# Proof even a beginner can do it - first DA, plus stone chip removal on Black RRS



## AndyKay (Mar 4, 2012)

I've had this car for about 4 weeks now and since the day I got it, I've been on here reading guides on how to remove swirl marks and stone chips. 
So yesterday I spent the day giving it a go and here's my attempt. I hope it gives the confidence to other beginners just about to start out:

Day before - showing how bad the stone chips are. After this shot, I started giving them each a clean with Iso then filled them in. Most were pretty deep, so needed a few layers. Gave them a few hours before each layer applied. Paint from Paints4u. Didn't use lacquer. 









First area before my first attempt.









Using my new DAS-6 Pro from CYC, I tried it with 3M Ultra Fine on 3M yellow, but it didn't do much so went all out on 3M Fast Cut Plus on 3M Green pad, and this was the result. I know it's not perfect, I should have applied a bit more pressure and given it a few more passes, but this was my first ever area. I got better throughout the day.









There was a series of white scratches on the drivers door which I wanted to have a go at geting out. I really should have taken a before shot, but this was taken after giving it a light sanding on 2500 soaked in soapy water using a small eraser as a block, sprayed constantly with soapy water.









A few minutes on the DA later... 









Stone chips now: blobs of paint layered up over the stone chips. I started sanding down a scratch.









After fully sanding - you can see the filled in stone chips here.









The after shot...(IPA wipe-down, no wax on yet)









Finished the day off giving the whole bonnet a DA and a coat of CG 50:50 wax.

Some of the chips do need a few more layers in them - I'm not too bothered - I just wanted to have a go at sanding then DA'ing, but it's a huge improvement to what it was like before. I want to get rid of the deep swirl marks around the whole car first, before refining them down with a 3M yellow+ultra fine, then 3M blue+ultrafina etc. The front+rear bumpers are going into the spray shop to get fully re-done, so always had that in the back of my mind - if I screw up, I can get it sorted then.
Its given me confidence to do other random scratches/chips around the car now.
Hope this helps other beginners - if you read through the guides on here, you can't go wrong!


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## Scott_VXR (May 22, 2011)

Great work mate! That's spot on....makes me want to have a go at my parents car. It just scares me the thought of using sandpaper on their paintwork :-/
Hats off to yout tough...great effort


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## puppag (Dec 14, 2011)

Nice job mate, maybe I'll have a go on mine. Maybe!


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## The_Bouncer (Nov 24, 2010)

Wow - Balls out, straight to the wetsand..

Great work and awesome sense of self acheivement. Looks neat.

Goes to show that in the archives of DW is fairly much everything you need to know if you do your research correct.



:thumb:


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## Will_G (Jan 23, 2012)

Good effort and as the bouncer says no messing and straight in at the deep end.

One thing I would ask from others on the stone chips is 2500 grit fine enough or should you go finer 3000/4000 if you can?


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## DMH-01 (Mar 29, 2011)

Good job mate :thumb:


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## AndyKay (Mar 4, 2012)

Will_G said:


> Good effort and as the bouncer says no messing and straight in at the deep end.
> 
> One thing I would ask from others on the stone chips is 2500 grit fine enough or should you go finer 3000/4000 if you can?


I think when I get round to doing a few more, I'll stick with 2500 to get the excess paint nice and level, then I'll use 4000 to really give it a smooth finish.


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## tictap (Sep 15, 2010)

Brave man!! great results :thumb:


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## Steve220 (May 11, 2010)

Good lad! too many people are scared of their paintwork, nice to see someone just went ahead and did it


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## toomanycitroens (Jan 14, 2011)

Great job.:thumb:
I really must grow a pair!:lol:


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## steve from wath (Dec 12, 2008)

looking very good for a `virgin` polisher
and i tip my hat to you in having a go with the wetsanding
personally i would have finsihed off with 3500/4000 grit as this means there will be less polishing to be done with a harsher compound but you have done a sterling job ,no doubt
look forward to seeing the whole finished bodywork


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## Baker21 (Aug 7, 2007)

Nice work and fair play, polishes arrived OK then?


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## vtaylor78 (Feb 21, 2012)

Great job, i wish i had your confidence, fair play to you. Plus black not the easiest colour to work on.:thumb:


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## MarkSmith (Dec 17, 2010)

Stunning work mate !!!

Like already said, I wish I had the confidence to go out and do that, I have been practising on Scrap Panels with a Rotary and still I only use a DA on any cars I do due to lack of confidence !!

