Stefan Gesterkamp (10)
Stefan Gesterkamp is a Master Craftsman and BASF representative who has been in the automotive paint industry for 27 years. He started his career in a custom shop before turning to collision repair. Stefan graduated from the University of Coatings and Colorants in Germany and is the author of “How to Paint Your Show Car.” You can order Stephan's book from Amazon. Contact him at:
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To view a pdf file of this article with photos, click HERE.
For some months now, people keep asking me why I haven’t recently contributed to Autobody News. The answer is simple, I didn’t feel I had anything interesting or of value to write about. This changed a few weeks ago.
As a paint manufacturer’s rep, there is not a month that goes by without being put in the middle of collision repairers and insurers, expected to chime in on a dispute about what is necessary for a proper repair.
How Lucky Do You Feel?—Durability of Back-Taped Edges
Written by Stefan GesterkampOne of my customers asked me to provide feedback on an issue that I feel most collision repairers and insurance professionals would be interested in.
To view a PDF of this article please click HERE.
There was a three way discussion between two shops and an insurer concerning back taping along body lines on a vehicle’s roof. The question I received was concerning durability of the back-taped edge and/or should the shop clear up and over to the other side? Everybody reading this likely agrees that the technique of back taping a roof is common place and practiced industry wide. Most will likely not think twice about doing it.
To set the stage, I also assume that most people in the industry today have accepted that open solvent blends along the sail panel are not an acceptable repair and should not be performed. And those roofs without a well contoured edge to tape along should be cleared up and over.
So what about the rest? My answer to this comes in the form of another question. How lucky do you feel? The reason for my question is that this technique is a calculated risk assessment.
If the surface is cleaned and prepped expertly and no shortcuts are taken, back taping will result in a long lasting repair. The questions that are impossible to answer are how long a long time is and will this edge hold up longer then the vehicle is owned by your client or remains in active service? Given just enough time, the edge ultimately will deteriorate and break down.
High, long-term exposure to ultra violet rays, wear and tear, chemical exposure, as well as too much, or too little maintenance, all contribute to the unknown time before it will happen. Doing this type of repair is a judgment call that needs to be openly discussed between collision repairer and insurance provider.
I don’t have the latest numbers on how long the average American driver holds on to their vehicle before it is traded in for a replacement in the present economy, but I believe the odds are very much in the repairers and insurance favor. Although the odds may be favorable, the question that comes to my mind is concerning warranty.
From a fiscal standpoint this type of repair approach makes perfect sense, but from a manufacturer’s prospective, this repair doesn’t qualify for lifetime warranty coverage, as it is still technically considered an open blend.
I don’t claim to have a good answer to this debate. From a purely quality driven point of view, I have to side with the up and over crowd. From a practical, fiscal point of view, the tapers also make a strong case for themselves.
Are you taking a risk when you back tape along a roof line? Yes, but compared to elective risks some collision repair shops willingly take, like mixing and matching different brand’s paint products into a single paint repair for example, taping the edge will let me sleep well tonight. It all comes down to how you feel about this issue and let your best judgment guide you.
Taking a Fresh Look at an Old Debate—Color Matching, Blending, or Both?
Written by Stefan GesterkampAs a paint manufacturer’s rep, there is not a single month that goes by without being put in the middle of collision repairers and insurers; expected to chime in on a dispute about what is necessary for a proper repair. In the July 2010 edition of Autobody News, I wrote an article on the debate about Color Match, Blending or both and no matter how many industry experts since then have expressed a similar point of view—this debate never seems to loose momentum.
To view a PDF of this article please click HERE.
While arguing my point a month ago, I realized that we could end this debate once and for all. For a moment, let’s assume that in 2011, all parties involved in collision repair have come to the conclusion that blending is not only an option, but a necessary and required part of a quality repair process. I like to compare this to the restaurant experience. If you go out for an expensive dinner and the restaurant simply slaps the food on your plate, without creating a pleasant arrangement, the food will still tastes the same. Chances are the customer will not consider this a satisfying experience, or be a repeat customer at this establishment. Just like the owner of a restaurant, collision repairers and insurers want the same thing to maintain a successful business. We need happy vehicle owners that give us high CSI ratings and long-term customer retention. Blending is for collision repairers and insurance companies, what arranging the food is to the restaurant business. It is a must have in today’s business world.
So let’s assume we all agree on the point of blending, where does this leave the color match portion of the estimate? During my last conversation I had with an insurance representative, I noticed clearly why we go around in circles on this issue. It is the classical case of misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the term color match.
