Chip Fix Idea.

I tried Sal Zainos chip fix idea (using the opposite end of a cardboard match from a matchbook) with mixed results. I don't think I've got the technique down perfectly and I can be a little impatient. It looks ok, but I think could be better.

Here's one technique I tried this weekend and it looks pretty good. It's a little faster and I found it somewhat easier to get a pretty good result.

• Clean the chip out with alcohol on a Q-Tip and dry with towel.
• Put a drop of touch up paint in the chip with the attached brush. You want to make a nice round drop just a bit larger than the chip, but not too much larger. (The closer, the easier the next step).
• If you have to try again, wipe it out, clean with alcohol and dry.
• Let it dry 24 hours. Don't mess with it after you put the drop in the chip.
• Use a clay bar w/ appropriate lubricant (a little Z7 mixed w/ water in a spray bottle works good) to take down the excess touch up paint.
• If after working it a little while and it's not coming off, put a little alcohol on it with a Q-Tip, then work it more with the clay bar.
• Keep going until the paint in the chip is level with the car's paint and no paint is outside the chip.

This seemed to work good because

• The touch up paint dried, but didn't stay on long enough to cure as hard as the car's paint.
• The clay bar is used by body shops to take off paint overspray, so it's designed for this purpose.
• Thd the alcohol, if needed, softens the touch up paint just enough to let the clay bar do its thing, but doesn't effect the clear coat.
• The clay bar takes off the paint above the level of the paint surface, but not down in the chip.

It took me about 30 minutes to get the excess touch up paint off and from 5 feet away, you can't see it was done. Up close, you can barely see it unless you're looking for it.

Anyone else have any ideas or techniques they've used?

:gotpics:

agreed. do you have b4 and after pix? well done, good write up. I plan on fixing a few chips on my flip-ups.

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Originally Posted by third_shift|studios

agreed. do you have b4 and after pix? well done, good write up. I plan on fixing a few chips on my flip-ups.

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No, I don't have any before pictures. I didn't think of that. I'll try to get some after pictures, though. And if I get anymore chips (hoping not), I'll try the before and after.

One problem I had taking these pictures is the Zaino reflection was confusing the camera's auto focus (I have a Canon Rebel XT), so I put it on manual, which made it easier to demonstrate how the repair came out.

On the rear bumper chip repairs, it looks like the paint shrunk just a little into the chip as it cured. I think I will give it another try / 2nd coat, if you will, when I get some time.

The door jam chip needs just a little more work (I ran out of time) and maybe a 2nd coat, too.

Attached are the pictures. Please post any questions, comments or ideas. I think they turned out pretty good. As you can see by the pictures, if you're not focused on the chip or up close looking for it, you will miss it.

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Originally Posted by third_shift|studios

agreed. do you have b4 and after pix? well done, good write up. I plan on fixing a few chips on my flip-ups.

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Pictures posted. Maybe try / practice on one chip in the most inconspicuous place.

For me, I'm still experimenting with the technique. Let me know how it goes and any ideas of findings.

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By the way, here's Sal Zaino's chip fix technique. I found it worked pretty good, but I didn't have the steady hand to get the paint only in the chip, so had to use the clay anyway. Plus, this one takes longer... maybe 5-10 applications each a day apart? Maybe I need more practice and patience with this one, too. Anyone else try this? Any success? Any additional tips to make it work well?

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Here's a Fix for the Chips. (From Sal Zaino).

• Take isopropyl alcohol on a q-tip and dab in only in the rock chip a few times.
• Take a clean towel and dry chip.
• Take a match out of a match book. Use the opposite end of the head.
• Dab this in touch-up paint.(do not thin out touch-up paint)
• Very carefully dab a very, very minute amount in the chip. Do not get any paint anywhere other then the chip depression.

The trick here is not to try to fix the chip in one application. Do this every day until the paint in the chip is even with the rest of the paint surface.

If you do this correctly, you will hardly notice that chip repair. If the chip repair area is slightly higher than the adjacent surface, then you can use Zaino Z-PC Fusion Paint Cleanser/Swirl Remover by hand very gently to even out the chip repair area if necessary...

Remember have patience. Don't try to touch-up the chip all at once. It's
a gradual building up of the paint, that's the trick.

If you need more help, feel free to call me, Sal.

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