How RARE are paint shops who can do this? | FerrariChat
Buy

How RARE are paint shops who can do this?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by F1Ace, Sep 12, 2006.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. F1Ace

    F1Ace F1 Rookie

    Mar 15, 2004
    2,980
    Full Name:
    Wes
    #1 F1Ace, Sep 12, 2006
    There is a shop in my town with what I think is a very special talent.

    If you have a scratch or whatever in the middle of a panel, they can repair
    that area WITHOUT painting the entire panel. And you cannot tell where the
    repair begins or ends. It's perfect.

    Let me be clear here. They don't paint the damage and then clear the panel.
    That isn't what I'm talking about here. They actually only paint and clear
    the area where the damage is.

    This is remarkable technology. Their name is Colormelt and they call their
    process "melting" the paint.

    Are there shops in your area or in other places across the States that can do this?
    It has bailed me out on numberous occasions and it could help others too
    if they knew this technology was around. So is it?

    Anyone know of similar shops that can do this? Getting the word out or
    making a list here of those shops could be a big help to someone.

    Best!
    Wes
     
  2. zakeen

    zakeen Formula Junior

    Aug 29, 2004
    989
    Czech Republic
    #2 zakeen, Sep 12, 2006
    Let me get this straight. Im a bit lost in how they do it still.

    They melt the paint and it runs over the key-ed area? Thats pretty cool. But what about a wider stratch or something?
     
  3. LMPDesigner

    LMPDesigner F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 5, 2003
    3,210
    Atlanta Georgia
    #3 LMPDesigner, Sep 12, 2006
    I tried googl'ing "colormelt" and came up with nothing--Do you have any other info?
     
  4. F1Ace

    F1Ace F1 Rookie

    Mar 15, 2004
    2,980
    Full Name:
    Wes
    #4 F1Ace, Sep 12, 2006
    Size (in this case) doesn't matter. ;) It's a special process that can cover any size damage.

    And they don't literally melt the surrounding paint, I think it's slang for having the new paint blend in.
     
  5. F1Ace

    F1Ace F1 Rookie

    Mar 15, 2004
    2,980
    Full Name:
    Wes
    #5 F1Ace, Sep 12, 2006
    I don't have anything online, but for this reference:
    See item #8, Company #2, but it doesn't tell you anything, merely proves they exist.

    http://www.sbomag.com/articals/SBO/2001/sbo_01_coverstory.html

    He told me there are other shops in the US that do similar stuff, but he's the
    most advanced.

    I was wondering if anyone else has come across this. I use him all the time.
     
  6. Lagerlout

    Lagerlout Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2006
    468
    West Sussex, UK
    Full Name:
    Mr. LL
    #6 Lagerlout, Sep 12, 2006
    I had a guy do something similar on my M3 CSL, except he didn't use any special tools, just an airbrush. It was impossible to tell the difference and this was on silver/grey metallic.
     
  7. mike

    mike Formula Junior

    Nov 2, 2003
    721
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    Mike
    #7 mike, Sep 12, 2006
    I'm very interested in having a "rub" mark done on my 328. Know of any place in Colorado? (Denver - Boulder metro area)
     
  8. notoboy

    notoboy F1 Rookie

    Jul 8, 2003
    2,531
    NYC
    Full Name:
    David
    #8 notoboy, Sep 12, 2006
    Sounds great - How bout in the NY area?
     
  9. F1Ace

    F1Ace F1 Rookie

    Mar 15, 2004
    2,980
    Full Name:
    Wes
    #9 F1Ace, Sep 12, 2006
    Y'know what you could try......call some dealerships and see who they use.

    That's how I initially found a guy. Dealerships use this guy a lot!
     
  10. spaghetti_jet

    spaghetti_jet Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2005
    946
    Europa
    Full Name:
    Bob
    #10 spaghetti_jet, Sep 12, 2006
    In the UK there are countless places doing these so-called "smart repairs". These people come to your house and do the chip/scratch/small dent at your house.

    Google for smart repairs and you get loads of places that will do this type of repair.

    These people sell the materials and give training:

    http://www.aycesystems.co.uk/
     
  11. Kds

    Kds F1 World Champ

    May 1, 2003
    10,994
    Canada and Brasil...
    #11 Kds, Sep 12, 2006
    No offence....but this is old news up here in Canada......been using a guy like this for 5 years now.
     
  12. wrecktech

    wrecktech Formula Junior

    Jun 4, 2004
    368
    Fort Wayne, Indiana
    #12 wrecktech, Sep 12, 2006
    Diamont has a special spot repair clear and procedure but I have never used it. You might check their website.
     
  13. J.P.Sarti

    J.P.Sarti Guest

    May 23, 2005
    2,426
    #13 J.P.Sarti, Sep 12, 2006
    Almost any shop can spot repair a scratch or chip but you can have problems with it down the road as the clear can lift since it will have an edge vs the whole panel done, such as when a detailer uses a cutting compound to remove swirl marks etc.

    Another problem is its very difficicult to match the paint and it can show in certain colors especially if a metallic such as the texture is not the same.
     
  14. nopiston

    nopiston Formula Junior

    Apr 1, 2004
    273
    Orange County, CA
    Full Name:
    Randy
    #14 nopiston, Sep 12, 2006
    I've seen this used. It can work very well. The clear actually heats up and melts and blends itself to the surrounding clear. Great for small instances such as those mentioned above. You still have to get the color right underneath that clear!
     
  15. Randy Harris

    Randy Harris Karting

    Feb 23, 2006
    112
    Northern California
    Full Name:
    R.C. Harris
    #15 Randy Harris, Sep 12, 2006
  16. Matt308

    Matt308 Formula Junior

    Feb 16, 2004
    487
    CO
    Full Name:
    Matt
    #16 Matt308, Sep 13, 2006
    This type of spot repair has been around for a long time now. As Sarti stated above, these repairs, whether they use heat or chemical solvents to blend the clear coat in, will eventually fail. But on a Ferrari, I do believe this is the way to go for small repairs. Ferrari's don't spend all their time outside exposed to extreme hot/cold cycles and UV exposure. Even on metalics, I think a small repair area would be preferable to an entire panel. Metalics, and to a much larger extent pearl finishes, are sensitive to the thickness of the clearcoat, so a panel with extra clear will look different than the next panel.
    Best advise: pick your body shop carefully! -m
     
  17. F1Ace

    F1Ace F1 Rookie

    Mar 15, 2004
    2,980
    Full Name:
    Wes
    #17 F1Ace, Sep 13, 2006
    You're right about that! Thanks! :)

    Seems the term is more popular in the UK, as that's where most of the results are from. I was wondering if there was any chain in the US that people can recommend. A name that "keeps popping up" when this topic arises.

    If anyone here didn't know about this technology, you're in for a treat.

    Wes
     
  18. Ken

    Ken F1 World Champ

    Oct 19, 2001
    16,078
    Arlington Heights IL
    Full Name:
    Kenneth
    #18 Ken, Sep 14, 2006
    A body shop in Waconda, IL did a similar type repair on my car, but being plastic I'm not sure it's the same process. They repaired a few cracks and the paint blends in so well that only the lack of orange peel tells you it's not original, and that you can only see if you look very carefully for it.

    Ken
     
  19. BabyFerrari

    BabyFerrari Rookie

    Aug 22, 2006
    40
    PA
    Full Name:
    anonymous
    #19 BabyFerrari, Sep 14, 2006
    i have actually heard of this "melting" process, not too sure of how its done but its been thrown around a few times in the area:)
    i think they "melt" or just soften up the surrounding paint so that the new paint blends unnoticably.
    later
     

Share This Page