Using touch-in brush sets

[Rusted Pistons]

Hi guys, I'm going to help my friend with a nasty scratch on his car tomorrow, it's past the point of polishing out as it's through to the primer. He has bought a kit with a small pot of the paint and one of the laquer but I don't want to make it look any worse than it is! Does anyone have any tips on making a good job of it? The cars black and it's on the rear quarter panel. Cheers

[Jizmondo Scrotmondo]

If it's a Halfrauds kit, get the receipt and take it back because in my experiance, they're Poop. I would take the car to a decent paint supplier and get them to make up a little pot of touch up paint which they'll match to the car. Go to Hobbycraft or an art shop and get a nice fine artist brush and touch it in with a steady hand.
I use a tiny bit of thinners so the paint isn't too thick and get it into the scratch itself (I have to put my reading glasses on) and if it's a deep scratch, you can build the layers up. Apply the laquer in the same way after the base has dried. I touch stone chips in like this too. That's what I do anyway, someone may have a lot better way of doing it.

[dave21478]

Definitely use a decent quality, fine artists brush. The thing built into the lid of these things is invariably as useful as a bog-brush for fine detail work.

If its a really good car and he wants a really good job, I would seriously consider getting it done professionally - there are plenty of mobile "chips-away" style guys who can do decent spot repairs. Try to get recommendations for a local one though, as they are all franchises and only as good as the guys training and experience.

[Rusted Pistons]

Cheers fellas, appreciate the input! We're trying to keep the costs down really, that's why we're doing it and it's an ST24 Mondeo that he loves so we want to do it properly!

So if we clean it off with degreaser/washing up liquid as per a usual paintjob and use a fine decent brush to put thin layers on (how long between layers?) then do you take the paint level just below the surface of the rest of the paint and put the clear laquer on (straight ontop of the paint with no prep?) to just proud of the rest of the paint and leave it a while (couple of days?) before using some rubbing compound on it to get it smooth, flat and shiny?

[Jizmondo Scrotmondo]

I'd try and get the base layers dry between coats. I paid £3 for a travel hair dryer from Argos which I used when I refurbed the Steelies on the Golf. You can put the laquer straight on but make sure the base is dry. Get the lacquer just proud, make sure it's 100% dry then go over it with some 2000 wet and dry paper and a block.
Go gently, then polish it up with some compound. Go over it with a Mop (machine polisher) on a low speed.

[Rusted Pistons]

Brill thanks buddy, and thanks everyone for the advice

[sphinx]

I thought I recognised your car!


Remember that?
I met you briefly when you came to visit Chris at Hudds uni, that picture was taken in one of the car parks near the campus pub I think.