Rust Spots on Hood

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There are about twenty of these small (the largest one is under a 1/4 in dia) spots where the paint has chipped off from road debris hitting the hood. I got a nasty surprise last week when I noticed that the spots were rusting.

Short of getting the entire hood painted, what can I do about these spots? Rust converter/primer /paint is what I have in mind. I got a Duplicolor spray can which supposedly is an exact match for the GM Siver Birch paint on my truck but I know that the hood will look patchy when I spray the little spots.

In the future I will check the hood frequently and touch up these spots when they are fresh.
 
If you fancy an improvised alternative to the glassfibre pen, (most people don't) you can use a can ring pull, which has a couple of pointy bits that you can abrade the rust with. This will put aluminium on the steel.

Bigger areas, use an aluminium roofing nail in a Dremel as a mini-grinding disk

Combine with your binder of choice. I've used boiled linseed oil and clear nail varnish, but "proper" primer might be a better choice if you/re going to apply a top coat.
 
I have never used the glass fibre pen but I think this rust is more severe than what can be handled by hand sanding. I am considering a mini wire wheel on a Dremel.
 
2006 GM and that's the only rust? Check out New England trucks..the 2006s are looking like 96s...
 
Yep, that is the only painted surface with rust. There is some rust on the undercarriage but that is to be expected.

We use a lot of salt here in Toronto. Krown rustproofing has kept the rust in check. My plan, when I bought the truck, was to keep it for about seventeen years and I think I will reach my goal.

My previous truck was a 1986 F250 which wasn't sprayed and I kept it for twenty years but it needed a lot of body work towards the end and, in hindsight, I should have bailed around year 13.
 
Before starting this get the tools to do the job. Forget the spray can, that's a nightmare you don't need.

Start with these items.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00578QW70?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

http://www.amazon.com/Dremel-9905-Tungst...ords=dremel+bur

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HI690U?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

http://www.amazon.com/Dupli-Color-DAP169...+etching+primer

http://www.amazon.com/Feather-Hi-Stainle...ge+razor+blades

http://www.amazon.com/Mothers-08224-Cali...r+care+products

http://www.paintscratch.com/

Order or get from a local auto body supplier touch up paint that is single stage or base clear mix not separate base/clear, they may have some of the other items also, HD has dremel bits. The rust mort is a qt and will probably last a life time but its worth it.

Start by removing the rust and removing any lifting paint with the mini bur, work carefully not to enlarge the spot too much, get it perfectly clean and rust free then wipe it down with IPA.

Use a mini applicator to apply a small amount of rust mort to the spot, don't blob it on just wipe it on the metal then leave it overnight.

Wipe with IPA then spray a little self etching primer into a small cup (i spray it in the lid), use another applicator so apply a single thin coat.

Now for the fun part. Use a applicator (not the brush in the bottle and apply a single thin coat, let dry a couple of hours and repeat a few times over a few days if necessary until the paint is raised above the other paint.

Let the paint cure a few days then spray a little detailer on the area, take the double sided razor blade and lay it flat on the paint in front of the repair. Holding the blade on the sides just wiggle it through the raised paint, it will now be level with the rest of the paint.

Scuff it very lightly with 3000 paper carefully and polish.

I used Amazon just to show the product, you can get this stuff anywhere. Rut Mort brand is the best, there is no substitute.
The self etch primer works great and dries fast, just be sure to turn the can over and spray it till the nozzle clears after use or it will plug the tube in short order.

This is time consuming but with a little practice gives fantastic results that will last the life of the rest of the paint without rusting.
I use this on paint chips and deep scratches so effectively that they disappear but i have a lot of practice. I suggest practicing on some old panel first, you will get great results in no time once you get the feel for it.

This is a common body shop method AKA cut and buff, i use a tungsten block instead of a razor, always use a fresh side of the blade for every spot they dull fast and will pull on the repair, the tungsten doesn't dull but a small block is about $100.
 
Thank you, Trav, for the very detailed instructions. I am going to try it your way.

What is the function of the detailer here, does it act as a lubricant for the razor blade so that it cuts evenly?

As for the tungsten block, I have a new Goodson Super Scraper. Will it function as a tungsten block? I also have lots of (single sided) razor blades.
 
These are the razor blades I have hundreds of
http://www.crlaurence.ca/crlapps/showline/offerpage.aspx?Productid=17&GroupID=118&History=39324:112:115:117&ModelID=118

I use them in a handle. Will these blades work?

The link isn't working but you can copy and paste and it will take you to C R Laurence.
 
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Any double edge with work fine, single edge blades don't lie flat on the paint and can dig in.
You want to slice through the built up paint perfectly flat with the surrounding paint
 
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