My paintscratch.com experience...
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,130
Likes: 10
From: Jackson, Tennessee
My paintscratch.com experience...
Well, 24 years started catching up with my 83 Ruby Red cabriolet. And then I picked up a serious scratch somewhere - maddening... a 6 inch long booger that went through to the primer!
I bit the bullit and decided to try paintscratch.com. I oredred their full repair kit including spray can and paint pen. The first batch was mailed to me and my excitement dimmed when it turned out to be way to light - more of a purple color. I soon found out from many who replied to me that this seems to be fairly common and the second batch was almost always perfect. To paintscratch.com's credit, they are very easy to deal with. I simply sent a small piece of metal back with the paint sprayed on from what they sent and 10 days later, I had a new batch of paint.
Got the new batch of paint in today...
The new paint seems to be spot on. It really is kind of weird in a way... I had a lot of people reply to say the second attempt was good. Not sure why that happens, or how often for that matter - I am sure we are a mere fraction of their customer base!
Anyway, very happy with the new batch! I will post pictures later on... that is if I can find a spot I have not touched up yet. The front part of my hood was starting to get really chipped up. After I got going, it was hard to stop, but I want to try to take a before shot. I still need to apply the clear, followed by wetsand and buff. I also need to respray my headlight trim rings.
Question for the paint experts. I think I know the answer but would like a confirmation before I get carried away (grandpa is no longer watching over my shoulder!). I planned to wetsand the areas of touch up with 1000. Then rubbing compound and polish, etc... I have a lot of touch up on the front of the hood. I am a little sheepish about wetsanding the whole area, or even the whole hood. I think it is OK to do this, but please tell me if I am right or wrong, or should do somsthing different. I would hate to go from OK to a lot worse...
One note from my experience is this: I will not do the paint pens again! I do not working with them, and the worst part is that they tend to drop paint every once in a while when you least expect it. Very frustrating and potentially irreversible if in the wrong spot! I will stick with the little "brush-in-a-bottle" for future jobs. It could very well be my technique used that caused the problem, but I cannot see any other way to use them, except like I did.
I bit the bullit and decided to try paintscratch.com. I oredred their full repair kit including spray can and paint pen. The first batch was mailed to me and my excitement dimmed when it turned out to be way to light - more of a purple color. I soon found out from many who replied to me that this seems to be fairly common and the second batch was almost always perfect. To paintscratch.com's credit, they are very easy to deal with. I simply sent a small piece of metal back with the paint sprayed on from what they sent and 10 days later, I had a new batch of paint.
Got the new batch of paint in today...
The new paint seems to be spot on. It really is kind of weird in a way... I had a lot of people reply to say the second attempt was good. Not sure why that happens, or how often for that matter - I am sure we are a mere fraction of their customer base!
Anyway, very happy with the new batch! I will post pictures later on... that is if I can find a spot I have not touched up yet. The front part of my hood was starting to get really chipped up. After I got going, it was hard to stop, but I want to try to take a before shot. I still need to apply the clear, followed by wetsand and buff. I also need to respray my headlight trim rings.
Question for the paint experts. I think I know the answer but would like a confirmation before I get carried away (grandpa is no longer watching over my shoulder!). I planned to wetsand the areas of touch up with 1000. Then rubbing compound and polish, etc... I have a lot of touch up on the front of the hood. I am a little sheepish about wetsanding the whole area, or even the whole hood. I think it is OK to do this, but please tell me if I am right or wrong, or should do somsthing different. I would hate to go from OK to a lot worse...
One note from my experience is this: I will not do the paint pens again! I do not working with them, and the worst part is that they tend to drop paint every once in a while when you least expect it. Very frustrating and potentially irreversible if in the wrong spot! I will stick with the little "brush-in-a-bottle" for future jobs. It could very well be my technique used that caused the problem, but I cannot see any other way to use them, except like I did.
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Rennlist Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,577
Likes: 52
From: Atlanta
I purchased a complete set of camel-hair brushes from the art-supply house to do touch-up. I have had them for years, and have kept all of my cars touched up whenever the inevitable rock chip or scratch comes along.
I well-defined scratch or chip can often be filled with paint, and leave behind a glossy flow coat, a finish which is easier to keep clean than any polished surface.
Beware if you use an enamel touch-up paint. It will be weeks or even months before it is hard enough to polish.
I have a huge scratch in the front right fender right on the top and side - possibly an encounter with a barb-wire fence. The PO did it, and I don't know the story. I have to show people where it is before they can find it. I used the dealer Grand Prix white touch-up. I sanded and polished the fender scratch, but most touch ups don't need it if you use the right brush and take care to put on layers and just the right amount.
Paint clean-up is no problem. The existing paint is very hard, and not easily damaged. Take a clean cotton rag, and simply wipe it off. Use a clean section of cloth after every wipe. Just watch out for lint if you wipe too close to the actual repair.
Final words of advice: it does not need to be perfect. Perfect is the enemy of a great paint repair. Get a full respray if you need perfect. Touch-up paint shrinks with time, so a slightly raised repair is better in the long run. Raised touch-up paint tends to smooth out with repeat washings and waxings. Give natural wear a chance to make the repair look better. Pretty soon, you will forget the scratch was ever there. I know I had, until you just reminded me about it.
I well-defined scratch or chip can often be filled with paint, and leave behind a glossy flow coat, a finish which is easier to keep clean than any polished surface.
Beware if you use an enamel touch-up paint. It will be weeks or even months before it is hard enough to polish.
I have a huge scratch in the front right fender right on the top and side - possibly an encounter with a barb-wire fence. The PO did it, and I don't know the story. I have to show people where it is before they can find it. I used the dealer Grand Prix white touch-up. I sanded and polished the fender scratch, but most touch ups don't need it if you use the right brush and take care to put on layers and just the right amount.
Paint clean-up is no problem. The existing paint is very hard, and not easily damaged. Take a clean cotton rag, and simply wipe it off. Use a clean section of cloth after every wipe. Just watch out for lint if you wipe too close to the actual repair.
Final words of advice: it does not need to be perfect. Perfect is the enemy of a great paint repair. Get a full respray if you need perfect. Touch-up paint shrinks with time, so a slightly raised repair is better in the long run. Raised touch-up paint tends to smooth out with repeat washings and waxings. Give natural wear a chance to make the repair look better. Pretty soon, you will forget the scratch was ever there. I know I had, until you just reminded me about it.
