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Paint Chip Repair Experiment

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by CBenfell, Feb 8, 2019.

  1. Feb 8, 2019 at 9:17 PM
    #1
    CBenfell

    CBenfell [OP] I don’t know sh*t about f*ck

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    Christian
    Western Washington
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    21 DCSB TRD OR Midnight Metallic Black
    Crippling Debt
    PREFACE:
    As with all paint repairs, I did not expect this to come out perfect.

    I’ve spent a lot of time and money on supplies to take care of my paint. After off-roading and highway driving, I decided for myself that I’m a spray wax type of guy. I have chips and scratches in my paint. It’s an 05. It’s white, always dirty, and a truck I intend on really using. No more compound, polish, wax, etc. except to do spot treatments. I don’t have the time and money to spend 3 days on my worn out paint. My 05 is not a show truck and is not garage kept.

    All that being said, I wanted to do away with some unsightly rock chips and hopefully mitigate some unnecessary rust.

    Paint repairs are not easy and I don’t suggest just wiping product on or slapping on touch up paint without doing some research and practice.

    Lastly, I am NO EXPERT on anything autobody. I’ve taken some high school classes and watched a lot of videos. I wanted to see if I could make my truck look better, as well as experiment and maybe help some other people out.

    I applied techniques discussed in a YouTube video by an automotive channel called AMMO NYC. Go check them out for more info. https://youtu.be/Uz-zW-cLdUs

    MATERIALS
    -Denatured Alcohol
    -Lacquer Thinner
    -Pick tool
    -Blue shop towels
    -Meguiar’s Rubbing Compound (preferably one that cuts well)
    -Meguiar’s Quik Detailer
    -Dodo Juice Diamond White Wax
    -Clay Bar
    -OEM touch up paint bottle
    -Heat gun
    -Microfiber Towels
    -Foam applicator pads
    -Loew-Cornell paint reservoir pen
    (Buy here - Loew-Cornell Fine Line Painting Pen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004YZXV8U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_HbLxCbHT95VJP )
    -Good light source

    1. I washed and clay bar the vehicle. Not 100% necessary, but it helps me to take note of potential work areas as well as remove anything in the paint that may be mistaken for damage.

    Here is a rock chip on the hood:
    0E13B3E3-7CA0-403A-9627-56D8861ACC5A.jpg

    2. I used a pick tool to flake off any loose paint as well as rust, then prepped with alcohol. I’m doubtful that if I simply covered up rust, that it would make its way to the surface anytime soon. However, if it’s worth doing at all, you might as well do the prep work to the best of your ability.

    F09D60A4-0414-417B-8065-4B0B4E27860F.jpg

    3. Use the paint pen to fill the chip. I used a layering technique rather than immediately filling the chip above the surface level. This requires some finesse, because the previous layer must have time to set. Touch up paint is cured with air rather than hardeners like the factory paint. A heat gun can be used to accelerate the process, just be careful and keep the gun moving. If you don’t wait long enough between layers, the paint gets clumpy. Be patient and move around the vehicle if you must.

    Very fine paint droplets
    1CE1E8DA-900B-4ED8-BB15-5016BCDBB53F.jpg

    A complete first layer
    58619827-F897-4B0E-812B-3F92D9FB6213.jpg

    A second and third layer
    80712F68-4A61-41D8-8CCD-9FA2EDFA2B10.jpg

    Note that the touch up is now above the factory paint. Let this set up. I gave it an hour. The touch up was unaffected by my finger nail after curing.

    4. At this point, the goal is to level the touch up with the rest of the paint. You could try wet sanding, but that would force you to do a lot of work on the surrounding paint with compound and polish. I don’t advise this unless you plan on doing a full pant restoration anyways. (Clay, cut, polish, wax, etc.)

    If you have a compound that can cut the paint blob down, use it. Here, even my most aggressive compound was not removing the partially cured paint. So, I opted to use a solvent to get it close, and finish with the compound.

    Yes, I put lacquer thinner on my paint.

    :crapstorm:




    I believe I got away with it because Super White is single stage with no clear, and the color is pretty forgiving. Be very careful about what solvents you put on your paint work. They may damage your clear coat or not work well with metallic/flake paint colors. My Super White is pretty opaque, so any glossiness that was lost was easily restore with polish and wax.

    * Here is a potential alternative to the harsh chemicals I used. I have not tried it but it is mentioned in the above video.
    LANGKA 2oz Blob Eliminator https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BAT622/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cQLxCbC39S5AG



    The blob after some solvent. I used the overhead light to highlight the shape. At this point it is still pretty visible, but easy to lose track of
    9A131A83-77A2-451E-9185-50741253C97D.jpg

    5. Polish and wax the repaired area. I ended up doing my whole hood. The wax will help protect the touch up. OEM touch up paints can vary in type and quality. It is best to protect them whenever possible. They are not bonded to the metal in the same way the surrounding factory paint is.

