MB Paint Touch Up Sticks...

[Flash]

My Dad's W220 has picked up a few stone chips om the motorway from the damn grit ont he roads from the cars travelling in front . I'm planning on touching up the small chips with the MB touch up stick.

What is the correct/best technique for good results...? I was thinking of using a cocktail stick and just touching the chip with it? Should I bother applying lacquer after as some of the chips are just small (reason why I ask about the lacquer is because I dont want to create an unessesary mess on to rest of the finish).

Your comments/opinions would be of great help...

 

[sneijder]

Layers over a few days is the way to do it, rather than in one hit. Make sure the metal isn't too hot / cold too. If you make a mistake you can easily wipe it off before it dries, so go mad.

 

[Shude]

Layers over a few days is the way to do it, rather than in one hit. Make sure the metal isn't too hot / cold too. If you make a mistake you can easily wipe it off before it dries, so go mad.

In addition to this you might want to try a very mildly abrasive polish (like a paint restoration product) when you're done with the touch-up kit and then wax/buff the hell out of the paintwork to blend the repairs in.

 

[bolide]

Touchup stick

I always use the spplicator brush. Shake the stick like fury, whip the brush out then wipe the brush on the edge of the pot. Invert the brush so a little blob runs to the tip of the brush and just spot the blob in the middle of the chip. If you get the blob the right size it'll spread to fill the chip and you're done

Just keep shaking the stick and using fresh paint and you'll be OK. This will work with chips up to about 2 mm diameter

If the new paint still isn't flush with the surrounding paint you could put a blob of lacquer in. But I favour making sure the repair isn't proud of the surrounding paint as it seems less visible. I try never to paint over good paint - it just makes the repair stand out more


Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[KLP 92]

I use the Halford touch up pens. They have a really nice pen tip applicator, gives real control for the small chips. I would build layers of paint, letting them dry inbetween and then lacquer. Wait a few days and then polish it for a better finish.

 

[Dieselman]

the paint chip bible.

Guys, I think we now have the definative on chip fixing. They just dissapear. When I get time I'll be out there with the 1200 grit wet&dry paper.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/albert.rowe/mypage.24.htm

Thanks to Lofty for this.

 

[COUPE FREAK]

picked up my paint stick kit today,, only there's no lacquer with it,, just the bottle of colour,, when i asked about it the parts bloke said they dont supply the lacquer stick anymore,, seems strange,, any thoughts,,

 

[Robbo]

I bought a silver touch up kit a few weeks ago, consisted of two bottles, one colour and one laquer.

 

[Howard]

Yes, mine came with laqcuer too ... (last year)

 

[Flash]

I bought a silver touch up kit a few weeks ago, consisted of two bottles, one colour and one laquer.

Bought Artic White touch up stick from MB Commercial Dealership and it came only as one bottle with no lacquer BUT passenger cars do come with lacquer.

 

[stats007]

All the touch-up sticks I have bought come with lacquer.

I always build up layers using a 0000 artist brush - usually over a few weekends. When done it is lacquered, then rubbed with T-Cut (regardless of what Lofty's link says!) and a piece of cloth around an old credit card for a flat surface. If you take your time the repair is invisible.

 

[COUPE FREAK]

All the touch-up sticks I have bought come with lacquer.

.

parts bloke was quite adamant about the no lacquer bit,, maybe he was having a bad day,, think i'll get intouch with mb uk,, or another main dealers,, see what they say about the lacquer/paint stick for my model year etc,,

 

[glojo]

I'm a great believer in the final finish and I go along with the suggestion of either the finest of fine artist brushes or a cocktail stick. Before starting make sure you have not polished over the chip mark, if this old polish is not removed then all your hard work is pretty well wasted because the new application will simply dry on top of the polish. I must confess to cleaning the chip with diluted fairry liquid and the wife's toothbrush (ouch!! joke) Fairy liquid is a detergent that will remove car polish so do not forget to give the car a good seeing to afterwards.

I tend to leave the paint repair for a short period then get a soft cloth thoroughly soaked in T-cut, I place this cloth onto a nice small plastic cap or top (anything with a flat base) then gently rub down the fresh paint. By using a cap you can get one that is very small so hopefully you are not applying the T-cut to a big area.

Using a hand or finger runs the risk of removing paint from out of the chip. All the repairs on our old 210 were completely invisible although they were a dark blue: white can sometimes be a bit of a challenge, you really need to treble check that you get the right (alwight ) shade.

That's the way I do it and I must confess to using the clear laquer as a final protection. I suppose solid coats might not come with the two containers?? I'll pass on that.

Good luck with the repair. After a while if the chips are not repaired dark colours tend to look like they have developed acne where all the polish has dried white in the little holes. (That's if you regularly polish the car )

John

 

[COUPE FREAK]

glojo,, my colour's " midnight blue" code No 5904,, and my bonnet look's like it's got acne ,, good tip about the tooth-brush & the flat cap,,

 

[COUPE FREAK]

on my vin plate is this number,, 03502T,, is it my paint code,,??

 

[reflexboy]

I use the fineest of fine, artist's brush.

 

[Goldfish11]

Tooth pick or finest artist paint brush for me

 

[Flash]

I use the fineest of fine, artist's brush.

Where do you guys source your very fine/thin artist paint brushes from i.e. on line and how much do they cost?

When you have finished with the brush do you use it again for future touch ups and just rinse the brush in in water or is it best to dispose of it after a single session?

 

[marcintosh]

You will find a good selection in any model or hobby/art shop. The smallest size is 00000 (5xzero) as far as I remember. They cost a couple of pounds for a cheap one and 10+ for a pro brush but you don't need one. I have had mine for a few years and used them on models. Provided you keep them clean, they will last forever. Get some paintbrush cleaner at B&Q. Don't try cleaning it with water, as you won't be able to use it again.

 

[Flash]

You will find a good selection in any model or hobby/art shop. The smallest size is 00000 (5xzero) as far as I remember. They cost a couple of pounds for a cheap one and 10+ for a pro brush but you don't need one. I have had mine for a few years and used them on models. Provided you keep them clean, they will last forever. Get some paintbrush cleaner at B&Q. Don't try cleaning it with water, as you won't be able to use it again.

Thnaks for info - it will come in very handy...