The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop swirl marks in paint

The paint on my 49 is about 15 years old, faded and chipped. I once tried to rub it out with a compound but all it left were obvious swirl marks which are really visible in bright sun. I want to remove them if I can and am even considering a 2000 grit wet sand paper scrub. The truck is a driver and the paint finish is really not a concern but I'd like to reduce those marks.
Bill

Bill did you use rubbing compound originally? Thinking polishing compound using a light touch might be your answer.

agree w/ Bruce - need the finest polishing compound - there's a compounding liquid that the bodyman next door uses that works wonders, check where they sell body shop supplies

Bill

You might ask the local body shop about "Finesse-it II". Its a 3m product. I have used that on messed up paint on old motorcycles and it came out very nice - designed to be used with an electric orbital sander.

They also make a cleaner/wax that has polishing compound in it and leaves wax on the finish when you're done. It'll all depend on how deep the scratches are I guess,
Scott

go to a local paint store and tell them you need a swirll mark remover. you use it like compound with a buffer at a low rpm to remove the swirll marks

Right. When you wet sand, the finish will end up smooth but hazy. Next step is to buff with a wool pad and a good rubbing compound. The polish with a foam pad and a polishing compound. The finish will have an excellent shine now, but will have swirl marks. You have to get a swirl mark remover, and you might want to hand rub it out. Each one of these compounds is a lighter and lighter grit.

3M makes excellent products for this purpose, just go to a paint store to purchase. And if you don't have a multi-speed buffing tool, you can buy the pads to mount in an electric drill.
But if you've never done it before, have someone who has show you, because it's very easy to burn through the paint while buffing. However, since you're only removing swirl marks, that's not really an issue for you right now.

A lot of good help, thank you. It was a rubbing compound that I did use. Describing the marks as swirls may have been too general. I have seen waxing swirls in dark vehicles but in this case when it is hit by bright sun it looks almost dappled. As far as the paint goes each panel is seemingly different. It is very old worn out paint so I am not trying to get a shine, merely eliminating those marks. However I will try some of your suggestions. Thank you.

Don't wet sand it... That paint is way too old for that. I concur with the other guys about the fine polishing compound. I would be curious as to how well an orbital buffer and good wax would do. Usually works good on getting swirl marks out of new clear coat after it's been buffed out.

What you may be seeing is Wax/compound in the crazing of the paint, this occurs after years of sun oxiding the paint, it starts to pull the paint apart and creates little cracks we in the business call crazing, When you put the wax/compound on it it got into those areas and when in the light they become noticable and even more so sence you filled them with compound, nothing short of A paint job will help if this is infact what is going on!

Mark