    Repair is in between rectangular and triangular reflection.
    6029EC35-B07E-49F6-9DBB-0BEEF359D340.jpg

    CONCLUDING STATEMENTS
    + ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

    This process proved to be difficult to capture on camera and accurately represent the work. All in all, I am happy the chips are gone. I can definitely tell where repairs are made, but I believe if you weren’t looking for them, they’d be harder to notice.

    If you are a snob about your paint, this can be done with greater care to yield higher quality results. Depending on your paint, you maybe want to add a clear coat somehow.

    As I previously mentioned, I used to be very meticulous about paint care. As for right now, I’m saving all that effort for when I own a brand new vehicle. This truck is never going to be spotless, but it did deserve some effort to make it look less neglected. I only spent about 2.5 hours on my whole hood. You could honestly spend all day doing this and getting it perfect.

    I give the finished product a 7/10. It is much better than before. However, color disparities and slightly different surface finishes allow the touch-ups to show when light directly reflects off of them.

    Large chips visible bottom left by headlight
    AC0A88E7-E2E8-417D-A7C2-FE5F0D7E6F63.jpg

    No chips visible from about 6ft.
    A0B66F8C-AA7F-4796-9981-62DB68B75116.jpg

    Wax really helps hide the repairs
    CF3E8194-9606-407E-9806-98EAD210D33A.jpg


    A3EBD10A-1EB3-4FEB-B5B9-1821C03440B4.jpg


    This would be great if you just want to take care of some chips before you sell your rig, or you don’t want them to rust/spread out. It’s also rather addictive filling in all the little holes. Let me know what you think below. It’s definitely not perfect, but it is better, and only cost about $20 for me.
     
  2. Feb 8, 2019 at 9:19 PM
    #2
    Nunya Bizness

    Nunya Bizness A-A-Ron aka Stunny Gunny

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    Not bad!
    Now you just need this!473270c1-532a-4829-a1c8-b15c069f36d7_1.c11494053be401ce1b70d1193f7a4312.jpeg.jpg

    It works well!:thumbsup:
     
  3. Feb 8, 2019 at 9:22 PM
    #3
    CBenfell

    CBenfell [OP] I don’t know sh*t about f*ck

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    Crippling Debt
    They’re never happy are they... :boink:

    Haha I kid, I kid. I hope to do some retrofits this year, I have a spare set of OEM housings.
     
  4. Feb 8, 2019 at 9:27 PM
    #4
    CBenfell

    CBenfell [OP] I don’t know sh*t about f*ck

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    Should I have posted this in the detailing forum?
     
    Nunya Bizness likes this.
  5. Feb 8, 2019 at 9:28 PM
    #5
    Nunya Bizness

    Nunya Bizness A-A-Ron aka Stunny Gunny

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    Meh... itll be fine
     
  6. Feb 8, 2019 at 9:33 PM
    #6
    VegasKnights

    VegasKnights Well-Known Member

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    Incredible job. It still surprises me that trucks get rock chips so high. Geez. thought i was out of the woods riding higher than other vehicles.
     
    Alexely999 likes this.
  7. Feb 8, 2019 at 9:35 PM
    #7
    CBenfell

    CBenfell [OP] I don’t know sh*t about f*ck

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    Crippling Debt
    Thank you. I believe the prior owner was from central Oregon. I haven’t been, but I believe it has more rocks and dust than I do up here.
     
  8. Feb 9, 2019 at 9:16 AM
    #8
    CBenfell

    CBenfell [OP] I don’t know sh*t about f*ck

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    I suppose this isn’t as common of a problem as I thought..
     
    Nunya Bizness likes this.
  9. Feb 9, 2019 at 9:20 AM
    #9
    hyper15125

    hyper15125 Headlight Retrofitting Hobbyist Vendor

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    Ha! I was thinking the same thing. Making a paste out of some baking soda and a tiny bit of white vinegar also works very well. That and a high speed wheel.
     
    Nunya Bizness[QUOTED] likes this.
  10. Feb 9, 2019 at 9:28 AM
    #10
    steveo27

    steveo27 Ask me about my weiner

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    The same shit everyone else has.
    My advice.

    If you’re gonna go through all this trouble. Compound and buff the paint. Then seal it really well. That way maintenance is just a simple spray wax job.
     
  11. Feb 9, 2019 at 9:34 AM
    #11
    shaeff

    shaeff Roaming Around

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    Looks really good, I’ve done some detailing in the past, have decent equipment, but haven’t seen one of those paint pens. Thanks for posting!
     
    CBenfell[OP] likes this.
  12. Feb 9, 2019 at 9:43 AM
    #12
    CBenfell

    CBenfell [OP] I don’t know sh*t about f*ck

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    Thanks for the advice IMO it wasn’t much trouble at all, about 2.5 hours of real work and $20. But I’m interested in hearing what others think and if they’d even bother with it. The 1st post is long and makes it seem like more work than it really is.
     
  13. Feb 9, 2019 at 12:19 PM
    #13
    shaeff

    shaeff Roaming Around

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    First post is exactly how I like them. Informative and direct.
     
    CBenfell[OP] and Nunya Bizness like this.

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