Wet-sanding fresh paint - need tips

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Wet-sanding fresh paint - need tips

You'll get a bit more leveling action out of the 1500 grit sanding discs than you will the finishing discs. This is due to that extra little bit of foam backing integral to the finishing discs that allows for tighter conformation to more subtle paint texture. Choice of disc type is dependent on exactly what you're looking to achieve, but either way you go if you really refine the sanding marks with the 3000 grit discs you'll have a relatively easy buff out.

[jarred767]

Thanks again Mike I'll definitely go for the sanding discs with the foam interface then for most of it since I'm trying to level some significant orange peel. Thanks again and I'll be sure to take pictures and do a write up after all the work is done.

[jarred767]

Re: Wet-sanding fresh paint - need tips

So the first day is in the books, wow, those of you (or people in general) that do this stuff (wet-sanding) every day - props to you!! Tough work!! Couple q

Here's a couple pictures from work today, I'll do a whole post later on once its done.




After thinking I'd go 1500 followed by 3000, I wasn't able to level the intense orange peel with the 1500 so I had to run and get some 1000 3M discs from the local auto body supply shop (they work well BTW)

i also got some 3M sanding sheets (1000 & 1500). I'm assuming they soak just like the meguiars unigrit (overnight is best). What if I don't use all of what I soak? Can I let them dry back out and use at a later date? Or are they toast after soaking? Also, out of curiosity, is there anything I should be aware of that's much different in the 3M sheets compared to the Meguiars? Thanks again everyone.

[jarred767]

Re: Wet-sanding fresh paint - need tips

Btw, that first pick is before I got started as he attempted to do the hood himself, so it was pretty level, but had circulat 800 and 1000 grit sanding marks covering it I get to do the intricate areas by hand tomorrow, then follow up with 1500, M105 and the M205. He's then putting all the trim back on, adding the decals and I'll go back to do a final wax in a few days

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Wet-sanding fresh paint - need tips

Hey, if you think the sanding part is tough, wait until you start compounding to take out the sanding marks! That's when things really get challenging and you find out how good you really are at sanding!!

[Detailing by M]

Re: Wet-sanding fresh paint - need tips

Hey, if you think the sanding part is tough, wait until you start compounding to take out the sanding marks! That's when things really get challenging and you find out how good you really are at sanding!!

Exactly.
This is why you need to make sure you take out the previouse sanding marks as you go up in grit.
When you polish it out the lower grit marks might show up and drive you crazy!!!!!!!!

[jarred767]

The sanding was tough, it will probably be a while before I do another full car wetsand. However, I don't if its just the combo, but M105, a cutting MF disc, and my Rupes 21 on speed 4 pretty easily took out 1500 grit sanding marks on the hood during my test spots. I didn't even touch my 3000 grit.

However, we ran across major issues since there was only two coats of clear and major orange peel that needed to be corrected. (The customer sprayed this truck himself and it was his first paint job, hence the problems). Between his sanding, my sanding, thin clear to start and the excessive orange peel, the clear got thin and burned through on a couple areas. We both knew this would happen as he had burned through a couple spots before I even started, but he was okay with it as it was a year long project that needed to be finished one way or the other.

We decided that because of the thin clear, we would skip the final sand and move straight from 1000 grit to M105 to avoid risking more burn through. A couple test spots showed little difference between 1500 followed by 105 and 1000 followed by 105 and the customer was pleased with the results. (There was a little difference, but it was surprising how well 105 took out 1000 grit sanding marks - even by hand in some places!). I'm heading back on Monday to do the full polishing and will follow up with more then.

Any advice Mike (or anyone else) on what to do with sanding sheets that were soaked but not used? Can I just let them dry and keep to reuse at a later date? Or is there a better solution? Thanks in advance!

[Detailing by M]

Re: Wet-sanding fresh paint - need tips

Actually working the 105 and skipping the 3000 might have been a bad choice because of the heat you cause while polishing. But if it worked, it worked.

yes you can let the paper dry out.
I keep my Unigrit Sanding Blocks in water but not paper.

[jarred767]

Thanks Mario, I'll air dry them. I still need to get me some of blocks.

As for the paint, I haven't done the compounding with 105 and my Rupes, just a test spot. I agree that 3000 will create less heat, but I'll have to follow that up with 105 anyway. I was thinking the little bit of extra heat compared to sanding followed by 105 might be worth it, plus one less step and both he and I are pretty much done with this project.

I just got some 101, would I have better luck with this over 105; I haven't had the chance to try it out, but I've heard great things. Maybe I'd create less heat to get the job fine????

[Detailing by M]

Re: Wet-sanding fresh paint - need tips

Unigrit blocks are the shinz niz!!! Talk about getting the paint flat. I use the 1500/2000 block and it's amazing how important this little block is.
Chip Foose sanded a whole car with these and he won a Ridler Award, so that's the end of that!

I understand the jump but keep in mind that 105 loves heat. and when you find the "sweet" or "hot" spot with 105 it works great. 101 or any compound will generate heat, the difference is negligible. It's the way the compound "likes" the heat.
The "burn danger" is when your trying to find or making the compound work is when you can cause damage.That's what I was referring to but that's me just typing what my brain is thinking.
Everyone sands or burns through some paint. It's inevitable but you'll learn how not to do it, but it will happen again.

Sanding paint is awesome! It makes the paint pop so well.
I wish I could sand ever car I come across.
So this is invaluable knowledge your learning. Glad your learning about what your doing.

[jarred767]

Thanks Mario. You've been a big help. I gotta say, it has been a ton of work, but I can honestly say that I probably learned more about detailing and paint in the last two days than I have in the last two years maybe even since I started this 7 years ago!!! It's been exhausting (physically and mentally), but the experience has been worth it. I probably won't do another full car until I get a little more spot experience under my belt, but aside from there being thin clear and extra orange peel, this was a great customer to have as my first full wet-sand.

Thanks again, and I'll keep everyone posted on how it ends up!

[BillE]

Re: Wet-sanding fresh paint - need tips

I know this has been answered, I also 're-use' wet paper. I just let 'em dry out.

I should add, this is with 3M and Nikken (Maguiar's), don't know how other papers will react.

Bill

[jarred767]

That's good to know as I used both brands. They dried out fine, but definitely much easier store before they've been soaked

For anyone who does sanding as a part of their detailing business, do you just charge by the job or by the hour? Just curious since this is relatively new stuff to me. Thanks!

[Detailing by M]

Re: Wet-sanding fresh paint - need tips

I charge $400 per 8 hrs of work and that's cheep.
If you can get it $800 a day is better.