Resources, Products & Equipment for Mobile Refinishing

We will feature useful products, equipment, and resources on this page that are known performers, or recommended by our readers.

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Mobile Auto Refinishing Tools & Supplies

*Personal Protection*: Protect your eyes, ears, lungs and hands; safety glasses, ear plugs, 2-strap dust masks, gloves
Hand cleaner, First Aid Kit, drinking water, and moist towelettes should be with you.
If you don't protect yourself, you're not going to be doing any work if you get injured!


Job Area: Check job site and remove or cover vehicles or objects that are too close or may be damaged or affected by drifting overspray.
Point out to customer if there are additional damaged areas on vehicle your are repairing, damage on surrounding objects that you may be blamed for, and condition of ground around vehicle if it already has paint or shop debris.


Power: Depending on the tools you have, you will need electricity, extension cord(s), compressor, air hose. If on large lot, a generator may be useful.


Prep:
Clean the surface with some type of mild soap and water, or equivalent to remove dirt.
Clean the surface with a grease and wax remover.

Materials: Cleaner, Bucket, Sponge, or Waterless cleaner; Grease & Wax Remover, Wiping towels


Cover:
Cover, as needed, including the ground, areas surrounding repair area to protect from dust, falling debris and paint materials.
Remove trim or lights that cannot be protected, or to minimize paint edges and/or masking.
Protect trim and non-repair areas from possible damage from sander, grinder, body filler, etc, with masking tape, duct tape, cardboard, etc.

Materials: Drop cloth or tarp, plastic film, 3/4" & 2" masking tape, duct tape, cardboard, razor blade


Rough Out
Work out dent, and/or straighten bumper cover with heat and tooling to determine the area that will require filler or heavier prep.

Materials: Stud gun and studs if you use that method, dent puller, hammer & Dollies, rods. For bumpers; heat gun, dollies, extended dollies


Grind or Bevel

Grind or rough sand areas needing body filler for adhesion. Grind or rough sand, and bevel plastic bumper for flexible filler.Feather edge sand the outside of repair areas for adhesion of primers and to prevent "Bull's Eyes" and uneveness at edge of repairs. Blow or wipe off dust.

Materials: Electric or Air powered small grinder and/or "DA" (Dual Action sander); 5" x 7/8" grinding disc, 3M Roloc type 2" or 3" disc, 36 or 80 grit DA Disc.


Filler Application: Mix and apply Body Filler on Metal or Flexible Filler on Bumpers. Take care to protect your customer's driveway from droppings.

Materials: Body Filler, Flexible Filler, Plastic or Cardboard to mix filler on, Mixing Stick, Plastic Spreader, Heat Gun or Infrared Dryer if suitable.


Rough Cut: Rough level filler with half round "cheese grater" or sanding block. Re-Apply filler to low spots if needed.

Materials: half-round cheese grater, rubber sanding block, 36 or 80 Grit Sandpaper


Sand: Sand filler level with surface and feather edges. Apply flexible putty to pits and gouges on plastic bumpers and sand to feathered edge.
Use DA sparingly, or not at all, on fillers to avoid creating unevenness.
Blow and/or wipe off dust and sanding residue

Materials: Rubber Sanding Block (2-3/4" x 5", 2-3/4" x 7", 2-3/4" x 16"), Air or Electric straightline sander; 80 and 180 grit 2-3/4" wide sheets or rolls of sandpaper, flexible putty


Prime: Prime repaired area with primer suitable for filler material and surface. Protect surrounding panels and areas on panel from unwanted over-spray.

Materials: Masking paper, masking tape, razor blade, HVLP Turbine & Spray Gun, primer, masking machine suitable for 6", 12" and 18" paper, tire cover


Finish Sand: Sand primer smooth, checking for any pits or imperfections that may need additional priming or glazing. Sand surrounding area or entire panel in preparation for blending or panel painting.
Blow and/or wipe off sanding dust and residue.

Materials: Hand sand paper sheets; 220, 320, 400, 600, and/or 800 depending on suface condition and paint spec requirements. Larger areas can use DA and same grit DA paper.


Paint Prep: If careful, you may be able to leave in place masking paper and tape from priming. Otherwise remove paper and tape; blow off ground and surrounding panels to remove dust or dirt that may blow onto painted surface during spraying; blow off and clean surface with glass cleaner or other cleaner, using lint free paper; compound blend areas if using that method; re-clean; mask off surrounding areas to prevent overspray (masking paper is cheaper than tape); tack off entire panel and nearby paper.Use "roll-back" technique to elimate paint edges and reduce blend areas.

Materials: Cleaner, Wiping Cloth, Polishing Compound, Masking Paper, Tape, Masking Machine, Single Edge Razor Blade, Tack Cloth, Plastic Sheet/Masking if needed

Paint

Clean-up


 

Paint Center - Regulatory compliance and pollution prevention information for painting and coating. Links to state pollution web sites.

  Mobile-Tech News is the industry trade journal for automotive, marine  and aviation appearance repair & reconditioning technicians worldwide.

 

Resurface Solutions - "We are a premier coatings provider for the bathtub, countertop and tile refinishing industry....

 

International Franchise Association website provides official Franchise Directory of Member

Companies, latest franchise news and information, publications, events, trends and assistance to

franchise buyers, business start-ups, entrepreneurs and investors.

 

 

3M Automotive - For automotive aftermarket refinish, detailing, mechanical service and repair professionals.

 

Automotive Technician's Resource Directory

 

The International Automotive Technicians' Network is a group of 48,877 professional automotive technicians from 135 countries. The automotive professionals of this group exchange technical knowledge and information with other members from around the globe, sharing 1,029,959 years of combined experience

 

CollisionWeek - Your Global Source for Collision Repair Industry News, Statistics, and Trend Analysis


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