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The best way I have found is to fill it up with paint , and get it close to level, then use an air brush to top, and clear it, the metallic paints are the ones to do this with,because they never seem to lay right if you put it on with a match, or toothpick.
Good morning group,
I've got some pretty good GOUGES on the saddlebag of my 2012 Street Glide, Ember Glo Red. What is the best way to fill the gouges before I touch up paint? I guess I'm asking what filler material will bond to ABS plastic?
From: Western Illinois, land of bad roads, and corrupt politicians
Buy a very small camel hair brush.
Lay in just enough color to coat the scratch. May take a couple applications. DO NOT COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES... keep the color INSIDE the scratch.
Wait a day.
Fill the scratch with clear until it's level, waiting several hours between application of the clear.
Take your time. Buy magnifying glasses if you need to.
Rest your hand on your other hand for stability.
I was an automotive painter for 25 years. If you take your time and do it the way I just explained it, you would be hard pressed to see the repair from anything over a few feet away.
Last edited by shooter5074; Nov 15, 2012 at 12:33 PM.
Dropped my RGS on an incline and rolled past the engine/saddlebag guards to scrap the right side of my fairings.
I appreciate the advice in this thread. I just got my HD touch up paint in Superior Blue yesterday and plan to use a toothpick to apply color and clear very thinly with 1500 wet sands in between.
Given that it's a rough scrape, should I sand first, or just start filling in the spaces with color?
From: Western Illinois, land of bad roads, and corrupt politicians
Originally Posted by brewnote
Dropped my RGS on an incline and rolled past the engine/saddlebag guards to scrap the right side of my fairings.
I appreciate the advice in this thread. I just got my HD touch up paint in Superior Blue yesterday and plan to use a toothpick to apply color and clear very thinly with 1500 wet sands in between.
Given that it's a rough scrape, should I sand first, or just start filling in the spaces with color?
Read my post right above yours. Do NOT use a toothpick, unless you want it to turn out ugly. Buy a camel hair brush about 1/3 the size of the scratch. Do NOT sand it. Newer Harleys don't have as much clear as they used to, and you will sand through the clear..... then it gets really ugly.
Last edited by shooter5074; Jul 7, 2015 at 12:42 PM.
This is exact what body guys use. They are called touch up brushes or pinstripe brushes. They use them for pin stripes and touch ups. They are horse hair brushes they come in Many thicknesses and sizes. However you will never get the touch up to perfectly match. It will not happen. you will always notice it. The correct way to fix it is to repaint it.
Last edited by 97 dyna lowrider; Jul 7, 2015 at 02:46 PM.
A bud of mine is a painter and he always uses a toothpick when he fixes chips or scratches for me. Toothpick the color, it may take 2-3 days, do not put too much on at one time and let the coats dry before adding more. The idea is to build it up in stages, so I'm told. Clear can be dabbed on with the brush. Any excess can be wet sanded or use a clay bar to eliminate the excess. I'm lucky, most of the time with my bikes he just repaints the part, quicker than coming over 2 or 3 days for a small blemish. GL!
Only thing I would add is take the saddlebag off and have the area to be fixed horizontal and in a well lighted place.
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