How to regloss a small section of body.

[Jake Royd]

I have a Chausson coach-built.
I have recently removed a bike carrier to replace with another.
Removing the lower mounting bar was very difficult due to the amount of sealant used.
Prising it off left a stained area which I started to try to polish off using metal polish. This was working but was going to take literally days.
I then used 800 grit wet and dry, used wet. This removed the staining beautifully but has left the surface full or slightly Matt.
I have tried restoring the gloss using resin polish but this does not seem to work.

Is there any way I can restore the gloss please?

 

[Phill D]

Resin polish will not be enough. Try asking jezport . He will know the way to bring it back.

 

[Jamesh]

I have a Chausson coach-built.
I have recently removed a bike carrier to replace with another.
Removing the lower mounting bar was very difficult due to the amount of sealant used.
Prising it off left a stained area which I started to try to polish off using metal polish. This was working but was going to take literally days.
I then used 800 grit wet and dry, used wet. This removed the staining beautifully but has left the surface full or slightly Matt.
I have tried restoring the gloss using resin polish but this does not seem to work.

Is there any way I can restore the gloss please?

Have you tried 1600 grit w+d and then 3000 grit?

Then resin polish??

 

[Emmit]

Have you tried 1600 grit w+d and then 3000 grit?

Then resin polish??

And when you're using the 1600 W+D, use it wet and have a bar of soap to 'lightly' lubricate the surface of the sheet.

It's one of those jobs where less friction is better than more, hence the suggestion of 1600 at first.

 

[Jake Royd]

Thank you.

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[stevec]

After the fine wet and dry try facela G3 compound before the resin polish.

 

[Emmit]

And when you're using the 1600 W+D, use it wet and have a bar of soap to 'lightly' lubricate the surface of the sheet.

It's one of those jobs where less friction is better than more, hence the suggestion of 1600 at first.

This is how it was explained to me.
You spray the surface with tiny droplets of paint. You can't see it but that creates 'bumps'
You flatten those bumps with an abrasive paper, The finer the paper, the less you will take off.
Eventually, you will have a flat surface. Think about a mirror. The glass is flat. If it wasn't
you wouldn't get a reflection back,(well, not a good one)

 

[Jake Royd]

I've got some G3 somewhere , I used to use it on my boat

 

[airwave]

I then used 800 grit wet and dry, used wet.

There is a way , but it's long and drawn out , and will only work , so long as paint is still present . However you should be warned there is significant risk attached .
Okay , under the assumption there is still paint present you should continue sanding , but with much lighter grades of wet and dry . This should be used wet , and a tip is to use a little washing up liquid in the water . Basically your trying to remove the scratches , the 800 grade has already put in . Use 1000 grade , and rub the area over until smooth and slipper , then swap to 1500 grade , and repeat . Finally 2000 grade , with the same process , and result . Wash the area constantly with clean water , and exercise extreme care during sanding .
Now Following the 2000 grade , move to a paint cutting liquid . The likes of Facela , however i will leave brand to your choice , we all have our own favorites . It should have a minimum cutting action , making the aforementioned Facela g3 perfect , the use of a dual action polisher may also be an advantage , but do not risk the use any other polisher , your paint will be too thin . The process i've explained is a latter form of paint blending .
I cannot emphasize how careful you need to be , here . If you break through to the undercoat , your only option will be to apply new paint , and trust me , you don't want to go there . I'm working in this area now , and i will be honest , it's not going well . The weather is not helping , with inconsistent temperatures , and the road being dug up . I actually have 4 different jobs on the go right now , including the repair of a spat , which is more severely damaged than i at first thought , and the overhaul and respray of the kitchen light/ extractor fan unit . I need warmer temps to finish the panel spraying on the van outside .

 

[cyberyacht]

In the absence of getting hold of the finer grades of W&D, try a fine grade rubbing compound followed by T Cut and then the polish & wax.

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[airwave]

In the absence of getting hold of the finer grades of W&D,

That is actually a fair comment , however ebay is your answer .

I've recently ordered 2000 grit from ebay , and now source a good proportion of my paint from the same place too . My local motor factors has just changed suppliers , and frankly , i'm not impressed with the new stuff . This has been identified as the cause of my recent problems .

 

[airwave]

l restore the gloss please?

Oh god , important bit i forgot to mention ! .

