It depends
if they are chips (small pieces of paint broken out with primer
or metal visible at the bottom) or scratches. Chips can be carefully
filled in with touchup paint, assuming that the dealers ever
get some in stock The process is pretty simple, but requires
some practice for best results.
Clean the
chip out carefully to remove any dirt, wax residue, or loose
paint. Then use a fine artist's brush or a toothpick to apply
a SMALL amount of touch-up paint to the chipped area. Don't
use the brush that comes in the bottle - it is too big. You
will probably need to apply several coats to build the paint
back up to the level of the surrounding surface. Don't put too
much on at once, let it dry between coats, and if you get any
on the surrounding paint wipe it off immediately (it dries real
quick).
Once you
have the chip filled in, use rubbing or polishing compound (get
it at the auto parts store) to smooth the surface and blend
it into the surrounding paint. Some people actually build the
chipped are up above the surrounding paint, then shave it down
flush with a razor blade. This works great, but takes real guts,
a steady hand, and a very clean, sharp blade. You don't want
to scratch the surrounding paint.
Scratches
which are just in the clear coat can be very carefully smoothed
out with rubbing or polishing compound. You need to be careful
not to remove too much clear coat, or to scratch the paint.
If the scratch is deep, you can smooth the edges a bit to make
it less noticeable, but don't try to take it out completely
or you will be in trouble. If you just knock the sharp edges
off the scratch and then wax over it, it will be barely noticeable
to anyone but you.
Realize
that paint chip repair is a learned skill and should be practiced
on an area of the car that is not that visible. The hood and
nose are two areas that should be tackled last. Test all cleaners
or solvents on the paint prior to usage. I like to use the seam
underneath the rocker panels. Apply a little cleaner or solvent
to a cloth and rub the seam. If you do not get any color on
the rag, then the cleaner/solvent should be safe for the paint.
If you do get color on the rag, then you may wish to consider
another solvent.
CHIP REPAIR
STEPS:
1. At least 24 hours before you want to start, use the rubber
glue to attach small 600 grit sandpaper circles (the diameter
of the eraser) onto several new pencils. The eraser must be
unused and flat on top.
2. Step
#1: Wash the car with a quality car wash and dry thoroughly.
3. Paint
chips come in two flavors. The worst case has exposed the bare
metal, while the less severe has left the original primer intact.
Clean the area thoroughly with the or P21S or Wurth citrus cleaner.
If there is rust on the exposed metal, clean off with the pencil
eraser. Use a toothpick to gently probe the area and make sure
that the edges of the chip are secure and not waiting to fall
off and destroy your work. This is an optional step. If you
do not feel comfortable with sanding, you may jump to step 5.
Take a new pencil/sandpaper tool, dip into clean water and put
a few drops of water on the chip area. *SLIGHTLY* rough up the
chip and a small portion of the surrounding paint. Lightly turning
the pencil will rough up an area the diameter of the eraser
and this should be more than enough. Keep the roughed up area
as small as possible, the object is to give the new paint approximately
1 mm of old paint to "grab" around the perimeter of the chip
and not dig scratches. This step may be eliminated if you are
uncomfortable with sandpaper around your paint. It will help
the new paint adhere, but is not essential.
4. Move
onto the next chip and repeat the above. Depending upon the
amount of time available, you may wish to tackle 10-20 chips
at one time. Try to stay within the area that may be covered
by your box(es).
5. When
finished sanding all your chips you are tackling at this time
apply a small amount of Alcohol or Prepsol or Enamel Reducer
to a rag and wipe each chip and surrounding area to remove any
sanding dust and grease/oils. Use additional solvent and new
area of the rag for each chip. Allow to dry (these are highly
volatile and will evaporate quickly with no residue).
6. If the
original primer is intact, and "pencil sanding" does not disturb
the primer, then skip the next step and go directly to painting
(# 9)
7. Make
sure that the chip and surrounding area is clean. If not, re-clean
with the Prepsol, Alcohol or Enamel Reducer. Pour or spray a
small amount of primer into a clean plastic cup. Dip the point
of a wooden toothpick into the primer to get a thin coating
on the first 1-2 mm of the toothpick. If there is a blob on
the end, gently scrape it back into the cup. Place the tip of
the toothpick against the center of the chip and allow capillary
action to literally flow a *THIN* coat of the primer into the
depression of the chip. Move onto the next prepared chip. If
you have finished priming all your prepared chips before two
hours are up, cover with a box, taped down with masking tape
and go have a beer. The key is to allow the first coat of primer
to dry at least two hours. Dispose of your cup and start with
a fresh cup and toothpick. Apply another thin coat of primer
to each repair that needs primer. Priming is completed when
no metal is visible and the level of the primer is *BELOW* the
level of the surrounding paint. This is important! Cover and
allow to dry for two hours or until dry.
