Paint/body guys .................

[orangecrush]

So if you've got a car with a good deal of door dings scattered throughout, and your stripping to bare metal or scuffing dull - you lose sight of those spots and can't pinpoint them to address each at a time. Is the best way to get 'er straight to skim coat the whole area and long block ? I know spots show after guide coats but I'd rather address earlier in the process. A step by step would be great (or a link to such).

 

[yellowdartdave]

Clean the car thoroughly and dry it.
Take a contrasting color magic marker and circle each dent/ding/imperfection panel by panel.
Then take several digital pictures of each panel and print them out.

Instant reference material.

Don't ask how long it took me to figure that one out.

 

[340sixpack]

Before you strip it hit the dings with the d/a,80 grit on grind.When its stripped youll see the ground spots.

 

[pittman445]

all i do is ,
lightly spray paint the area i need to work on and use some fine sand paper on a 2x4 about a foot long to run across the area im working on . it will clean off the high spots and leave the low spots painted . just my 2 cents .

 

[ram250098]

I use a message board run by body guy's and most members are also body guy's and painters. Post your question there and you will get loads of help, only thing is the board moves fairly quickly so check back often.
http://autobodystore.com/forum/index.php?
AL

 

[alleyoopmgv]

What i do is strip the panel or car , then put a coat of sealer on it. then circle your dent's, and then repair them as you go. You don't want bare metal sitting anytime. But yes, the best way to make sure a panel is straight is to smear the whole panel, and long block it out. then prime it and use guide coat and block it out. the more times you block and prime it, the straighter it gets.

 

[rebeldart]

Pretty much what I went through - guide coat and blocked at least four times ....

 

[waggin]

don't use a majic marker,pencil,#2 lead(majic marker will bleed thru) pencil can be sanded off.or mark them with a piece of tape,the camera idea is kewl too,just seen marker bleed thru before .I find all the dings and dents and do the body work on them before the rest of the car so as to not lose them darned little spots

 

[440valiant]

easy, just run your hand over the area. You will feel them