Nonflexible Panel Repair System

FIGURE 1:

Basecoat

1. Wash with a mild detergent and water to remove any water soluble contaminates, then clean with a wax and grease removing solvent to remove any tar, silicone or other road film not removed with the detergent wash.

2. Repair and featheredge damaged area(s) as required.

3. If substrate is metal, treat surface with a metal conditioner and conversion coating according to label directions and allow to dry thoroughly. Apply primer-surfacer to repair and featheredge damaged area(s) as required. Allow to dry 20-30 minutes before sanding.

4. Using wet or dry #400 grit sandpaper or finer, sand entire area(s) to be refinished with the basecoat color. Areas to be clear coated only, should be wet sanded with #600 or finer sandpaper.

5. Reclean panel(s) with wax and grease removing solvent and then tack wipe.

6. Apply one or two coats of an "adhesion promoter" over and 6-8" beyond the area(s) to be refinished. Allow to flash a minimum of 30 minutes before applying base color coat.

7. Reduce base color 150-200% with an extra-slow drying lacquer solvent. The viscosity of the reduced base color is very important in order to match the OEM (original equipment manufacturers) finish. The best way of checking the viscosity of a reduced paint material is with a Zahn #2 paint viscosity cup or its equivalent. The temperature influences viscosity directly. If a cold can of paint is brought into an average temperature room (65-70 degrees), it will be thicker and more viscous. Adding solvent to make the paint sprayable is not always the best action. The paint should be allowed to reach workable, or average room temperatures. Follow manufacturer's recommended paint viscosity cup reading for their material.

8. Spray base color at 35-45 lbs. air pressure at the gun. Apply only the number of coats needed to get full hiding. This will require two or three medium-wet coats. Allow each coat to flash approximately five minutes and spray each coat slightly wider than the previously applied coat. A premixed mist coat of clear acrylic paint material may be used if desired to melt overspray into the base color. Allow to dry for 20 minutes before applying clear coat. Do not sand base color coat unless it is necessary.

9. If basecoat must be sanded, proceed as follows:

a. Allow base color to dry.

b. Sand with ultra-fine wet-or-dry sandpaper to remove the imperfection(s).
c. Reclean and tack wipe the repair area(s).

d. Apply an additional coat of base color.

e. Allow to dry 20 minutes before applying the clear coat.