Someone over on CD asked about repairing stone chips, I thought while I had it all typed out I would add it in this section
*Disclaimer* Use this guide at your own risk !
Tools you will need :
Matching paint & clear coat (nail polish size bottle is more than enough)
1 sheet 2500 or 3000 grit water paper
Roll of thin double sided tape
Bucket with some warm water
Bucket with some car wash
Wash mitt or sponge
Microfiber drying towel
Old style pencil with eraser on the end (wooden one)
Isopropyl alcohol (small bottle from pharmacy)
Some earbuds
Some pins or needles (the ones with the coloured plastic balls on the end work well)
Pair of small scissors
Your favourite FINE polish and a clean microfiber cloth
A steady hand and some patience
Instructions :
1.) Take the bucket with car wash and the mitt/sponge and give the affected areas a quick wash.
2.) Dry the areas you just washed thoroughly. Take care to ensure there is no water left on the surrounding areas that could run into the area you working on.
3.) Take an earbud and dip it slightly into the isopropyl alcohol bottle pressing it against the inside of the top of the bottle before removing it to remove any excess. You only need a tiny amount on the tip of the earbud.
4.) Use the earbud to thoroughly clean the area inside the stone chip, repeat at least 3 times to make sure the area is perfectly clean and free from waxes/sealants/oils, etc.
5.) Grab your bottle of base colour touch up paint and one of the pins/needles. Get a tiny blob (about the size of the ball in a BIC ball point pen) of touch up paint onto the end of the pin. Dab this small blob into the stone chip. It will usually stay in a small blob, use the pin to spread it out and remove any excess. You only want a minute film inside the stone chip. If you mess on the surrounding sides or outside the chip use another earbud dipped in the isopropyl alcohol (as in step 4) to carefully clean around the chip.
6.) Go to bed
7.) Repeat steps 1, 2 and 5 after at least 24 hours
8.) Repeat step 6
9.) Repeat steps 1 and 2 after at least 24 hours
10.) Grab your bottle of clear touch up paint and one of the pins/needles. Get a tiny blob (about the size of the ball in a BIC ball point pen) of touch up paint onto the end of the pin. Dab this small blob into the stone chip. It will usually stay in a small blob, use the pin to spread it out and remove any excess. Again you only want a minute film inside the stone chip. If you mess on the surrounding sides or outside the chip use another earbud dipped in the isopropyl alcohol (as in step 4) to carefully clean around the chip.
11.) Repeat steps 6, 9 and 10 until you have built up a small bubble of clear coat over the stone chip. It is essential that you leave the coats for at least 24 hours inbetween to dry properly :nono:
12.) After at least 24 hours since your final clear application take the waterpaper and cut a small 10c sized piece out.
13.) Cut the same 10c sized piece of double sided tape. Peel one side off and stick it flat onto the end of the rubber eraser at the back of the pencil. Peel the other side off and stick the piece of waterpaper you just cut onto the double sided tape. Use the scissors again to trim the waterpaper and double sided tape to the same size as the pencil eraser. You now have a small sanding stick ideal for sanding the bubble of clear coat you created in steps 10 and 11.
14.) Dip the waterpaper end of the pencil into the bucket of warm water for a few seconds and place it directly over the bubble of clear coat. Using the pencil like a bushman would start a fire slowly sand down the bubble until it is level with the surrounding paintwork. Use your other hand down near the surface to guide the pencil.
15.) Peel the double sided tape and waterpaper off the back of the pencil and repeat step 13 but DON'T trim the waterpaper down to size. You want a small 10c sized sanding disc to do the final leveling of the stone chip you have filled.
16.) Using the same technique as in step 14 very lightly sand the stone chip and surrounding area. The point of this step is purely to level everything out and you only need a few quick swipes with the sanding disc to get it done. Go to far here and you can quickly make a hole straight through the clear coat so be carefull :nono:
17.) Give the area a wipe with the clean MF cloth. You will notice the chip and surrounding area are now dull. Take a small amount of FINE polish on the MF and gently polish the area. It will take a few successive passes (up to 30 depending on the polish you use) to properly remove all the fine scratches caused by the sanding. Resist the temptation here to give it a good hard polish as the pressure could easily dislodge the paint you just spent about a week putting into the chip. If it does come out return to step 1 and start again
Once thats all done it should be good as new or at least nearly invisible unless you know to look for it. Exercise caution when machine polishing these areas in future for obvious reasons. I suggest you try filling a few on scrap panels prior to trying it on your, or a customers car. I have had very good success with the above method on my own vehicles. The same method can also be adapted for deep scratches if you have the patience for it
