who'd disagree) would *NOT* use lacquer thinner to level it under any circumstances. Period. Really.

To be honest, I am a little worried about touching up an area of this size, thinking that it might look worse afterwards than before I touched it at all. Is it possible to get this size of a chip to look better? I know it will be really hard to get looking perfect as if it was untouched unless I wtsand and put many many hours into it, which involves much more skills than I have at this. As long as it unnoticeable for the most part from a couple feet distance I guess I could live with it.

This is more crystal-ball guesswork...I *think* you can probably make it a little better, at least from a distance, since you won't see that "white underlying surface".

Another thing that has me really worried since the front bumper was repainted, is it possible for the touchup to get under the existing pnainted areas surround the chip and start to lift the panit up?

That's usually not a problem with oe finishes if you compound/sand the chip so there are no ragged edges. But with repaints it's a crapshoot and you just never know. So yeah...might want to seal it up with a touchup. But FWIW, I don't fix chips on my repainted areas and they never get much, *if any* worse.

I was planning on doing thin multipe layers to build it back up with a toothpick or small brush, or will it be better to fill it with a larger blob and try to smooth it out?

Do it with many thin layers, more layers of clear than of basecoat. Don't overdo it to where you get a huge blob; if you just barely over-fill it you might think it looks sorta-OK without any leveling. I have two touchups on the S8 that I never bothered leveling, and while they don't look swell they don't bother me enough to be worth wetsanding (and compounding/polishing the panels and redoing the LSP). Yeah, yeah, not "Autopian" but I don't mind.



I'd worry most about the leveling (i.e., wetsanding) opening a can of worms.

Do you guys have any reccomendations and links to where I can buy some real good quality fine tipped touch up brushes, I can't seem to find anything good at all locally?

I got mine from Micro-Mark: The Small Tool Specialists

 

[imported_RedlineIRL]

Thanks Accumulator, you pretty much answered everything I was wondering.



It's a red with no metallic at all, so I guess that's a good thing when it comes to this. If I do use the Langka I'd probably just do a quick swipe or two to level it out. I have a real phobia of wetsanding it, becuase I know I can't do it without making the rest look worse and really dull. Could I essentially get a similar leveling effect by using something like rubbing alcohol before the last layer totally dries and do a quick swip or two with a cloth wrapped around a card to level it? Maybe the best option is to get it close as I can to being level, and if it's not up to the rest of the surface at least it will hide everything from a couple foot distance.



I was looking at the golden eagle brushes on the link you gave, but the pictures make it kind of hard to get an idea of the diameter of the tip of the brush. There's a 1, 2, 3, and 5. Which ones do you reccommend using?

 

[Accumulator]

It's a red with no metallic at all, so I guess that's a good thing when it comes to this...

Yeah, that's a big help. And honestly, IMO, even if the color is a little off it'll still be OK.

If I do use the Langka I'd probably just do a quick swipe or two to level it out. I have a real phobia of wetsanding it, becuase I know I can't do it without making the rest look worse and really dull.

Good plan :xyxthumbs



Props to you for not falling into the "hey, this is Autopia! I'm gonna wetsand!" line of thought.

Could I essentially get a similar leveling effect by using something like rubbing alcohol before the last layer totally dries and do a quick swip or two with a cloth wrapped around a card to level it?

No, IPA is a different type of solvent. Use the right stuff (namely Langka) to minimize, uhm...wildcard-type variables.

Maybe the best option is to get it close as I can to being level, and if it's not up to the rest of the surface at least it will hide everything from a couple foot distance.

Yeah, that's what I did on the S8 and hey, if it really bothered my I'd go ahead and level them. Do the leveling/building-up with clear; just get enough basecoat on there to give a firm foundation and then do a few applications of clear. *Maybe* consider "overfilling" it just a bit; a minor "blob" might not look all that awful and after lots of drying/curing time you can consider leveling it (Langka, sanding, whatever) sometime in the future. Don't underfill it in a big way or it'll catch polish/wax just like the chip would.

