While i had my windshield out fixing the window channel i somehow got some primer overspray on my newly SEMd dash pad. Dangit! How would i go about removing it without damaging the dye? Its just a spray can primer, and the area it hit just looks like a light dusting, i havent attempted anything yet and thought i would check here first. Would a wipe with a solvent ruin the sem? Should i just prep the whole dash and coat it again? Incase it matters, its all been cured for a few months, just never noticed it since ive been working on the body for so long, never looked inside
Matt if you have some mild reducer for enamel or urethane try a small amount of that on a rag in an out of the way spot. Do not soak the dash with solvent as this will loosen up the dash color. If you have some "fast dry" lacquer thinner you could try that on a very soft rag. Clean a finger tip area at a time. Again clean an out of the way spot first and don't rush the cleanup. Let us know how it goes.
I dont have any of the hard core reducer, but i do have some laquer thinner. I was thinking of trying that since its just a rattle can primer and it should eat it right up. But i wasnt sure if the SEM dye would be able to handle it or not. Ill give it a shot tonight, i guess the worse that can happen is i get to put another coat of dye on it. Thanks
Before you do anything rash, try this- Try a piece of clay bar and some detailing spray like what you would do on a fender. The worst that can happen is that it doesnt work. If it doesnt, we can try something more agressive.
Try drinking some alcohol at the clay bar while scuffing up the surface ever so slightly while looking at the MSDS sheet for the sem product. But really, If lacquer thinner is listed as a solvent for the sem product I'd be wary about using it. Do the same for the primer and go with the lesser of the two solvents before moving onto the greater.
well smart ass body shops use denatured alcohol to remove over spray on both interior and exterior mild over spray......if you want to get the 100% correct right answer contact SEM directly.....their main office is located in the Charlotte NC area......
Use NAIL POLISH REMOVER and a Q-tip with the cotton pulled off, if it is spray "dots". Nail polish remover is primarily acetone... And available in just about anywhere. Grocery stores, drug stores, "dollar" stores, the wife or girlfriend probably has some, (It also works on cleaning up model car glue).
The solvents like lacquer thinner, enamel reducer, etc will likely smudge or otherwise mess up the finish. SEM is very thin and probably a lacquer based finish. I've used enamel reducer to remove these paints/dyes from parts like consoles, etc so you'll likely get the same result. Lacquer thinner and acetone will be even more aggressive. If you were thinking of reshooting it then you may need to consider removing the overspray VS. just shooting over the whole thing "as is". Reason being is you may have small raised spots that look somewhat odd if you spray over the overspray. May not look like much right now but spray the whole piece in one color again and those spots may stick out like a sore thumb. Remember....SEM paints are very thin while sprayed and once dry so they won't hide any fine texture or grain on the parts you spray...and the new overspray spots are a type of "grain" or texture that you would be spraying over. IMO you either "get lucky" with some sort of low strength soap type cleaner(and NOT the Purple Power type cleaners...those WILL ruin the paint/dye finish as well) and a non-abrasive technique OR it's strip and reshoot. Try the clay bar method as suggested above....those use an extremely mild liquid to aid sliding the clay bar over the surface.
Drinking at the clay bar has been done too many times and the only thing that removed was the skinny jeans from the fat girl. Not always fun. Didnt get a chance to try anything tonight, got too busy with the little one. Ill try tomorrow after work and post results. Im going to try the simple first (soap cloth scrub, then progressively move up, if it gets nasty.. I might just say screw it, have some more drinks and reshoot it another day.
You can also try RM 901 Pre-Kleano...works for me on freshly painted items...won't remove old/cured paint.
Update, i finaly found some time to get out the garage and Try this out, all i had around here to try was mineral spirits, alcohol, and laquer thinner. Mineral spirits did nothing, same with the alcohol, so i tried a dab of the stronger laquer thinner, started taking the dye right off as i kinda thought it would. So i just ended up whiping it all down and spraying a couple new coats. Easy and quick anyways, plus it looks nice and fresh again So if this happens to anyone else, the only advice i can give personaly is stay away from laquer thinner. Thanks for the help guys
