Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
The Chevrolet Trailblazer is a medium-sized sport-utility vehicle that has enjoyed immense popularity since the release of the first generation models in 2002. Although the second generation Chevrolet Trailblazer is due for release in 2012, it will be manufactured in Thailand and Brazil. There are no plans to market the vehicle in North America. This has led to an increased interest in first generation models, and enthusiasts are customizing their vehicles in many different ways, with color-coded dashboards being especially popular.
The front and rear cases of the MacBook Air are milled from brushed aluminum, allowing for lighter weight when compared to the previous MacBook cases comprised of plastic. However, the 2.96-pound MacBook’s aluminum casing has a propensity for denting under slight impact. Repairing a dent in a MacBook uses the same technique used when removing dents from other aluminum materials but requires a complete teardown of the device to access the damaged areas.
The Infiniti G35 and the Subaru Impreza WRX STi are performance cars that appeal to separate markets. The G35 was a luxury sports car produced from 2003 to 2007, but the STi’s roots belong to the more rough-and-tumble world of road rallies. Both pack a wallop under the hood, but the STi is more compact, with a more responsive suspension, and wields greater horsepower and torque.
Impact damage to your vehicle's bumper can happen when you least expect it. Bumper scuffs can be particularly annoying since they can occupy a larger area than a scratch, and contain transfer paint from the impacting object. Car paint, cement and tree bark can leave transfer stains. Successfully removing scuffs depends upon how deep they penetrate into the bumper's surface, but all types can be repaired with the proper technique, tools and products. For very deep scuffs that have penetrated into the primer paint, obtain the matching color from your dealership or paint supply store. Refer to your owner's manual…
Suction devices, in the past sometimes called “plumber’s helpers” or “glazier’s helpers,” are tools that use a vacuum to draw out a dent in metal, returning the panel to its pre-dented condition. They are more effective on large expanses of metal -- such as door and wing panels, hoods and trunks -- than on smaller and more convoluted areas. They do not work at all on plastic body parts.
If a tire has been rusted onto your car it needs to be loosened before it can be removed. Learn how to loosen a rusted-on tire with help from an expert in the automotive industry in this free video clip.
Time has proven wise the man who originally declared that 90 percent of a good paint job was in the preparation. While most of us think of a paint job as the act of painting a car, the simple fact is that the lion's share of elbow grease goes into getting the body smooth, clean and ready for that dazzling coat of color. And even afterward, there's still quite a bit of work to be done before the car's shiny new shell is ready for its public debut.
Acrylic and fiberglass stairs are commonly used for the entrances to mobile homes. While they will last years with only little upkeep, they can crack with use. Once cracked, you have two choices -- either replace the stairs or repair them. Replacement can be expensive, but a repair can be done for a fraction of the cost and have the stairs back into use in a matter of days. All that’s needed is a bit of patching to the damaged area. The newly placed fiberglass cloth covers the damaged area and prevents the damage from spreading.
Although most vehicle owners worry about the appearance of scratches and chips on their paintwork, very few stop to consider the effects of natural materials. Dirt and grass in particular can easily find their way onto car bodywork, and if left unattended, they can compromise the integrity of the paint itself. Understanding why grass and dirt can damage auto paint will give vehicle owners insight into chemical reactions and encourage them to be proactive in keeping their cars free of potentially harmful materials.
Resembling tiny wasps with transparent wings and a reddish fringe instead of a stinger, maple callus borers swarm from late spring through summer. The sinister little moths deposit larvae that bore into silver, red and other varieties of maples, spitting out sawdust-like waste called frass. They emerge the following summer to lay another generation of eggs. Maple callus borers are detected by a spike in yield by pheromome traps and treated with permethrin and bifenthrin. They may leave frass-filled cankers and calluses in trunks and stunted limbs. Careful maintenance helps trees heal themselves.
Cell phones and their screens become scratched with time, particularly when you accidentally drop the phone. Commercially available liquid products are available to polish damaged phones and screens, but cell phone owners can also use a number of household items to remove scratches. It is not easy to remove deep scratches, but you can typically remove minor scratches by applying either one, or a combination of creams or pastes. The correct application method is to use a circular movement, not unlike the motion required when waxing a vehicle.
The 2004 Toyota Highlander is a crossover SUV that accommodates families by providing a third row of seats. Modeled on the Camry platform and influenced by the design of the Lexus RX 300, the Highlander offers economy, greater V-6 power and a superior style of driving. The front fender design maximizes collapsible ability during impact for greater safety, and replacement components must be meticulously checked, prepared and painted to meet specifications.
