Ok I got my truck back after it was in a body shop a month and a half what a nitemare.anyway there is one paint run that needs to be removed and I wont bring it back to this shop after what they did to me.how can I remove the run its about half an inch long on the outside of the bed can i buff it out?I only have a cheap buffer from walmart im guessing thats not the right one to use?if i can buff it out what type of pad do i use on the buffer?Also they took off my f 350 emblems to paint the truck and behind one of them you can see the ugly tape sticking out they used to stick it back on with.do you think i can trim it off with a razor without scraching the paint?other then that though the truck looks really good.whats the best way to go about it? .thanks any info will help

 

Kevin Tetz's Paintucation Forum Try this link for Kevin Tetz Paintucation site. Kevin is one of the stars of TRUCKS on cable, and he has a series of videos for sale on body and paint work. He is moderator, and either Kevin or one of the expereinced guys can help you out with your question. It is going to depend alot on what type of paint, how long it has been set, which layer the run is in, and how thick the run is.

 

use a razor blade, put it 90o o the run and scrape it down,do not cut the run of you could go threww the clear.take a 4in hard block and 2000 grit to flaten it down withe he rest of the clear. now pay someone to buff it out if you never have before.you dont want to burn through.

 

the razor blade is a good trick to shave it down but you'll still have to do alittle wet sanding, but one slip and a paint job can be ruined.depending on the size of the "signature" use the appropriate size block if its one little hanger then a cut down piece of one by one will work great. get a spray bottle with a soapy water mix and 1000 grit and either criss cross or little circles while misting with water. watch your work as soon as the head is gone and the body flattens out leaving barely visable shiny edges on the side of the run where the paper hasn't hit yet switch to a finer grit working to 2000. the problem with just blocking with 2000 is not only will it take forever and waste alot of paper you can actually make the run disappear but once buffed you'll still have a slight ripple where itwas. meguirs also makes grit blocks or stones (which i use)to sand out runs, there a little pricey but not bad. i'll usually soak them in water at least an hour and then sand the same as with the block.now if its a curtain(llong series of runs) your best bet would be a larger block and 800 grit.

 

I like the razor blade trick as well to level (shave) off most of the run without removing much material around it. But you must remember that where there is a run, it will stay softer longer, due to the added material thickness. If it is too soft, and you scrape a run with a razor blade, it could tear the paint right off in spots.
Also if the paint is still soft when you do it, likely will have a hard time totally getting rid of the run and not seeing a ghost of it. I don't know what they used for paint, or how long its had to cure and if its been stuck inside, but you may want to carefully cut the area of the run by blocking lightly with something like 800 to open the surface, and then leave it outside in the sun to help the run cure up well. Maybe it has cured well enough now between the time they had it and you got it, or if they heat cured it, guess you will find out when you go to block it, and if the run still feels real rubbery and soft.
When you go to sand out the run, you will want to use a block so you stay as much on the run and off the surrounding area as much as possible. You can go through the paint fairly easily if you are removing the less thick material around the run when your attempting to sand it out. I usually start by shaving the run for most of them, but For a small run I usually start my block sanding with 1000 wet, a bit bigger thicker run I may start with 800 or even 600 and finish it up with 1000 grit when most has been removed. 600 or 800 sanding scratches can prove difficult to remove with a buffer even with a wool pad and course rubbing compound. If you get down to 1000 shouldn't be overly difficult, if you've worked the scratch down to 1500 or 2000, buffing it back should be a breeze. I now do my buffing using only foam pads, they seem more forgiving and fight less with swirls then wool, but you need to work you scratch down further they don't really have quite as much cut as a wool pad does.
If its only a small run and you don't have the equiptment or trust the shop that painted it, maybe it won't be too pricey to have someone remove it. There are a lot of detailing places around and enough mobile paint gypsys (there has to be some with some skill). Maybe just check to see if someone would remove it for you and how much it would run.

 

You guys probably need to find out if it's a single stage solid color or metallic color or even if it's a bccc, the run could possibly be in the base coat. The information not given is critical to the repair to be made.

 

What he said X2 ...Only the shop that did it will know ...