quick claybar question

[TurboToys]

another thread because im trying to tie up all the loose ends in what i know and what i cant find any information about.

has anyone ever had an issue with claybarring a car that was painted but never clear sanded, and never nibbed?

a paint that has some dust particles in the top layer, will the clay grab it and tear it away, or is it just better to be cautious with the clay?

[Mike Phillips]

has anyone ever had an issue with claybarring a car that was painted but never clear sanded, and never nibbed?

a paint that has some dust particles in the top layer, will the clay grab it and tear it away, or is it just better to be cautious with the clay?

You know, that's a very good question and I don't think I've ever seen this question ever posted to a forum before, at least not that I can remember.

When a car is painted, sometimes dirt and dust in the air will land in the paint while it's still wet and then as the paint dries and hardens the dirt or dust particles become set in the paint creating a high point in what is otherwise a flat surface.

Like this from the Glasurit.com website.
Glasurit –Dust Contamination





Claying acts kind of like sanding in that the abrasives in the clay abrade anything sticking out on top of the surface, as particles are abraded off the surface they are trapped into the clay because it's tacky.

From experience, claying usually wont' remove DIP or Dirt In Paint. There are other ways to remove DIP some are safer than others. Some guys use razor blades which is kind of on the risky side. A safe way would be to use this little tool.

Meguiar's Unigrit Sanding Block




Basically you dress the block by sanding the edges smooth or rounded, then soak the block overnight in water, then stand the block on end and twist or spin it on top of the dirt nib. By doing this you stay just on top of the defect and reduce your working footprint on the surface.

After you abrade the dirt particle flat against the surface you then remove any sanding or abrading marks. You'll usually still be able to see what's left of the particle in the paint but it's usually not real noticeable and there's not a lot more you can do "safely" to remove or pluck the contaminant out of the paint. Even if you do, then you have a divot or crater and now you have to fill it in with touch-up paint and then level your touch-up paint.

It's usually best to keep a procedure like this simple but you can make it as complicated as you like.

Is this a daily driver or a show car going on display under excruciating lights and discriminating eyes?

[TurboToys]

basically a show car and weekend driver.

the owner got it painted a while ago, and assumed he was getting a great deal on the job, but after seeing the paint, i can tell the person who painted it, didnt use a booth (or walked in and out frequently), and didnt do any clear sanding to correct things (also theres some minor fish eyes like there wasnt enough degrease prep happening).


the dust particles arent rampant, they are one in about every square foot of certain areas... i wont be doing paint correction as far as sanding down the high spots caused from dust, so that means i will probably end up going around then careful after marking them with a grease pencil beforehand.

the owner never claybarred his car either, and told me he wanted to some time but never got around to it, hes pretty old fashioned when it comes to cleaning and detailing and his 66 nova could definately use some attention.


i wouldnt feel so nervous about going over these spots with the clay carefull if i didnt see the fisheye happening, which tells me the prep in the painting process may not have been the best, which means the paint could be in danger of being ripped up if its not taken care of properly.

[Mike Phillips]

which means the paint could be in danger of being ripped up if its not taken care of properly.

That is a valid fear and one I've had numerous times when working on shoddy paint work.

Claying shouldn't be a problem, working by hand or with a DA style polisher should be very safe also.

Just be extra careful if you're using a rotary buffer, try not to get the paint too hot. Use your hand and your "Fight or Flight" instincts to gauge the temperature of the paint.

If you put your hand on the paint after buffing and your normal instincts cause you to yell out,

Dang that's hot!

as you move your hand away from the paint at light-speed, then it's too hot and let the paint cool down before continuing in that area.

If you place your hand on the paint and it's warm but no panic is setting in, then the paint is in a temperature range that's safe. Paint can get warm but it's best not to get it real hot or too hot for too long of time. Use common sense.

Applying any kind of painter's tape could be risky, so be careful if you do use painter's tape when you go to remove it.

[TurboToys]

That is a valid fear and one I've had numerous times when working on shoddy paint work.

Claying shouldn't be a problem, working by hand or with a DA style polisher should be very safe also.

Just be extra careful if you're using a rotary buffer, try not to get the paint too hot. Use your hand and your "Fight or Flight" instincts to gauge the temperature of the paint.

If you put your hand on the paint after buffing and your normal instincts cause you to yell out,

Dang that's hot!

as you move your hand away from the paint at light-speed, then it's too hot and let the paint cool down before continuing in that area.

If you place your hand on the paint and it's warm but no panic is setting in, then the paint is in a temperature range that's safe. Paint can get warm but it's best not to get it real hot or too hot for too long of time. Use common sense.

Applying any kind of painter's tape could be risky, so be careful if you do use painter's tape when you go to remove it.

thanks for the advice.

for this im using a PC 7424xp that i just ordered from autogeek, my makita 9227c is still in storage and im unable to get to it, so i figured id ad a quality DA to my supplies so i can have something to do lighter swirl removal and apply sealants and glazes with. cant wait to get it and start using it.


ive never really had a problem with heating paint too much with my makita rotary though, i restored an old 69 chevy that i bought for 2k, painted it, color sanded and used the makita to buff out to perfection, so i had tons of practice on all kinds of different areas, and i do love how quickly it works when used properly.

i will be using tape, but it will be the blue or green tape (less tacky, super easy removal), and its only going to go onto the trim and other things that shouldnt see compound on them. as for the inside of the trim and other places, ill just pre-prep them with Z-AIO which ive seen a couple others use to keep compound and compound dust/splatter from latching onto the paint, makes it easy for a quick wipe off after.



from your advice, sounds like ill give the claying a go and see how some out of sight spots handle a light claying, probably going to use a less agressive clay to keep from having too much grab.. this car wont need much though, its a garage queen that comes out for a weekend drive and shows 4-5 times a year.

[Mike Phillips]

its a garage queen that comes out for a weekend drive and shows 4-5 times a year.

You're killing us!

Please post some pictures after you finish this project. 1966 Chevy's are a very popular body style, especially hot-rodded.