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ROCK CHIP TIPS


by Chris Parrish


I guess I should start by saying that making a chip repair completely invisible is next to impossible.  However, if you follow the steps and instructions below, you should be happy with the end results of your chip repair efforts.

First of all, you need to find some paint to match your car and also some touch up clear if your car has a base coat/clear coat paint system on it.  Your local auto body supply store or local car dealer should be able to help you with this step.  Touch up paint is available pre-bottled in most of the popular colors.  If you can't find your color pre-bottled, the auto body supply store should be happy to mix a small amount for you.  The price and minimum mixed amount available will vary from store to store.  While you're at the paint store you might want to pick up a small can ( 1 quart ) of grease & wax remover.  You'll need it to clean the chips before you apply the paint.  You can use rubbing alcohol instead of the grease & wax remover if you'd like.  Most people have alcohol on hand.

Next, you'll need to clean the chips very thoroughly.  I recommend using a cotton swab to get down into the chip with the cleaner.  I use the ones with the paper stick to minimize the risk of scratching the paint if I slip.  Clean each chip at least twice to make sure you remove all the wax residue and road film so that the paint will stick.

To apply the paint, you'll need a very fine tip paint brush.  Go to the local art supply store or hobby shop and get the finest tip brush they have.  The secret to making a good chip repair is to apply the paint ONLY to the area inside the chip and completely avoid getting any on the area surrounding it.  It's also very important to apply  multiple thin coats instead of trying to fill the chip in one application.  Give each coat time to dry.  I'd say ten to fifteen minutes is plenty of time between coats.  When the paint that you are applying inside the chip is just even with the surrounding paint, you will need to let it dry for at least a couple of hours, preferably overnight.  At this point, if your car has a base coat/clear coat paint system on it, you will need to apply a couple of thin coats of touch up clear to the repaired chip.  Allow the clear to dry preferably overnight, then use a mild abrasive polish to blend the touch up clear into the surrounding clear.  Don't use a harsh abrasive for this or you'll be reapplying the clear after you rub it all off.

If your car does not have a base/clear paint system on it, after you have filled the chip to the point that it's level with the surrounding paint, simply let it dry overnight and use a mild abrasive polish to blend the touch up paint into the surrounding paint, then wax or polish with your favorite paint protectant.



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