I was looking at the golden eagle brushes on the link you gave, but the pictures make it kind of hard to get an idea of the diameter of the tip of the brush. There's a 1, 2, 3, and 5. Which ones do you reccommend using?

For your color and the size of that chip I'd *probably* (hey, I'm just guessing and I have a scad of brushes to choose from..) use a size "0" or "00" (that's "oh" or "double-oh").



At MicroMark, that's be the red sable #27142 and/or the Golden Eagle #60412.



Hard to say what somebody else, working on something I haven't seen, will like though :nixweiss

 

[imported_RedlineIRL]

Yeah, that's what I did on the S8 and hey, if it really bothered my I'd go ahead and level them. Do the leveling/building-up with clear; just get enough basecoat on there to give a firm foundation and then do a few applications of clear. *Maybe* consider "overfilling" it just a bit; a minor "blob" might not look all that awful and after lots of drying/curing time you can consider leveling it (Langka, sanding, whatever) sometime in the future. Don't underfill it in a big way or it'll catch polish/wax just like the chip would.[/COLOR]

Since I am going to have the touchup mixed, don't they usually mix in the base and clear together? I know a friend of mine got some touch mixed up years back for his 99 Chevy truck from a shop, which was a metallic blue, and it matched perfectly. I am almost positive that his had both mixed together. I know that there are finishes that you can use that have both mixed when you spray them on, and typically look like garbage, but this is not what I am talking about. What is common practice when it comes to getting touchup mixed, do they usually do just base alone, or do they mix both? I'd hope that they have enough sense to mix something that will look vey close to the rest

For your color and the size of that chip I'd *probably* (hey, I'm just guessing and I have a scad of brushes to choose from..) use a size "0" or "00" (that's "oh" or "double-oh").



At MicroMark, that's be the red sable #27142 and/or the Golden Eagle #60412.



Hard to say what somebody else, working on something I haven't seen, will like though :nixweiss

Thanks, I'll try those and a few others, just incase as backups if needed

 

[Accumulator]

Since I am going to have the touchup mixed, don't they usually mix in the base and clear together? I know a friend of mine got some touch mixed up years back for his 99 Chevy truck from a shop, which was a metallic blue, and it matched perfectly. I am almost positive that his had both mixed together. I know that there are finishes that you can use that have both mixed when you spray them on, and typically look like garbage, but this is not what I am talking about. What is common practice when it comes to getting touchup mixed, do they usually do just base alone, or do they mix both? I'd hope that they have enough sense to mix something that will look vey close to the rest..

I've heard about mixing the clear and base, but I've never seen/tried it. I've *always* used both separately, except of course with single stage. Maybe that's what the story was with your friend's truck; you never hear about SS metallics these days, but they're out there.

 

[imported_RedlineIRL]

Nah, it defiantely wasn't a single stage truck. Maybe it was actually lacquer touch up mixed?:nixweiss I just remeber the area is was used on turning out nearly perfect



I am confused now if I should have the shop mix up the touchup, or go with someone online like Dr. Colochip (aren't those susually lacquers?) or one of the others out there to have mixed. With having to use both a clear and base to touch up, I'm afraid that it's just going to have a huge blob where I use it when using both. Accumulator, have you had any experience with using shop mixed touchups? I am just curious on how most of them mix them, or if they use the same products that are sprayed on the car or mix it differently to work by hand application? I really want to make sure I get a touchup with the best possible match

 

[Accumulator]

I am confused now if I should have the shop mix up the touchup, or go with someone online like Dr. Colochip (aren't those susually lacquers?) or one of the others out there to have mixed.

Yeah, the ones I got from them were lacquer (as best I could tell). There's a catalog called Herrington that I think sells enamel-based stuff and I'm sure you can find that elsewhere too (it comes in "touchup pens").

With having to use both a clear and base to touch up, I'm afraid that it's just going to have a huge blob where I use it when using both.

Nah, with the little brushes it'll take numerous applications just to build up the paint to the correct level (well, at least if you do it right ), not that hard to avoid a huge blob IME.

Accumulator, have you had any experience with using shop mixed touchups?

