Big Mistake In Touch Up Paint Help!

[suwidji]

hey guys,

I had a few scratches on the side of my car, and i was going to touch it up with some touch up paint, and then use a cutting compound to bring it back to level... BUT it turned out a LOT uglier than i expected, and the cutting compound did nothing.

I ended up getting lumps over the places i painted (even though i tried my best to paint it evenly) and whenever i use the cutting compound over the paint, it never looks like it's even getting closer to the paint level of the rest of the car. I've been doing it by hand, because i dont have an orbital polisher, but i spent about an hour on it and the level of the touch up painted parts look the same as when i started using the compound :\

here's a photo of it,

Help please?

Edited May 19, 2012 by suwidji

[gumflapper]

did the touch up paint have instructions on it? ive got some scratches on my car and ill be fixing them sometime in the near future - but not if it turns out like that... i thought the touch up paint was like a pen that basically just filled in the scratch?

[Daleo]

Look, you're never going to get a perfect result on black using touch up paint; that's just life unfortunately.

I think your expectation and reality are fairly different, you may have to accept that if you want a flawless finish; basically wiping paint on to your car is not going to work.

I also have a black car which someone rather generously keyed down to the undercoat; and it sticks out like dogs balls. I'm just going to repaint the entire panels. I'd rather not, but you are seeing the alternative.

[Little]

I can only propose an alternative for the future; the reason touch up paint kits are tough is because you are applying with a brush obviously.

In extremely small doses i've been able to hide small scars and inperfections by getting an aerosol made up and piling tape around the scratch; literally with milimeters of spacing trying to leave the gap exactly the same size as the scratch; and spraying the aerosol in one or two quick motions. It's still tricky and difficult and it doesn't look as good.

Your main problem there is the "bubbling" effect where the surface is not smooth... i guess the first step would be to get somebody to try and sand it down flat... i don't know. maybe a pro could do it with a machine sander, maybe he'd do it by hand.

[suwidji]

gumflapper, it didn't come with instructions, I got it made up at autobarn

damn I was scared the answer would be a professional job i'll try to sand it down with fine grit sandpaper and hopefully it works.

[suwidji]

gumflapper, it didn't come with instructions, I got it made up at autobarn

damn I was scared the answer would be a professional job i'll try to sand it down with fine grit sandpaper and hopefully it works.

[iwanta34gtr]

Please be careful wet sanding. You dont want to go too far and break through the clear.

If the paint you applied is still fresh, you could try a more agressive compound to try and remove it and get you back to where you were before.

Try meguiars ultimate compound.

[iwanta34gtr]

I've been doing it by hand, because i dont have an orbital polisher, but i spent about an hour on it and the level of the touch up painted parts look the same as when i started using the compound :\

Also, an oribtal polisher will not help you here.

Orbitals + Dual action polishers are not designed for hardcore paint correction such as this (not saying that they are not capable of it though).

They have a counter weight in them to avoid heat generation and prevent clear coat break through. Not as effective as your standard rotary polisher (such as panel shops use to manipulate the clear after spraying - orange peel - etc), but very safe for novice users.

To fix your problem, if you take it to a pro they will need to wet sand it down and then buff with agressive compound and then buff again with polish to restore shine and then wax to seal.

[PN-Mad]

Its stuffed. Burn it with fire.

But seriously, just get it done properly. I think you can use cutting compound/fine grit all you want but that is never going to look good. Point is, you will always know its there- and your eyes will go straight too it all the time.

Get it done professionally, save up for a little while or whatever, and get it done properly. You'll never know it was there. Touch up paint is good for stone chips and the like not stuff like that.

[cree]

You must of applied way too much. You will have to get it sanded back and resprayed by a shop. What panel is it? If it's the front quarter it's very easy to get one of those hard discs (not sure of the proper name), put it in a drill and take the paint of yourself and then get a color coded spray can from autobarn and spray it your self. It won't look as good as a shop but cheap alternative.

[Hanaldo]

Cutting compound was never going to work, the stuff is essentially used to get rid of orange peel or overspray and polish up an already good paint job. Your only option is to sand it back and go again. If you know how to spray then it's easy, but given you tried touch up paint originally I'm gonna assume you don't.

[asps91]

Do not Wetsand the paintwork! if you cant apply touch up paint correctly chances are you will rub through. As mentioned above take it to a shop and ask them to sand and buff that area.

[GTR-N1]

Do not Wetsand the paintwork! if you cant apply touch up paint correctly chances are you will rub through. As mentioned above take it to a shop and ask them to sand and buff that area.

Have to agree after looking at your pic...

There are other scratches present too.

And ask the painter to make up some extra touch up paint for you > perfect match for the future.

I'm not happy with the "GV1" Pearl Black paint you had made up anyway.

[asps91]

And by the way, your car has been exposed to years of sunlight, rain.... You name it. You never get a colour match off a paint code. Best thing to do is to get the code and petrol flap and take it into a auto body supply store and get it properly matched. Paint fades over time.

[iwanta34gtr]

Paint fades over time.

Sure does, I remember one of my black R34's when I got it, the paint was a different colour to one of the other panels which had been freshly painted.

I compounded and polished the whole car and the paint matched perfectly after the love.

Edited August 18, 2012 by iwanta34gtr

[iwanta34gtr]

Paint fades over time.

Sure does, I remember one of my black R34's when I got it, the paint was a different colour to one of the other panels which had been freshly painted.

I compounded and polished the whole car and the paint matched perfectly after the love.

[iwanta34gtr]

Blah.

Double post. Sorry.

[cree]

I just finished rubbing back and respraying my car's guard. Was pretty easy as the guard was off the car. The only thing I stuffed up on was the clear coat as I ran out after 2 coats. I a going to get it buffed and see how it goes. So if you get another spray can and some clear give it a go.

Edited August 25, 2012 by cree

[asps91]

You will never get a perfect finish from a spray can. This is the reason I invested in a $1000 compressor and a $500 spray gun.

[cree]

You will never get a perfect finish from a spray can. This is the reason I invested in a $1000 compressor and a $500 spray gun.

That is very true, but it a quick temporary fix until you can get it re-done professionally.