But not only did you have the confidence to do it, but you made a SUPERB job of it too !

TOP STUFF MATE


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## shonajoy (Jan 27, 2009)

Wow amazing stuff!


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## Mr Face (Jan 22, 2009)

well done fella, doing the same thing here :wall:

Great result :thumb:


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## AndyKay (Mar 4, 2012)

Baker21 said:


> Nice work and fair play, polishes arrived OK then?


Yes they did thank-you! :thumb:


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## K82R (Feb 2, 2012)

Excellent job! great confidence


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## Soul Hudson (Jul 5, 2011)

Well done my man nice thread for giving me some inspiration once I get my DA.


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## Jay Scott (Aug 21, 2011)

Soul Hudson said:


> Well done my man nice thread for giving me some inspiration once I get my DA.


I can only echo this, I've been putting off stone chip repairing for a some time now for fear of damaging the car. Really great job and thanks for sharing.


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## NorthernNick (Mar 23, 2011)

great work man, looks fantastic. Really well done!


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## Ravinder (Jul 24, 2009)

Hats off to you. I have never done machine polishing in my life and my new polisher just turned up a few days ago. So tempted to give it a go but so scared at the same time! I'm having doubts about it I must say. I too have loads of paint chips on my old bonnet. I might give that a go anyway. I take it the painting should be done before the machine polisher is anywhere near the car? Or can you not machine polish the bonnet first and then paint the stone chips as you can probably see it better? Thanks.


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## AndyKay (Mar 4, 2012)

Ravinder said:


> I take it the painting should be done before the machine polisher is anywhere near the car? Or can you not machine polish the bonnet first and then paint the stone chips as you can probably see it better? Thanks.


If you polish before filling the stone chips, you'll be creating extra work for yourself.
As you can see, you have to sand the paint blobs down, so it just un-does all the hard work that the DA did. 
Make sure you clear the chips out of any old wax/dirt with a cotton bud + Isopropanol. They do need a good few layers to fill up. Quite hard to tell.
Ideally leave it 24 hours after the final paint - to make sure its all hardened.


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## samm (May 19, 2006)

That looks fantastic. It feels great to stand back and look at your own work.


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## zdravo (Oct 12, 2011)

I like


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## Ravinder (Jul 24, 2009)

I've saved this thread in my favourites. I'm gonna give this a go on my motor in the near future.


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## Miguel Pestana (Feb 16, 2012)

Sweet, very nice job


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## Adrian Convery (May 27, 2010)

Nothing like straight in at the deep end, wet sanding on a RR, great work!


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## b3rto21 (Dec 7, 2011)

Great work pal - i could do with this on my car not sure i have the B*lls tho....

R


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## stolt (Aug 29, 2011)

nice work man, something i want to do on my car, i have the kit from paints4U and i'm ready to go. 
good inspirational thread.


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## IanA (Feb 26, 2012)

Thats some fantastic work,you have a good eye for detail


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## JB052 (Mar 22, 2008)

very inspiring post


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## Grande_GTi (Nov 11, 2011)

True inspiration, after having a read through your thread the other night I a a play about with a spare panel i had at home and there was a massive change


Great thread


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## astra minter (Apr 3, 2012)

I have chip marks all over the car. I'll try a few of the ones that aren't so noticeable first. Good advice guys.


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## Gretsch-drummer (Sep 17, 2010)

NICE!!!

You don't hang around do you! Straight in there.


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## alexj (Apr 12, 2012)

aaah grande cahones !


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Mate, you have the skill there, that's one thing that has come natural to you, great write-up plus achievements as well, especially for a first timer, Should be very proud with the results acheived.


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## Kobeone (Dec 14, 2011)

Balls out indeed  Fair play to you mate, great results. I got my DA last week but not had any decent weather to give it a go yet, but reading your thread has inspired me to have a go at some wetsanding too!!

Top work


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## twink (Mar 31, 2012)

cracking job mate. i need to man up a little and have a go at mine as its starting to resemble brail


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## glo (Feb 8, 2011)

Quality job mate. Takes a lot of nuts taking wet and dry to your paint first time. Great result though. :thumb:


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## organisys (Jan 3, 2012)

Just shows what can be achieved by doing your research, thinking things through methodically and putting it into practice.

Impressive.


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## Vossman (Aug 5, 2010)

Great work - well done, superb job.


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## peugeot106 (Apr 15, 2011)

nicely done mate


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## Ludacris320 (Jan 2, 2013)

Well done brave effort and a bump because this is worth a read for anyone who may have missed it.


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