Dust particles in factory paint

[tguil]

OK....Need some advice from someone who really knows. Is is possible to carefully level dust particles in factory paint? I have a few more minor blems than I really like in the hood of my 2012 Ram. Yes, I looked before I picked up the truck...twice even. However I didn't notice them until I was working on my first detail. I have been told by two body guys that it probably is possible to level the particles but it can be risky. I've removed "nibs' from repaints, but never from factory paint. The repaints were either single stage or had quite a bit of clear coat. I used Meguiar's Finesse Sanding Blocks and some #83 and my work came out "perfect". I can live with the blems, but I sure don't like them. I do know a paint/detail tech who in the past has "worked magic" for me. Just wondering before I check it out with him.

Tom

[Tuck91]

I would just live with it.

Sometimes trying to fix it can make it look worse.

[davey g-force]

Can you tell if the particles are in the BC or CC?

[tguil]

Pretty sure they are in the base coat. That's why I may just "live with" it. Still would like to know if anyone has successfully "fixed" the problem.

Tom

[davey g-force]

If they're in the BC, I don't see how you could fix it. Not without respraying at least the CC anyway.

Maybe someone else can chime in with ideas / experience..

[Michael Stoops]

If the defect is in the base coat and is just a visual defect (ie, it hasn't caused a high spot that you can feel in the clear) then there's nothing you can do about it since you can't reach through the clear. But if it's a typical dirt nib that is creating that little pointy spot up into the clear that you can feel, then you should be able to use the same process here that you've used successfully in the past. In fact, this is exactly the sort of thing the sanding blocks were made for as they will level the nib and have minimal impact on the surrounding paint. You should be able to take the nib down with a 2000 grit block and then remove the fine sanding marks with some M105. This will be very non-invasive to the paint and shouldn't cause any problems for you at all.

[tguil]

Michael,

Thank you for chiming in. I can both see and feel the "nibs". So as you say, I should be able to take it down at least a little. Guess I'll get to it.

I still don't understand how this is OK with factory paint. Won't I go through the clear coat and leave the base coat unprotected? But then, the way I maintain my vehicles nothing is ever "not-protected". My new Ram will be basically be a "garage queen", but still it will see a lot of miles. Most days and every night it is garaged. It only sees the light of day when it is "on the road" or being washed...no long days in parking lots. One of the joys of being retired.

Any specific suggestions for using the blocks on this base coat/clear coat? Last time I used a block, I was removing a "blob" on the tank of one of my black Harleys. Then I just worked very slowly and carefully and held my tongue the right way in the corner of my mouth. Came out just fine, but then I was not dealing with clear coat. It was a touch-up using single stage paint.

One more thing, the new Ram is white. Does this make it easier?

Thanks again.

Tom

[Michael Stoops]

Tom, if it's just a fairly standard run of the mill dirt nib, which is a very small, almost sharp feeling little.....well.... nib of dirt that got caught in the paint as it was being shot, then removing it involves the removal of almost no clear at all. A heavy drip, on the other hand, might be taking off a lot of clear if the drip was in the color coat and the clear above it follows the contour of the drip - in that case, if you level the drip you'll most likely pull off clear all the way down to the color simply because of the size of the drip, overall depth, etc. But a dirt nib is usually so small that you hardly take off anything. So let's make sure this is indeed the sort of thing you're dealing with!! You've done this before, though, so if these nibs on factory paint feel like the nibs you've dealt with on resprays, the process should be virtually identical with the exception of using M105 instead of M83. Remember, you're only sanding with the block just enough to level the nib. Contact overall with the clear is minimal and therefore the amount of clear you'll actually remove is inconsequential.

[tguil]

To be sure....I think that I'll try working on a "nib" that is in a very inconspicuous place. Some of the "nibs" are just tiny sharp flecks, others have a little bit more of a "bump" to them. I wouldn't say that any are heavy drips...thank goodness. None are concentrated in one area. They are pretty well spread out. I haven't had this many blems in a paint job since 1990. How many? When I put my nose to the paint, put on my reading glasses and turn on the detailing lights, I can find about two dozen...about half of these are on the hood. Must have been a bad day in the factory's paint booth The Ram is really a very nice truck. I think I better focus on it's good points. Before I do anything, I'll check it out with a friend of mine who owns a high end detail shop. Thanks for the suggestions.

Tom

p.s. The body shop manager at the Dodge dealer told me that all cars and trucks (even the luxury models) come with some flecks/"nibs" here and there. Funniest thing... my wife's last two Tacomas had none and my 2007 Ram had only four or five.

[tguil]

Checked it out "under the lights" ..a lot more tiny "flecks"/sharp"nibs" than bumps. Still a bad day in the Ram paint booth.

Tom