Not the way people talk about here. I've just had my painter give me some after he already got the match right for what he was doing.

I really want to make sure I get a touchup with the best possible match

Eh, I still think it's just a crap-shoot no matter how you approach it. I'm gonna have to do this on one of my (just acquired) cars soon, and I'll probably order paint from a few places and juse see which one matches best.



Heh heh, I think you just care more than I would but eh..if the chip bothers you that much, I'd just get something from somebody and do it. You can always clean it off with Lankga or somesuch if you're not satisfied.

 

[imported_RedlineIRL]

Eh, I still think it's just a crap-shoot no matter how you approach it. I'm gonna have to do this on one of my (just acquired) cars soon, and I'll probably order paint from a few places and juse see which one matches best.



Heh heh, I think you just care more than I would but eh..if the chip bothers you that much, I'd just get something from somebody and do it. You can always clean it off with Lankga or somesuch if you're not satisfied.

The thing that concerns me, since it has been repainted I don't want to have to use the Langka kit (if I do decide to use it) too much for fear of comprimising the surrounding areas. I'd prefer to get it close as I can the first time, and after thinking about it having the shop do it may just be the best option. Since their job probably isn't 100% to factory tones, I can't tell when looking, they should be able to match what they done or at least have knowledge or documentation kept on what was mixed. Well, so it seems









I have been doing some more looking around, and pretty much all touchups that are sold are lacquer based while a shop mix will be urethane based from what I have seen. Is this pretty much correct? It seems that the Langka kit can still be used, but the results can be mixed.



Has anyone ever used the Langka kit in combinations with shop mixed touchup? I'd like to know how long you all waited for the touchup to dry with the Langka, and how the results were. Also, if anyone was not satisfied, were you able to get out the touchup with the Langka?

 

[XL Advantage]

What, no pictures?



Tim

 

[Accumulator]

The thing that concerns me, since it has been repainted I don't want to have to use the Langka kit (if I do decide to use it) too much for fear of comprimising the surrounding areas. I'd prefer to get it close as I can the first time, and after thinking about it having the shop do it may just be the best option...

OK, I sure won't argue with erring on the side of caution!



That said, I *did* use the Langka on a few repainted areas on my M3 and it worked fine, but yeah...there are a whole lotta variables.

 

[imported_RedlineIRL]

In addition to seeing if I can get 1/2 pint or so mixed up from a shop, I think I am going to get another option or two to have on hand just incase one doesn't match or look right. Has anoyone here tried the touchups from drcolorchip.com or paintscratch.com? How well are they when it comes to close matching, and does one seem to match better than the other? If there is anyone else out there online that does good matching, I am interested in knowing too



Also, what is a reasonable price to get a 1/2 pint or 1 pint of base, depending on how little I can get mixed from a shop?

 

[Accumulator]

RedlineIRL- My first thought is "gee, that'd be a lot of paint". I'd never need more than an ounce or two.



I've had paint from paintscratch.com that was OK, but I've also had it not match very well. Simply a crapshoot IMO (ditto for automotivetouchup.com, never tried drcolorchip).

 

[GS4_Fiend]

i agree.... touching up a car with a bunch of rock chips could be very challenging..

 

[imported_RedlineIRL]

RedlineIRL- My first thought is "gee, that'd be a lot of paint". I'd never need more than an ounce or two.



I've had paint from paintscratch.com that was OK, but I've also had it not match very well. Simply a crapshoot IMO (ditto for automotivetouchup.com, never tried drcolorchip).

Yeah, it is a whole lot that will not be needed. From what I have heard most places will not mix up any less than 1/2 to 1 pint. I have not problem with getting that much, since that's probably my best chance of getting the best match.



So it's kind of a guess with the online places then? Has anyone has experience with one being better when it comes to solids like black, red, white, etc? Everyone seems to say that no matter what, metallics are almost impossible to get right anyways

 

[Accumulator]

RedlineIRL- Sorry, I haven't had enough experience with the vendors to notice any trends with regard to different colors matching better :nixweiss