DIY Scratch Repair
 

I posted this over on the General forum but thought it should be here also, so here it is!

I bought a salvage bike with nasty scratches on the left side of the tank. I was O.K. with it for a while then I just got sick of looking at them and people saying "that's not so bad". So I browsed the forum and found the answers I was looking for but they were scattered through a few threads. I decided after I got it done and took one look at it that I must share this experience with you guys because it made the scratches totally disappear. I guess I must add your results may vary depending on technique, so here it goes.

Step 1. determine if the scratch can be repaired using only Meguires (it worked on the 1500 grit scratches on my bike).

Step 2. Go to automotive shop and pick up some 1500 wet/dry sandpaper, 1 bottle of Meguires Scratch X, 1 bottle of Dupli-Color clear, and 1 buffing pad that'll go on your drill.

Step 3. Get a pail with about a half gallon of water.

Step 4. If the scratch is minor (not deep) just sand it, wet, with the 1500 grit so the scratch is no longer visible when dry. If it's deep then you'll have to clean the wax off before proceeding to apply the clearcoat to the scratch (read the instructions on the bottle).

Step 5. Build up the clearcoat by allowing the first coat to dry, 30 minutes (per bottle instructions), before applying the second coat. Build it up slightly higher than the existing clear.

Step 6. After the clearcoat dries for 2 days get your 1500 grit sandpaper and bucket of water back out and proceed to sand the high area to match the existing clearcoat, using caution not to go too deep into the existing clearcoat (you only want to remove the high area and blend it in with the fresh clearcoat that you applied).

Step 7. If you're happy with the way it feels (flat and smooth) get out your buffing pad and Meguires, follow instructions on the bottle but instead of using a towel use your buffing pad. Keep it moving around and use the Meguires sparingly. Use a low speed and keep moving to avoid heat buildup (maybe a full tank of gas would help out also).

Step 8. Stand back and admire what you've done!

Now for the pictures...
1st is the before:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...kscratches.jpg

Now the after:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...scratches1.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...scratches2.jpg