I plan on wet sanding the paint on my race car once I'm done with mechanical/chassis work, so thought I'd test a panel today and hone my skills since I also plan to start detailing/paint correction as a part-time business soon.
Maybe this will help others and hopefully others will critique my methods to help me speed up. This one panel took two hours+ including photos. I think I could do the same in half that time easy now.
Step 1: Clean with detail spray and tape
Step 2: Wet sand with 1500 grit
Step 3: Wet sand with 2000 grit (3M)
Used cross hatch X pattern as with levelling body work
Step 5: Buff with rotary @ 1500 rpm Edge green pad OPT compound (brown label) STILL waiting on my backordered M105, M205 from discount source!
After 2 passes
Step 6: Change to yellow pad and OPT compound - two passes. Man! Yellow pads really cut!
Step 7: Back to green pad, OPT compound - 2 passes.
Step 8: Blue pad, OPT polish, 2 passes.
Step 9: White pad, OPT polish. Quite hazy. Hard to tell in photos, but you can see the difference in the next step.
Step 10: White pad, M83 - 2 passes.
Step 11: White pad on DA at speed 6 with M83. Looking good!
Step 12: Jeweled with OPT Dark Magic with DA on speed 4. Cleaned with 50/50 98% rubbing alcohol/water (same after each step before photo)
Step 13: Apply M21 sealant with DA and micro-fiber bonnet.
Step 14: Remove M21 after 30 minutes with DA on 4.
Before (left) and After (right) side by side, tape removed. What a difference!
Reflection of sunlight coming under garage door.
Orange peel (before) starts about 1/5 of the the way in from the left in photo. Some orange peel remains just above the body line where I taped, but overall this was a success. I can't get it outside and turn it around for direct sun. Good under Halogen, Zenon, flash and ambient light. Thanks for viewing!
Maybe this will help others and hopefully others will critique my methods to help me speed up. This one panel took two hours+ including photos. I think I could do the same in half that time easy now.
Step 1: Clean with detail spray and tape
Step 2: Wet sand with 1500 grit
Step 3: Wet sand with 2000 grit (3M)
Used cross hatch X pattern as with levelling body work
Step 5: Buff with rotary @ 1500 rpm Edge green pad OPT compound (brown label) STILL waiting on my backordered M105, M205 from discount source!
After 2 passes
Step 6: Change to yellow pad and OPT compound - two passes. Man! Yellow pads really cut!
Step 7: Back to green pad, OPT compound - 2 passes.
Step 8: Blue pad, OPT polish, 2 passes.
Step 9: White pad, OPT polish. Quite hazy. Hard to tell in photos, but you can see the difference in the next step.
Step 10: White pad, M83 - 2 passes.
Step 11: White pad on DA at speed 6 with M83. Looking good!
Step 12: Jeweled with OPT Dark Magic with DA on speed 4. Cleaned with 50/50 98% rubbing alcohol/water (same after each step before photo)
Step 13: Apply M21 sealant with DA and micro-fiber bonnet.
Step 14: Remove M21 after 30 minutes with DA on 4.
Before (left) and After (right) side by side, tape removed. What a difference!
Reflection of sunlight coming under garage door.
Orange peel (before) starts about 1/5 of the the way in from the left in photo. Some orange peel remains just above the body line where I taped, but overall this was a success. I can't get it outside and turn it around for direct sun. Good under Halogen, Zenon, flash and ambient light. Thanks for viewing!
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