Can you touch up burn through?

[atomicholiday]

If you burn through the color coat when wet sanding, is it possible to tape off and repaint a small section?  Then blend it in?  Or do you have to strip and repaint?

If it is possible, what should be used to remove any residue from polishing compound?  I’m using Novus 3 right now.  Was just finishing and getting ready to start #2, when I noticed the fender already looked like #2.

 I screwed up on the tiniest spot.  I’m going to try to touch up anyway because I have nothing to lose.  But I want some input before I do it.

 

Edited June 4, 2023 by atomicholiday

[av405]

With something that small, I would just touch it up. Since it's a thin portion, just put tape around it and have at it with a thin brush or even a toothpick with paint on the end. It by no means looks perfect but at least from far away it looks good. Others might disagree but if you're happy with the rest of the body and only a small section is the problem, I personally don't want to go through the effort of restarting.

Edited June 4, 2023 by av405

[bobthehobbyguy]

Being a solid color you should be able to touch up. I agree that stripping and repainting is overkill. Besides you can always put the others ideas facing out.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I would just finish polishing around it, and then touch it up with a brush.

Lightly polish the touch up area, and chances are you’ll never know it’s there.

 

 

 

Steve

[slusher]

2 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I would just finish polishing around it, and then touch it up with a brush.

Lightly polish the touch up area, and chances are you’ll never know it’s there.

 

 

 

Steve

I totally agree..

[ctruss53]

If it is a non-metallic color, I would mask off the whole fender, sand it with like 800 or 1000. Then repaint.

If it is a metallic I would probably strip and start over.

[atomicholiday]

Thanks for all your input guys.  All good advice, and since I don’t have much to lose, I’ll try the simplest method first and escalate if necessary.  So here’s what I’m going to try:

1. Clean the whole fender with alcohol to hopefully remove any Novus residue.

2. The red is from a Dupli Color can, so I’ll spray enough onto a pallet to use a fine brush and touch up only the burn-thru area.

3. Give it a day or two and very lightly buff it smooth.

4. Repeat the process with the clear coat.

If the above steps fail, I’ll try masking and repainting just the fender.  And if that doesn’t work or I completely screw the paint up, it’ll take a swim in the purple pond.  

I’ll post pics as I go and keep you updated.

 

Just have to say this.  This forum and its members are awesome.  It’s nice to know that if you have issues, problems, questions, etc, all you have to do is ask and you’ll get answers from some of the finest people in the hobby.

[atomicholiday]

What have we learned this afternoon?  DO NOT WIPE 91% ISO ALCOHOL ON YOUR FRESHLY POLISHED BODY!??. It immediately started to eat the clear coat.  This is after only two swipes.  Rookie mistake.

So…  after a mad dash to the kitchen sink to wash it off, I think I stopped the reaction in time.  A quick wet sanding of the offending area and it looks ok.  Although the burn thru area is a little bigger now.

At least I know now that there isn’t any polishing compound left.  On with the paint!

Being lacquer, I had to work fast.  The paint was flashing on the pallet while I was trying to work it.
This is pretty sloppy right now.  I’m hoping I can blend it without burning through again.  Going to go ridiculously slow with that process.  For now I’ll let it cure for a day or two.  Then try the same technique with the clear.

[SfanGoch]

Novus 3 is too aggressive (abrasive) to polish a painted surface. It is formulated to remove deep scratches from clear or colored  plastic/acrylic like aircraft canopies and tinted sunvisorsvisors on flight helmets.Once the deep scratches are removed, Novus 2, then 1' are used to polish the surface and remove any remaining scratches and swirl marks. Try Novus 2 if you need to polish out orange peel or fisheyes; or, micromesh pads. Novus contains silicone, which prevents any additional coats of paint or clear from adhering properly. You can remove the residue by washing the part(s) in warm water and dishwashing liquid and gently scrub the parts with a soft nylon toothbrush.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I’m with Joe.

I almost never use Novus #3.

If the pads have been used in succession as they should be, there shouldn’t be any reason why you can’t move on directly to #2.

 

 

 

Steve

[MrMiles]

i would just respray that area lightly to bland it in

[atomicholiday]

I ended up burning through again.  A little less than originally, but enough.  As this body was intended to be a practice piece for painting, polishing, and foiling, I’m going to concede defeat and take it for a swim.  We’ll start over and see what (if anything) I’ve learned.

This is why I never finish a kit.  Frustrating, but there’s no way I’m giving up this time around until I can get a decent finish.  I feel like I’m getting closer, and maybe I’m being too picky.  But I know what I want to see and I won’t accept less from myself.

Thanks to all who have chimed in.  Your input is invaluable to my continued quest.

 

To be continued…?

[peteski]

Jeremy,

How about considering changing your painting technique?  When I airbrush my models, I lay the paint rather heavy (except for the initial coat). That results in nice, even, glossy coverage with no orange peel.  I open the nozzle rather wide, and use fairly low air pressure (around 20-25 psi).

This is my Monogram Ultimates 1:43 scale 289 Cobra.  I used Tamiya Fine White Primer, nail polish for the body color, and Testors Wet Look Clear for clear coat.  This model has not been touched by any polishing cloths, rubbing compounds or waxes.  Just bare clear.

This is Gunze Sangyo 1:32 scale '57 Caddy.  No primer. The paint is Testors enamel (I built it around 30 years ago, so I don't remember the specific color name). No  clear.  Again, it is bare paint.

I notice that most modelers are afraid to lay the paint on thick, so that creates sub-par finish.  I just go nutz!  Is my finish perfect? No!  But it is quite good (and all those cars placed in model contests in the top 2).

Edited June 7, 2023 by peteski

[atomicholiday]

On 6/6/2023 at 9:07 PM, peteski said:

Jeremy,

How about considering changing your painting technique?  When I airbrush my models, I lay the paint rather heavy (except for the initial coat). That results in nice, even, glossy coverage with no orange peel.  I open the nozzle rather wide, and use fairly low air pressure (around 20-25 psi).

This is my Monogram Ultimates 1:43 scale 289 Cobra.  I used Tamiya Fine White Primer, nail polish for the body color, and Testors Wet Look Clear for clear coat.  This model has not been touched by any polishing cloths, rubbing compounds or waxes.  Just bare clear.

This is Gunze Sangyo 1:32 scale '57 Caddy.  No primer. The paint is Testors enamel (I built it around 30 years ago, so I don't remember the specific color name). No  clear.  Again, it is bare paint.

I notice that most modelers are afraid to lay the paint on thick, so that creates sub-par finish.  I just go nutz!  Is my finish perfect? No!  But it is quite good (and all those cars placed in model contests in the top 2).

Those are both stunning.  At a glance the Caddie looks real.

 I actually have an airbrush.  Just need to figure out how to vent it from my basement.  

[Dpate]

Being an airbrush user what I would have did in that situation would have been as follows. I would have taped around the area making like a big # with only the burn through showing. Than slowly built up coat after coat light n slow, and then blend in with 3K & 5K grit. Sure you can do it with aerosol just good distance, and lightly mist it on building up coat after coat. Just a suggestion for if it happens again. This isn’t my idea, but another user on here showed how to do this with fixing a burn through on clear coat.