So what's the "go to" procedure to put a nice finish on what will ultimately be an exposed cut. I'm contemplating my course of action and in this one area (see pic) there will be a cut with nothing to hide it. I also don't want bare exposed metal at the cut.

So.... just touch up paint to match as close as possible? Any other tricks? Between this and figuring out what all to cut and relocate behind the cut has had me putting it off, but it's driving me crazy.

Want to cut straight across from the bottom of the front trim, continued thru flare of course

 

http://go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoFrontGaurds.htm

I did mine like this. You still have to touch up the paint as it will pop off when you fold the metal over.

 

THANKS!

 

Worked out pretty well I think

 

Looks good. What you doing for a bumper?

 

Affordable Offroad bumper

 

Looks good man, and I like the bumper.

 

Yeah, you did a good job!

When i added front tow hooks on my Jeep Patriot, i had to cut holes out in the area below the bumper plastic fascia in order for the hooks to poke out. Wasn't the best of cuts.

I lined the edges of the holes with protective black door trim channels. It hid the ragged saw cuts and in addition it also protected the edges from rain, paint peeling from the edges, rust (in your case), etc. Looks great.

 

I did the cut and fold as outlined in the above link but instead of touch up paint on the fold / cracked paint I taped things of and made a line to continue the underlining I'm using. The rockers have the same and everything road side gets hit when I have access. Came out like this

 

I suggest you run the undercoating even with the bottom of the indicator lense, bringing it up the fender another inch or so.

 

I considered that... even taped it off that way to start but it didn't seem to follow the lines as well. That made it quite a bit higher than the undercoating of the rockers and it stood out so I came off the first line on the trim below. May change it later but satisfied for now.