paint touch, area dull after sanding

Discuss anything after that final masking comes off.



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PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 10:59 pm
I wet sanded the spot here after applying the paint. The guy on the internet said I should be able to restore the gloss to the paint using "polish and then hand glaze" I just got that Mothers California stuff that you rub in with a micro fiber cloth. It's safe to say that the Polish did nothing.

Is there a special kind of polish I need to be using?
Do I need to use a rotary buffer?
Did I screw it up already?
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2016 10:53 am
Assuming you are using automotive paint and not off the shelf rattle can stuff, you will need to wet sand with at least 2000 grit, then get some Meguiar's 105 and a rotary buffer. A wool pad with remove the scratches and things will brighten up considerably.
There are plenty of posts that go into detail on the techniques used to get the finish you want.
1968 Coronet R/T


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PostPosted: Mon Feb 01, 2016 6:36 am
Wow! So many mistakes in even fewer steps.

68, that's a brush touch, not a spray can job.

Little information to work with, OP, but that wet sanding looks pretty coarse. Lets start by undoing the damage you've done.

Take the scratching out with progressively finer grits up to P2000. Lots of water and use a small block so you work evenly. 10 rubs then use the block to squeegee off the water and crud and inspect. Repeat with each finer grade. Then buff with a rotary machine. Go easy! You don't want to rub through the clear.

Get some acrylic thinners and take off that horrible touch up. The thinners will melt the touchup paint but won't hurt the surrounding clear. Now mix, in a very small container (about the size of a thimble) about 10 drops of touchup paint and an equal amount of thinners. Using a small brush, dip in the mix and then flatten the bristles by wiping the brush one side and then the other, but don't go all the way to the end - you want to leave a little paint on there to put in the scratch. Now, lining up the flattened brush with the scratch, touch, don't brush, the paint into the scratch. Only in the scratch, not on the surrounding surface! Repeat as necessary, moving along the scratch and filling slowly. When finished, clean up and let it dry for an hour then repeat the whole process. Again ONLY IN the scratch. You may need three coats but continue until, when dry, the paint forms a slight dome above the surrounding original paint.

Now, wrap a cloth around your finger, wet the tip slightly and put a little compound on the end. Rub the scratch and only the scratch, very lightly, but quickly. You may want to put a couple of strips of tape on the surrounding paint to protect it. Get them up nice and close to the scratch. Continue rubbing, very light pressure, but quickly, across and along the paint which is sitting proud. You'll be able to feel in with your finger, through the cloth. Resist the temptation to press harder - this will not make it happen any quicker.

Once you've reduced most of it, switch to polish, without water. Not glaze, it doesn't have any cutting ability. Continue until the repair is still a little domed, but close to flat. Resist the urge to get it completely flat - all you'll do is expose the edges of the scratch, making it visible again.

The polishing down process may take 15 or 20 minutes, but now you will know why the professionals charge what they do. Clean up and go have a beer, congratulating yourself on having saved so much money. What you spent in time, paint, thinners, compound and polish was well worth it. Wasn't it?
Chris

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