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  1. #1
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    Unhappy Wet-sanded through OEM clearcoat

    This is an offshoot of another thread I posted where I had prepped one of my cars for a key scratch so to wet sand and buffing.

    Yesterday, I decided to take the project to the next step by wetsanding the touched up area. I started with 2000 grit paper. I didn't count the strokes, but was being pretty light-handed and only the top tip of the sanding block was gently touching the paint. I moved to a 2500 grit when I saw the touchup paint level out so to trade in 2000 grit scratches for 2500 grit scratches. Then, I put my PC 7424XP, 5.5 LC yellow foam pad and WG TSR to attack the scratches. Wow - that combo is SICK! The whole area was full of gloss in a matter of seconds and that combo did an absolutely AMAZING job in removing all the sanding - had me asking - do I really need to move up to a white pad? It looked totally flawless.

    Then....

    I put my PC down, and took a nice close look at the repair. I saw one area that was still a little high - so I thought I would try to wet-sand and level it out a bit more. Heck, I had just built up enough confidence in the previous exercise and results that I thought I was G2G.

    So....I went back to the 2000 grit paper. Shortly after starting, I noticed a change in appearance in the spot I was working on - seemed "flatter". That sunken gut feeling started settling in. When I wiped the area dry, it looked like a blotch of dull paint was showing up, no haziness. Had I sanded off the clear altogether in that area? (Pics are coming). Sure looks like I did.


    In an attempt to free myself from this nasty feeling, I searched feverishly online for my solution - more clearcoat. I thought - "Somebody has to make this stuff accessible to the public without needing to be a paint shop, right?".

    Well, I was right. There is a company that sells it as a liquid or in aeresol cans. So, my thought was to by some of the clearcoat in aeresol form (due to the size of the damage) and spray several coats, let it dry, wetsand, and polish and see if it will look like OEM or if it will forever keep that dull look.

    While it seems I sanded through the clearcoat, I wonder - is the basecoat still safe? I can still see the metallic flake in it, so I'm hoping the clearcoat will make it glossy and keep the color consistent in that area. I can get some basecoat in liquid or aeresol form as well but I don't want to risk the new base application to be off color the slightest, especially if all I need to do is clearcoat it.

    Thoughts?

  2. #2
    Super Member embolism's Avatar
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    Re: Wet-sanded through OEM clearcoat

    if you take a little white polish on a pad and rub it on the spot are you getting the base colour on your pad? If so then you've gone through the clear. If not, then use some TSR on orange to shine it up again.
    I told my wife that a husband is like a fine wine; he gets better with age. The next day, she locked me in the cellar.
    ~Tim

  3. #3
    Mike Phillips
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    Re: Wet-sanded through OEM clearcoat

    Quote Originally Posted by washnwax View Post

    Well, I was right. There is a company that sells it as a liquid or in aerosol cans. So, my thought was to by some of the clearcoat in aerosol form (due to the size of the damage) and spray several coats, let it dry, wetsand, and polish and see if it will look like OEM or if it will forever keep that dull look.
    It's going to be harder than you think to re-paint this area and have it look like nothing ever happened... that's usually everyone's goal.

    Do the repair and it doesn't ever look like there was a repair?



    Quote Originally Posted by washnwax View Post

    While it seems I sanded through the clearcoat, I wonder - is the basecoat still safe? I can still see the metallic flake in it, so I'm hoping the clearcoat will make it glossy and keep the color consistent in that area. I can get some basecoat in liquid or aerosol form as well but I don't want to risk the new base application to be off color the slightest, especially if all I need to do is clearcoat it.

    Thoughts?
    You can try... how it will look will depend on how much, (if any), of the basecoat you sanded off and if you "affected" the metallic flake when sanding. Even a subtle change in the metallic flake in the basecoat can be detectable once you restore the clarity to the area with fresh, clear paint. All you have to do is stand back a little ways in the right light and any changes will be detectable.


    Quote Originally Posted by embolism View Post
    if you take a little white polish on a pad and rub it on the spot are you getting the base colour on your pad?

    If so then you've gone through the clear. If not, then use some TSR on orange to shine it up again.
    Once you document and verify that you have gone through the clear then stop applying any kind of compound or polish to the basecoat or you may run into surface adhesion problems when you try to re-clear the area.


    Not trying to play "Debbie Downer" but body shops struggle with re-doing accidents like this and getting the repair to look so good that you cannot tell there was a repair. If they struggle with all their tools and equipment then it's probably not going to be easier in your garage with a can of spray paint.


