Hey guys,

I applied some touch up paint to a really tiny rock chip. Upon doing so, I accidentally applied a little too much and it a little bit of paint got on the surrounding rock chip area. So, I took a dab of nail polish remover and removed the excess. I then took water and washed the area. My question is, will nail poliser remover hurt my existing paint and clear coat? Also, do I need to apply clear coat to the little rock chip area, or can I just leave the touch up paint on there?

 

I'd apply a layer or two of clear coat and then use some very fine sand paper (no less than 1500 grit) and sand lightly and then use some rubbing compound and then polish.

I'm not very experienced at this but I THINK that's what should be done. Wait for another member to chime in too.

 

You dont HAVE to apply clear coat. I touched up a curb mark on my bumper without applying clear coat and after a year its still perfect.

 

What kind of paint did you use? Acura's touch up stuff? U didn't have any problems with it coming off when you washed the car and stuff?

 

That won't happen. I touched up a part of my bumper with Acura touchup paint and it works well, its just a better match when you sand it down.

 

I've had better results with the OTC "Dupli-Color" touch-up as opposed to the Acura/ Honda one that you buy from the dealerships. They're about the same price but the D-C. If you're keen on doing the sanding bit or the "Langka" method (using a card) then D-C gives better results. Acura touch-up just won't stick for some reason unless you just want to leave it there and live with the blob.

When it comes to color, metallic paint is harder to match than solid colors. Due to the complexity of the color (metallic) you'll always find it lighter or darker than the original surface.

When you sand, make sure that you soak the paper on water (pref with a bit of car wash soap as a lube).

 

Here are some tips that were sent to me from H and A Accessories when I ordered my touch-up paint last week:



Touch Up Paint Tips

Touch-up paint is formulated to be the brush-on equivalent of the original paint color. The different combinations of pigments and solvents used in brush-on versus the original sprayed-on paint make an exact tone match impossible. Also, some touch-up paint colors must be blended to an average of the color standards from all of our factories that use that particular color. So the chances of getting a touch-up paint that exactly matches any particular car are slim.

For the closest color match, we advise that you shake the paint container thoroughly. This gets the settled pigment and metallic particles up off the bottom of the container and back in the solvent where they belong. Then keep the container capped tightly between touch-ups to prevent any solvent from evaporating.

As described above, the nature of touch up paint makes it difficult to achieve a perfect match with the factory finish. The keys to success, as with any painting process, are the preparation and application techniques. Follow these steps and you should have a satisfactory end result.

1. Remove any loose paint flakes. Use a fine automotive polishing compound to smooth the edges of the damaged area. Be careful not to scratch the surrounding area.

2. Clean the area thoroughly with a wax and grease remover - rubbing alcohol works well, be sure to let it dry thoroughly.

3. Shake the touch-up paint container vigorously for at least 60 seconds - longer if the temperature is below 65 degrees F, or if the paint hasn't been used in several months.

4. For larger damaged areas, pour a small amount of paint on a non-absorbent "pallet" and mix thoroughly, then apply with the brush.

5. If the damaged area is narrow, like a scratch, don't use the brush in the bottle, instead use the ball tip applicator, or you can also try a very thin, fine-point artists brush instead.

6. Apply the pain in several thin, even coats. Build it up to match the surrounding area. Let the paint dry for 10 minutes between coats. Avoid spreading the paint onto the undamaged area.

7. After the paint dries completely (overnight or longer), smooth the repaired area with a fine automotive polishing compound and apply wax.