Advice on saving my botched paint touch up!

[fe7565]

Would like to ask for help with two areas on my hood where I have been struggling with touching up rock chips. I’m not looking for showroom finish, just as close to factory as possible. I have a spray can of blender on the way, after realizing that that was probably the biggest mistake that I made.

The other major mistake I believe was that I did not rough up the entire surface where I laid down the touch up base coat and the new clearcoat. I put down one light, one medium and one heavier layer base coat. And I did the same for the clearcoat on top of that.

Of course, since I did not use a blender/ solvent , the old clearcoat and the new coat have a very noticeable transition between them. The first photo is showing that. I have not yet tried to blend it manually. Also, a large part of that painted area (with the exception of two of about 4 in squares) have not been roughed up before the new base coat and clearcoat.

So I believe the best thing would be for me to remove the paint (luckily it comes off clawless with acetone), and redo them properly by roughing up and then using a blender.

The photo where I have everything removed down to the original rock ship with the exception of the whiteish area that I screwed up by exposing the factory basecoat underneath the clearcoat. That one I’m planning to fix the same way, by roughing up the area with 400 to 600 grit first. And will use the blender/solvent spray.

Can you give me tips what else I should be doing or what am I doing wrong? No, I don’t plan to repaint the entire hood nor do I plan to take it to a professional.
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Background:

I thought I have graduated from “YouTube University” on touching up paint…but after three weeks of working on it, I admit that I am failing. I’m so sick and tired of it, that I would rather do five head unit retrofits and three power side-mirror and blindspot radar retrofits.

I had some rock chips on my hood that I touched a couple of years ago temporarily. None were bigger than about a quarter inch. Having had some time recently, I wanted to fix these touchup areas properly.

I managed to do about six of them properly with spot touch up base paint and clear coat, and redone my entire top bumper/grill area that turned out great also.

But I have a hell of a time with two areas on my hood, where I started to cut through the factory clearcoat accidentally. My biggest error was not knowing what a “blender” is or a blender is necessary. So I was trying to plan the old clearcoat with the new one by hand.

The other error I believe was that I did not wrap up the surface to the entire area where I laid down the basecoat and the clearcoat as well. So some of the basecoat and clearcoat layers were sprayed onto clean but mirror smooth surfaces

[omasou]

I would bring that to a body shop.

BTW, according to my body shop, the clear coat MUST go from body edge to body edge. It cannot be blended in.

[fe7565]

Originally Posted by omasou

I would bring that to a body shop.

BTW, according to my body shop, the clear coat MUST go from body edge to body edge. It cannot be blended in.

Thank you. Clearly, that is the best answer as far as ensuring a proper job. However, there may be an advice that leads to an acceptable outcome not requiring a professional.

[fe7565]

Tomorrow arrives the Spray Max 1K Spot Blender 3680093 Blending Solvent.

Will be trying this method: