Collision Repair Training | United States
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Current Events/News: Advantage Online: 2004 Archives
This article may be distributed and reproduced, but only by following the requirements stated in Permission to Reproduce. REPAIRING PAINTED GRAPHICS
June 6, 2004 -Conversion vehicles, vehicles that are new that have been “dressed up” with accessories and graphics, have become quite popular in recent years. These vehicles can be a challenge when repairing collision damage and refinishing a panel with painted graphics can be a specific concern. Depending on the type of damage, a few repair steps may make the refinishing process a bit easier. Understand The StepsBefore beginning the repair, take a look at how the refinish technician painted the vehicle at the conversion company. Check for paint break lines, where colors are masked, and where colors have been shaded (see Figure 1). A digital photo of the panel can later be used as a reference when refinishing. If the panel was replaced, keep the damaged panel for making measurements when laying out the design of the graphic. It may also be helpful to featheredge the damaged area to determine the order that colors were sprayed. It is important to start with the correct colors. Many times, an additional paint code label will be located in the glove box (see Figure 2). If there is not a label, the conversion company may be able to provide the color codes using the vehicle identification number (VIN). Other options may include using a spectrophotometer to obtain a formula for the color or checking color chip books to find an acceptable match. Keep It SmallWhen repairing small damage within the panel, keep the repair area as small as possible (see Figure 3). Tape off any stripes that extend past the repair area. Apply any undercoats that may be necessary and prepare the repaired area of the panel following the refinish product maker’s procedures for application of basecoat and clearcoat (see Figure 4). PracticePractice the shading methods when making sprayout panels and compare them to an undamaged part on the vehicle. Shading requires precise spray gun control. Several practice panels may be required to get the correct setting of the spray gun (see Figure 5). This will also help determine how many coats of each color will be required to achieve hiding of the undercoats. SprayingUsually, the color that covers the largest area is sprayed first. We will call this the base color. Spray any areas with this color until the undercoats are covered, remembering to taper the finish to a blend. Color blending solvents may be used to keep the blended edge from showing up as a halo around the repair area. StripingSpecial tapes are available for masking stripes. These tapes give a very distinct, sharp edge and can be used to create curves. A good quality tape is a necessity (see Figure 6). The area that has stripes that are the same color as the base color are masked. After the colors have dried, the areas are masked and additional colors are sprayed. When all of the striping is complete, the clearcoat can be applied. ShadingShading is a method of applying a color over the top of another color to give a shadow effect. Shading is done by applying the shading color to the masked area and allowing overspray from the spray gun pattern to lie on the other color (see Figure 7). SummaryA few simple steps, along with some practice, can make repairing collision damage to a conversion vehicle a little less intimidating (see Figure 8). Watch for more tips on custom painting, coming soon to the Advantage Online.
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