Touch Up Paint - Cured for Waxing

**shadow85** · 10-08-2009, 06:32 AM

Sorry if this was discussed before. Do I need to follow the 3 month no waxing rule with touch up paint?

**Setec Astronomy** · 10-08-2009, 06:41 AM

Well...the "3 month rule", which is highly debatable anyway, is to prevent trapping solvents in the film and causing solvent pop or blisters. If your touchups look anything like mine, a blister might actually be an improvement, so I just wait a couple of days or until the next weekend.

**imported_WhyteWizard** · 10-08-2009, 07:40 AM

No. Touch up after you wax, the solvents in the touch up will let the paint stick through the wax you`re using and by the time you get around to waxing again the paint will be more than dry enough. Just wipe your wax off thoroughly, no need for prepsol etc. before you touch up. No big globs of wax in the chips. Then, stay inside the chip and let the touch up run to the edges. You might have to cut your touch up brush to a chisel point or use a dedicated touch up brush to accomplish that.

Robert

**Setec Astronomy** · 10-08-2009, 08:24 AM

Hey WhyteWizard, call me old-fashioned, but IMO it`s insanity to actually on purpose put any kind of paint on any kind of surface over something that on purpose is going to impede wet-out of the paint. Even if you paint a wall inside your house it`s best to wash it first...and solvent wash is a standard practice on any metal surface.

**imported_WhyteWizard** · 10-08-2009, 09:08 AM

I understand that but the amount of wax that`s left in a chip if you wipe it off is inconsequential volume wise. I`ve done touch ups both ways, solvent prepping and not and there`s no difference that matters. No difference I can detect even after years - I test on my own cars.

On the other hand, I`d never paint over a whole panel without prepping it first because that`s a different situation. The wax will bead up and fish eye paint like crazy, but over the small distance of a chip, there`s no effect. Of course, you`re technically correct, but balance that against having the whole panel without wax or trying to clean the wax out of just the chips and the advantage is less than the disadvantage. Like I said, the solvent in touch up paint eats through wax and doesn`t interfere with adhesion so I don`t bother.

Robert