How to Fix ETCHING from Bird Droppings! (Clear Coat Damage Repair)

[Mike Phillips]

How to Fix ETCHING from Bird Droppings! (Clear Coat Damage Repair)

Local car guy brought me this super nice build 1967 Camaro SS with 5-6 bird dropping etchings. This car obviously has been restored and rodded, so it has a custom basecoat/clearcoat paint job. Even so, there's always the worry of sanding or buffing through the clearcoat layer and exposing the basecoat layer.

The owner said they bird dropping etchings bothered him so much that he wanted me to try to remove them and in a worst case scenario I sand or buff through - he would get the hood repainted. In other words, the problem is going away one way or the other.

Here's video,

This is a shortened version of the original LIVE broadcast

Mike

 

[Big Dave]

That's one beautiful Camaro. I've had bird drop etchings on a couple of my cars over the years, but I never managed to make them disappear completely, you make it look so easy, knowledge, skill , and correct tools for the job. My etchings were all on early GMH cars, back then they didn't even use clear coat.

Luckily I haven't had any recently, modern robust coatings, and obsessively checking the paint are a great combination.

 

[Mak]

I’m amazed that you were able to get those out without going through the clear. Awesome work. I have horrible water drop etchings on the hood, deck lid, and roof of my 02 Z06 that I’m working up the courage to attempt hand sanding. I’m not ready to repaint it though if I burn through, so I’ve been living with it as-is.

Years as my daily driver and then sitting outside part of a year while we were moving took a toll. Not long ago I worked on it with a wool pad but barely made a dent in the problem. Probably need to try a more aggressive compound before I go to abrasive paper.

I’ve noticed that you cleaned the sanding disk with your microfiber cloth. Do you have your be careful to keep that separate and dedicated to jobs where you don’t wipe the paint with it?

Even after a good washing I have always been afraid it would retain some grit that would scratch the paint… Was wondering if that was a valid concern or that you have found washing gets it clean?

Great video and info as usual.

Thanks

 

[Mike Phillips]

I've had bird drop etchings on a couple of my cars over the years, but I never managed to make them disappear completely, you make it look so easy, knowledge, skill , and correct tools for the job.

I just get lucky.

Seriously, my luck was the owner hated seeing the bird dropping etchings on the paint of his beautiful Camaro to the paint that if the defects could not be removed without going through the clearcoat, he would be happy to pay to have the hood repainted.

Anytime I'm asked to do work like this it's aways with the understanding that if things go south, I'm not responsible.

I hope to see the Camaro and the Chevy C10 Pickup he owns back here someday.


Mike

 

[Mike Phillips]

I have horrible water drop etchings on the hood, deck lid, and roof of my 02 Z06 that I’m working up the courage to attempt hand sanding.

While I love the Eagle Abrasives by KOVAX sanding discs, and you can get up to 3000 grit in the Buflex line, I still think that DAMP sanding with 3M Trizact 3000 or 5000 grit on a tool like the FLEX PiXie is a much safer approach. Just add a few drops of car wash soap to a spray bottle of water, use a medium speed and light pressure.

At a minimum, you'll flatten out the surface and reduce the appearance and still be working safe.

I’m not ready to repaint it though if I burn through, so I’ve been living with it as-is.

When I'm asked about this topic, I tell the person to go to their favorite body shop or a couple of body shops, show them the panel you want repainted and get a quote. In most cases, the cost to repaint the panel will shock most people and stress to them the importance of proceeding with caution.

I took the liberty of downloading your original picture and resizing it to 1200 pixels wide and then inserting it into your post above.

Then I cropped out the pertinent part to give everyone a better look.

Mike

 

[Mak]

While I love the Eagle Abrasives by KOVAX sanding discs, and you can get up to 3000 grit in the Buflex line, I still think that DAMP sanding with 3M Trizact 3000 or 5000 grit on a tool like the FLEX PiXie is a much safer approach. Just add a few drops of car wash soap to a spray bottle of water, use a medium speed and light pressure.

At a minimum, you'll flatten out the surface and reduce the appearance and still be working safe.




When I'm asked about this topic, I tell the person to go to their favorite body shop or a couple of body shops, show them the panel you want repainted and get a quote. In most cases, the cost to repaint the panel will shock most people and stress to them the importance of proceeding with caution.

