Advice for stonechips
Discussion
Whenever I 'touch up' stone chips, I seem to make a bit of a mess.
I remember being told a while back that there is a technique, where you touch in the paint and then somehow wipe it away before it is fully dry....
Am I talking rubbish, or can anyone out there give me some guidance?
Cheers
I remember being told a while back that there is a technique, where you touch in the paint and then somehow wipe it away before it is fully dry....
Am I talking rubbish, or can anyone out there give me some guidance?
Cheers
The best tip that I have had related to what you use to apply the paint. Many people try to use the brushes that come with the touch up sticks which are far too coarse. I was told to take a small amount of paint (a droplet) on a toothpick and let the paint bleed across the stonechip. That way you can build up layers inside the dimple and not cover too much of the original paint.
To do it really properly you then need to wet sand and polish the paintwork, although I am sure some of the bodyshop folks on here can give you the full low down!
To do it really properly you then need to wet sand and polish the paintwork, although I am sure some of the bodyshop folks on here can give you the full low down!
Best technique for stone chips varies markedly depending on the metallic content of the paint.
First step is to check the colour match. Yes, I know you bought it from the main dealer. That means NOTHING. It will be an approximate match to one batch of paint that has been called that colour. Chances are that colour name has been used for multiple batches of paint, all visibly different. The paint formulation technology at the factory sprayguns and for your touch-in paint are utterly different. The paint is a different beast.
If the match is poor, try an alternative supplier - you can get paint made up for you - to match the particular batch on your car - at some stores, and from some eBay traders.
Regardless of technique, apply the paint in light even coats. Allow to fully cure before overcoating. A heat gun, infra-red lamp, or plenty of sun will accelerate the process.
For flat colours, if you want to 'fill' the chip, rather than just colour it in to hide the primer, you can do so. Build up the layers until the paint is proud of the chip. The toothpick suggestion as an application tool is a good one. When fully cured, gently flat it back with 1500 or 2000 grit paper, until it's flush. Then polish up the area. Be very careful not to flat through the clearcoat around the chip.
With metallics, you cannot really flat them back. The flatting action pulls the metallic flakes out of the paint, leaving a binder which will look duller and darker.
If you only have a few (largeish) chips, mask very precisely around them with tape. Then build up the most even layer of paint you can (if you have access to an airbrush, reduce the paint with some thinners for sprayability - and use it) and remove the tape. That's as good as it'll get, sadly.
A chip removes substantial material from the finish. Metallic flakes sit at different angles where they sit around the edge of the chip, reflecting light differently and looking darker or lighter, even if the paint is exactly the same as the original finish. Chip repairs on high-metallic paints are therefore a much poorer cosmetic improvement than flat colours - simply the physics of reflection.
HTH
Tol
First step is to check the colour match. Yes, I know you bought it from the main dealer. That means NOTHING. It will be an approximate match to one batch of paint that has been called that colour. Chances are that colour name has been used for multiple batches of paint, all visibly different. The paint formulation technology at the factory sprayguns and for your touch-in paint are utterly different. The paint is a different beast.
If the match is poor, try an alternative supplier - you can get paint made up for you - to match the particular batch on your car - at some stores, and from some eBay traders.
Regardless of technique, apply the paint in light even coats. Allow to fully cure before overcoating. A heat gun, infra-red lamp, or plenty of sun will accelerate the process.
For flat colours, if you want to 'fill' the chip, rather than just colour it in to hide the primer, you can do so. Build up the layers until the paint is proud of the chip. The toothpick suggestion as an application tool is a good one. When fully cured, gently flat it back with 1500 or 2000 grit paper, until it's flush. Then polish up the area. Be very careful not to flat through the clearcoat around the chip.
With metallics, you cannot really flat them back. The flatting action pulls the metallic flakes out of the paint, leaving a binder which will look duller and darker.
If you only have a few (largeish) chips, mask very precisely around them with tape. Then build up the most even layer of paint you can (if you have access to an airbrush, reduce the paint with some thinners for sprayability - and use it) and remove the tape. That's as good as it'll get, sadly.
