Bit of fuzz trapped under clear coat

[lcorinth]

I finished painting my Nike Smoke, and the thing looks great. But I finished with a clear coat (Rusto 2X matte), and then saw this:



That's a bit of fuzz trapped under the clear coat on the nose cone. I must have missed it with my tack cloth.

I was thinking of wet sanding through the clear coat until it comes loose, then re-spraying the matte coat over it. Does this sound like a good idea or a bad idea? I know I won't see it if I stand back 30 feet, but I've spent a year on this thing, and that bit of fuzz just bugs me!

Thanks!

[Edit: It's not terribly visible in the photo, but it really stands out in person!]

 

[dixontj93060]

Yep, that is the problem with enamel clear coats. Sanding is your only option. If you used Future Finish you could dab with water/ammonia mix remove offending piece.

 

[Flyfalcons]

Sanding will work just fine.

 

[Micromeister]

Well Sanding is NOT the only solution:
This kind of stuff happens all the time with Automotive spray finishes. What it done is NOT sanding anymore.
There are a couple Polishing Agents (much finer then Buffing compound) available that can be used to remove dust, dirt, hair and fuzz, minor scratches and orange peel that occur on freshly painted topcoat/clear coat systems. I've used these very succesfully on Rattle can clear coats & top coat colors with caution!.. Do not rub to hard it does remove a minute amout of the Paint!
If it's a heavy bit of fuzz (your photo really doesn't show much) I'd used 3m Perfect-it-III which has a heavier grit than Finesse-it-II. If it's a minor fuzz problem Finesse-it-II is the answer. From what I'm seeing in your photo I'd go with Finesse-it-II.
A slightly damp cotton cloth with a small amount of either polishing agent is circular rubbed over the bad area, allowed to chalk and buffed off with a dry soft cotton rag. repeat until the surface is as smooth as a babies butt.
These products are a little on the expensive side, Only avaliable in quart or gallon sizes. but well work the money. DO not buy the marine grade, which is Way overpriced while not working any better the the automovtive grade product.
See containers below.

 

[Nathan]

With four hairy dogs in my house I have experienced this problem before. What Micromeister says is correct, better to polish it out than sand it out. Hopefully the fuzz will come out before you polish all the way through the clear coat because then you would need to respray clear.

 

[sharkbait]

With four hairy dogs in my house I have experienced this problem before. What Micromeister says is correct, better to polish it out than sand it out. Hopefully the fuzz will come out before you polish all the way through the clear coat because then you would need to respray clear.

+1 except my problem is with cat hair, I use the SONUS polishing system it has three progressive levels of buffing compositions and a then a final polymer sealer composition

 

[lcorinth]

Well Sanding is NOT the only solution:
This kind of stuff happens all the time with Automotive spray finishes. What it done is NOT sanding anymore.
There are a couple Polishing Agents (much finer then Buffing compound) available that can be used to remove dust, dirt, hair and fuzz, minor scratches and orange peel that occur on freshly painted topcoat/clear coat systems. I've used these very succesfully on Rattle can clear coats & top coat colors with caution!.. Do not rub to hard it does remove a minute amout of the Paint!
If it's a heavy bit of fuzz (your photo really doesn't show much) I'd used 3m Perfect-it-III which has a heavier grit than Finesse-it-II. If it's a minor fuzz problem Finesse-it-II is the answer. From what I'm seeing in your photo I'd go with Finesse-it-II.
A slightly damp cotton cloth with a small amount of either polishing agent is circular rubbed over the bad area, allowed to chalk and buffed off with a dry soft cotton rag. repeat until the surface is as smooth as a babies butt.
These products are a little on the expensive side, Only avaliable in quart or gallon sizes. but well work the money. DO not buy the marine grade, which is Way overpriced while not working any better the the automovtive grade product.
See containers below.

Is this stuff for getting stuff stuck to the top coat, or trapped underneath? This bit of fuzz was trapped under the top coat.

 

[Micromeister]

Is this stuff for getting stuff stuck to the top coat, or trapped underneath? This bit of fuzz was trapped under the top coat.

The answer is YES to both: Stuff stuck to the top coat while drying or Stuff sprayed over by the top coat. It also works well on any Color Coat (before clear coating) and will do a fantastic job of removing any orange peel you can produce in a color coat as well (Before the clear is applied). Finesse-it-II is my go to surface perfecting agent. Again neither Perfect-it-III (heavier cutting action) or Finesse-it-II (Ultra fine finishing), ARE NOT buffing compounds, they are an entirely different animal Polishing material.

A bit on the expensive side but well worth the investment and will last a very long time used in the model making hobby

 

[neil_w]

The answer is YES to both: Stuff stuck to the top coat while drying or Stuff sprayed over by the top coat. It also works well on any Color Coat (before clear coating) and will do a fantastic job of removing any orange peel you can produce in a color coat as well (Before the clear is applied). Finesse-it-II is my go to surface perfecting agent. Again neither Perfect-it-III (heavier cutting action) or Finesse-it-II (Ultra fine finishing), ARE NOT buffing compounds, they are an entirely different animal Polishing material.

A bit on the expensive side but well worth the investment and will last a very long time used in the model making hobby

Zoinks, that stuff is indeed muy expensivo. Would be good for a group buy to share a bottle, because I for one could not justify a $40+ bottle of stuff that will last several lifetimes.

Is the "Machine Polish" the same stuff? That comes in a 16 bottle as well, still expensive but a wee bit further in the direction of reasonable.