    I'm all for you trying and even more so for documenting your project to help others...



  4. #4
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    Re: Wet-sanded through OEM clearcoat

    Thanks Mike - i will add up all my pics shortly to show the story...

    For attempting the clear coat repair - IYO, is aeresol going to apply better than brush application?

    Would you suggest applying a coat of basecoat before the clear to be safe? Well, as safe as someone trying to fix burning through clear and not taking it to a paint shop (yet).

  5. #5
    Junior Member ChrisGT's Avatar
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    Re: Wet-sanded through OEM clearcoat

    Go for it man. Aerosol should work. I re-painted a portion of a black bumper with over the counter duplicolor paint and clear.. was able to blend the clear into the oem clear by wet sanding and polishing with an orange pad and TSR. I was a total noob and it turned out great. Just tape off a square around the messed up part and shoot clear over it, wet sand, polish.

  6. #6
    Mike Phillips
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    Re: Wet-sanded through OEM clearcoat

    Quote Originally Posted by washnwax View Post
    Thanks Mike - i will add up all my pics shortly to show the story...

    For attempting the clear coat repair - IYO, is aeresol going to apply better than brush application?

    Would you suggest applying a coat of basecoat before the clear to be safe? Well, as safe as someone trying to fix burning through clear and not taking it to a paint shop (yet).

    The two issues you'll need to overcome are,

    Adhesion issues - Everything has to be surgically clean to avoid any adhesion problems

    Matching issues - Since this is a metallic finish, everything has to be done perfectly or it wasn't match the surrounding panels. Even if the color is right getting the metallic flake to lay down exactly as it lays in the surrounding panels is the challenge.

    Might want to find some forums for painting cars and check with the forum members there for more detailing information...




  7. #7
    Super Member timaishu's Avatar
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    Thumbs down Re: Wet-sanded through OEM clearcoat

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike.Phillips@Autogeek View Post
    It's going to be harder than you think to re-paint this area and have it look like nothing ever happened... that's usually everyone's goal.
    I can vouch for that. I thought it would be pretty simple. But nope, spend two days sanding then shot the clear and it came out TERRIBLE. Sanded that off and shot it again a few days later and it still came out not so great.

    I made a thread awhile back if your curious.
    Jacob

  8. #8
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    Re: Wet-sanded through OEM clearcoat

    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisGT View Post
    Go for it man. Aerosol should work. I re-painted a portion of a black bumper with over the counter duplicolor paint and clear.. was able to blend the clear into the oem clear by wet sanding and polishing with an orange pad and TSR. I was a total noob and it turned out great. Just tape off a square around the messed up part and shoot clear over it, wet sand, polish.
    Did you happen to log the work with methods used and pictures?

  9. #9
    Mike Phillips
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    Re: Wet-sanded through OEM clearcoat

    Quote Originally Posted by washnwax View Post
    Did you happen to log the work with methods used and pictures?
    Using a member's Posting History to find an answer




  10. #10
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    Re: Wet-sanded through OEM clearcoat

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike.Phillips@Autogeek View Post
    The two issues you'll need to overcome are,

    Adhesion issues - Everything has to be surgically clean to avoid any adhesion problems

    Matching issues - Since this is a metallic finish, everything has to be done perfectly or it wasn't match the surrounding panels. Even if the color is right getting the metallic flake to lay down exactly as it lays in the surrounding panels is the challenge.
    Might want to find some forums for painting cars and check with the forum members there for more detailing information...



    Thanks Mike - I've talked to the support staff at the company selling the clear. They gave me direction on prep: Dawn wash, light 1500 sand for adhesion, NOT to tape off so to avoid seeing tape lines, but to fold some paper or other barrier and tape that, spray, dry, sand (optional), buff w/ compound and hopefully resolved.

    I wonder how I got through the clear so quick - I was only at this for an hour and was really light (I though anyway) on the pressure and used 2000 grit paper to start, follows with 2500, then WG TSR PC and yellow - is it possible the yellow pad and pressure on the PC7424XP chewed through some clear too? This hole process scares me into thinking twice before doing this again...2x edge sword - looks great but going for perfect bit me. How anyone gets away with an airpressure sander like Griots or Megs and not cutting through clear is a mystery to me.

    Thanks and I'll post the storyline when I get through this mess.

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