Although I know better than being surprised about issues that never seem to go away, it still puzzles me how we can hold on to some for as long as we do.
Open clearcoat blends have been attempted and discussed for many years and not once since the departure of lacquer type technology has anybody with technical knowledge decided that they are a really good idea. Granted, from a non-technical, purely financial point of view, they appear worth exploring. Fewer products applied should theoretically lower the cost of the repair, but the reality is quiet the opposite.
Let’s pretend, for the sake of conversation, that an open clearcoat blend within a panel would actually be durable enough to last. Prepping the panel for a successful spot repair is far more involved and labor intensive than a complete refinish of the surface. As a result, it eats up more expenses in labor cost than the additional clearcoat would ever be worth.
Let’s take a closer look into the prep requirement to make this repair happen. After you thoroughly clean the surface and remove any wax or grease, the body tech must repair the damage very carefully. It’s critical to not unnecessarily disturb any paint film surrounding the repair. I know that it is frequently underestimated, but keeping a repair small requires a better trained technician and a higher skill level. It also takes more time to keep it small.
Is Waterborne Paint the Only Answer for Low VOC Requirements?
Written by Stefan GesterkampIn an Autobody News column last issue, the point was made that Southern Califoria shops can still use a VOC compliant solvent-borne basecoat systems rather than a waterborne basecoat system. Some of you may have read this and thought, ‘Hey, wait a minute, I thought in California’s Rule 1151 and other similar rules, water was the only game in town?’
Well, the rule asks for a 3.5 VOC basecoat. It does not specify that you have to use waterborne paint. How you get to 3.5 VOC is not the important thing. But there's another question: Why would a shop want to go waterborne if they don’t have to?
The Relationship between your Compressor, your Spray Gun and the Final Appearance of your Paint Finish
Written by Stefan GesterkampAfter my February column (see related here) on spray-gun choices appeared in Autobody News, I was asked to clarify a point I made on CFM availability in the shop during peak air consumption.
CFM stands for cubic feet per minute and a spray gun’s peak performance is depending on proper air volume. Each spray gun is engineered and tuned, just like a carburetor, for a specific CFM consumption. Some spray guns ask for 8-9 CFM and others want 17 CFM or more for optimum performance. Less CFM consumption doesn’t automatically translate into a better quality spray gun; it simply means that it could be the better choice for your situation. Most manufacturers’ spray guns will consistently perform well and do exactly what they are designed to do, as long as you provide them with their basic pressure and volume requirements.
What is the Best Spray Gun on the Market? No Easy Answer ...
Written by Stefan GesterkampA frequent question I get on an almost weekly basis is as old as our industry itself and the answer is still “it depends.”
What is the best spray gun on the market? Sounds cut and dry, but the answer to this question is much more complicated than it first seems. Besides the obvious technical aspect of this question, there are also emotional considerations that are weighing heavily in the decision-making process of a painter.
Personal preferences are important in this matter and vary from technician to technician. If a spray gun doesn’t feel right in a technician’s hand, chances are it will not become a natural extension of the applicator’s hand. This could result in less than superior finishes and often leads to a technician second-guessing his or her ability to produce what is expected of them.
Some things never change. It seems that every couple of months the insurance industry picks an aspect of the collision repair process and tries to change, alter, or ‘massage’ it. This is an obvious attempt to control costs and it is a challenge to the shops, continually justifying our repair methods and procedures. From a business perspective this is perfectly understandable and, depending on the issue, it may even lead to improvements for both parties.
It is easy for me to tell when the focus shifts to a new process. Within a couple of days I receive phone calls from several clients requesting my point of view on the new topic. The latest one that came up is an interesting question and as is often the case, there is no cut and dried answer to any part of it.
Gesterkamp --- What is the Best Spray Gun on the Market?
Written by Stefan GesterkampStefan Gesterkamp is a Master Craftsman and BASF technical representative who has been in the automotive paint industry for 27 years. He started his career in a custom shop before turning to collision repair. Stefan graduated from the University of Coatings and Colorants in Germany and is the author of “How to Paint Your Show Car.”
Gesterkamp --- Color Matching or Blending, or Both?
Written by Stefan GesterkampStefan Gesterkamp is a Master Craftsman and BASF technical representative who has been in the automotive paint industry for 27 years. He started his career in a custom shop before turning to collision repair. Stefan graduated from the University of Coatings and Colorants in Germany and is the author of “How to Paint Your Show Car.”