A chip removes substantial material from the finish. Metallic flakes sit at different angles where they sit around the edge of the chip, reflecting light differently and looking darker or lighter, even if the paint is exactly the same as the original finish. Chip repairs on high-metallic paints are therefore a much poorer cosmetic improvement than flat colours - simply the physics of reflection.
HTH
Tol
Hi there,
On a similar topic... I wonder if someone can help please..
I have a 996 C4S in Basalt Black (metallic) which seems to have picked up an inordinate number of chips and a couple of bumper scratches over the winter. I'd like to get her looking 'the nuts' again for the Spring, and considered using Chips Away (or some similar company) - however I did'nt have a great experience with Chips Away on a previous car (M3 Cab in Black) - does anyone have anyone they can recommend (as I assume not all Chips Away 'technicians' are the same..!)
I live in Windsor, work in Bermondsey, and would be prepared to travel for a good job.
Thanks in advance.
Juz
On a similar topic... I wonder if someone can help please..
I have a 996 C4S in Basalt Black (metallic) which seems to have picked up an inordinate number of chips and a couple of bumper scratches over the winter. I'd like to get her looking 'the nuts' again for the Spring, and considered using Chips Away (or some similar company) - however I did'nt have a great experience with Chips Away on a previous car (M3 Cab in Black) - does anyone have anyone they can recommend (as I assume not all Chips Away 'technicians' are the same..!)
I live in Windsor, work in Bermondsey, and would be prepared to travel for a good job.
Thanks in advance.
Juz
juzza said:
Hi there,
On a similar topic... I wonder if someone can help please..
I have a 996 C4S in Basalt Black (metallic) which seems to have picked up an inordinate number of chips and a couple of bumper scratches over the winter. I'd like to get her looking 'the nuts' again for the Spring, and considered using Chips Away (or some similar company) - however I did'nt have a great experience with Chips Away on a previous car (M3 Cab in Black) - does anyone have anyone they can recommend (as I assume not all Chips Away 'technicians' are the same..!)
I live in Windsor, work in Bermondsey, and would be prepared to travel for a good job.
Thanks in advance.
Juz
On a similar topic... I wonder if someone can help please..
I have a 996 C4S in Basalt Black (metallic) which seems to have picked up an inordinate number of chips and a couple of bumper scratches over the winter. I'd like to get her looking 'the nuts' again for the Spring, and considered using Chips Away (or some similar company) - however I did'nt have a great experience with Chips Away on a previous car (M3 Cab in Black) - does anyone have anyone they can recommend (as I assume not all Chips Away 'technicians' are the same..!)
I live in Windsor, work in Bermondsey, and would be prepared to travel for a good job.
Thanks in advance.
Juz
How many chips are you talking? If you want it looking like new again.. maybe consider just having the bumper etc re sprayed??
What I do is overfill the chip with a fine brush or toothpick, then when the paint is almost hard I get a new scalpel or razor blade and cut the top of the fresh paint off, leaving it flush to the surrounding. Then polish. Much less risk of damaging the surrounding paint while flatting.
Most ChipsAway operators will charge you for the bumper scuffs and sort out airbrush touch-ins to your bonnet and wing chipping free of charge, or for next to nothing, while there's spare paint left. That's certainly the basis we work on.
Basalt black responds pretty well to chip touch-ins too, although obviously the smaller the chip, the better the improvement.
As paintwork is a highly skilled trade, quality does vary from operator to operator. Best thing to do is get feedback from previous customers for the individual you might use. I'll post in the ChipsAway operator's forum and see if anyone in your neck of the woods reckons they're up to completing these repairs for a discerning customer...
HTH
Tol
Basalt black responds pretty well to chip touch-ins too, although obviously the smaller the chip, the better the improvement.
As paintwork is a highly skilled trade, quality does vary from operator to operator. Best thing to do is get feedback from previous customers for the individual you might use. I'll post in the ChipsAway operator's forum and see if anyone in your neck of the woods reckons they're up to completing these repairs for a discerning customer...
HTH
Tol
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