Solder Slip-Up

[GeeTM]

So I was doing some soldering in the garage, and did something silly. Not sure how, but a drop of solder landed on a painted surface of the car (it is has a clear coat). Gave it an easy attempt to remove it with my thumbnail, but it's not budging. So heating it up seems like the next step, but that has obvious concerns. I was planning to heat it a bit, wipe it with a microfiber towel, and heat it some more, wipe again, etc.. Anyone have a better idea? Tips when heating it? I'm all ears.

[Brian F]

Did the solder go into the base coat or just clear? If it is stuck on, it would see that it melted the clear coat a little.

[Shane]

I would not apply heat to it. A drip of solder doesn't really hold that much heat. I'm sure it pretty much hardened the instant it hit the surface of the body. Trying to apply enough heat to re-melt it is just going to make matters much, much worse. I'd probably sharpen the end of a wooden popsicle stick to a knife-edge and see if you can get it worked loose with that. If the paint is alreay damaged under the solder, the damage is already done and there's no going back.....but, if there isn't any major damage under the solder now, and you could just buff the clear out if you can get the solder loose, that's your best bet. IMO, heating it to re-melt it is almost a guarantee of ruining the paint underneath no matter what. JMHO

[rockpool]

I've done this a few times, bad habit of shaking the end of the iron to clean it.

Mostly you can get it off if you can get your fingernail under it, or as someone else suggested, push it with a bit of softwood..

I would not try to melt it, if anything I'd stick an ice cube on it and see if you can freeze it free.

I expect the wooden stick trick will work though.

[Jon Sheldon]

Yup, I agree... Whatever you do, don't heat it. The damage is done, get it out best you can with wood (I would even go to a razer blade if needed) then do what you can to buff out what you have left... even a "clay bar" comes to mind. A clay bar seems to work great for getting overspray out and "smoothing a rough spot. Best of luck!!! is your paint guy close? you may need him to blend in some clear if it's real bad. Im guessing that its most likely a small spot.

All cars have a flaw or 2. Try to put it out of your mind, If it's not "Perfect" then it's "Custom"...

Jon

[8flat]

Egad, be careful. I would use a razor blade, keep it flat to the surface, but tipped up a few degrees so the blade gets under the solder drop, and i'll be it will pop up. I painted cars for a living 15yrs ago, we used to use razor blades a lot.

Gary

[GeeTM]

Thanks, guys. I'll ditch the heat gun and start with some wood and work my way up.

[mikespms]

Try making a phenolic scraper is harder than wood and you can put a good edge on it. I use them for scraping adhesive on anodized aluminum,gel coat and painted surfaces with out scratching them.

[AC Bill]

Originally Posted by GeeTM

Thanks, guys. I'll ditch the heat gun and start with some wood and work my way up.

If you work your way up to the hammer and chisel stage..maybe just leave it alone..



Any luck?

[mongoose7]

try giving it a long blast from compressed air can. It will turn very cold if you spray it long enough to freeze it off.
M7

[fastthings]

Put one on the other side so it looks normal. Just joking.

Maybe use a twist yo get it off rather than a push or pull.

[VD2021]

Originally Posted by GeeTM

So I was doing some soldering in the garage, and did something silly. Not sure how, but a drop of solder landed on a painted surface of the car (it is has a clear coat). Gave it an easy attempt to remove it with my thumbnail, but it's not budging. So heating it up seems like the next step, but that has obvious concerns. I was planning to heat it a bit, wipe it with a microfiber towel, and heat it some more, wipe again, etc.. Anyone have a better idea? Tips when heating it? I'm all ears.

No heat!

See if you can lift a finger of the splatter enough to get some floss under it. Then try a sawing motion. I would expect to have to repair or at minimum polish the area.

Where on the GTM did the solder land?

Dep

[GeeTM]

The forum wins again. The spot was about .25" in diameter on the vertical part of the tail between the license plate and the taillights. I figured the ice idea was the safest and easiest place to start and it worked! I just rubbed a piece of ice on it for about 5 seconds and used my finger nail to peel it right off. The clear coat underneasth the spot looks a little smudged but I'm sure it will buff out. It doesn't appear to have made it down to the paint. Thanks, guys!

Sorry about the second thread of the same name. I clicked to post this and it didn't show up. I refreshed then closed Explorer and it still wasn't there. Then there were two... Anyone know how to delete it?