If you enjoy taking great care of your car, you'll definitely notice when spider webbing or swirl marks occur, especially on a newer or darker colored car. These markings are types of scratches that can occur on the first layer of paint on your automobile. You can remove these scratches at home, or take the car to a professional, who can remove them.
In a perfect world, a car paint job results from just the right texture, coat thickness, proper atomizing, solvent mix and temperature. Professional automotive painting takes a long time to learn, since many factors affect the overall outcome. Orange peel is a common painting flaw, and it shows up in the paint surface as a pebbled or small clumpy formation resembling the surface texture of an orange's skin. Several factors cause orange peel, and every painter, especially the novice, should be aware of what causes it and how to prevent it.
Fiberglass is a durable and attractive material that is often used in boat construction because of its buoyancy and resistance to damage. Gelcoat helps give fiberglass panels their hardened exterior and it also provides a shiny, aesthetically pleasing look. Fiberglass bonds well to wood when proper care is used and can be used as a protective coating on wooden boxes.
Paint functions as the primary barrier to protect car bodies from penetrating contaminants such as moisture, rust, UV light, bird stains and oxidation. Car body paint can also be damaged by scratches and marring impacts from other objects. Different compounds need to be used when buffing and polishing car paint, since they are specific to different levels of damage. A vehicle owner can successfully use compounds if he knows which ones work best for each stage, and its respective application process.
Chipped paint may seem like a minor blemish on your car’s body, but leave that chipped paint exposed to the elements and you’ll be dealing with rust in a short time. Moisture reaches bare metal through even the tiniest chips in the paint, creating rust underneath the paint. The paint chip can crack the surrounding paint and cause the chip to become larger. Treat chipped paint on a vehicle so it won’t spread. This process takes just under an hour.
Even though trucks are used for more than work, hauling cargo and off-road driving, they still get abused more than most cars. You may have large tires or tires with all-terrain tread, which is larger than regular tread. These tires pick up rocks easier than regular tires and can sling them up onto your truck's fenders, causing tiny chips in the paint. Fix these chips in your truck’s paint before they become a large rust problem.
Repairs to a dent, ding or rusted area on your car need more than body filler for them to look professionally done. Body filler is porous and soaks up primer, paint and moisture, creating pinholes and making the area noticeable after the body work and paint is complete. To prevent this, you can use body putty over the filler. Putty sands easier and is a finer material to work with. Applying body putty is similar but not exactly the same as applying body filler.
Scratches make your vehicle look beaten up or just not taken care of. Scratches from shopping carts in parking lots, trees or bushes near the driveway or kids playing with toys or rocks near your car all can cause surface scratches. The good thing about surface scratches is that they don’t need to be sanded and painted. Surface scratches are only cut into the clear coat and can be smoothed out with buffing compound.
Stains on your car from redwood trees are caused by the high tannin content of the trees' sap. It appears as a spreading dark to rust-colored spot on the surface of the car's paint. Like all sap and sticky resins, simply washing is not always effective at removing the stains, although the sap may appear to be gone. Harsh chemicals should not be used on vehicle paint, since they may end up removing more than you bargained for.
Over time, your Electrolux refrigerator will develop scratches. Scratches occur because of cleaning the unit incorrectly or rubbing against the refrigerator cabinet with food containers. One way to limit the scratches on the painted surface is to not use abrasive cleaners or abrasive applicators. Removing scratches on a painted Electrolux refrigerator depends on the depth of the scratches. Fortunately, most scratches are surface scratches that make the refrigerator look dull. These often only require buffing with wax, much like surface scratches on your car.
A GE oven can work well for years, but with regular use, it may suffer wear and tear that detract from its appearance. When your appliance gets chips or nicks, you can repair a chipped surface with special touch-up paint offered by General Electric. For best results, try to precisely match the color of the oven with the touch-up paint.
Bougainvilleas are tropical plants prized for their showy, numerous flowers. Depending on the species, Bougainvillea can be grown as a climbing vine, shrub or even trained on one leader to grow as a small tree. Although generally a hardy plant, the thin bark is easily damaged by insects, gardening tools or during storms. Small wounds are difficult to repair, especially those on slender stems near the ground or those caused by tiny insects. Large trunk wounds, however -- such as those caused by gardening tools -- can be easily repaired.
