Date:         Thu, 22 Jun 1995 10:21:42 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         wabbott@townshend.Corp.Megatest.COM (William Abbott)
Subject:      RE: Defiled!! (By some sorry individual)

	Richard,
	Oh man, I'm really sorry to hear about your bus being attacked.
I don't know why people choose to be cowardly jerks, but there it is.
What they did was wrong and I hope that they pay for it somehow, someday.

	Given that its happened now, I'd personally recomend flowing
a line of primer or rust converter :( along the scratch and then top-coating
that with something to match the rest of your paint. No sense in letting
the rust demon get a head-start. I'm actually so anal-retentive that I'd
consider letting the primer/converter dry, then lightly sand INTO the
scratch so that the paint will cover the top of the primer, the paint
and let top coat dry hard and then rub-out and soap-and-water
clean the area for about an inch to both sides, lightly sand with 1000 
and brush or spray a nice clear-coat seal over the top of the damage. 
	But everyone knows I'm crazy. 
	You might also ask the local body shop what they would charge
to fix just the scratch- not repainting the whole side. I don't know
if they do that, but its worth a check.
 
  Scratch    Primer         Paint 
             (no sanding)
                           !!    !!
++++\    /+++#    #+++++++++#!!!!#+++++++++++++++ Paint
-----\  /-----####-----------####---------------- Primer
======\/=======##=============##================= Metal
=================================================

 
  Scratch    Primer        Sanding    Paint    Clear Coat
             (no sanding)
                                                ________
++++\    /+++#    #+++++++      ++++++!!!!!!+++++!!!!!!++++++++++ Paint
-----\  /-----####---------####--------####-------####----------- Primer
======\/=======##===========##==========##=========##============ Metal
==================================================================


	Its this kind of thinking that keeps my single-cab off the
road- ARGH! Anyone in the San Francisco Bay Area interested in
teaching me how to weld while working on the *(#)$#% battery tray
for my truck?? I've got bankers hours free Saturday and Sunday night,
or weeknights next week. I'll make you dinner, buy the pizza and beer,
wash your car, whatever!


	I have gotten pretty good feather edges by lifting the inner
 1/8 inch (3mm) of tape to a 45 degree angle too:
 
  Scratch    Primer        Sanding      Paint    Clear Coat
             (no sanding)

            __/      \___)          (__/      \__/________\________ Masking
++++\    /+++++#    #+++++++      ++++++!!!!!!+++++!!!!!!++++++++++ Paint
-----\  /-------####---------####--------####-------####----------- Primer
======\/=========##===========##==========##=========##============ Metal
====================================================================


	Bill