Bumper repair

[Martin_1962]

I need to remove some scratches from the bumper - some are surface, some will require filling.

What do I use to fill a bumper scratch?

What do I prime with?

I can paint - just didn't have the required gear until recently

[RolandL]

I need to remove some scratches from the bumper - some are surface, some will require filling.

What do I use to fill a bumper scratch?

What do I prime with?

I can paint - just didn't have the required gear until recently

Etch primer is what you need on fibreglass/plastics contains acid, eats into both sufaces (bumper/paint) to get good bond

can be bought from Halfrauds (not expensive), it also acts as a filler so depends how deep scratch is. If not too deep you may only need some of that.    


Roland

[DaveL]

Martin,

Spraying in small areas is quite an art form in its own right. I recently repaired an area on my bumper by the following.

Get some paint mixed at either Halfords or a paint suppliers. I have tried the off the shelf paint or even the dealers in the past and have never had a success with them. To fill the small areas i used a high build filler spray that has a etching property in it. Again i get mine from a paint supplier in a spray can.

Rub down the area to be painted with some 400 grade wet and dry paper. Stop when you get to the undercoat paint. This will usually be another colour. Sometimes a grey or beige. Next rub this down with a finer paper, i used an 800 grade.

Mask up the area to be painted so as to not to cover things like lights and trim that would take a long time to clean up.

Spray the area in small doses. Wait until each coat dries. The filler primer takes nearly 24 hours to go off if you paint over it before hand it will craze and look crap.

Finish off with, if the car paint is metallic, a 2 pack clear coat spray. You can get this now in a can and it works a treat.

Finally rub down with either some more fine grade wet and dry or a cutting paste not unlike 'T' cut.

With time and patience you can get a good finish, not as good as a professional but acceptable for most people.

Good luck.
8-)
DaveL

[Martin_1962]

Thanks - so I will prime one week and spray the next

so etch high build primer for the bumper and drivers mirror

Ordinary primer for the spoiler

H147 (I think) paint
laquers
Thinners
compressor oil

No big patches so the compressor will cope.

While I'm at it I have an Airfix Buccaneer to paint

[RolandL]

Thanks - so I will prime one week and spray the next

so etch high build primer for the bumper and drivers mirror

Ordinary primer for the spoiler

H147 (I think) paint
laquers
Thinners
compressor oil

No big patches so the compressor will cope.

While I'm at it I have an Airfix Buccaneer to paint

You can also get a scratch removal kit from MER (Halfrauds) for £22 ish, it's ver good, used it on some of my other cars.

Buccaneer, no there's a plane, wasn't it the first jet in the airforce, made out of wood iirc

[Martin_1962]

Thanks - so I will prime one week and spray the next

so etch high build primer for the bumper and drivers mirror

Ordinary primer for the spoiler

H147 (I think) paint
laquers
Thinners
compressor oil

No big patches so the compressor will cope.

While I'm at it I have an Airfix Buccaneer to paint

You can also get a scratch removal kit from MER (Halfrauds) for £22 ish, it's ver good, used it on some of my other cars.

Buccaneer, no there's a plane, wasn't it the first jet in the airforce, made out of wood iirc

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/buccaneer/index.html

[RolandL]

  I'm a muppet  not the one I was thinking of, it was the The Gloster Meteor

[Martin_1962]

I'm a muppet  not the one I was thinking of, it was the The Gloster Meteor

[Marks DTM Calib]

If using a compressor you need a filter and a known clean line.......oil in the spray does not go well with paint....