Only sand in a straight line ! . Best results should be at 45 degrees from either the vertical , or horizontal , whichever way you want to look at it . Many people once the area becomes smooth will sand in a circular motion , but this will introduce a swirl pattern , that will likely show up with wax applied . Once introduced , they can prove difficult to remove . One final thought , through i doubt this will be a particular issue with the flat panels of a motorhome , be aware of sharp edges , these areas are particularly easy to sand through to the primer .

Something else , i would further advise , is not to use as most people will , your fingers use a block . Though it often feels gentler , it's all too easy for the uninitiated to inadvertently apply uneven pressure . It's for that reason i would not advise a solid block on a vehicle either . Though they have their place , on curved panels , they can also apply uneven pressure . Personally , for paint blending , i use a foam block available from most motorist centres . They have wet and dry already glued on , and are available in three grades . Just buy anyone . Here again i personally use the 240 grade version , i think it has 320 grade on the back , as i found i can use that elsewhere . Don't use the blocks wet and dry as is , quarter your own paper and wrap it . Make sure the blocks wet and dry is full covered .

 

[sonar]

G3. Polish rubbed in as the bottle says in circles.
polish off with a dry soft cloth.

works every time.

 

[Jamesh]

Wax on,wax off, that's what I was taught at karate school...!

 

[sonar]

Wax on,wax off, that's what I was taught at karate school...!

Was that before or after painting the fence.

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[Jake Royd]

Oh god , important bit i forgot to mention ! .

Only sand in a straight line ! . Best results should be at 45 degrees from either the vertical , or horizontal , whichever way you want to look at it . Many people once the area becomes smooth will sand in a circular motion , but this will introduce a swirl pattern , that will likely show up with wax applied . Once introduced , they can prove difficult to remove . One final thought , through i doubt this will be a particular issue with the flat panels of a motorhome , be aware of sharp edges , these areas are particularly easy to sand through to the primer .

Something else , i would further advise , is not to use as most people will , your fingers use a block . Though it often feels gentler , it's all too easy for the uninitiated to inadvertently apply uneven pressure . It's for that reason i would not advise a solid block on a vehicle either . Though they have their place , on curved panels , they can also apply uneven pressure . Personally , for paint blending , i use a foam block available from most motorist centres . They have wet and dry already glued on , and are available in three grades . Just buy anyone . Here again i personally use the 240 grade version , i think it has 320 grade on the back , as i found i can use that elsewhere . Don't use the blocks wet and dry as is , quarter your own paper and wrap it . Make sure the blocks wet and dry is full covered .

Thanks for this , lots of good info.
The surface I have now looks almost perfect viewed straight on but view at an angle and you can see the loss of shine.
I have noted that the 'gelcoat' or outer coat is very thin so I have to be careful now to remove the minimum I need to.

 

[airwave]

Thanks for this , lots of good info.
The surface I have now looks almost perfect viewed straight on but view at an angle and you can see the loss of shine.
I have noted that the 'gelcoat' or outer coat is very thin so I have to be careful now to remove the minimum I need to.

Good man , it takes time , and really it's best not to rush it . What do they say , act in haste , repent at leisure . I've been working on the rear panel of mine today . I wanted to correct a cock up , from a few years back , and removed 3 stickers , the previous owner stuck on . The cock up , was where i removed an old , well truth is i dunno what it was , and fitted a cycle rack . I filled the old holes , and resprayed the the area .
In the wrong colour , damit ! .
I actually tried several colours , all of them were wrong . It finished up in an earlier creamy colour , normally seen on early Hymers .
I'm now putting that right . The stickers were as i suspected hiding a couple of dents , so i sorted them out at the same time . It's actually the last part of the vans body to get attention this shout . I've not begun to blended them in yet , but just like you say , the colours perfect (the van underwent spectro analysis , a couple of years ago) , yet the edges are a bit flat at certain angles . Straight on you wouldn't know it's even being resprayed . It's probably overspray , but i'm not that bothered , i need to finish getting all the paint on first . Finished off working on the nearside spat , it was still weak after i repaired it last year . I've beefed that up , with more reinforcement , so now it's meshed both sides . Waiting for it to cool off , to see what i've got . Still at lot of work on it to do . To be honest , it's scrap , but then so was the bumper . That took me 3 days to weld back together . It's up for topcoat , and lacquer , next good day , with the offside spat and the front waist moulding , joining it . The kitchen light has stalled , only half the topcoat (a land rover colour) arrived , which is really annoying . Guess where i may go to overcome that ? .