Paint/Finish Recomendation SFO

[jim34671]

Thanks to all for your comments about water spot removal.Looks like I may have go the wet sand way route get rid of these.In saying that,appreciate if locals in the SFO *****ula area can recommend a choice shop.Expertise in lacquer and prized work appreciated.Someone who knows exactly what to do without risking further.
Thx
Jim

[Chuck S.]

Re: Paint/Finish Recomendation SFO

Did you try 3M Perfect-It II Rubbing Compound with a Porter Cable 7424 polisher? The Porter Cable is a random orbital polisher, and it's virtually impossible to damage your paint. I would not attempt to buff your Corvette with a rotary buffer. If you haven't used a Porter Cable before, here are some links with details on using:

http://forums.roadfly.com/forums/detailing/forum.php?postid=1430487&page=3

http://www.guidetodetailing.com/articles.php?articleId=47

If you have already tried machine buffing with rubbing compound, then finish sanding/buffing will be the last resort. Below is an excerpt from a post made on another forum recently a scuff on BC/CC finish...everything applies except the clear coat "break-through" comments. For your problem, I would probably recommend 2000 grit or finer sandpaper; say 2500 or 3000 grit if you can find it.

"I don't know how much you know about the sand and buff procedure, but if you are going to try this yourself, buy two sheets of 3M 1500 grit wet/dry sandpaper and a soft sanding block (firm rubber rectangle about 3" W X 5" L X 1/2"T).

Get a five gallon bucket, fill it with water, and add about one or two onces of dish washing liquid...Ivory Liquid is perfect, but for this small spot, Dawn won't eat your hands too badly. Suds are not required or desired, but slight sudsing won't hurt anything.

Fold and tear a sheet of the paper into halves. Wrap one half of the sheet around the soft block, wet the bumper surface, and dip the paper and soft block into the bucket. Gently sand the scuff moving the paper back and forth in one direction in short, parallel, horizontal movements. Make no more than two to four movements over any given area. Advance the line of movement slowly across the scuffed area. Constantly wash the sanded material out of your paper, and keep the paper wet by dipping and swishing in the bucket. Continue this process, starting at one end of the scuff and methodically advance to the unsanded area as you finish each each pass.

Wash and dry the area with a towel after you have finished sanding the scuffed area. If it still has scratches after the first sanding, then your chances of not breaking through are diminishing, but you still have to get all the scratches out...go over it again completely. As long as the water on the sandpaper is colorless, you are OK, but when it begins to show color (black), the game is over...you've broken through. When you've completed sanding, the sanded area should have a flat matte finish without scratches. This matte finish now has to be buffed back to match the surrounding gloss.

If you have never used a rotary buffer, I don't recommend you try to learn how to use one on your Corvette. The ideal tool is the Porter Cable Model 7424 polisher; start your polishing with a 6" yellow foam pad and 3M Perfect-It II Rubbing Compound. This is a mild, liquid rubbing compound available in 16 once bottles...DO NOT USE the paste rubbing compounds found at general auto stores.

Work the area with the rubbing compound until almost full gloss, then switch to a white foam pad with 3M Perfect-It II Foam Polishing Pad Glaze for Dark Colors. Polish the area until you're satisfied with the gloss match, wax or zaino, and you're done.

At this point, I should try to tell you what "break-through" looks like so you'll know if you have to set up an appointment with your body man: As you polish, and after you've polished, break-through will look like a slightly duller spot surrounded by a definite, but sometimes hard to see, circular border...the border is where your clear ends, and the circular area is where the base coat is exposed. The gloss on the base coat will be only slightly duller at this point, but don't be fooled...that gloss level won't last on the base coat; it will disappear in a few days.

Autogeek can supply any polishing needs...I don't think they have 3M products, but you can find the sandpaper, soft block, rubbing compound, and glaze at any auto paint store.