redbird555

iTrader: (14)

hi guys i have a dent in my rear quarter on my 02 pewter camaro. now i have the dent fixed and i have to blend it into the panel. my question is that the paint is highly metallic and there are quite a few different variances of the color.

I'm planning on using the dupont chromabase with their 7779 clear system. Howver if there is a paint that tends to blend better I'm open to suggestions. I noticed on dupont and ppg's website they list their own base blenders for highly metallic paints. Is this something that would be worth using when trying to blend pewter? I've never blended a panel before usually I just do pieces separate so any suggestions or tips would be awesome thanks!

ctjohns

iTrader: (10)

i use ppg myself. I would use a base blender and spray the whole panel, it is #500 in the ppg line. This then lets the metallic laydown a little better when feathering the edge out. Cuts down on the blotchy look that can appear very easily. Then clear the panel and be done, easy as can be!

redbird555

iTrader: (14)

thanks man! So the blender gets laid down first before the BC? I wanted to use dupont product because of price but it seems like ppg may be the way to go. do you know if you can use the ppg 500 blender with a dupont bc? Also since pewter is a ahard color to match does the blending still look noticeably diffferent from the rest of the car?

ctjohns

iTrader: (10)

Im sure you could use dupont color blender in the same manner. I usually seal the area, color blender the panel, then base/clear the panel. depending on where the damaged area is at, just keep feathering the edge of the base out. On your last couple of coats, turn up the air pressure and widen your spray pattern, this tends to bring the metallic to the top a little more and will help blend it out. This is made easier b/c of the color blender applied first! Try and stay 3-4 inches away from the edges of the adjacent panels. Good Luck!!!!!!!!!! Do not use blending solvent, that is used to melt the edge of clear, when blending clear. Chuck

v86speed

find a paint store that has a digital color match camera,gets the best shade match when dealing with alternates.put your coats on light until you have coverage over repaired area,if you put it on too heavy it will blotch,make sure you give plenty of flash time between coats,dust new color past primed area about 6-12 inches if you have room.dead panel painted the hood on my silver TA,matched perfect,sometimes you get lucky.haven't seen many silver cars match panel to panel anyways.the worst that can happen is you have to paint further down side of car!color will change a little when you put on the clear.try the spray from a 12-18in.away to even out metellic trick that was suggested also.good luck.i use pro spray medium solids basecoat,nice and thick,covers excellent.make sure you sand primer out to 600 or sand scratches will show up.400 with primer sealer then base coat.

HioSSilver

iTrader: (8)

I use chromabase all the time....pretty much all I use. The biggest most important thing you can do for blending a metallic paint is finish the blend area with 1000 or 1200 grit to keep the metallic from looking like sand marks. You are also much better off just clearing a whole panel rather than trying to blend the clear.

v86speed

good point about preping the existing cleared area with the 1200,i assumed op had extensive painting exp.clear the whole panel like he said.

redbird555

iTrader: (14)

Oh ya I've painted a bunch of different things but this is my first attempt at a blend so I just want to make sure I'm getting it right lol. Yes I was planning on clearing the whole panel....As far as that eye machine thing goes, I've never had goodluck with it getting me a match, my best matches always come from giving them the vin and going from there. My steps I'm thinking for this are as follows.

1. Fix dent, fill sand and primer the affected area..

2. Scuff the rest of the panel with 1000 grit paper to knock the top clear off.


3.Apply dbc500 blender on the whole panel to smooth out the ruffed clear coat so the metallic flakes of the new BC can lay smooth. Then spray the first coat of base on the affected area and begin to flare out towards the panel.

4. Mix DBC500 blender into the 2nd base coat to make it tranparent and continue to flare the panel further.

5. After flash time apply the clear to the whole panel...

Sound good? lol


Here is the dent btw the bumper clear is cracked so I'm shooting that also but I'm not too worried about blending it just going for a good color match.

ARLS1

Most paint/autobody supply stores will have swatches of the variants to check against your car. Or a body shop. There are 4 light variants, 1 yellow, and a fine(metallic) so I would check them before buying paint since you wont be able to tint it while spraying. Even when blending you need to start with a well matched color. Sand over your primer well with 600-800 grit and skip sealer, just use an extra coat of base. Only reduce your base (with the blend additive) after your second(third if no sealer) coat.

ctjohns

iTrader: (10)

you will do fine, put 2-3 coats of base before thinning it out

Beanslsxnova

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like ctjohns is a fellow painter! Lol I use cromobase on all my side jobs and it's alot thinner of a paint then say ppg global system. Just make sure you have your primed area covered before thinning the base with blender. After primer is good and covered start mixing the base 75% base 25% blender and put a coat on and start your blend. Then mix it 50/50 and blend out a little farther. Then finish it with your final coat 25%base 75% blender and blend it out a little farther. This will give you a near perfect color transfer. You can also do fades like this and the colors will melt together.

ctjohns

iTrader: (10)

yep, good advice on this thread guys!