How to Restore from Running • DH Automotive, Inc.

This month I want to touch one of the public horror that interferes with many automotive painters, I call it literally: running.

Running has happened to all of us at several points. They seemed to appear long after the paint booth was emptied.

Usually they occur when the wrong damper is used or the air pressure in the gun is not true, but the most common cause is to keep the spray gun at one point for too long.

Although no drug failed, I will show you how to recover from walking by sharing two different solutions that have worked well for me for years

Example running

A few years ago I got the privilege to recover the Convertible Chevy Impala SS 1967. When the car arrived, it was painted by Bolero Red, General Motors Color Code R.

The client expressed interest in returning to the original color, Tahoe Turquoise GM Color Code L.

As you can see above, I make run using the Tahoe Turquoise color on the patched panel by holding a gun for 10 seconds with an air pressure of 20 psi.

And even though the results are fully expected I experience no less than the case of acute running and no mistake.

How to avoid running

The first step is the most difficult: you have to wait and allow a clear coat to fully recover.

Although the waiting time varies depending on the weather, in general I say from a week to 10 days in the sun, longer if you live in an area that is often cloudy.

If you don’t give a decent time, the coat will clearly be torn like Jello as soon as you start to sand it. Believe me, you don’t want it.

Also one other thing I need to mention: This trading trick is designed for you to install high spots without sanding the color or base layer and damaging paint.

This is easier to say than to do of course, but with the right technique and a little luck you have the opportunity to do it.

I have made several reliable methods that will help you avoid sanding too far to the paint leaving a little or unclear when it’s time to polish.

Before you try one method, I strongly recommend that you enter Zen’s mind so that you are fully present when you start the process.

Dry rub method

Although there is no water involved, you will use 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper. You can use a small flat block or paint stick.

Use one wide enough to see what you are doing, and long enough to reduce the paper size. Personally I like to use all sticks that are quite easy to handle.

Using the cross hatch pattern that I mentioned in the perfect paint job series you want to start hitting high spots.

Drop the clear coat that actually turns the paper and uses a new part with a few blows. Like it or not you will go through lots of paper because the coat is clearly piled up quickly.

Fortunately you can minimize this if you slap it to the knee to clean up some advantages. You can then return to sanding before you have to replace the paper.

After around a dozen blows flip the paper and use a new part. At this point you will begin to see the pattern or waves in clear.

The idea is to get to a place where there is a fine tangled surface. After doing this, you will want to delete the excess of a clear coat to see the full picture.

This is very time consuming but this is a definite way to control the number of layers that you must delete.

Putty putty method

This method requires less time and material but requires a little more skills. You want to first apply a large number of spot putty on the running area.

Don’t worry to make it smooth, you just want to cover the area. Enough your Julia Child channel is spread like a frosting and moving to the next section if you have several places of problems.

You want to give enough time for dry putty. When doubt, find healing time in the back of the putty label.

But don’t let putty to stay on the surface last night. This will cause a surface reaction that will tarnish your paint work.

After the putty is dry, get a bucket of water and light dish washing soap. Soap acts as a lubricant and cleaning agent that will allow you to cut clear coats faster.

You will use the same wet/dry paper. Before you start allowing the paper to soak in a bucket for about 10 minutes. Use the same crosshatch sanding pattern.

In a few minutes you will see a pattern will appear. It should be very similar to the Rorschach test. High spots will bleed through putty to remind you of the depth of the escape.

Remember that you want to stay away from the edge of the putty. Only concentrate on a clear mantle pattern and let the putty become your guide.

Finally you will sand all the putty leaving a flat flat surface ready to be polished. Remember to delete often so you can get a clear picture.

As with so many fields of this vintage car restoration, this will take time and exercise but it is very possible to remove from running as long as you apply the steps above.