KICKS KORNER #17
filler can used to repair or customize any part of the frame.
Hello. I had a mural painted on the hood of my black, one year
Any problem areas will have to be filled with lead or welded
old car about six months ago, and now tiny little cracks have
and metal finished,... and the whole part must be cleaned to
begun to appear all over the hood. They are also starting to
bare metal either by chemical stripping, sanding,... or media
appear on the roof and trunk of the car which weren’t re-
blasting. One of the advantages of powder coating is that it is
painted as well, only not as bad. When I went back to the
more durable than most paint and when chipped will resist
person who painted it, he said that it was the factory paint
flaking back around that area. It will also withstand exposure
that was cracking and that he wasn’t responsible. When I
to most chemicals like gasoline, oil and tranny fluid better
went back to the dealership, the technician referred to the
than a urethane clear coat. The downside is that it is probably
damage as “crows feet”, and said that they would repair the
going to cost you more than a spray job would, and like any
roof and trunk, but not the hood because I had painted it. Can
other process,... some people do a much better job then some
you explain what has happened and do you think the person
others do. Ask around and try and find someone who has had
who did my hood should be responsible for repainting it? Can
work done, and how it turned out. Hope it turns out well which-
the art work just be recleared? Thanks for any help.
ever way you decide to go.
Dale E. , N. Dakota
My dad was telling me about a custom paint job that he
It’s unusual for to-days factory paint jobs to develop crows feet,...
had on his bike back in the 70’s. He wasn’t sure how it was
or what is commonly called crazing. It used to be a major prob-
achieved, but he said it was called “Spider webbing”. I’ve
lem when manufacturers used lacquer for the finish on their
seen a picture of the bike and it looked like it was covered
cars, but seldom happens these days. It is usually caused as
in different colored Crazy String. Can you tell me how this
the result of an excessive amount of paint being applied at the
effect is done? Love the magazine guys, keep up the great
factory,... usually because of defects and resprays. The fact that
work. , D. Tucker
it was black just makes the problem even worse. The extreme
temperature changes in your part of the country cause that
Thanks for writing. Spider webbing is an old technique used by
thick coat of paint to expand and contract with the heat and cold
painters back when acrylic lacquers were the paint of choice
and has caused the paint to crack open. The Tech at the dealer-
for custom painting. It was produced by forcing non reduced
ship was right about the warrantee being voided if you painted
lacquer through the spray gun at a low pressure in the form
over the factory paint so you’re out of luck there. It’s also pretty
of a fibrous thread. This was done over the base colour with
hard to blame the artist unless he charged you to strip the paint
as many colours as you liked,... wet sanded lightly,... cleared,...
and refinish the hood before he did the art work,... which is usu-
then sanded and buffed to a nice shine. The problem is, I don’t
ally a pretty good idea. At least he would have known what was
think you can reproduce this using urethane paints,... they just
underneath what he was working on. Unfortunately you can
won’t spray the same. Now if you can get your hands on some
not just have the hood recleared,... it will just crack open again.
lacquer,... Bob’s your Uncle!
It has to be stripped right down to bare metal and refinished,...
your best bet would be to get an estimate from the body shop
Hi, I’m wondering what is the coarsest grade of sandpaper
at your dealership and have the work done at the same time as
that I can use when sanding my clear coat before adding the
the roof and deck lid. Sorry the news isn’t better,... good luck and
artwork. I’ve heard everything from 400 to 2000 grit, can
thanks for the letter.
you tell me what you use please? A.J.
I’m stripping my bike down for a repaint and have been
400 grit is just too coarse, you will definitely end up with sand
told that powder coating is the way to go for the frame and
scratches showing through the clear,... and 2000 would work
swing arm. The color is going to be black so I guess that
but it’s over kill and sort of a waste of time. Personally I use
wouldn’t be a problem. Are there pros and cons to powder
800 dry or 1000 wet or dry,... these two grits are very close
coating, or maybe I should just spray paint it myself. What
(wet or dry is always a little coarser then the equivalent in dry)
do you think? Wayne
so I go one grade higher. Choosing one over the other is just a
matter of if I want to keep the dust down in the shop.
There are a few things to take into consideration,... one limiting
factor to the use of powder coating is that the coating mate-
Send your letters, questions to to kickskorner@sympatico.ca
rial must be able to withstand and oven temperature of about
to have them appear here in Airbrush Technique Magazine.
500 degrees Fahrenheit. That means that no plastic body
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