Body filler is very useful in repairing dings, dents or certain types of body damage on your vehicle. If applied correctly, body filler blends perfectly with your car’s surface and won’t be noticed after being painted. Body filler that is incorrectly prepared, applied or finished ends up looking bad immediately or months after your car has been repainted. You can tell if the body filler is bad and needs to be repaired by paying close attention to details.
Gelcoat is a polyester resin and coloring pigment applied to the inside of molds during the fabrication of boats, recreational vehicles and other fiberglass products. During the curing process, gelcoat resin hardens to become the glossy, reflective top layer of the fiberglass. Maintaining a good coat of wax is the best way to preserve gelcoat. However, with time and exposure to the elements, all gelcoat eventually oxidizes. Early signs of oxidation are cloudiness and dullness in spots. Eventually, the entire surface will become nonreflective and the gelcoat may show evidence of microscopic pitting. Gelcoat in this stage of oxidation can…
Buffing a car takes the oxidation and buildup off the top of the clear coat of paint. Buffing compound is slightly abrasive and removes these things easily to change your car's paint from dull and flat to glossy and shiny. Buffing compound is not the only thing that can bring the shine to your paint. You can buff a car without the compound to get a glossy paint finish.
Body filler, like the 3M brand Bondo, contains a paste filler of fiberglass polyester resin and talc, along with a small amount of styrene that acts as a solvent and vaporizes. Body filler also has a hardening agent that serves as a catalyst to cure the two ingredients into a durable mass. A chemical reaction between the paste and hardener causes the curing process. Although body filler is formulated for non-shrinkage, this is entirely dependent on the ambient temperature, mixing process, hardener to paste ratio and metal surface preparation. Shrinking, bubbling and collapsing can result from any misstep in the…
Truck fenders are easily dented because of the thin sheet metal the fenders are made from. Truck fenders are a small body panel in comparison with the rest of the truck’s body, but a dent can make it stand out more than it should. Remove the dent in your truck’s fender to help it blend with the body of the truck like it should. You can remove a dent in the fender with some materials from a local auto parts store and a few hours spent in your driveway.
Boats, because of their constant exposure to UV light, water and the many chemicals in some bodies of water, are susceptible to hull fading. To help return a faded hull to its original luster, a clear coat is one good option for those looking to do it themselves. Clear coating a boat will be a big job, but is absolutely something that a boat owner can do without help or expensive equipment.
Homeowners are excited to see the wall frames as their new dream home begins to take shape. Walls built out of alignment, however, can create a number of problems. They can make it impossible to hang a picture on them, and they can compromise the house's structural integrity and delay its completion date.
A certain amount of rust in any car's cooling system isn't good, but it doesn't necessarily spell doom for the engine. It does, however, indicate the cooling system has been neglected and that you may experience larger problems later on. This is definitely one of those situations where an ounce of prevention -- or antifreeze -- is worth a pound of cure.
Most types of silicone utilized in the auto body and paint industries are water soluble additives used in waxes, polishes and paint protectants. When fatty acids and polydimethylsiloxane derivatives are generated, it creates silicone. Silicone also acts as a lubrication agent, and when added to polish, wax and special coatings, it creates a smooth, slippery finish. Another type of silicone exercises a glue-like substance designed for its adhesion and sealant properties, commonly used on window seals, weather stripping and trim pieces. Both types of silicone have their own removal techniques. A vehicle owner can safely remove either type of silicone…
Rust can damage the structural integrity of automobiles and other items. If rust remains undisturbed, it will spread and eat away car floorboards and other metal surfaces. Fiberglass is a versatile reinforcing material that contains glass threads, and resin is a reinforced plastic or polymer material. Rust repair kits include liquid fiberglass resin, which is a mixture of fiberglass threads and resin. After the fiberglass resin spreads onto a rust-damaged surface with a brush, it hardens and strengthens the area.
Surface scratches on the paint of a car can easily occur. Simply brushing up against your car with a zippered jacket can cause a surface scratch in the paint. However, these light scratches can be fixed without hiring a professional. As long as you're careful, you should have no problem buffing out the scratch without causing further damage to the paint. If the scratch is deeper, you should have a professional body shop repair the scratch to guarantee a good result.
Particleboard is an inexpensive building material, and does not make for very attractive or safe furniture. A paint job over your particleboard cabinet not only gives it a fresh, new look, but may save you from a health hazard. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, particleboard continuously releases gas into your home that can cause everything from minor allergic irritations to cancer. The right techniques and materials can transform your cabinet into something stylish and safe.
