questions on prepping panels for re-spray

[davidwort 0]

I'm getting a second hand wing and tailgate ready for repainting by a bodyshop, the more I can prepare the panels the cheaper it'll be so here's a few questions:

 

what grade of wet and dry should I use to prepare a panel for spraying?

 

the wing I have has a few chips and one or two have some minor rust appearing in them, how should I prepare and flatten out these bits? I've not had much luck in the past with primers and touch up paints as any thickness of paint seems to crack in time.

 

any other advice on how to prepare these panels would be greatly appreciated, the tailgate is pretty much stripped of parts bar the glass itself.

 

cheers,

David.

[marc c 0]

Id use 600 wet and dry [wet] to start with going down to 800 [wet]

 

As for the chips and rust somethig like 180 or 240 hi build prime the areas guide coat and then 600 then the 800 and finally all over with a scotch brite and flatting paste.

 

To prep them to a good standard takes time and is sometimes best left to the bodyshop as you can do more harm than good

 

Hope i havent put you off and that this helps

 

Marc

[Bobby 0]

make sure you use a decent primer as the cheaper ones tend to react easily so you end up doing double the work, also lechler and standox paints tend to be the better ones of the ones i've used. What colour is your car david as different primers can effect the colour finish. With rust patches best to go to bare metal and cover well with a good few layers of high build primer.

[corradophil 3]

If you are going to prime it you want use 2 pack primer too, but you don't want to inhale the fumes of this stuff, it is very bad for you.

 

To be honest the time you will save them at the most I would just wet flat the panels and get them to sort the repairs unless you have experience in this.

 

It is too easy to make more work for them by making good what you've done. I spent 4 years working for a bodyshop and saw plenty of well intentioned attempts at repairs which then had to be rectfiied.

 

I don't mean to put you off having a go, but it may just be easier for you to leave it to the pros and do a couple of hours overtime to cover the extra cost.

[dazzyvr6 0]

you can get 2 pack paints which are iascyanide free,so not as bad as previous,but as with all paints inhalation is not recommended

[davidwort 0]

If you are going to prime it you want use 2 pack primer too, but you don't want to inhale the fumes of this stuff, it is very bad for you.

 

To be honest the time you will save them at the most I would just wet flat the panels and get them to sort the repairs unless you have experience in this.

 

It is too easy to make more work for them by making good what you've done. I spent 4 years working for a bodyshop and saw plenty of well intentioned attempts at repairs which then had to be rectfiied.

 

I don't mean to put you off having a go, but it may just be easier for you to leave it to the pros and do a couple of hours overtime to cover the extra cost.

 

cheers,

thanks for all the replies, I think I'll just carry on cleaning and flatting everything and leave the chips and minor damage to the bodyshop,

 

One other question, my front bumper has been replaced at some point and the spray job/primer has not bonded very well to the plastic, result is bubbling and flaking of paint, is there anything I can do to prepare this for repainting? I guess it needs completely stripping with something that wont eat the plastic?

 

David.

[corradophil 3]

From my experience the plastic should be keyed using grey scotchbrite and then sprayed with plastic adhesion promoter which has no real build, looks like water to spray, but it helps the paint to stick.

 

I would probably rub it down with 180 production paper and remove any lose paint. You will probably find some of the paint has stuck so feather the edges. Then plastic primer as mentioned above, then 2 pack hi build primer. Finaly guide coat all over and flat with 800 wet and dry.

[marc c 0]

Try and steam clean not pressure wash the front bumper to lift all the old paint off because youll just end up with the new paint on top of the old paint that isnt adhered to the bumper