ANY ADVICE OUT THERE FOR BLENDING SILVER METALLIC

JC Daniel

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My friend side swiped a mail box this week and put 2 gouges in the side of the bed, I have done the filler and have it in primer right now. The truck is a 2013 Toyata Tundra silver metallic, The repair is approximately 15" x 24". You guys have any advice to keep the tiger stripes out?
 
Really shouldn't be an issue with a quality base and gun. Just make sure you track your passes well. Keep overlap at 75%, light-medium coats. Use the slowest reducer you can. If for some reason you are having trouble you can take and mix your RTS base with blender or if you have any, some SPI Intercoat. If you are using PPG DBC500 is their blender. Mix your RTS base 1:1 with blender and shoot a final coat. This also works well when you are blending.
 
One thing that will help you blend a tough color is to put a wet bed of intercoat clear over the whole panel, let it flash, then proceed blending your color out as Chris described, tacking between coats to get any loose overspray off. Also, if you're unsure if it looks "right", you can spray a coat of intercoat over the whole area to check it before you clear.
 
I am using Cromax base coat, I don't have intercoat or blending clear, Do I need to get something before I spray color?
 
I have used over reduced clear coat before to provide clarity to see the blend.
Not sure if I'll get flamed for this but it worked for me. Mix 3:1:9 with 3 being clear, 1 being activator and 9 being reducer.
 
I am using Cromax base coat, I don't have intercoat or blending clear, Do I need to get something before I spray color?

It's not absolutely neccesary JC. With DBC I would simply over reduce it oftentimes. Many (most of the time for me) times you can get the blend without needing blender. Which Cromax line are you using? If you are repairing the bedside and blending the color within the panel try this. Finish your repair area with 800 wet. Doing so will ensure that you don't need to spot seal it which will help lessen the complexity a tad. First coat, only cover the repair area. Second coat extend out a few more inches. Third coat extend out a little farther. And so on ansd so on. Try to not have "hard" start and stops with the gun. Slight wrist off or have the gun moving before you pull the trigger and feather it off at the end of each pass. Harder to put into words than to show you. Like Texas said each coat tack the whole panel. As you get coverage look at your blend areas. Look for color differences. You may be able to see the base versus the sanded panel in the blend area but if you can't notice a color difference then you are fine and ready for clear.
One more thing, applying base when blending you don't want wet coats. Wet enough to keep it from dry texturing but not wet. Call it light-medium. Don't spray too heavy. Lighter coats make it easier to blend.
 
One more thing to mention is to check the color BEFORE you start spraying the actual panel. Pay close attention to the side tone. Nothing worse than trying to blend a light metallic with a dark side tone.
 
It is hard to put technique into words, much easier to actually show someone. Chris does a great job of explaining it. I have no doubt you can pull it off, people all over the world are doing it every day with many different techniques. The closer the color is, the easier it is to blend, so getting a good color match to start with will make it easier on you.
 
The local suppliers sell Sherwin Williams, PPG and Axalta, The local guys that do really good work told me to only use Cromax from the one supplier because they are the only ones who get a really good match using the vin number. I really don't have enough experience to speculate so I go with what you guys and others tell me.
 
Axalta go by VIN too. It's based on metallic layout mostly. Color can be off but metallics match
 
The local suppliers sell Sherwin Williams, PPG and Axalta, The local guys that do really good work told me to only use Cromax from the one supplier because they are the only ones who get a really good match using the vin number. I really don't have enough experience to speculate so I go with what you guys and others tell me.

Got quite a bit of experience using the Cromax Paint software the last couple of years and I agree that when you use the VIN it nearly always comes up with a nice match. Usually very very close. With the VIN it will choose the correct variant(alternate) if there is one nearly 100% of the time. So if you plan on using Cromax go with that supplier.
Just another thought on blending, see if they will sell you a quart of the blender, part number escapes me ATM but they will know. If so get and use it. It will help a lot if you are having trouble. Main thing is like I said above don't have any hard start and stop areas. Practice feather in the trigger while starting to move the gun and feathering off the trigger while ending your pass. Keep extending out after you get coverage use the blender, shoot one coat RTS base and blender 1:1, if you aren't satisfied take what you have in the gun and mix it 1:1 again then shoot another coat. By then it should be diluted enough to overcome any shortcomings in technique. Keep asking questions if you have them JC.:)
 
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My first metallic blend wen pretty smooth . Started at the front of fender and Had to blend it down to End of door. Mixed a quart and sprayed till full coverage. Added reducer to what was left (1:1). Started at front of fender but went a little farther . Added reducer to what was left (1:1). - still starting at front of fender- went a little farther. Rinse/repeat till your far enough that it’s seamless- maybe not the right way but I’m not a pro - just hobby
 
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