A couple of questions regarding some broken clear coat

[corvetteman]

On my rear bumper around my license plate frame a 3 inch by 2 inch section of clear-coat seems to have come off the paint. It looks like cerran wrap just hanging there. I'm going to look to improve the situation but I'm not looking for perfection.



My questions.



1. Can I trim off the excess clear that is hanging with a scissor or a razor blade? Any harm in doing that? What tool would you recommend?



2. I think they sell spray-able clear coat. Is it possible for me to tape off the bad area and just spray some new clear on that bad area after the old clear is removed?





Thanks in advance

 

[Accumulator]

corvetteman- Sounds like it was previously repainted without the proper flex additive :think:



Since the clear in question is already off the basecoat, I don't see any reason *not* to just take it off with a razorblade or an Xacto knife.



You can try spraying on some clear, but IMO you really need to have the repair done properly.

 

[corvetteman]

corvetteman- Sounds like it was previously repainted without the proper flex additive :think:



Since the clear in question is already off the basecoat, I don't see any reason *not* to just take it off with a razorblade or an Xacto knife.



You can try spraying on some clear, but IMO you really need to have the repair done properly.

It may have been repainted. I cant say for sure. Coincidentally my previous car had the same kind of clear coat issue near the license plate. I need to get myself a scrap piece of metal so I can practice touch ups and clear. There is a $799 paint job in my future (very quality place despite the price) but for now I just try to improve not perfect.

 

[Accumulator]

corvetteman- OK, I think that removing the peeled clear will be a good idea. If only because doing that usually seems to slow down the spreading of the problem.

 

[corvetteman]

corvetteman- OK, I think that removing the peeled clear will be a good idea. If only because doing that usually seems to slow down the spreading of the problem.

Thanks Accumulator. I followed your previous advice. I think removing some led to a little bit more but it was the right thing to do. I think it looks better now and is less likely to spread. I still wouldnt mind taping off that small section and trying to hit it with some spray on clear coat. By the way have you ever used touch up clear with a brush? If so how did it work out?

 

[Dan]

Unless you have a detailing spray gun, you'll make more of a mess with it than with a brush. If you thin out the clear you could actually make it look pretty decent and then follow with some wet sanding, but there will be no way to get it back to 100%.

 

[corvetteman]

Unless you have a detailing spray gun, you'll make more of a mess with it than with a brush. If you thin out the clear you could actually make it look pretty decent and then follow with some wet sanding, but there will be no way to get it back to 100%.

Thanks for the advice. I wont look for 100%. I will be happy with 80%.



Yakky would you suggest some touch up clear coat with a small brush or a big brush? Would you spray some in a cap and then brush on? How would you do things to improve them?

 

[indiej]

Unless you have a detailing spray gun, you'll make more of a mess with it than with a brush. If you thin out the clear you could actually make it look pretty decent and then follow with some wet sanding, but there will be no way to get it back to 100%.

i had to over layer some base coat to fill some bumper scratches, wet sand, then brush clear coat then wet sand again. then compound and polish. overall it's a 60% improvement just because our local du pont dealer can't seem to blend the very secret paint code. could've used some putty but it's quite alright, better than the bear scratched black lines on silver. not a bear ok, it was a big rock.



since it's just clearcoat on an inconspicuous area of a panel, i think it'll be an easy diy. wet sand with a sanding pad and you'll get a smooth finish. you're the only one who'll notice it, long as autopians are well spaced apart in your area.

 

[JohnKleven]

You could sand the edge flat, then spray some clearcoat, followed by some blending solvent, and see if you can do your own blend repair. This will however require a paint gun.

 

[corvetteman]

I dont have a paint gun. Any repair would have to be done on the cheap so I probably wouldnt be buying a paint gun. This is for a small area. Yakky mentioned using a brush before to do it. My questions are:



1. Should I buy a spray can of clear coat and spray it in to a plastic cap and then brush it on?



2. What kind of brush and what size brush would work well? Would a foam brush work well?

 

[Accumulator]

You could sand the edge flat, then ...

I often like to do the preliminary sanding whenever dealing with "totally trashed clear" repairs. Seems to stop the problem from spreading so rapidly (spots like that on the beater-Audi are still fine after nearly three years).

 

[Accumulator]

I dont have a paint gun. Any repair would have to be done on the cheap so I probably wouldnt be buying a paint gun. This is for a small area. Yakky mentioned using a brush before to do it. My questions are:



1. Should I buy a spray can of clear coat and spray it in to a plastic cap and then brush it on?

I've done that and it worked OK. The spray-can paint was just a bit thinner than the brush-on version.

2. What kind of brush and what size brush would work well?

I just don't know as that's a mighty big area to do with a brush. You don't want a run but you want to get enough paint on there. I guess I'd go no larger than a size "2" brush, but I'm really just guessing.

Would a foam brush work well?

No, no way I'd try that. Use a "real" brush of decent quality.



Or spray it, but man-oh-man would it be easy to make a mess of things that way.



To improve things, I'd probably try Langka (in this case) after it dries.

 

[corvetteman]

I've done that and it worked OK. The spray-can paint was just a bit thinner than the brush-on version.









I just don't know as that's a mighty big area to do with a brush. You don't want a run but you want to get enough paint on there. I guess I'd go no larger than a size "2" brush, but I'm really just guessing.







No, no way I'd try that. Use a "real" brush of decent quality.



Or spray it, but man-oh-man would it be easy to make a mess of things that way.



To improve things, I'd probably try Langka (in this case) after it dries.

Accumulator I'm a bit confused. Are you talking about paint or clear coat?

 

[Accumulator]

Accumulator I'm a bit confused. Are you talking about paint or clear coat?

Either. Clear is just unpigmented paint. No, I'm not trying to be a smart-[aleck] or inscrutible :grinno: But it really is basically the same thing with either with regard to getting it on the vehicle.

 

[corvetteman]

Either. Clear is just unpigmented paint. No, I'm not trying to be a smart-[aleck] or inscrutible :grinno: But it really is basically the same thing with either with regard to getting it on the vehicle.

I did not realize that about clear coat. Thanks for letting me know. I'm a total novice in regards to applying clear coat so I really appreciate the help. It is a small area (around 2 inches by 3 inches) that I will try to cover. I was thinking a foam brush or a sponge brush might work better than a bristle brush.

 

[Accumulator]

I did not realize that about clear coat....

You're not alone Glad to help.

It is a small area (around 2 inches by 3 inches) that I will try to cover. I was thinking a foam brush or a sponge brush might work better than a bristle brush.

Well, that's a pretty *big* area for brushing, but I do still think you'd do better with a regular brush than a foam/sponge one. Those things just don't flow automotive paint well IME, I don't really like 'em even for undercarriage work where it's really sloppy work compared with what you're doing.

 

[corvetteman]

You're not alone Glad to help.







Well, that's a pretty *big* area for brushing, but I do still think you'd do better with a regular brush than a foam/sponge one. Those things just don't flow automotive paint well IME, I don't really like 'em even for undercarriage work where it's really sloppy work compared with what you're doing.

OK I will take your advice then and try to find a good bristle brush for the job.