I took the liberty of downloading your original picture and resizing it to 1200 pixels wide and then inserting it into your post above.

Then I cropped out the pertinent part to give everyone a better look.

Mike

I’ve got a lot of the Kovax papers as well as Buflex and Trizact discs up to 8000 from my recent paint job and cut /buff. Will work up the courage one of these days.
I would repaint myself if I have to, just would like to finish the old F100 and Cougar first…
thanks

 

[2black1s]

I just get lucky.

Seriously, my luck was the owner hated seeing the bird dropping etchings on the paint of his beautiful Camaro to the paint that if the defects could not be removed without going through the clearcoat, he would be happy to pay to have the hood repainted.

Anytime I'm asked to do work like this it's aways with the understanding that if things go south, I'm not responsible.

I hope to see the Camaro and the Chevy C10 Pickup he owns back here someday.


Mike

Hi Mike. It's been a while.

I do the same thing when addressing any significant defects in regards to responsibility "if things go south". The customer needs to be made aware of the risk and assume the responsibility.

In cases like this, I think experience is the best tool available (even more than the PTG) when assessing the probability of success. Unfortunately, that experience only comes with time. It doesn't happen overnight.

Even though you explained the risks and the customer assumed responsibility, I'd bet the farm that you were confident, based on your experience, that the defects could be removed before you even started... BUT... There is always some degree of risk.

As for PTG's, I'm not the biggest fan. They're cool to impress the customer but they're not any guarantee. The only information I could gather from the measurements you took is that the car has been repainted and has "A LOT" of paint on it. With the wide range of measurements you took (~ 8-22 mils), I simply cannot comprehend how any determination could be made relative to how much clear you have to work with.

 

[Mak]

As for PTG's, I'm not the biggest fan. They're cool to impress the customer but they're not any guarantee. The only information I could gather from the measurements you took is that the car has been repainted and has "A LOT" of paint on it. With the wide range of measurements you took (~ 8-22 mils), I simply cannot comprehend how any determination could be made relative to how much clear you have to work with.

I’m not sure how the PTG readings could be useful unless you had before and after benchmarks. I plan to purchase one before I start my next paint job. I was wishing I had taken notes on thickness readings on each panel before and after I had sprayed. Would have made me feel much more confident as I was doing my first cut and buff.

 

[Mike Phillips]

Hi Mike. It's been a while.

I do the same thing when addressing any significant defects in regards to responsibility "if things go south". The customer needs to be made aware of the risk and assume the responsibility.

In cases like this, I think experience is the best tool available (even more than the PTG) when assessing the probability of success. Unfortunately, that experience only comes with time. It doesn't happen overnight.

Even though you explained the risks and the customer assumed responsibility, I'd bet the farm that you were confident, based on your experience, that the defects could be removed before you even started... BUT... There is always some degree of risk.

As for PTG's, I'm not the biggest fan. They're cool to impress the customer but they're not any guarantee. The only information I could gather from the measurements you took is that the car has been repainted and has "A LOT" of paint on it. With the wide range of measurements you took (~ 8-22 mils), I simply cannot comprehend how any determination could be made relative to how much clear you have to work with.

I totally agree with everything you wrote.

Great to hear from you again.


Mike

 

[mc2hill]

I’m not sure how the PTG readings could be useful unless you had before and after benchmarks. I plan to purchase one before I start my next paint job. I was wishing I had taken notes on thickness readings on each panel before and after I had sprayed. Would have made me feel much more confident as I was doing my first cut and buff.

I have one of Mike Vehicle Inspection Forms that I tweaked for using the with a PTG. I put a numbered list on one side of the form and number & circle the spots on the diagram of the car where I take the measurements (e.g. front right hood, middle drivers door. etc.).

@Mike Phillips - Not sure if that document is available on this site?

 

[Mak]

I have one of Mike Vehicle Inspection Forms that I tweaked for using the with a PTG. I put a numbered list on one side of the form and number & circle the spots on the diagram of the car where I take the measurements (e.g. front right hood, middle drivers door. etc.).

@Mike Phillips - Not sure if that document is available on this site?

Great way to keep up with the varying thicknesses