SPRAY PAINT - should I offer my service?

Should I attempt this, offer my detailing service?

  • Stay away - you don't have the tools/know how/whatever (specify if you could)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Do it, help another out and make a few bills.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
B

BigLouMaxSE

New member
A couple cars in my college fell victim to some stupid *** "hate crime" where people ran around spray painting Swastika's on people's cars. Luckily, it seems, they only did one panel for each car. One car, a Maxima of the same gen. as my car, got tagged, and I feel like I should offer to help him out. Problem is: I don't have my PC or polishes up here. I forgot to say, I'm going home this weekend, and can grab my stuff depending on this thread.

So I have to ask, in your experience, how hard is it to get spray paint off of a car's finish? I would think a clay bar, plus following with a polish would be sufficient, but then again, I really don't know, hence why I'm asking. The paint has sat on the car since Sat. night, and I probably won't be able to get to it until at least next week, if not later, if that influences the suggestions.

Bascially, depending on the responses here, I plan on leaving a note on the person's car, saying that "I might be able to help you out with the paint, get at me on AIM _________ sometime this week if you need to get this taken care of for cheap, or as an alternative for a respray". I figure this would help if the person doesn't have insurance for this, and I can't see my school helping out financially on this one. I would need to go get the car tunnel washed, parked, clayed, polished the panel, and would probably wax the entire car - how much should I charge? Another thing - this person's car only got the driverside door, and I wouldn't probably polish out any of the rest of the car since that would take way too long considering the circumstances.



Products: Any clay bar that can be had OTC.

Sonus SFX-1, SFX-2, DAS polishing pads

Meg's Gold Class Wax (pre-autopia, need to use this up)



I'll make this a poll, but feel free to leave a comment.



Lou
 
screw it..what have you got to lose? clay and polish will definitely remove spray paint...depending on how many cars were hit, and how much time you'd need to do the removal would net you your fee.....was the whole car done or like a single door? that would also play a big part



if it's small, I'd say $50 a car is good
 
Yea, I edited my response, it was only one door for polishing



I can't fing believe it - my dorm got tagged too. I'm really not sure what the motive was, if it was random or not, but it's a disgrace. Thanks for the reply.



I'm pretty sure if ANYONE knew who did it, they'd be paying.



FBI was apparently notified, so we'll see how it turns out.
 
BigLouMaxSE said:
Also, woudl the amount of time that the spray paint sits on the car play a role in the ease of removal?
Click to expand...



I'd say a week and you'll be fine....maybe even up to a month or more....I'm not even sure it really matters, spray paint dries almost instantly
 
BigLouMaxSE said:
Also, woudl the amount of time that the spray paint sits on the car play a role in the ease of removal?
Click to expand...



I would think that if the spray paint is on top of a clear coat it shouldn’t be too hard to get off buy using clay/PC with a cutting pad and a mild polish. If all else fails a wet sanding using 3000 grit and a sanding block might work, just be careful not to go through the clear coat, and the scratches left by the wet sanding will polish out with a course of the Sonus products you currently have.
 
bmwbear said:
I would think that if the spray paint is on top of a clear coat it shouldn’t be too hard to get off buy using clay/PC with a cutting pad and a mild polish. If all else fails a wet sanding using 3000 grit and a sanding block might work, just be careful not to go through the clear coat, and the scratches left by the wet sanding will polish out with a course of the Sonus products you currently have.
Click to expand...



I'm definately not experienced enough to wetsand, but I am going to agree that if what I do doesn't get the paint off, then my time would be free (obviously, the tunnel wash would still be out of pocket). Thanks for the replies...the more the better.



I'll post some pics after I'm done, hopefully within the next two weeks.
 
maybe i'm paranoid, but i'd be careful offering help for these cars, people might be suspicous that you're trying to make money/scamming even though intentions are pure.
 
ybajwa said:
maybe i'm paranoid, but i'd be careful offering help for these cars, people might be suspicous that you're trying to make money/scamming even though intentions are pure.
Click to expand...



I was thinking about that, but I have an alliby (sp?) already - I was stopped by campus safety that night, so that should be on record. haha...good times. Anyways, that's why I'm only offering it to this guy/girl first, I haven't offered this service to every single one of the cars yet, actually, none of them yet. I don't know if this is a random act, or if all the victims know eachother or whatever, but maybe this will spread before they all rush to get their cars resprayed.



ybajwa - did you vote no? any other reason for your vote other than what you already stated? Or was it someone else?
 
