Interior Exterior
Q:
I just finished a fair sized paint repair on my drivers side door, an area about the size of the palm of my hand just aft of the latch button. The blend area for the paint was about 3x that size all on the door (no blend panel). The color blend looks great, but I'm having trouble getting the new clearcoat to blend into the old. There's always a visible line of slightly rough area where the new clearcoat thins. Anyone know a good way to make it seemless besides sanding and clearcoating the entire door?
A:
Did you blend the clear with reducer?If you did wait a day and buff it with a fine compound and polish,it should look ok.If you did not use reducer for the blend, wetsand it with 2000 grit sandpaper.
A:
Wetsanding should take care of it...
A:
This may be a stupid question, but aren't the metallic flakes in the laser blue paint (assuming that is the color of your elise) actually in the clear coat ?. I seem to remember being told this when I toured the Lotus factory. If so, perhaps that is the source of your problem.
A:
Did you blend the clear with reducer?
Reducer? In my ignorance I admit I had to Google that one. A thinner for the clearcoat? How would that help? The clearcoat I order from http://www.automotivetouchup.com came in an aerosol can.
...aren't the metallic flakes in the laser blue paint (assuming that is the color of your elise) actually in the clear coat ?.
Based on the paint work I've done I would have to say no. When I initially sanded the repair area the clear coat wet sanded off easily leaving a fine white film in the sanding water. The basecoat beneath is definitely metallic. The basecoat I used was a 2-stage aerosol from the above mentioned company and is an impressively perfect match for color and depth.
Wetsanding should take care of it...
I wet sanded with 2000 grit between coats and after the final coat then laid on a few coats of wax without much improvment.
A:
Reducer or Blending agent are used to blend clear with the oem clear .You then buff the edges to smooth it out.I do this every day it works 99.9% of the time. I didnt think you would using aerosol paint and clear.Sorry for the confussion.
A:
"Hot solvent" or reducer sprayed onto the edges where it blends, I just added a good amount to what was left of the clear and stirred in the gun. Worked fine. A little buffing and you are good to go. I think there are also products like Blendz-all or something similar.
Don't you already have reducer from mixing it with the clear? I used a slower flashing reducer made for spraying in higher temperatures and the blend was really progressive. Looked great. Just helps it "melt" together.
A:
Sweetdaddyd
A:
You guys are so beyond me. I was looking for some sort of idiot's guide to clearcoat in a can. Anyway, I seem to have found a workable, suitably low tech solution. I remembered the "unlikely detailing wonder" thread and gave WD-40 a try. It seemed to work like a fine rubbing compound on the new clearcoat without affecting the old stuff. A firm rub down with a soft WD-40 soaked cloth looks to have smoothed it out. I can still see it, but only when the light is at a certain angle and only because I know where to look. Thanks guys.