# How flat are your stone chip repairs?



## Scottish Storm (Sep 9, 2013)

I can't manage to take a picture that shows it well but I've just done my first major stone chip on the Celica. Well, the first that appeared to work anyway. 

With a white base coat and black paint they stick out like sore thumbs. Anyway, I filled a few of them with black paint from Paints4u mixed with a little clear then left them ages to dry. We're talking weeks here. 

Today I used Turtle Waterless Wash as my lubricant and went 2000 then 5000 grit. I bottled it when there was still a tiny ring round half of the paint then polished it up by hand with Menzerna. 

It's not perfect, partly I know because I didn't sand the mark completely out (I may do that when I do the rest) but it looks a bit like a small indentation has formed around the chip. Maybe it was there from whatever caused the chip but is there any chance I caused it by using too much pressure when I was sanding it out?

It still looks better and the paint is 11 years old so I need to stop worrying I know but it's the Scottish Car Show coming up so I need her at her best. 

Cheers guys.


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## Paintguy (Oct 31, 2005)

Did you use a hard block when sanding?

It sounds to me like a common issue: As you are sanding the slightly raised surface of the touch up, you can also be sanding the surrounding paint if your block isn't hard enough or you aren't paying the strictest attention to your technique.

You can then be left with a dip all around the touched up area, as the thickness of the original paint has been reduced by this unwanted sanding.

It actually gets more of an issue the finer paper you use. A coarse paper tends to cut the area flat quickly, whereas a fine paper tends to gradually round the area off.


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## Naranto (Apr 5, 2007)

Did you actually add white base coat in to the stone chips?

If so, that is your problem. Only ever fill stone chips with the paint colour.


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## Scottish Storm (Sep 9, 2013)

Sorry about the long time to reply guys, I won't make excuses but I do really appreciate you taking the time to give me feedback. 

Naranto, the original base coat is white and I only added black to the stone chip itself. 

Paintguy, I used Scholl Concept Daisies from Clean Your Car and I was concerned before I did it that the fact they are held in with Velcro meant I had a bit less control. 

Although saying that, lots of people use them with no problems.


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