Sanding bumper

[-RJ3-]

So I have started the painful process of sanding the bumper... Im using 400 grit wet sand paper and getting rid of the paint.... Im gonna start on 1 side first and see how it goes I want to keep the colour the same at least on the section I am going to paint.... Question for experts in painting... After sanding, I will use Primer and do I spray coats in intervals, or wait after 1 coat? (Im masking everything off) Once that Primer dries, can I apply the Carquest Body Colour Spraypaint to it? How do I avoid runs especially the bubbly?

I have tested it on a plastic piece and it runs..

Any feedback much appreciated

All else fails, Im paying 400 bucks at 427 Autobody shop...

[DrunknFoo]

IMO, apply primer, allow to dry then sand primer using finer grit, then brush/blow off excess, then apply the base colour.

[-RJ3-]

hmmm...I went to crappy tire and bought flex primer for polyeurathane / pvc , acetone to clean the polyeurathane prior to priming. And Clear coat...

My neighbor has done work to his car before and his steps worked great for him....

First he would Sand the area, in my case the whole left bumper, use acetone to clean the polyeurathane add primer a couple of coats, then add base colour... Once done Clearcoat it.

Step 1 is done.. Im driving with a "two face looking" 3... hahah one side of the front bumper is masked and the other is not.

Step 2 tommorow or the weekend.

[garboui]

something i learned form doing body work on my old civic. your better of not masking the part that your painting. the problem with masking; even if your not going to mask with the clear you lill be left with a line. the line will be caused by two things, 1. the difference in paint thicknesses and 2. the very slight difference in shade of paint.

the proper way to do it is just spray up to the good paint on the part letting the new and old blend into eachother. the rough overspray can be taken care of with buffing and polishing after the clear is laid down.

not recommeded for spray can jobs but good bodyshops will usually take this a step further by blending into adjacent body panels to ensure that the paint looks uniform in colour.


edit: if its the bumper that your painting your better off taking off the bumper for that few bolts and time that it takes. this will keep you from having to mask all the bits of your car too keep overspray out but will also let you completely paint all the edges and hopfully position the bumper so that the bulk of the paint can be laid down on a more leval surface.

[-RJ3-]

I masked the grills and original bumper... Note... this is just a front lip I'm painting and my plate covers the front lip a bit...So you wont see the line...

Thanks for the suggestions.

[garboui]

i would still recommend taking of the licence plate if you can.

[Nextmod]

I masked the grills and original bumper... Note... this is just a front lip I'm painting and my plate covers the front lip a bit...So you wont see the line...

Thanks for the suggestions.

so its just the front lip?

[-RJ3-]

yess sir... Just the front lip.. The original bumper is not affected...

[-RJ3-]

Thank you very much for all your input and advice...

The bumper is now fixed, and I must say for the first time doing this, it looks pretty good.

I will post pics of my progress step by step.

I just save 320 dollars at a paintshop

=) !!!!

[-RJ3-]

Me lazy to show each picture, so I created an album...

http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5276845

Step by step instructions to come =)

[MazdaTree]

good job Ryan!
Looks brand new!

[-RJ3-]

Sorry for the quadroople post but heres the DIY i wrote up..

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=17873

Thanks again!!

[garboui]

looks good. looks like the paint laid down nice and flat too. what brand/type (single enamel or base + clear) of paint did you use?