8. Apply
a small amount of Alcohol or Prepsol or Enamel Reducer to a
rag and wipe the chip and surrounding area to remove any sanding
dust and grease/oils. Allow to dry. Repeat for all the chips
that are on today's list of victims.
9. If you
are using a touchup, shake the bottle thoroughly. If you are
using color matched paint, mix thoroughly and pour a small amount
into a clean plastic cup.
10. Dip
the point of a new toothpick into the paint to get a thin coating
on the first 1-2 mm of the toothpick. If there is a blob on
the end, gently scrape it back into the bottle. Place the tip
of the toothpick against the center of the chip and allow capillary
action to literally flow the paint into the depression of the
chip. Repeat for each chip. The key is not to use too much paint.
Do not re-dip the toothpick. Use only the amount that will flow
from one dip. Temptation to add more paint with each application
will be almost overwhelming. Fight it!
11. Cover
with your paint box and allow to dry 2 hours and repeat 8-12
times till the depression is filled with paint and bulges slightly
upward and covers the roughed up area with a thin coating of
paint. The first 2-3 coats may not completely hide the primer.
This is fine because you have many more coats to go. Fight that
urge!
12. The
paint application is completed when the new paint bulges slightly
upward (a fraction of a millimeter) and had covered the roughed
up area with a thin coat of new paint. Allow the paint to dry
for at least a week.
13. The
touchup paint has been applied to the surface and allowed to
dry for at least 1 week, and resembles a minute mound ( __o__
) (this is exaggerated) on the flat plane of the existing paint.
The object is to remove the mound and make the surface of the
paint one continuous flat plane. The Finesse Block offers the
ability to gently remove only the high spot of the repair. Unlike
sandpaper or polish on a rag, the five usable sides of the block
are flat and act like a "wood plane" to remove only the elevated
areas of the repair. The 2000 grit will not leave scratches.
14. Soak
the Finesse Block in clean water for 24 hours prior to use.
Put a small drop of car wash on the chip repair. This acts as
a lubricant for the sanding block. Then gently "plane" the high
spot on the paint. I prefer to "plane" in one direction (usually
back to front - drawing the block towards me). If the block
dries out, re-wet and continue use. When the new and existing
paints are blended (smoothed to the flat plane) to your satisfaction,
clean the area using a quality car wash and lots of water and
then use a quality glaze to restore the high gloss finish. I
prefer 3M Imperial Hand Glaze. Don't use a machine on your car,
as it deserves to be caressed by hand. Use a machine on your
Yugo or SO.
15. When
applying either a glaze or a wax, apply to your soft cotton
cloth or applicator pad (don't squirt the stuff on the car)
and work in one direction only. Don't go around in circles like
dear of dad . Circles are many times the cause of "swirl marks."
A front-to-back, back-to-front motion (the way the air flows
over the car) will help minimize swirl marks or at least make
them less visible. Buff out with a soft cotton cloth. If it
looks good, wax with a quality hard wax and you are done.
16. Tip
for applying wax. If you are using a quality carnauba based
wax, try applying it with your fingers instead of a pad or cloth.
Hold your fingers together and use your finger tips as an applicator
pad. The tactile feedback from your fingers will tell you when
the wax has been worked into the paint. If grit should lodge
under your fingers, you will know immediately and not grind
it into the paint. A pad will not allow this tactile feedback
and these devil grits become sandpaper. A circular motion of
the pad will make a 360 degree swirl mark. All marks on paint
are most visible at a 90 degree viewing angle. Thus the front
to back marks are most visible from the sides, whereas a circle
stands out from any viewing angle.
The question
was also asked if clear touchup should be used as a final coat
to repair chips on a clear coat paint.
There are
two view points to this question. 1. The purist will say yes,
the paint has a clear coat and thus, the repair should also.
The process is the same as previously described, except the
clear coat is substituted for the last 2-3 coats or paint. 2.
The practical world says no. The touchup paint is different
from the original paint and is formulated only as a touchup
paint. Once it is applied it should, according to the manufacturer,
match well enough to be all but invisible.
I have
found this to be the case with the numerous repairs on the many
cars/colors, I have completed. If you are using the original
paint as a touchup, then you may have to use the clear as a
topcoat. The color coat of some paints will many times be relatively
dull in appearance. These paints rely on the clear coat to provide
the "shine." Try one chip in an area that is not that visible.
If the process works, I hope that the above has added a little
more food for thought on chips. (Or chips as a thought of food.)