When waxing a car, the goal is to strengthen the paint's finish, which helps produce a shinier surface. However, when the car's paint has been applied poorly or has faded out, simply applying wax will not give you the results you desire. Waxing is a finishing procedure, and doing so before the surface is ready results in the imperfections in your car's paint being locked in. Thoroughly washing and polishing your car, in addition to the application of a clay bar, before waxing will maximize the benefits and improve the look of a bad paint job.
Few things bring a car to life quite like a fresh paint job. When doing it yourself or getting a basic paint job from an auto center, a single or double coat is typically used, and the quality varies depending on your budget. But if you want to produce the best color and durability, a tri-coat may be used. This involves using a base coat, midcoat and clear coat.
Sad fact of life: ask a simple question of a chassis engineer, and you're almost sure to get a 20-minute answer that still doesn't tell you what you wanted to know. But don't blame the engineer. There are so many factors involved in answering some of the simplest questions that there's almost no way to give a catch-all response. That being said: yes, hitting a speed bump at 90 mph is definitely going to break something.
Most home projects seem to have at least one thing go awry. Following directions incorrectly or underestimating labor time are two common examples. Likewise, not having the right supplies on hand may necessitate a frustrating trip to your local hardware store. Sometimes you can figure out a way around the problem. Not having any flat matte clear coat on hand, for example, presents only a small bump in the road if you have talcum powder on hand. A high gloss clear coat combined with talcum powder creates the flat matte look you need with little effort.
Flutes are a common musical instrument for school and community bands. This lightweight instrument produces a high-pitched tone while the musician blows into the mouthpiece. However, the flute has many moving parts for producing the overall pitch of the instrument. These moving parts, along with any dents along the flute's body, can easily affect the final tone. In fact, some flutists find that a dent-removal procedure may still produce flute tone loss. A number of reasons can be the cause of this tone loss.
Whether the marble in your home is in your kitchen, in your bathroom or on your floors, it needs a little buffing from time to time to maintain its shine and remove minor scratches. Both rubbing compound and finishing compound have a place in your marble maintenance plan, but the two products are not interchangeable.
Just because your car has clear coat doesn't mean it won't get scratched. Take scratches out of clear coat cars with help from an expert in the automotive industry in this free video clip.
Lacquer creates a hard, glossy finish on a wood furniture piece or hardwood floors, providing protection and visual appeal. The application process requires patience and specific protocols to create a smooth finish. Any small bits of dirt or debris caught in the lacquer harden into the finish and leave the surface bumpy. Brushing on too much lacquer is another cause of uneven coating. Gather all of the necessary materials and prepare the surface thoroughly before applying lacquer.
Bondo Corporation was acquired by 3M in 2007. Bondo developed, manufactured and sold its namesake product. Bondo originally intended for it to be sold mainly for automotive body repair, but after the acquisition by 3M, Bondo has been marketed to more diverse end users. Occasionally, Bondo gets on fabric, either household or automotive. Removing Bondo from fabric of any type is very straightforward.
A wall collage allows you to add a personal touch to a room using images that entertain you or invoke positive feelings. Wall collages may be affixed directly to the wall or they may be mounted on a poster board. Both methods allow you to create a complex piece of art that will enhance your living space. Create your own wall collage out of photo printouts, magazine images, sheet music or any other paper image you love.
If you are tired of your countertops, consider painting the surfaces with scratch-resistant paint. Not only does the paint protect the counters from scratches, it covers any dings, gouges and other damage on the counters. The paint is suitable for countertops in bathrooms, kitchens and any other room in your house. Choose a timeless or classic color that will work well into the future.
Clear coat paint differs from an enamel or one-step paint in that it contains no pigments at all. It's usually not used alone like a varnish, but rather serves as a glossy protective coating over pigmented paint. Your new car likely came from the factory with clear coat; you may also have clear coat on a deck, boat, siding or outdoor furniture.
Laminated home surfaces, such as cabinets and countertops, provide a natural wood appearance at a much lower price than actual hardwood. Since laminate essentially consists of printed paper sealed with plastic, it may eventually peel off substrates over time due to failing adhesive. The corners or edges of laminated countertops, cabinets and tables are particularly susceptible to peeling as they often experience more wear. Since damaged laminate makes surfaces look dingy and overall unattractive, promptly repair peeling laminate to restore the object's aesthetic appeal.
Maple floors may dent for a variety of reasons, though many of them are preventable. Unsightly looking dents on a maple floor are more noticeable than they are on other woods. Fortunately, there are a few ways to repair or minimize the appearance of dents as long as they are not too deep.
