9 replies to this topic

[rajah]

Hi

I'm having the devil's own game trying to do some paintwork repairs on my 25.

It's Silver Leaf Metallic (BLVC421) and has had a little bit of panel work done to pass the MOT.

Now I'm left with the problem of trying to paint the new panel areas to match in with the old paint.

So basically my question is:

After having sprayed the metallic silver basecoat, should I flat this back before applying the lacquer or is it best to put the lacquer on without flatting the basecoat?

Flatting the basecoat just seems to change the colour of it drastically so that it no longer looks anywhere near the original paint colour.

Any help/guidance would be appreciated.

Roy

[1984mini25]

If it's Halfords spray paint your using, you don't have to use lacquer. But you can do if you want a really glossy shine.

Then flat down with 1200 grit wet and dry and hot soapy water, The soapy water acts as a lubricant and stops the wet and dry scratching the surface.
Until perfectly smooth, then wash off any debris and soap residue. This wills flatten out any imperfections on the painted surface, which is nice.
With all the minor imperfections flatted out it should look cloudy but smooth.

(If your not applying lacqure skip the next bit)

Then apply a light coat of lacquer. Again light even coats. Leave to dry for 15min between coats. Apply 3 or 4 coats until a deep glossy finish is achieved.
Leave to fully dry for at least 24 hours

Now doing the same as you did to the paint rub down with 1200 grit wet and dry (same as before) until perfectly smooth. Then wash off any debris and soap residue.


Grab a bottle of T-Cut and smooth cotton rag, and then get polishing. The T-Cut is like a cutting polish and will bring it up to a really glossy shine.
Now just finish of with a decent polish to help protect and seal all you hard work and that’s job done.

Edited by 1984mini25, 20 July 2006 - 07:22 PM.

[rajah]

[quote name='1984mini25' date='Jul 20 2006, 08:19 PM' post='324742']
If it's Halfords spray paint your using, you don't have to use lacquer. But you can do if you want a really glossy shine.

Karl

Hi, everything I've read says metallic paints must have clearcoat over the base (even the signs in Halfords), although I'm using Jawel paint at the moment.

My question is really does the flatting of the basecoat change it's colour? Perhaps because of the metallic inclusions being flatted rather than sharp and shiny.

Roy

[1984mini25]

From my experience it does change slightly, but comes back with lacquer or polishing.

[rajah]

OK

Basecoats back on AGAIN!, now leaving it for 24 hours before deciding whether to flat down before clearcoating or not.

It's not a particularly good match at the moment so nothing to lose by gently flatting it down before I apply the clearcoat.

Roy

[cooper_shaz]

If you have a non metalic paint you dont need laquer, if you mave a metalic basecoat you need to laquer it, and do not flat the base coat down, this will move the metalic particles and cause the light to reflect differently to what it should.

Hence the laquer to seal the metalic basecoat.

Also you do not leave basecoat to dry before laquering.. you should only let the paint "Flash Off" this means when it turns a little sticky
you paint it with laquer..

You will find most likely that the new paint is darker than the old, this is because you original paint will have faded over the years.

The only way your going to get a proper match is by having a paint shop hand mix the paint and tone it to your car, and feather the edges of the paint.. i.e. you soften the edges by spraying to the adjoining areas around the repair.

The paint codes give the colour and shade of the paint when it was new, they dont take into account how paint has aged over the years.

Polishing the laquer will help it shine and reflect more light so it will appear lighter than just the base coat.

Alternately your looking at going through the paints on the shelf and finding one that looks a little lighter and trying it out.

If your new basecoat paint is darker you cant get a decent match, or cant get a paint mixer to tone it for you
then you can buy similar colours (slightly lighter and slightly darker from Halfords (possibly for a different car)
dust it over with a lighter silver to lighten it a bit then laquer, but this takes practice and time and done worng you could mess it up more.

Definately go down the feathering the paint and possibly toning the paint route to get a better match.

hope this helps

Edited by cooper_shaz, 28 July 2006 - 10:30 AM.

[Woody]

the base coat must not be left to dry !
all you do is let it"flash-off" and then laquer it
if the base coat is left to dry out then the laquer will not bond and then you will have to remove the whole lot and start again .
the best way to get new paint to match the old is to"blow-in", basicaly you cover the area that needs it with basecoat and then fade-out the basecoat across the ajoining panels and laqure the lot (after preping the ajoining panels with gray scotch-brite)
PS even non-metalic basecoat needs to be laquered !
If it does not need laquer then it is not "basecoat" but "direct gloss"

Edited by Woody, 25 July 2006 - 10:04 PM.

[Big Man]

Piching this old thread, what if the new colour is lighter than the original!

Anyone know an off the shelf rattle can that will match Moonraker blue as TETROSYL moonraker blue is too light?

Chers

BM

[panelbeaterpeter]

There are usually several shades of any given colour, you'll be very lucky to match it, especially if it's a silver. Your best bet would be to blend the colour through the panels either side of the repair area.

[duncancallum]

Piching this old thread, what if the new colour is lighter than the original!

Anyone know an off the shelf rattle can that will match Moonraker blue as TETROSYL moonraker blue is too light?

Chers

BM

their rattle can paint is gash id go and see a specialest paint factors