Perfect blend every time with no blending solvent!

[@aflautomotive]

Hi Tom, thanks for the great content. We've followed you and continued to use Ceram-X over the years. It is superior (we've tried everything). We're a mobile auto body service, servicing the Southland since 1991. One of the reasons we even tried Ceram-X is because of the auto body industry saying it can't be done. We love to see them proved wrong. And now again with the "Hard edge blend" ! Wow! I'd love to see more content on hard edge blends. Maybe even go to a class put on by you. This is a game changer for us... Thanks again!

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

Thanks I’ve got another video we are working on right now. This video will be more intense and hopefully explain the process. Thanks for tagging in.

[@jamesbasso5825]

This method works well! I tried it today due the first time and am very satisfied with the results! Thanks Tom!

[@josh296271]

Thank you

[@johncee9412]

Can’t wait for Q-7 Detailer to be available again!

[@Swanicyouth]

Hi. Great video. I’m a guy w/ a detailing background & am starting to get into paint spot repairs. Ince I started to learn about auto paint / clear I thought about almost exactly what you are doing in this video & told by body shop guys it can’t be done. I feel like body shop guys have a fear of compounding / polishing - they want to spray 2k clear, have it come out perfect & be done with it. And, if it’s not, grab some blending solvent in a can, spray that - & be done with it. I think it’s because they are in production mode & sanding, compounding, polishing, & cleaning up takes time & time is money. They want to get it perfect out of the gun & that’s it. As a spot repair to either conserve original paint or just to do less work this is a great approach. I don’t understand why people say the clear will fail? You’re spraying 2k clear over sanded 2k clear. What’s the difference between that & just adding a second layer of clear during a new paint job? The paint doesn’t know your stopping in the middle of a panel. Maybe something chemically happens to the “old clear” as it ages if you are doing this as a spot repair that makes the new clear less likely to be stable over it at the edge - but I doubt it. Clear is always sprayed in layers. Why would it fail if prepped & done properly? This type of repair enables you to fix small areas of paint damage at home without a booth. And body shop guys will tell you a booth is nec, you’ll get dust, etc… But if you can sand & compound that out. Detailers do it all the time on shoddy body shop repairs. Of course it’s ideal to repaint the entire panel, but it’s also a lot more work, money, supplies etc

[@67polara]

Super Informative video! I am on Ceram-X I need to step up to the D/A it looks like. Rotary Red Pad has been good so far though.

[@spaminacan4u]

Hoping Ceram-X is available soon, I'm running low! Best product around, hands down.

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

Sorry for the delay in product. Should be hitting the market next week. Thanks for your patience.

[@bobvee5037]

How many days would you let it sit in an air dry situation

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

Air dry with no sunlight or Infratech will not work! Air dry with Sunlight and surface temp of at least 120 degrees for 8 hrs will work fine. The fastest safest way is IR light like Infratech baked at 125 for two hours let cool and buff to perfection.

[@Swanicyouth]

Thanks. Do you think clear that’s been reduced w/ reducer or thinned fails because the final film thickness of the clear isn’t thick enough or because reducing clear chemically changes it so it doesn’t cure as strong?

[@curtispooler6497]

Have to give it a try

[@pd7439]

The problem isn’t the blend being visible. The problem with used car lot work like this is that the mil thickness of the clear edge is inadequate for proper uv resistance and will fail over time.

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

Even though the edge is thin the overall thickness is adequate because the hard edge is over clear making the surface at the blend more then 1.5 mil. I’ve never seen this blend fail. I’ve never seen a blend using solvent work.

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

This blend won’t fail. I’ve never seen a blend with blending solvent work! Ever. This blend can be fully color sanding and buffed in the center of any panel. It really works.

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

@pd7439 it sounds like you are calling this blend (used car work)? how would you repair a small chip on say a 100k paint job? The entire car is cut and buffed to perfection. Just wondering?

[@Swanicyouth]

Why would it fail? The edge was wet sanded with 2000 grit. It shouldn’t be “thin”. Detailers do this all the time to factory paint which is likely much thinner. Are you saying something chemically happens to make the edge want to peel up off the original clear? I’m not a pro - just trying to learn.

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

@@Swanicyouth Hi there I’ve never seen a blend work until I saw this technique. In all my years in this trade everyone that taught blending to me would teach a blend using solvent. They all failed! The reason was the chemical compound of the clear was compromised. Caused the UV light to destroy the clear. This hard edge technique fixes that issue. The structure is complete even at the thinnest edge. The overall mill thickness is always greater than 1.2 mills because you are spraying over a cleared surface. With this technique you can spot anywhere on any car. CSI polish (Ceramic-X) is the perfect non diminishing abrasive polish to properly polish the edge without tearing.

[@vaughnhoplamazian5209]

Awesome video. Going to try it. What basecoat/clearcoat products do you use for Pebble beach concours show cars? Thank you .