Does this stuff replace wet sanding in many instances? From your description, it sounds like you are using it for the same purposes (e.g., removing orange peel) that one would normally wet sand.

 

[samb]

My 2 cents:

I would sand the spot with 600 grit wet then reapply your clear coat. Then light the flippin' candle ! But by all means experiment with the 3M Finesse-it if you prefer.

 

[lcorinth]

The answer is YES to both: Stuff stuck to the top coat while drying or Stuff sprayed over by the top coat. It also works well on any Color Coat (before clear coating) and will do a fantastic job of removing any orange peel you can produce in a color coat as well (Before the clear is applied). Finesse-it-II is my go to surface perfecting agent. Again neither Perfect-it-III (heavier cutting action) or Finesse-it-II (Ultra fine finishing), ARE NOT buffing compounds, they are an entirely different animal Polishing material.

A bit on the expensive side but well worth the investment and will last a very long time used in the model making hobby

Well, it's good to know they're out there. I've been getting a lot of orange peel lately, and it's driving me crazy. I don't know what I'm doing differently. I've wet sanded some of it, but I've not got the hang of it just quite. Either I won't wet sand far enough, or I'll go too far and then have to re-paint.

 

[dixontj93060]

Zoinks, that stuff is indeed muy expensivo. Would be good for a group buy to share a bottle, because I for one could not justify a $40+ bottle of stuff that will last several lifetimes.

Should be able to get for $18 to $20 (e.g., https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002NUNC0/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20) And yes, my 16oz bottle has lasted for years.

 

[Micromeister]

Zoinks, that stuff is indeed muy expensivo. Would be good for a group buy to share a bottle, because I for one could not justify a $40+ bottle of stuff that will last several lifetimes.

Is the "Machine Polish" the same stuff? That comes in a 16 bottle as well, still expensive but a wee bit further in the direction of reasonable.

Does this stuff replace wet sanding in many instances? From your description, it sounds like you are using it for the same purposes (e.g., removing orange peel) that one would normally wet sand.

First off you should be able to get either for 18.00 to 25.00 /qt. Amazon or just about any good Local Automotive paint supplier. Again if your budget won't tolerate both I'd for sure buy a bottle of Finesse-it-II.

with the exception of the worst paint dam lines and sever HUGE orange peel (haven't seen any that size in 20years) Yes Finesse-it-II and Perfect-it-III totally replace wet sanding. Takes just about the same time to "buff out" the problem area but man does Finesse-it-II bring any color or clear coat to a extremely High luster shine.
I have to say, I have not clear coated a model in years. It's just not necessary with these two products. Once I'm happy with the surface finish of my last color coat (Automotive Paint or Rattle can) all that's needed to protect the decals is a coat or two of Nu-Finish polymer or a single coat of Pledge w/ future.

Following the directions for Finesse-it-II: Dampen a soft cotton rag, apply a small amount of Finesse-it-II to the rag. apply to the surface area in a circular motion (about a Sq. Ft.), Continue rubbing about a minute, let the material dry to a haze, Using a second Clean, Dry Soft Cotton (t-shirt) rag buff to a high gloss. if imperfection persists repeat until the surface it smoothed to your satisfaction.
Please note! both of the products we've been discussing are 3M products, their are some other out there I won't even mention as they DO NOT work in the same way.
Finesse-it-II and Perfect-it-III DO remove a minute amount of paint, or clear coating during application. It is possible to buff through very thin single coatings unless do diligence is closely observed.

 

[samb]

My experience with 3M Finesse-it II is that it requires a lot of elbow grease to achieve a good result. All of the manufactures directions I can find specify it's use with an electric buffer/polisher. I need to bust it out again and give it another go to see what I can do with it.

 

[Micromeister]

My experience with 3M Finesse-it II is that it requires a lot of elbow grease to achieve a good result. All of the manufactures directions I can find specify it's use with an electric buffer/polisher. I need to bust it out again and give it another go to see what I can do with it.

When working on Automotive finishes...Yes a buffer/polisher is a speedier way to get the finishing done. Personally I NEVER use a buffer/polisher on anything smaller then an CAR. All model rockets Micro,LPR,MPR are done by hand. it really doesn't take that much elbow grease. it does take some time.

 

[neil_w]

I still have one lingering question: is the Finesse-it II "Machine Polish" the same as the regular Finesse-it II?

 

[samb]

I still have one lingering question: is the Finesse-it II "Machine Polish" the same as the regular Finesse-it II?

I believe all of the 16 oz. packages of this stuff say "machine polish" on the label.

 

[neil_w]

Yes, but only some of the 32-ounce bottles.

Regular: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EB6P40/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
Machine Polish: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006GBTP8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I guess I'll just ask 3M. I might be willing to pony up for one of the 16-oz packages, but only if it's the same stuff.

 

[samb]

When working on Automotive finishes...Yes a buffer/polisher is a speedier way to get the finishing done. Personally I NEVER use a buffer/polisher on anything smaller then an CAR. All model rockets Micro,LPR,MPR are done by hand. it really doesn't take that much elbow grease. it does take some time.

I'll definitely give it another try soon. What's a good definition of "some time" (realizing there are many variables - pressure applied, state of the surface being worked) ?

 

[samb]

FWIW I didn't go out of my way to get it. Grabbed a 16oz. bottle at Autozone after reading an old Micro post. If the quart size is different stuff then it might be worth it to professional car detailers, and some rocketeers, but not me.