IMO, wetsanding will not work. I'm sure rattle can paint is a lot easier than stripes off of a police car, but still...there was that time I told my friend "we can sand them right off!"...
 
BigLouMaxSE said:
I'm definately not experienced enough to wetsand, but I am going to agree that if what I do doesn't get the paint off, then my time would be free (obviously, the tunnel wash would still be out of pocket).
Click to expand...



If you want to learn I would suggest getting a fender/hood from a junk yard to practice on (that’s if you have room in your dorm), I don’t have a junk yard around me but I do practice/test new procedures on my wash machine before I take on a car (I have the shiniest washing machine in my neighborhood :LOLOL ).
 
Setec Astronomy said:
IMO, wetsanding will not work. I'm sure rattle can paint is a lot easier than stripes off of a police car, but still...there was that time I told my friend "we can sand them right off!"...
Click to expand...



....so what are you telling me? Should I take this "challenge"? In your opinion, (I've seen your details around, I know you're experienced) is this feasible with what I have to work with?



If you want to learn I would suggest getting a fender/hood from a junk yard to practice on (that’s if you have room in your dorm), I don’t have a junk yard around me but I do practice/test new procedures on my wash machine before I take on a car (I have the shiniest washing machine in my neighborhood ).
Click to expand...



I would like to learn eventually, but for the time I have outside of class, and how my schedule is going to be these next two weeks, and the simple fact that my roommate would probably not appreciate a spare car body panel laying around the room...haha. Funny about the washing machine too!



the more responses/suggestions the better. Thanks already to the people who have responded.
 
BigLouMaxSE said:
....so what are you telling me? Should I take this "challenge"? In your opinion, (I've seen your details around, I know you're experienced) is this feasible with what I have to work with?
Click to expand...



LOL! You have not seen my details! Actually, bjackson8's comment makes the most sense. Since current clearcoats are catalyzed systems, they should be largely unaffected by laquer thinner (as is used in the Langka system). So, if the spray paint is laquer (as I think most should be), careful application of laquer thinner may remove the spray paint while leaving the car finish relatively undamaged. DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK, as this is just speculation on my part.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
LOL! You have not seen my details! Actually, bjackson8's comment makes the most sense. Since current clearcoats are catalyzed systems, they should be largely unaffected by laquer thinner (as is used in the Langka system). So, if the spray paint is laquer (as I think most should be), careful application of laquer thinner may remove the spray paint while leaving the car finish relatively undamaged. DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK, as this is just speculation on my part.
Click to expand...



That's weird...haha, or I've seen some of your comments - enough to know you're well known. I guess I thought I had seen some show up on the click & brag section. Oh well, and I will try to do the clay/polish first to take care of it. I really would rather not having to pay for this repaint if the thinner screws it up. No offense, and thanks for the reply.



Does anyone think Klasse AIO would do anything for it? I forgot to mention I had a bottle of that too.
 
I've never removed spray paint, but it seems like it shouldn't be too hard to take off with a good clay bar and some polish. Just remember that the polishing pad you use will probably be completely trashed after you're done, so don't forget to factor that into your price.
 
jdhutchin said:
I've never removed spray paint, but it seems like it shouldn't be too hard to take off with a good clay bar and some polish. Just remember that the polishing pad you use will probably be completely trashed after you're done, so don't forget to factor that into your price.
Click to expand...



Will it really? I hope for my sake I get to take care of more than one of these cars then. Anyone know for sure if this pad will be trashed? Or can I wash it out?



Anyone think I can accomplish the grunt of the work by hand? And then finish by machine then?
 
Depending on how thick the f***tards sprayed and how much area they shot, clay might not remove all of it. Since you're intentions are to pull the paint from the car, it has to go somewhere. The pad will take a beating if it is effective in removing paint.



Personally I agree with the above post about being perceived as the source of the scam. I would not offer services in this situation, IMO.
 
bmwbear said:
If you want to learn I would suggest getting a fender/hood from a junk yard to practice on (that’s if you have room in your dorm), I don’t have a junk yard around me but I do practice/test new procedures on my wash machine before I take on a car (I have the shiniest washing machine in my neighborhood :LOLOL ).
Click to expand...



Just dont practice by putting a swastika on your test panel ...:)
 
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