Lacquering touch up paint

[Ceri JC]

As per thread http://forums.sv650.org/viewtopic.php?t=34799.

"Something" chipped my otherwise pristine fuel tank a few days back. I've cleaned, T-cut, touch up painted, and repeated several times and it's now looking an awful lot better. When I bought the touch up paint from banditmania, I was told that if it hadn't come with a seperate phial of lacquer, it didn't need one. Now, to be fair, another (much much smaller) chip I used the touch up paint on has been fine for 6 months without any sort of lacquer (other than regular coatings of hard wax). Still, I'd like to do everything possible/do the job right first time, so what do people reckon I should use to lacquer it (it's on the fuel tank), or is it really unneccessary (once it's all done, I'll be rewaxing it afterwards anyway)?

I've got some clear nail varnish to hand and I vaugely remember someone saying you could use that on fork stanchion pitting. Would that be suitable for this?

Thanks in advance.

[Ceri JC]

Come on guys, surely someone must know? :)

EDIT:

I really, really don't want to have to ask the simpletons at Halfwits, only for them to give me something that'll eat through the fuel tank like acid...

[northwind]

I've no idea if that'll work... Halfords will give you a touchup pen of gloss cellulose laquer that'll work though.

[ben650]

there no real need to laquer it mate,if it looks gloss as it is leave it :wink:

[madmal]

I've no idea if that'll work... Halfords will give you a touchup pen of gloss cellulose laquer that'll work though.

you could try this, building it slightly proud of paintwork then when thoroughly dry take it back to near paintwork level very gently with t-cut.

would personally stick with ben650 on this one and leave it if it looks fine.

[scooby2102]

Ceri JC

I bought the same paint from Cupar Bikes (franchised dealer) and it came WITH a separate kinda tube thingy of laquer, also it should (in my view) make a difference to the finished job

Think it was about 13 quid

[svsk2]

I had a similar problem with a stone chip on my tank. The touch up paint looked okay but it wasn't quite right. Even though i tried polishing and waxing, the touched up area still had a matt finish which was noticeable to the eye (probably more to mine than others). I dithered for ages about whether to leave it or try the laquer. Eventually I tried the laquer. I'm pleased I did. I haven't managed to hide the touched up area completely (probably down to my inexperience in these matters) but it does look better than with just the touch up paint. I used a whittled down matchstick to apply the laquer just proud of the surrounding finish. I then very gently rubbed it down with grade 2000 wet and dry (with my heart in my mouth) and then gave it a good polish. Came up a treat. If your touch up paint didn't come with the laquer, you can buy it from Halfords, etc.

[Ceri JC]

Thanks folks. After about 6 (very thin) coats of paint, each followed by t-cut, the paintwork is looking much better. I think a quick trip to halfords at lunchtime for some lacquer should sort it.

svsk2, you're a brave man using wet and dry on it :) I'll have a look and see how it looks after just using the lacquer.

Thanks for the advice folks. :thumbsup: