Clear Coat Overspray Removal?

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

First since this is your first post to our forum...


Welcome to AutogeekOnline! :welcome:

Hi Mike,

Saw your videos on clay bar & Speedy Prep Towel. I have some automotive 2k urethane clear coat overspray allover my 2000 Subaru Impreza original paint & clear coat. Could you recommend a grade of clay or the towel for the overspray removal? Thank you so much!

Eric

A 16 year old 2000 Subaru Impreza huh? With the original paint? That's 16 years old... hard to wrap my mind around a 2000 Subaru Impreza half way to being considered an antique.


As for removing the overspray, here's the deal... with overspray paint ALL OVER the car the most efficient way to remove ALL of the overspray would be to use a Nanoskin Autoscrub Towel and a foam gun.

That said - If you're going to do this you had already be planning on doing at least ONE machine polishing step to remove any marring from the exhaustive rubbing of a polymerized rubber towel all over the paint.

So before typing any more...

Do you own any type of polisher and do you know how to machine polish paint?

 

[AncientRS]

Do you own any type of polisher and do you know how to machine polish paint?

Unfortunately, no. I've always maintained the car by hand. The car & its paint have been maintained over the years with wash & wax + occasional clay, and the paint + clear are in ok condition until the overspray happened.

There's a chance that the original clear is getting thin as the clear coat on the hood scoop, vents, and the spoiler have failed recently and been repainted. Are there risks to burn through the clear with the towel or clay follow by a polish? Thanks again!

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Are there risks to burn through the clear with the towel or clay follow by a polish?

Good question and one that comes up all the time...


Here's the deal... if the paint is ALREADY THIN - then rubbing with anything by hand or machine can burn through. This is mostly and issue on edges and raised body lines where paint will be the thinnest.

You will probably be safe with the clay towel or detailing clay as these mostly affect the surface to remove the overspray sitting on the TOP of the paint. As soon as you switch over to polishing by hand or machine then the chances of burning through the clear coat increase as any true polish or compound contains abrasives and will remove paint.

Here's what you want to do...

1: Remove the overspray with clay or the Nanoskin towel.

2: Hand polish to remove any marring and restore a crystal clear, high gloss finish. Avoid rubbing on any edges, corners or raised body lines.
3: Then wax to seal the deal.

 

[AncientRS]

Thank you for the info, Mike. I've seen incorrect directional use of a rotary buffer that has burnt through a clear on curvy/sharp edges before (not my car).

Would I need the medium grade towel to remove the overspray or the fine grade would be enough?

I have a bottle of Meguiar's Scratch X 2.0; can I use it to polish the marring created by the towel, or should I use something finer such the Ultimate Polish or something else?

And how much pressure/force should I apply with the towel & polish by hand?

If much force is needed, a friend of mine has a DA Porter Cable 7424XP; would you recommend against it to avoid potential burn-through? ( I have no idea how much pressure should be applied either, nor the speed setting.)

I also have a key scratch on a door (photo before the overspray with touch-up+clear attached); should I avoid that section altogether with both the towel & the polish or just use lighter pressure and be careful with it?

Thank you again for answering my millions of questions!

 

[AncientRS]

Does applying more pressure using the fine grade = less pressure on the medium grade?

 

[Crispy]

Use the fine grade towel until your arm burns out. A DA will be safe to polish, but not on edges (high spots). Do a test section and nail down your process.

 

[shadwell]

Thank you for the info, Mike. I've seen incorrect directional use of a rotary buffer that has burnt through a clear on curvy/sharp edges before (not my car).

A yup... its the easiest way to burn through, but can be achieved with a DA if operator is clumsy or not clear on correct technique...
Done correctly its low risk...

Would I need the medium grade towel to remove the overspray or the fine grade would be enough?


A You won't know until you try, always startwith the least agressive method and work up.. especially with delicate paint condition... an awful lot of debris can be lifted with a fine cloth and patient careful use the marring is minimal..

I have a bottle of Meguiar's Scratch X 2.0; can I use it to polish the marring created by the towel, or should I use something finer such the Ultimate Polish or something else?

A. test section will tell you definitively.. if the scratch x take a little work to lift the marring then your likely on track. it ir rips through it and leaves its own maring then its too much.. hence the need to test..

And how much pressure/force should I apply with the towel & polish by hand?

A. hand polishing can create hot spots under the fingers.. especially if the polishing cloth is not folded over as to cushion the paint.. so the pressure required will be that which corrects the marring with the compound selelectd.. start light and work up.. if it makes reasonable progress and is finishing out nicely then you know your in a good place.. if not stop and change somethig in your process....

If much force is needed, a friend of mine has a DA Porter Cable 7424XP; would you recommend against it to avoid potential burn-through? ( I have no idea how much pressure should be applied either, nor the speed setting.)

A. IF you elect to go down the DA route suggest you check out mike's video's on correct DA useage before yo go near the car.. its quicker, provides a better finish and when done correctly is very safe.. this is up to you re what you want to tget into, but certainly don't be afraid of using a DA AFTER gaining some knowledge on how to use.

I also have a key scratch on a door (photo before the overspray with touch-up+clear attached); should I avoid that section altogether with both the towel & the polish or just use lighter pressure and be careful with it?

A. Makes no odds there is no clear / paint in the scratch and you are not attempting a touch up repair so all you would do is round off the edge of the scratch which can be addressed at a later date

Thank you again for answering my millions of questions!

Answers under each question point above, hope thats helpful...

 

[AncientRS]

Thank you!