expert painters???

[Jinx]

I pained my car a year ago. fiber glass/used sikens striped.surfacer.sanded my butt off colorbuild primer.sanded more then paint.cleared.....a year later Im getting a few bubbles 1in sq or so just letting go really pissing me off was not cheap to do myself took 5 months...letting primers dry out before next steps... any advice?????? Mybe how I can fix this cheap??? thiers just a couple of them..just enough to break my heart.....spending more...liking it less.....thanx jinx

[Clois Harlan]

I wouldn't consider myself an expert but I have worked w/ fiberglas some. While in college I worked at a body shop after class and on weekends and I saw more than a couple corvette repairs.

First, I am sure you sanded your fiberglas with 80 grit paper to knock down the seams and bust up your gel coat. But did you use a catalyzed primer immediately on top of your gel coat after you sanded it? Since you were able to do your own paint and body work I sure dont' want to offend you with dumb questions.

Assuming all the prep was done correctly I would just get some 180 grit paper on my DA Sander and feather out the area of concern, then spray a catalyzed primer over the area's of repair. Next I would spray a good primer surfacer over the catalyzed and over lap it a good 10" (build the area up with 4 or 5 coats). Then using a rubber sanding block and some 320 sand paper bring the whole area plus about 6" of the non primered clear coat flat. Repeat with 400 grit wet or dray and then again with 600/800 wet or dry sand paper extending well into the unrepaired area.

Wipe everything down with a tack rag an spray three coats of base coat and then three or four coats of clear and be sure and carry your clear coat into the unrepaired area that you sanded with the 800 grit paper. After 24 or so hours use a good compound and a machine to buff out the area (3M makes a very good 3 part system that sells for about $50). You will be amazed at how well these spots will cover up and blend into your original job.

Clois

[Double Venom]

Jinx,
I think I'm a professional painter, at least that is what they tell me.

Have you popped any of your little bubbles? Filled with air, oil, water? So hard to diagnose paint problems without seeing them.

Lets go right back to the beginning...I'd bet that when you started the original body work, you simply started sanding?

If so, what may have happened, the car simply was not clean enough. You can't see it, or shouldn't. You can't feel it, smell it or even taste it...yuck! But every company uses a "mold release agent" on their molds. In other words--wax.

Without cleaning, this almost invisible wax off the body, the only thing you're doing is melting it and forcing it deeper into the glass it self. Over a period of time, sometimes hours, sometimes months, this wax will eventually work its way back to the surface.

That is just one of many reason for bubbles to appear.

DV...don't touch that body until it is totally wiped down with Acetone!