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

@@vaughnhoplamazian5209 hi there at that time we were sponsored by Spies Hecker paint

[@awaddabit2398]

Good afternoon sir, I’m so impressed of what you have done. Do you bake the base coat on every coat and every coat of clear coat? I’ve never seen this method done before it looks interesting. Thank you

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

@@awaddabit2398 Hi there No need to bake the base but make sure the base is fully dry

[@awaddabit2398]

Thank you forgetting back to me so quickly you’re very professional and absolute craftsman and what you do.@@CSIClearcoatsolutions

[@medicineman1202]

How did you apply the base without it reacting to with the clear coat? I always have to dry spray some epoxy primer to seal it

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

Hi there I would try a different base coat. You shouldn’t have to touch base coat before applying clear. Call the paint company that you use

[@jayherra2935]

Great job, thank you 🙏

[@Arehhahs]

Awesome video.

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

Thank you

[@djborden]

Will this work on single stage paint? I have a 1980s Porsche 911 in black that still has the original single stage paint which is in good condition with the exception of a small burn through on the hip of the quarter panel.

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

Yes but it’s much harder to do successfully

[@tubbed68cuda]

How well will this process work if we don’t have the infrared heater?

[@ProPaintBody]

As long as you fully cure the iso clear it works fine

[@tubbed68cuda]

@@ProPaintBodyThank you Sir.

[@andreas10617]

Hello @clearcoatsolutions The csi ceram x polish is not available where i live in belgium europe. What equivalent could you recommend? Rupes da coarse or da fine, or rupes uno pure? Or any other good brand?

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

@@andreas10617 I would talk directly to Rupes

[@ZiyadhLatib]

Sir I'd like to ask , I've been told to use abit of soap with the water for wet sanding, is this correct way ? Please let me know

[@ZiyadhLatib]

Also would you consider marketing this product in south africa?

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

Yes you can. Be careful on the amount. Only use enough to give a little slip. Too much and it won’t wipe clean.

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

@@ZiyadhLatibsure if you think there might be a market there. We should connect. [e-mail] Thank you

[@walkerandrews8892]

what grit did you use to color sand

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

Only 2000

[@Michael-ri2eh]

I really don't like the background music it's vary distincting just been honest

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

I agree I’ll tone it down.

[@alphamegaman8847]

Now All I need is a $4000 infrared heater and I'm good to go!🙄

[@ProPaintBody]

Infratech makes small heaters too. At the end of the day you can use the sun because what you want is uV curing.

[@JamiecoreyL]

100% that will come back , I’m not knocking what you do but it’s fact plus you can still see the line , in my opinion on a car that quality just clear end to end these burn in are for used car hacks

[@ProPaintBody]

I’m sure you are just like me when it comes to blending. I had never ever seen it work! Back in 1999 we were preparing a car for pebble beach lots of money was being put to the car and customer really wanted to win. As we were getting closer Spies Hecker had a class scheduled for me to go. But at the same time we found a little issue on the drip rails of the finished car. We were one month from the show. I went to the school at Spies Hecker and they went through this hard edge technique. I thought there is no way. But what choice do I have? Know remember everything at this time would be based on using the Infratech heater. The blend would be four foot long four inch wide across the roof from windshield to back glass. You might ask why not paint the entire roof. This paint job was fully assembled and very meticulously detailed. This paint job was worth over 100k. So we did the blend. Dark green metallic. It came out perfect with no blend line. We won first place in class at Pebble Beach. It really works. When labor matters we have to look at every angle. To refinish the entire roof properly would be resetting all glass pull headliner and all chrome trim on an exotic car. Just the labor for this would be over 5k. The trim always has to be rechromed when you pull it off because it’s so hard to remove. Then repaint the roof all in one month before the show. This blending technique is so awesome. You should try it it’s really unbelievable and it works.

[@megaman4201]

As someone with over 30 years collision, restoration, and refinish experience, I'll be trying this for the first time this weekend LOL I need to blend the front bumper cover on a 2024 BMW 760i. TC in Annapolis MD

[@josequiroz4605]

they are fortune car hacks but in an honest opinion there's alot of people that don't want to pay for a good job done well. so rhey get wat they and wat they paid for.

[@clist9406]

And some fisheye

[@rongamble9884]

You are aware there is edge blender to achieve the same process

[@CSIClearcoatsolutions]

Never seen blender work when the work needs to be complexly color sanded and polished. The edge always tears.

[@benttt12]

Hey, You are completely correct on your opinion of spot repairs with blending solvent, They will always fail at the end of the repair. I own a used car that had a spot repair done on the rear bumper and its failed and flaked off at the end, This might take 5-8 years but it will always happen. I paint full time and was always taught to reclear the entire panel if you want to do it right. granted in the car world nobody wants to pay for that and most don't keep a car for more then 4-5 years these days.@@CSIClearcoatsolutions

[@JuanRamos-np4ej]

😮🤦🏻

[@AutoMotoMechanic]

This guys does concourse restorations. You know dick about dick in comparison 😅