Burned paint on first try

CM8 6MT said:
I agree with Fivepoint.0, its very hard to burn through the paint even on the edges. You would have to have your DA chill there with a good amount of pressure.

My take is that now that your "inspecting" the paint more because your detailing, you noticed it to whereas you would not of before. If that makes any sense. Youll be alright man.
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:iagree:

Now that you are 'really' looking at it in another light.... just probably didn't notice it before.
 
I think I might have to get a paint thickness gauge. I want to make sure the previous owner has not made the paint to thin from buffing. I would hate to do more damage. Thanks guys
 
Fishincricket said:
Holy crap on a cracker, Bob!! Guess you get what you pay for, eh? lol
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Alas...
Ultrasonic PTG's are a "necessary evil" for measuring thicknesses
of other materials' compositions, than ferrous/non-ferrous metals.

And: Dang Their Hides!!!...Their manufacturers know this!!!

:)

Bob
 
Andr3wilson said:
If you were very careful not to overwork, the only other possibility is that the clear coat was thinned some much by someone else, then you going over it took it over the edge and burned through.
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And this is the issue...


When you buy a used car you never know,

  • Who's buffed on it.
  • How many times the car has been buffed
  • What they used to buff on it including type of tool, pad and product.

Could be just normal wear-n-tear by a careful person or detailer because paint is thinnest on raised body lines, corners and high points.

Could be someone using too aggressive of products and over-buffing, or buffing to many times in the past. No way of knowing.


:)
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
When you buy a used car you never know,

  • Who's buffed on it.
  • How many times the car has been buffed
  • What they used to buff on it including type of tool, pad and product.
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So true, but the same can be said for a new car unless you take the plastic off yourself or watch the dealer do it. One of my cars was a leftover, sat on the lot for 16 months, the paint felt like sandpaper except for one 1' area that was smooth as glass..."wonder what got polished out over there...", I thought. The other was a test drive car...probably sent through the tunnel wash every day for weeks...and how many times did they "detail" it to take out the scratch n' swirl marks? But both of those cars were "new" when I got them.
 
When I talk to a new customer to determine what the best course of action will be for them and for their vehicle, I first find out how they took care of the aesthetics of the vehicle in the past, if they are willing to do things differently into the future, did they buy the car brand new, how many times was the car taken to a "professional detailer" to be buffed out and where did they have it buffed out at.

If they give the answers..."I bought it brand new" and "It's never been detailed" I still look for signs of "another detailer's signatures" (M.P.) which can not always be seen as a result of being overshadowed by swirl marks and general wash induced marring. As I polish the paint, I continue to keep an eye out for signs of these signatures.

If they bought the car used or had it to a "professional detailer" several times...the bells and alarms are going off in my head the entire job through, and to cover myself I do a very thorough "lighted" pre-inspection and more times than not I can find that signature I'm looking for. I always get photos of said signatures and/or point them out to the customer before getting started on the job.

After coming out of pocket a few times for being the sorry sap who eventually cut through the paint...the awareness of these signatures becomes a standard procedure and the longer you do this kind of work...the easier they are to see.

Having said all that... those edges were likely buffed over many times before by low payed dealership employees running rotary buffers with wool pads and a way too aggressive compound, and you were the sorry sap that finally cut through the paint.

It seems that often time someone's got to take it on the chin for a bunch of others to learn from their lesson. You are doing a great service to this community by posting these photos and testimony. Thanks for sharing your experience with us. TD
 
swanicyouth said:
It's possible. I did it with a PC. But I really overworked the surface going after a scratch. I just went through the clear coat. Oddly enough, it was on a plastic fender flair.
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If it is a Z06, its a carbon fiber fender. That carbon fiber doesn't dissipate heat like a metal panel. Easy to burn
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
And this is the issue...


When you buy a used car you never know,

  • Who's buffed on it.
  • How many times the car has been buffed
  • What they used to buff on it including type of tool, pad and product.

Could be just normal wear-n-tear by a careful person or detailer because paint is thinnest on raised body lines, corners and high points.

Could be someone using too aggressive of products and over-buffing, or buffing to many times in the past. No way of knowing.


:)
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Would a paint thickness gauge show it, yes the ones you can use on non metallic surfaces are expensive.
 
mrbrons said:
Here are a couple pics. It isn't real bad, but enough to drive me over the edge. They are both edges between body panels. I was so very careful and didn't over work the area. In barely hit the edges. Now I have no idea what to do.


9C8FD246-F338-4AC4-9314-A0D6F947D2CC-3839-00000736F07CFAA5.jpg

83C02A80-B926-4FBA-B0CA-5B83E359ECA8-3839-00000736E0F8B146.jpg
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If it's your car I'd recommend airbrushing some matching paint on to the edge. and leave it alone. Short of a respray this is the best alternative. An airbrush can feather the edges yet get enough paint on the edge to cover up the burn through.

I bruned an edge on my white Ford Explorer many years ago and fixed it this way; the repair held up nicely.

As others have said the car most likely had seen many polishings and the edges are already thin. A paint guage is really a useful tool but since your car is fiberglass those guages are pretty expensive. For steel body cars good graues can be had for a couple C-Notes.
 
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