Sanding a tiny spot?

[duckvett]

I have a tiny spot on our Dark Bowling Green 2000 Corvette that is driving me crazy! On the convertible hatch is a small chip that the previous owner filled with Fairway Green touch-up paint. Fairway is much lighter than Dark Bowling Green and the "fix" stands out like a giant zit on a super-model's chin. How can I remove the wrong color (approx. 1/8 - 3/16") so I can touch-up with the correct, darker color?

[Mort Corey]

Re: Sanding a tiny spot?

Depending on how well the surface was prepared before they touched it up, it may just break loose with something like ScratchX and a terry towel. I've had some come off using a PC with an 8006 pad on my granddaughters car. The trouble I'd see with sanding (assuming it's stuck on good) is that the best you're going to get is a flat surface and the subsequent paint will be a raised blob. You might try picking it with a fingernail and find it pops right off.

Mort

[TXShine]

Re: Sanding a tiny spot?

You could get some Blob Eliminator from the LANGKA web site, I’m sure it would take it off. Maybe someone else will chime in with a better idea or at least something a little cheaper, so be patient.

[duckvett]

Re: Sanding a tiny spot?

You could get some Blob Eliminator from the LANGKA web site, I’m sure it would take it off. Maybe someone else will chime in with a better idea or at least something a little cheaper, so be patient.

I have the Langka "Blob Eliminator", but I wasn't sure that would remove paint that is this old. Maybe I will have time to try that this weekend. I plan on using Langka after I touch-up with the correct color. I will also see how much (if any) I can pick off with a fingernail.

[RDVT4ME]

Re: Sanding a tiny spot?

I love the color of your vette.....very rare too!

[the other pc]

Re: Sanding a tiny spot?

Touch-up paint is often lacquer based and easy to dissolve. I’ve seen touch-ups disappear with solvent type de-greaser (like Prep-Sol, PRE, DX330, etc).

You may find something like mineral spirits or even nail polish remover with a soft cloth will remove it.


PC.

[duckvett]

Re: Sanding a tiny spot?

Touch-up paint is often lacquer based and easy to dissolve. I’ve seen touch-ups disappear with solvent type de-greaser (like Prep-Sol, PRE, DX330, etc).

You may find something like mineral spirits or even nail polish remover with a soft cloth will remove it.


PC.

Any precautions I should take to protect the surrounding area? Or just try to work in the smallest possible area? Thanks for the idea.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Sanding a tiny spot?

For some projects like this it helps to place blue painters tape around the area and this will help you not to instill any sanding marks into the surrounding paint, it also can make it harder to sand the area you want to sand so it doesn't work for all applications. Sometimes you can tape around the area for the initial sanding work to remove the majority of any touch up paint and as you work the excess touch-up paint down you can remove the tape and then increase the level of your carefulness.

Does that make sense?

Doing this type of work is really in the details and focusing on the task at hand and being extra careful.

Good luck!

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Sanding a tiny spot?

Somewhere in one of the threads in the pictures from our "Open Garage" classes there's a set of pictures where we sanded down touch-up paint using the blue tape method.

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=118

Searched for about 10 minutes and now it's time to move on to other things... maybe someone else can locate them. The car was a white Mustang and we're working on the driver's door.

[Black Bart]

Re: Sanding a tiny spot?

I would get a new pencil with rubber eraser it will be flat if it is new.
Cut a small round disk of sanding paper and super glue it to the eraser.
Carefully turn the pencil and sand off the offending color than clean with alcohol and touch up with the right color.
Use multiple coats rather than one thick coat.
Build it up slightly higher than the surrounding paint because dabbing it on will not be smooth but after it has had 24 hours or more to dry carefully block sand it smooth.
If you are going to use a spray can instead of a touch up brush mask off the surrounding are before spraying.
This will result in slightly sanding the surrounding area but when it is flat polish the sanding marks out.
If you have never done this or don't feel comfortable doing it you may want to consider taking it to a professional

[the other pc]

Re: Sanding a tiny spot?

Any precautions I should take to protect the surrounding area? Or just try to work in the smallest possible area? Thanks for the idea.

For using the solvent? Probably not.

Although it wouldn’t hurt to wipe a little in an inconspicuous area first as a test it’s probably not that critical. By and large, factory coatings tolerate common solvents easily, especially the ones made for de-greasing paints (like Prep-Sol, PRE, DX330, etc).

It's always a good idea to work no larger an area than needed.


PC.

[Black Bart]

Re: Sanding a tiny spot?

The above mention chemicals should not harm the clear coat BUT since the base coat is the same as the paint that you want to remove how do you remove that without affecting the base which is going to be subjected to the same chemicals.
If you degrade the BC around that area and after you have repainted it and the BC around the patch lifts then what.
If it was mine I would remove the offending color with sanding

I don't know what shape the place is but I find it hard to believe you can not shape a piece of sand paper so that it could be safely removed.
We are not talking about a Honda Civic this is a Corvette it deserver's to look like a vette.

[duckvett]

Re: Sanding a tiny spot?

Black Bart - I am convinced that sanding is the only way to go with a spot this small. I also worry about using any kind of a chemical, I know I can correct any little mistake I make with sandpaper, but a mistake with chemical could mean repainting the affected area.

Off to my favorite Craftsman dealer for some super-fine sandpaper, a couple of wooden dowels, and some other tools I have been wanting to buy.

[the other pc]

Re: Sanding a tiny spot?

The above mention chemicals should not harm the clear coat BUT since the base coat is the same as the paint that you want to remove how do you remove that without affecting the base which is going to be subjected to the same chemicals.....

Factory base coats are not the same as touch-up.

Neither are refinish base coats for that matter.

You can localize the solvent application with a Q-tip. If it does anything funny you were already going to sand the area anyway. I don’t see how you anything to lose by trying.


PC.

[Black Bart]

Re: Sanding a tiny spot?

Factory base coats are not the same as touch-up.

Neither are refinish base coats for that matter.

You can localize the solvent application with a Q-tip. If it does anything funny you were already going to sand the area anyway. I don’t see how you anything to lose by trying.


PC.

Base coat is nothing special just another form of enamel paint but I have stated why I would not do the chemical and since it is not my car I'm not commenting on it any more he can do what ever he wants it is his car.