| 1. |
Q.
Can I buff out my paint job and why would I want to do it?
A. Yes you can, but it's not necessary. The reason
to do it would be to produce a smoother surface or remove surface
imperfections like orange peel, dry spray, runs & sags or dust
nibs. But if the paint has a nice gloss and little contamination,
there's no need to buff it. It's a lot of work. |
| 2. |
Q.
Will my newly painted car be shinier if I buff it out?
A. Buffed paint won't be quite as shiny as unbuffed
paint if the paint surface is smooth and properly applied. The difference
is extremely slight and not detectable to most people. However, if
you have an orange peely surface it should look a lot better buffed
because you'll make the paint surface smoother. |
| 3. |
Q. What is the process
of buffing out paint?
- Wetsand surface with 1500 grit wet/dry sandpaper (block sand
runs and sags first using 1000 grit paper)
- Machine buff with electric buffer with course wool pad and appropriate
compound (not wax).
- Wash surface and dry
- Buff with foam pad and foam pad compound or fine wool pad.
Use a buffer that does not exceed 2,500 rpm. If you go too quickly,
you'll build up too much heat and damage (i.e. burn through) the
paint. Mequires and 3M make good quality buffing pads and compounds.
You can't use a $20 waxer/polisher to buff out a paint job like
this, you need a real buffer, preferably one that is variable speed,
or two speed. Wen (available from J.C.
Whitney), makes a low-priced buffer that will do the trick.
Nicer buffers from Makita, Bosch
and Black And Decker are available from autobody supply stores and
merchants like Tools USA and
Autobody Toolmart.
|
| 4. |
Q.
Do I need to sand the paint out in order to buff it?
A. If you want to remove imperfections like mentioned
above then yes, you need to wetsand the imperfections out. |
| 5. |
Q.
What about older paint on my faded vehicle, can I buff that too?
A. Yes. If you have an older vehicle with faded
paint, buffing it could make it look almost new again if the paint
is in generally good condition. Car dealers buff cars out all the
time to make them look nice again. Reds and dark colors really benefit
from buffing. You don't need to wetsand the paint to do it, just start
using the course wool pad and compound and then the foam pad. You'll
be amazed how well it works! If your vehicle is only a few years old
you can just try running a foam pad (using foam pad compound) over
it. It should improve it's luster. If the paint is older and has micro-cracks
in it it'll actually look worse because the cracks will load up with
compound. Experiment in a small section first. |
| 6. |
Q.
Can I really buff using a foam pad??
A. Yes. That the way to get a really nice shine
and swirl-free finish. It runs cooler than a wool pad. Be sure to
use rubbing compound made for foam pads. |
| 7. |
Q. Can I buff out
enamel paint or another single-stage paint?
A.You can but it's not recommended.
When you spray a single stage paint a thin layer of UV protectant
forms on it's surface. It helps prevent oxidizing and increases
the longevity of the paint's gloss. If you wetsand and buff the
paint, you will remove that layer and it will oxidize much faster.
If you have a few runs or other imperfections in the side of your
paint, you don't have much choice but to buff out the imperfections.
But just for the sake of buffing the car out, I'd strongly advise
against it.
I'll share a buffing story with you:
Several years ago when I was still learning the craft, I had a collector
car that I sprayed with a single-stage urethane paint. It looked
good but there was dust in the paint that annoyed me. So, I sanded
and buffed the hood, trunk lid, and tops of fenders to improve it's
appearance. Within three months a layer of oxidation formed on the
buffed area (entire upper part of the car) and it became dull and
unsightly (for a collector car). I buffed it again and it looked
good -- but for only about 3 months. I got myself into a cycle of
having to buff off the oxidation before every car show to make it
appear presentable again. I would have been better off spraying
the car over. Had I used a basecoat/clearcoat paint in the first
place, I could have buffed it successfully and it would stay shiny
because the clearcoat finish is the UV protecting layer and is much
thicker and can be buffed w/o oxidation problems. That's why I always
recommend to beginners that want to do a good paint job to use a
basecoat/clearcoat. If you get mistakes, you can fix them.
|
| 8. |
Q.
I get water in my paint, what causes it and what can I do?
A. You've got water in your air line. You need a
moisture separator. If you already have one, check it's location or
plumbing. It must be located about 18-20 feet from your air compressor
and plumbed with steel or rigid copper line. What 's happening is
after your compressor has been running for a while the air in the
tank is warm and holds more moisture. The air cools as it goes through
your airline and condenses into water droplets which eventually get
pushed through your spray gun's nozzle. Don't keep painting, you'll
have moisture problems. Clean, dry air is a must for painting. |
| 9. |
Q. What are some common
mistakes rookies make and how to prevent them?
- Cut corners. Leads to poor bodywork, and poor quality paint
jobs
- Don't block-sand high-build primer. Leads to wavy bodywork
- Skip sealing stage. Using a sealer prior to painting can go
a long way toward reducing potential paint problems
- Intermixing products from different companies.
- Clean out paint gun with lacquer thinner and forget to fully
dry and blow out. Lacquer and basecoats don't mix.
- Don't clean thoroughly with wax & grease remover. Can lead
to paint problems
- Poor masking. Can lead to trapped dust which may get into the
paint. Plus, paint on trim looks bad and doesn't easily come off.
