I'm looking for suggestions on the preferred methodology for touching up a lacquer paint job? Also, how can I tell if the finish has been clear coated? If it has, does that affect the process of how to do spot touch ups?
Lacquer Paint Touch Up
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Re: Lacquer Paint Touch Up
Nick,
Rub an inconspicuous spot with some compound and look at the rag. If you see color there is no clear on the panel. Most colors are easy to spot repair with Lacquer, whether there is clear or not. I've been touching up my black 67 for years and the blend is excellent. I still haven't figured
out how to do it with silver lacquer.
Walt- Top
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Re: Lacquer Paint Touch Up
Walt
Do you wet sand the area first to flatten out the edge of the chip? Also, do you fill in the spot with a matchstick or something or are you spraying it?63 FI SWC, Top Flight 2006/2008, PV 2007
69 Coupe, 427, 400HP w/AC
72 LT1 Targa Blue Convertible - Duntov Award
07 Z06, Black/Black - Daily Driver- Top
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Re: Lacquer Paint Touch Up
My experience is that most chips will probably be about 0.100"-0.150", depending on the type of paint and the roads you drive. You will discover there is virtually NO WAY to sand a chipped area that small; the tip of your little finger is too big, a pencil eraser is even generally too big, but can be effective for this purpose (whittle it into a point, careful use of the edge or tip, etc). Unless you fold the sandpaper into a corner or cone, and are very careful, you're going to end up with a lot more area "sanded" than you intended...it's like "mission creep". A sanded area that's too large is not appropriate for the "daub" repair method; you won't add any material, and sanding/polishing will have made your paint thinner in the surrounding area.
Some of the "chip kits" I've seen come with a tool like a small paint brush, but in fact, the bristles are a very stiff, hard nylon...it's used to clean and roughen the chipped area. Beyond getting the loose material out of the hole, I don't think you need to worry about sanding the chip.
The technique for repairing chips is to use virtually ANY small sharp pointed tool to place paint drops into the injury...a paper matchstick will work (somewhat wide unless you use the edge), a toothpick, even a small paint brush (probably not the one in the touch up paint bottle; those are generally way too large for this purpose).
Attempt to build the repair up above the adjacent original paint...as the paint dries and shrinks, the repair ideally is flush with the original paint. That's never worked as well for me in practice as it does in theory, but that is the objective. Old touch up paint that has lost some of its volatiles is actually better for this purpose...the increased viscosity helps you get film build. Your first ones won't be perfect, but you'll get better as you gain experience. Expect such repairs to start disappearing as you back away to about 10 feet.
Some articles I've read, say to do the above, then block the repair flush and polish. I've never been able to pull that off to my satisfaction...see "sanding" above; you'll end up with a minimum of 3-4 sq in to polish out, and if you're not very careful, you'll break through the adjacent color before you get the repair flush.Last edited by Chuck S.; March 15, 2008, 02:12 PM.- Top
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Re: Lacquer Paint Touch Up
I would like to add to what Chuck posted.
I've found that sometimes when you don't actually go through the paint around the chip repair, you 'thin' it enough to see a 'halo' around the repair. I believe that good lacquer paint jobs don't have very much paint on them, ( 3 mils ? ), so you have to be incredibly cautious as you work on the touch-up. It can turn out looking terrific or it can leave you with that sick feeling in your stomach.
Too bad there's not an alarm that goes off when you should STOP polishing.
Regards,
Alan71 Coupe, 350/270, 4 speed
Mason Dixon Chapter
Chapter Top Flight October 2011- Top
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Scrape Down that Blob
After you've built up the chip with CURED paint, don't pick up the wet/dry just yet. Use a single edge razor blade to gently plane down the blob to flush. The blade is prepared by dressing with 2000 grit paper and then it's bent into a slight arc. This keeps the corners from causing damage.
Use a little soapy water to lubricate the surface and gently scrape the surface down flat. Use many light passes. Then -- sand and polish.
I saw this great trick on Kevin Tetz's "paint your car" video. Great instructional! His polishing & buffing video is excellent too...
This works awesome on runs too, as Kevin so aptly demonstrates on his video. Just make sure the paint is cured enough, or it won't scrape down properly.- Top
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Re: Lacquer Paint Touch Up
Nick,
I guess I have a different approach. I do not try to contain the repair to a small circle arount a chip or crack. I prefer to sand the immediate area around the repaair with 600-800 grit paper and an area at least a square foot beyond the repair with 1000 grit After repairing with bondo type filler and sanding smoothly, i spray just the repair and look closely to be sure the repair is OK, then continue to broadcast out with 4-6 coats. Then wet sand with 1500,2000,2500 paper and buff. I'd also buy Kevin Teitz's videos.
Walt- Top
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Wait time
Alan:
Living in the middle of a gravel pit (aka Southern Arizona) and driving a C2 painted with acrylic lacquer - I have a LOT of experience with this method!
I'm using unthinned lacquer left over from painting the car. Allows me to fill the chip with a single application. But reduced paint is fine too. Just might take 2-3 blobs to fill the chip above flush.
That said, I've learned not to be impatient. I wait 'til the next weekend to start shaving the surface down flush.
The harder it is, the better it shaves off without affecting the existing finish. Keep a light touch with the blade and vary the direction. Works like a charm.- Top
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Re: Lacquer Paint Touch Up
Chuck
Thanks for your thoughts. I aggree that it is very difficult to sand such small areas.63 FI SWC, Top Flight 2006/2008, PV 2007
69 Coupe, 427, 400HP w/AC
72 LT1 Targa Blue Convertible - Duntov Award
07 Z06, Black/Black - Daily Driver- Top
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Re: Lacquer Paint Touch Up
Walt
What type of paint do you reccomend. My existing paint is lacquer that was done 10-12 years ago.63 FI SWC, Top Flight 2006/2008, PV 2007
69 Coupe, 427, 400HP w/AC
72 LT1 Targa Blue Convertible - Duntov Award
07 Z06, Black/Black - Daily Driver- Top
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Re: Lacquer Paint Touch Up
Alan
I agree. It's very tricky and a bit scary. So far I have only tried touching up very very small areas but I may venture beyond!63 FI SWC, Top Flight 2006/2008, PV 2007
69 Coupe, 427, 400HP w/AC
72 LT1 Targa Blue Convertible - Duntov Award
07 Z06, Black/Black - Daily Driver- Top
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Re: Wait time
Mike
I like the razor blade trick. Will give it a whirl. Why do you need to dress the blade/63 FI SWC, Top Flight 2006/2008, PV 2007
69 Coupe, 427, 400HP w/AC
72 LT1 Targa Blue Convertible - Duntov Award
07 Z06, Black/Black - Daily Driver- Top
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