Best Way to deal with touch-up paint

[04 Hemi]

I have used the touch-up paint on several spot on my truck i am wondering what is easier to buff out with the PC. Should i use 3000 all the way until the paint becomes even, or should i go with 2500 and then finish with 3000. And go over the area with some #83 and a cutting. Or is there something better.
Hopefully i wont have to leave it like that since even though it does not look as bad as without the touchup paint, you can still notice the spot.

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

I've been trying to get a touch-up tutorial put together, but the cold and nasty weather haven't been cooperating with my getting the project vehicle I've been working on totally to completion. It doesn't help either that the car in question is actually in Tennessee right now

I think the PC/7006/83 combo will work fine with either 2500 or 3000; I've used that combo to buff out 2000 grit before with good results.

It all depends though, on how big of an area you're working with or how much cutting you have to do to get things level. Pics may help for further analysis of exactly which grit will serve you the best.

[04 Hemi]

That good to hear that it will work, and the areas that i am going to be working on are an inch long scrath, and an inch by an inch rub. I will try to to post some pics if it stopes raining.

Hope you could get that tutorial, it would be grear for everyone, since wet sanding is a scary step. Keep up the good work.

[Mike Phillips]

I've posted this before, and I'll post it again...

Wet-sanding paint is the easy part.
In simple terms, you're removing paint by abrading it and the after-effect is you'll be leaving sanding marks in the finish

Removing sanding marks is the hard part.
Removing your sanding marks can be very difficult depending on what your working on. In most cases, people that apply touch-up paint and then sand it flat, thus instilling sanding marks in both the touch-up paint and the factory clear coat will find the sanding marks will come out of the touch up paint easily, but no so with the factory clear coat.

That has to do with both paint hardness and the products, pads and tools you're using.

At this time Meguiar's doesn't recommend trying to use a dual action polisher to remove sanding marks. It's the wrong tool for the job.

While some people can do it under some circumstances, not everyone can do it in all circumstances. On this forum, Meguiar's doesn't want to start a trend of people instilling sanding marks into their factory clear coat finish only to come back to Meguiar's' and complain that they can't get the sanding marks out of the paint using the dual action polisher.

To be clear on this topic, at this time, Meguiar's does not recommend wet-sanding automotive finishes when the goal is to remove them using a dual action polisher.

Thank you.

[imacarnut]

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
I've posted this before, and I'll post it again...

Wet-sanding paint is the easy part.
In simple terms, you're removing paint by abrading it and the after-effect is you'll be leaving sanding marks in the finish

Removing sanding marks is the hard part.
Removing your sanding marks can be very difficult depending on what your working on. In most cases, people that apply touch-up paint and then sand it flat, thus instilling sanding marks in both the touch-up paint and the factory clear coat will find the sanding marks will come out of the touch up paint easily, but no so with the factory clear coat.

That has to do with both paint hardness and the products, pads and tools you're using.

At this time Meguiar's doesn't recommend trying to use a dual action polisher to remove sanding marks. It's the wrong tool for the job.

While some people can do it under some circumstances, not everyone can do it in all circumstances. On this forum, Meguiar's doesn't want to start a trend of people instilling sanding marks into their factory clear coat finish only to come back to Meguiar's' and complain that they can't get the sanding marks out of the paint using the dual action polisher.

To be clear on this topic, at this time, Meguiar's does not recommend wet-sanding automotive finishes when the goal is to remove them using a dual action polisher.

Thank you.

Thanks Mike for posting this. You just saved me, what could of been a big headache...

[Five Star]

Everyone has their own techniques for doing different things

what works for one person does not always work for the other

I could tell you that I fill in the scratches with touchup paint it start to harden, then polish the excess away with a wool pad.

however it takes alot of practice without buffing out all the touchup paint, burning through the factory paint, or instilling holograms, and building up the paint.

So basically you can't fault someone for explaining their process, just realize that its the one they use and they have the experience on that particular process to make it come out right

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by Five Star

So basically you can't fault someone for explaining their process, just realize that its the one they use and they have the experience on that particular process to make it come out right

That's correct, and sometimes I have to chime in and differentiate between a forum member's process, and a Meguiar's official process. This is Meguiar's forum and people from all around the world visit this site for information. At this point I'm the primary person in charge of information content whether it be from a member or a Meguiar's employee, both get scrutiny.

While we do appreciate and encourage people to share their experience and knowledge with our community, there are times when I have to step in and differentiate between someones process and Meguiar's process. When it comes to wet sanding and removing sanding marks using a dual action polisher, this is one of those areas.

Meguiar's history is actually on the professional side of the industry, that is starting sometime in the 1920's and continuing until today, we manufacture products for professionals. This means people that wet-sand, cut and buff paint as well as a host of other procedures. We didn't venture into the manufacturing of consumer products for enthusiasts until 1973, that's 50+ years later.

Because we have historically provided time-proven products and procedures as well as the expertise to enable professionals to remove sanding marks using our Professional line with rotary buffers, we don't at this time have products or official procedures for wet-sanding paint and then remove the sanding marks using a dual action polisher.

I've done it, so I know it can be done, but to date, the most effective way to do this procedure is with a rotary buffer, not a dual action polisher. And while some people can do this, at this time I would like to ask that we don't use this forum as a place to teach people, or encourage people to wet-sand their car's finish and then try to remove the sanding marks using a dual action polisher.

I hope this clarifies the issue.