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]

Re: Dust particles in factory paint

I would just live with it.

Sometimes trying to fix it can make it look worse.

[davey g-force]

Re: Dust particles in factory paint

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

[tguil]

Re: Dust particles in factory paint

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]

Re: Dust particles in factory paint

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]

Re: Dust particles in factory paint

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]

Re: Dust particles in factory paint

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]

Re: Dust particles in factory paint

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]

Re: Dust particles in factory paint

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]

Re: Dust particles in factory paint

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

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Dust particles in factory paint

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.

Hmmmm....... not so sure it's all that common in this day and age what with the near clean room status of modern factory paint booths, and I've never noticed them on either my PT Cruiser (built in Toluca, Mexico) or my Crossfire (built at the Karmann facility in Osnabruck, Germany). But, hey, anything is possible!

[tguil]

Re: Dust particles in factory paint

Still thinking. Better to do a lot of "thinking" before moving into actually "doing". This technique looks pretty non-invasive. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYfValsW48I Any body tried it? Another option might be to use one of the 1 3/8 inch 3M Finesse-It Nib eliminator discs and Nib (hand)Sanding Block. It might work better than a Meguiar's block on a small nib. Whatever, if I do anything it is going to start in a very inconspicuous place.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Dust particles in factory paint

Plenty of thinking ahead of time is fine, and we'd rather see that than someone just jumping in with the wrong tools and wrong technique. But you've done this before, and the sanding blocks are perfect for the task. If you're still a bit leary of it, lay down some wide masking tape around the nibs so that you don't expose any more than maybe an inch around the nib, then lightly go at it with the sanding block until it's leveled down. You'll barely touch the surrounding clear and buff out will be a piece of cake. With such a non invasive process you shouldn't worry at all that this is on factory paint.

[RaskyR1]

Re: Dust particles in factory paint

I still like the idea of the Festool tool I just ordered. With it you're not sanding any of the surrounding area, you're simply shearing off the high point of the nibb.

[tguil]

Re: Dust particles in factory paint

Michael,

Thanks for the reassurance. I keep looking at your signature. Do you know of a good therapist somewhere in the midwest? My therapy is usually a long ride on one of my Harleys, but right now the weather isn't cooperating.

Tom