Painted my car, any advice on cut and buff?

Status
Not open for further replies.
If you let the water out of the compressor before use and use an inline water filter you can get a full paint job out of it, if I spray a bumper cover I use it for the primer paint and clear then toss it, cheap insurance. Here is a little trick. Leave the compressor full overnight then just crack the drain to let the settled water out before spraying, it wont eliminate moisture from the air that is being drawn into the compressor when its running but it will prevent any water built up on the bottom of tank heating up and also going through the system. Not having to fill the tank from zero helps to keep the air temp down in the tank so you can spray. On big jobs it doesn't help much but for a bumper cover, fender or other small job it can really help. I use 3 water filters, one is just a cheap separator, the next one is a Devillbiss separator with desiccant and the last defense is on the gun. If your pumping moisture the gun filter wont help much but it will catch any small amount that may get past the others. You don't need to spend a lot a simple separator and toilet paper style filter will do a decent job. Here are a few options. http://www.nationaltoolwarehouse.com/100-CFM-Air-Line-Control-Unit-wRegulator-P45497.aspx http://www.nationaltoolwarehouse.com/12-...CFVdZhgoduBILGw http://www.nationaltoolwarehouse.com/FinishLine-80-CFM-Air-Line-Filter-P227173.aspx https://www.amazon.com/DeVilbiss-130525-QC3-Filter-Dryer/dp/B002PR8ZXK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_328_16?ie=UTF8&dpID=51OVVHFKlWL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR117%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=19THQCAPKH0T3A7MF0Q2 A cheap thing like this will keep a lot of moisture out of your second filter. https://www.amazon.com/Campbell-Hausfeld-PA2121-Standard-Filters/dp/B0000CBINA/ref=pd_sim_sbs_328_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=415X2K26N8L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=19THQCAPKH0T3A7MF0Q2 None of these will replace a commercial unit but for the occasional paint job you can put something together for little money.
 
Awesome advice! Unfortunately I got a bad spot where the sun had hit the rear of the car before painting. Must have layed the clear on too thick or something. So this takes priority for repairs over the roof but I have a touch up gun and would like to know more about clear blenders since I'll be blending a repair on a spot of the quarter panel.
 
It's been 30 years ago, so procedures have changed, but I would wait one month to 1 1/2 month. I would wet sand w/600 grit, then go over with 1,000. Use a wool pad with coarse compound, then a finishing pad with swirl mark remover. Actually, the coarse compound will take care of 600 grit sanding scratches if you feel like being lazy. Put 1/2" masking tape on high spots and edges to keep from burning through.
 
600 seems pretty aggressive, but would probably make quick work of the problem areas. Overall, the job turned out pretty good. It was my first full vehicle paint job with automotive paint. I've done whole cars with rattle cans and rustoleum shot through a spray gun, and bumpers and stuff with automotive paint, so I had a little practice beforehand. This taught me a lot and I think my next job will turn out better.
 
Originally Posted By: ryanschillinger
Very cool. Looking at it now after it's sat for the whole day, it doesn't look nearly as bad as it did this morning. Maybe it will settle enough to where I can ignore it...
It does settle down overnight. but its easy to touch up if you want tot fix it. No need to wait with today's base/2K clears I have repaired them in 5 hours even air dried.If we were talking about old acrylic enamels and lacquers that's another story but no one really uses that stuff anymore, things change. Anyway, I use Dupont (Now Axalta) A-19301S which is the aerosol can version and 19301S-4 which is the qt. You get it from a auto paint store, PPG has one as does UPOL and a few others that work fine regardless of paint brand, its pretty much a universal solvent. https://www.amazon.com/U-Pol-Products-2433-Fadeout-Thinner/dp/B002BUENTG?&tag=rnwap-20 http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/spraymax-1k-aerosol-spot-blender-p-17501.aspx Take a hypothetical spot the size of a half dollar, sand the immediate area down carefully with 800/1000 and water and a block, keep it flat and do an area about 8 inches around until the damage is gone, you don't have to get every little spot in the clear it just needs to be flat, you don't want to break through to the base coat. Now using 2000 and water with a block do an area around that but not including it about another 8 inches, mask the car with a plastic drop cloth leaving the panel you are working on exposed. Just sand this area lightly. Load the touch up gun with a small amount of the 2K clear, 4 oz is way more than enough. Turn the fan in to about a 2 inch width and spray a med wet coat on the area sanded with 800 only use the are sanded with 2000 as an imaginary tape off. Let it flash for 10 min, open the fan to about 4 inches and put another full wet coat on the entire area up to about 2 inches away from the edge of the 2000 sanded area. Put the gun down and immediately spray the edge and surrounding area with a light coat of the the blender, you don't need to spray the entire panel just a few inches outside the repair, walk away! Don't be tempted to spray more blender it may look funky for a few min but that's normal it will all settle down and the repair will disappear. Wait overnight and do a normal scuff and buff. So basically.. Sand the damage out and beyond the area. Re-clear the damage up to almost the edge of the sanded area. Hit the edge of the clear and outwards into the panel a few inches with the clear blender. The technique for blending an entire panel with base when matching color is a little different. Edit: That white area in the picture is moisture, that will take blending a little base color and re-clear over that area to fix.
 
Last edited:
Well that should answer any other questions I might have. Thanks for taking the time to explain all that. I won't have any free time for a while and still need to find all the stuff I took off. All the bumper hardware and some emblems and stuff.
 
Just wanted to update, haven't cut and buffed yet or anything, but have been reinstalling the pieces removed for paint. Getting excited! Haven't driven this thing in a while. Recently changed the oil but should do the trans fluid and filter.
 
Originally Posted By: ryanschillinger
Just wanted to update, haven't cut and buffed yet or anything, but have been reinstalling the pieces removed for paint.
You could have saved yourself a bunch of taping and work, if you had left those parts off until after doing the paint work. smile
 
Last edited:
With modern base/clears you don't have to wait like in the old days. I have painted guitars (one of things you still want to use acrylic or nitro lacquers on) and you have to wait 30 to 90 days before touching them due to offgassing. But those old paints cured via solvent evaporation, not because of the addition of a catalyst. As mentioned, the paint is already hard enough and will only get harder. That will make it more difficult to correct things via sanding. You have some good advice. I would ditch the wool, and go with the 3m foam pads.
 
It's actually a 390. It's all stock, even has ac but it needs a charge. Took couple pics while I had it out. Bummer the headlight covers don't stay down when the car is off...
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

The Critic
2019 Prius Prime: Clear Bra and Ceramic Coating
Replies
18
Views
2K
nthach
G
Drivers Choice 10w-30 oil @ Dollar Tree- thoughts?
2
Replies
24
Views
8K
ls973800
MuzzleFlash40
1994 Buick Century 63k miles pics
2
Replies
31
Views
3K
dwcopple
G
Mobil 1 0W-40 ESP, 2019 CTS-V, 3,000 Miles...
Replies
15
Views
3K
ChemLabNL
H
Supertech full syn 10w30 4stroke ATV oil
Replies
9
Views
5K
1978elcamino
Top