Question
Finished Door Pillar
This post is a follow up to my 7/9/09 post.
Hi Octavio
This information is for you to let you know how my exterior plastic door pillars turned out. I tried some black primer on them and I still got the spider web effect, and when it was done it looked a little brown in color holding it beside the original one.
Sanded the clear coat with 240 grit to remove the spider webbing from the last attempt, because I covered it with a normal painting procedure, then with 600 grit wet sanding, and then 1000 grit after which I wiped the surface clean with a sponge and clear water. I then dried it with a clean cloth and then run the heat gun over it to make sure it was dry. I then covered it with Plas-Stick adhesion promoter and wiped it dry. I sanded again with 1500 grit wet, sprayed it again with Plas-stick adhesion promoter and wiped it dry. The secret to avoid spider webbing or fish eye, spray at least 10 dry coats of clear coat with the nozzle held 12” away from the surface, using a heat gun after every application. Careful not to over heat it but keep it warm. You are looking for the orange peel effect, the gloss will come later. You have to take your time during this process. This is called dry spraying. It is imperative that you keep a little piece of masking tape rolled back on itself to pick up any lint that might fall on it during the spraying process, it also helps to pick up any drips from the can caused by using the hand trigger added to the can. 30 minutes later I coated the surface as normal with a couple of light coats of clear coat keeping the nozzle 6” from the surface, again drying with the heat gun. 15 minutes later I applied a couple of heavy coats looking for the gloss touch, at this time you no longer have to be concerned with spider webbing or fish eye, because the surface is already coated and the Clear Coat will bond to itself nicely but it can dimple in a couple of spots if you go to heavy. Just remember to keep shaking the can or it will turn milky near the end of the procedure which it did on me. When I came back to it the next morning, I expected I would have to sand it down again but thank GOD it looked like it was fresh out of the dealership. Clear like glass and not any orange peel to be concerned with. If you do have orange peel you can sand it out with 1500 grit wet sanding and then 2000 grit wet. Then you can polish it out with some rubbing compound and the plastic polish from you know, the big M. Now you don't have to buy them from the dealership.
BTW, I tried some plastic welding on a broken tab at the corner and a crack on the backside lip that is used for the clips to hold it to the door, I was very successful at it and am patting myself on the back. Now I can swap them out with the damaged ones on the van and then restore those ones as well. I will keep them for spares. Good luck to anyone who tries it.
AnswerCONGRATULATIONS! Steve.you have given us a nice example on how to avoid buying new spare plastics. Someday our great children will appreciate the effort of stubborn repairmen who try hard to keep a safe and clean environment.Just consider all the energy and resources that we save from the oil well, to the plastic injection facility, then to the dealership, the transportation and so on...Thanks again for sharing your experience.
