Need a little help with blending SS

DanMcG

DanMcG

Promoted Users
I've got a small area at the upper cab corner of my truck where I sanded the single stage down to epoxy. My thought was to back mask it where I have the the blue line drawn and blend it on the roof panel in red using blending solvent.
I've read the manual and also Chris's write ups but I'm still not sure what I'm doing.
So would this be a way to do it?
And, can I pull all the tape and use the blending solvent on all of the masking lines of the repair?

Thanks

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I know you don't want to read my opinion so, consider this a bump and maybe someone else will respond.
 
Thanks for the bump Mike, but sorry to say it's 24 hours to late.

You're right Renew, but I was trying to avoid painting the roof again since it's sitting outside, 7 foot in the air and a real pain in the ass for this old man. But it will probably happen next year cause I made a mess out of it. For future readers, when they say a medium coat of blending solvent they mean it...I was heavy and my fresh paint ran something awful. LOL.
 
DanMcG said:
Thanks for the bump Mike, but sorry to say it's 24 hours to late.
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DanMcG said:
For future readers, when they say a medium coat of blending solvent they mean it...I was heavy and my fresh paint ran something awful. LOL.
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At least now you have some experience to share for those in the future who inquire about using blending solvent.

You'll be like the go to guy too ask.
 
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Blending solvent has nothing to "grab" to and will run almost immediately. I use a touch up gun. I turn the fluid knob off, plug in the air and hold the trigger. Back the fluid open until the solvent starts to spray, is about right. Much easier to add a little more, if needed. Doesn't take much to melt it in. I might make a "sticky" to myself before I screw it up again:eek:
 
texasking said:
Blending solvent has nothing to "grab" to and will run almost immediately. I use a touch up gun. I turn the fluid knob off, plug in the air and hold the trigger. Back the fluid open until the solvent starts to spray, is about right. Much easier to add a little more, if needed. Doesn't take much to melt it in. I might make a "sticky" to myself before I screw it up again:eek:
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Someone else pointed out this little cordless gun, I forget who.
I got it and it works really well for little touch up jobs, and blending solvent.

 
Open blending is not only an improper repair, it's also somewhat difficult to do well. It's a technique that everyone should avoid unless it's absolutely necessary. The only place I do open blends is in jambs on production jobs.
 
crashtech said:
Open blending is not only an improper repair, it's also somewhat difficult to do well. It's a technique that everyone should avoid unless it's absolutely necessary. The only place I do open blends is in jambs on production jobs.
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I have no shame, I'll ask.....

It appears from your comment there are a couple ways to blend.

I'll start by asking what is an "open blend" how do you apply it? I see you only use it for Jambs.

That was good info from Tex on how to set up a gun to spray blending solvent.
 
MJM said:
I'll start by asking what is an "open blend" how do you apply it
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An open blend is one that has as open edge. Example blending clear or SS in the middle of the door. Meaning stopping in the middle. Then sanding and buffing the edge so that it "disappears". It's bad practice because the edge will fail before the rest of the paint. It's extremely thin at the edge. Its a holdover from the old days with lacquer. It worked because it would melt in with the old lacquer and become "one".

I'm not feeling super wordy so I won't go into detail about how to do one. Tech Manual covers it in the blending solvent page.

Here is a link to a Google search on open edge blend

 
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i work in fleet repair at my day job now. we do alot of open blends, best way i found to do them grey pad where you want to blend some guys use a coarse compund i usually use single stage if applicable. blow your color in i usually blend back into my repair area to avoid oversoray and melt with the blender at your edges if done right it takes practice you wont have to buff. im not a fan of it but alot of time these company dont want to pay havent had one fail yet but know they prob will one day because of the thin edge. i dont usually reccomend unless something you dont care about or a quick fix,
 
zachm said:
melt with the blender at your edges if done right it takes practice you wont have to buff.
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You are very good at it to be able to achieve that. I can't. Never been able to although I probably could get there if I had to do it enough. It used to be like a couple of times a year thing for me. Now I never do it as that is not what I'm doing now. I'm only painting (topcoats) a few times a year now which is fine with me. Working on these rusted hulks. I like it though as I'm not killing myself like I used to.

You are still young. Me old.:) I will say start making plans because your body will start breaking down at some point. The harder you push the sooner that will be. I'm not completely broken yet but 32 years of doing this is taking it's toll. 15 years of doing heavy collision and production painting was enough. Especially considering I'm short and reaching across the middle of an SUV's roof was a special kind of Hell for me.
 
Chris_Hamilton said:
You are very good at it to be able to achieve that. I can't. Never been able to although I probably could get there if I had to do it enough. It used to be like a couple of times a year thing for me. Now I never do it as that is not what I'm doing now. I'm only painting (topcoats) a few times a year now which is fine with me. Working on these rusted hulks. I like it though as I'm not killing myself like I used to.

You are still young. Me old.:) I will say start making plans because your body will start breaking down at some point. The harder you push the sooner that will be. I'm not completely broken yet but 32 years of doing this is taking it's toll. 15 years of doing heavy collision and production painting was enough. Especially considering I'm short and reaching across the middle of an SUV's roof was a special kind of Hell for me.
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Yes I’m about to turn 30 in March have done carpentry work from a young age with my dad growing up and body work since I was about 20 and always have done mechanical work since I was a teenager. Would like to keep the bodywork as a hobby or side gig doing my restos or maybe for people at my home shop. Painting and working on these big rigs gets old and tiring painting off ladders. Have tried desk jobs inbetween shops and just can’t stand sitting behind a desk have been pandering what there is for me besides this lol.

Yeah I do a lot of single stage blends here. 6 out of 10 times I can do them without buffing sometimes I do have too. Usually darker colors I always have too. A lot of it is the blender it takes practice too much it will fall in the floor lol.
 
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