- Painting on dusty floor. Water down floor to prevent dust from
blowing up
- Apply paint too heavy or too light. Practice on a old panel
before spraying.
- Uses inadequate spray gun. Get something decent.
|
| 10. |
Q. What are some common
paint problems and how can I fix them?
| Paint Problem |
Appearance |
Likely Causes |
Fixes |
| Orange Peel |
Bumpy, texture like an orange |
- Too low air pressure
- Too fast reducer
- Gun distance too far or speed too fast
- Improper atomization
|
Wetsand and buff paint |
| Fish eyes |
Craters in the paint |
- Oil, wax or silicates on paint surface
- Contaminated reducer or spray gun
- Used oily rags to clean off
|
Repaint.
Can also carefully fill each crater with a drop of paint,
then sand and buff.
|
| Dry spray |
Dull, gravely paint surface
with poor gloss |
- Reducer too fast
- Gun speed or distance to great
- Overspray settled in paint
|
Wetsand and buff paint |
| Dull |
Was shiny when painted, then
turned dull |
- Reducer too fast
- Too few coats of paint
- No sealer used
|
Wetsand and buff paint |
| Chalky |
Whiteish spots in paint |
- Reducers too fast and conditions too humid
|
Repaint |
| Scratches |
Faint scratches visible after
dry |
- Too course sandpaper used
- No sealer used
- Primer not fully cure when sanded/painted
|
Wetsand and buff |
| Runs or sags |
Runs or Sags in paint |
- Too slow reducer used
- Paint applied to heavy
- Temperature too cold
- Improper reduction
|
Block sand runs & sags
and buff |
| Raised edges |
Visible spots around body work
and where paint was sanded through |
- No sealer applied
- Sealer applied too heavy
- Improper atomization
- Paint applied too heavy
- New paint incompatible with existing finish
|
Repaint
Sanding and buffing may help
|
| Bubbles or
craters |
Small bubbles in paint |
- Water in air system
- Surface contamination
- Dust
|
Sand and repaint
** can try filling each crater with paint, then sand and buff
|
|
| 11. |
Q.
I get a lot of runs, how do I prevent it?
A. Sounds like you're putting it on too heavy. Make
sure air pressure is properly adjusted at the gun and try increasing
gun speed. Make sure the nozzle is about 8-10" from the surface.
Adjust gun trigger so less paint comes out. Also be sure you are not
using too slow of a thinner. |
| 12. |
Q.
Why does basecoat look dull, is that normal?
A. Yes, that's how it looks when dry. It goes on
wet but dries to a matte finish. The clearcoat gives it the shine. |
| 13. |
Q.
How many coats of paint/clear do I need?
A. If it's a single-stage urethane or acrylic enamel,
three coats is recommended. For basecoats, use two to three coats
until it covers well and color is uniform. Two coats is iffy, three
is usually good, even with metallics For clear, some high-solids clears
can be applied in two coats. But sometimes they die-back and later
look less glossy. Three coats and you can't go wrong. Four and five
coats isn't necessary. It's not like in the old days when they would
put on 10 coats of clear lacquer. You don't need that. |
| 14. |
Q.
My paint has a rough, or textured (orange-peel) look to it, what do
I do?
A. Wetsand the paint with 1500 grit paper an buff. |
| 15. |
Q.
My paint was really shiny after I finished painting it, but now it
looks more dull.
A. Sounds like either die-back of the clear or no
sealer was used. |
| 16. |
Q.
How do I replace that tough rubbery coating on the bottom of my doors?
A. That's called rocker guard. It is available in
spray cans. You can apply it over your paint. Just mask off and paint
according to directions. |
| 17. |
Q.
What is the best way to prevent rust now that my car is painted?
A. Make sure all bodywork areas are properly sealed
and undercoated. Get back behind holes and cover with seam sealer.
If you can't reach, use a paint stick or a brush taped to a paint
stick. |
| 18. |
Q.
What about undercoating my vehicle?
A. Yes, it's a good idea. Undercoat behind bodywork
areas. A little oil dribbled on the inside bottom of the doors is
an old-timer's trick to keeping door from rusting. |
| 19. |
Q.
How do I replace my emblems so they don't fall off?
A. Remove old adhesive with a scraper or razor knife.
Apply new automotive-grade double-sided adhesive and trim edges and
put back on vehicle. It should stick permanently. 3M makes a good
quality double-sided auto trim adhesive. |
| 20. |
Q.
How much does a bodyman make and is it a good profession?
A. A good autobody technician can make a very good
living. Shops are always looking for good bodymen and pay well to
keep good workers from moving on to other shops. A good bodyman can
make $15-20/hr. Weather it's a good profession or not depends on the
individual. It's a lot of work and conditions can be dusty and dirty
at times. But it has it's rewards too. Working for a restoration shop
allows one the opportunity to work on different vehicles. |
| 21. |
Q.
I'm really getting into paint and bodywork, how can I learn more?
A. There are many good books out on the market.
Motorbooks International and Haynes are two companies that publish
paint and autobody books. They're very educational and well worth
the money. Also, get to know the technicians and owner at your local
body shop. Just talking to others is a great way to learn more about
what's new and see different techniques that other shops use. |
| 22. |
Q. Can you
list some good paint and bodywork books?
A. |
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