Newbie: Wet sanding, rubbing & deatiling

[Father'swax]

Hello sirs!

I'm a newbie to car detailing. I would just like to know the procedures on how to do it after wet sanding. How do you pro guys do the 3 steps and what other products do you use aside from Meguiar's?

Clear replies would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Murr1525]

Re: Newbie: Wet sanding, rubbing & deatiling

One question first,

If you are a newbie to everything, why are you jumping into wet sanding? What are you working on?

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Newbie: Wet sanding, rubbing & deatiling

One question first,

If you are a newbie to everything, why are you jumping into wet sanding? What are you working on?

Hmmmm, here's a scary thought. He's from Sant Agata, Italy, home of Lamborghini. I wonder if he's going to wetsand a Murcielago LP640 or just one of those cheap little Gallardos?

Just kidding!!!!


Seriously though, you will need to use a rotary buffer and something like M83 or M80, depending on the severity of sanding marks, in order to remove the marks left from wet sanding. This is pretty highly skilled work, and not for the timid, even on a Fiat Punta!

[Chex]

Re: Newbie: Wet sanding, rubbing & deatiling

this is gonna be a huge post but still, let's do it:

In this case, if you wet sand, you make a 4 step process. if you don't wet sand, then it's simplified to a 3 step process UNLESS you add the G100 polishing process to remove the last of buffer swirls.

I'll leave aside the wet sanding process since you do need lots of skill and confidence to do it, as murr said.

I do my compounding process with a rotary buffer and meguiar's compound power cleaner. I love that compound!! Still I'll try later 3M's Perfect it 3000 rubbing compounds and see the differences. even though I think that Meguiar's will still be my favorite compound because od the abrasives technology they use.

If I have to compound a single stage paint, I use either my rotary or do it by hand with automagic's powr cut plus compound.

For polishing compound or bufer swirls, I use a rotary buffer and Evercoat/body magic machine glaze since I haven't purchased M83 Dual action cleaner/polish. It works pretty good.

for light polishing I use a rotary buffer and M82 Swirl free polish. If i'm doing the job by hand, I use automagic BC1, or 3M Hand glaze.

For waxing, I've got pretty much options. I can use the consumer line cleaner wax from meguiar's, or Automagic's banana magic wax, or XP swirl remover wax from automagic, or my newest acquisition: XP Seal it from automagic. I love all of those waxes.

My newest wax is the perfect it showcar paste wax from 3M, I had used it before, but I gave a car deatiling conference and demonstration and they sponsored me with some material so I'll use it

there are some "rules" for all this detailing stuff:

first one: as mike's original quote said: find a product that you like and use it often.

2nd one: it's ok if you like some companys' products more than others, but still, be open to new alternatives and products.

3rd one: It's cool that you are interested in learning the pro techniques, but it takes time, patience and lots of effort to master them. so start with the basics and keep moving on. I'd suggest you not to move to any of the tough stuff now like compoundung or using a rotary buffer.

hope this info helps you.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Newbie: Wet sanding, rubbing & deatiling

Posted this earlier to a similar question, but much of the information in the two links should help...


Here's two threads that will help you, the first link shows a recipe for buffing out a neglected finish for show car results but you could follow the process after wet-sanding with the possible option of using a wool pad with M85 for your initial cut instead of the W-7000/W-7006 foam cutting pad with the M84

Switching from 3M to Meguiar's - Rotary Buffer Questions?


Here's a thread on a comparison of the rotary buffer versus the PC with some great comments...

Can a Rotary Buffer like a Makita or DeWalt be as Idiot-proof as a PC?

[Father'swax]

Re: Newbie: Wet sanding, rubbing & deatiling

Thank you very much for the replies sirs.

I wet sanded a panel of my car which isn't a Lamborghini (how I wish I had one). Anyway, after sanding it, I used the 3M Perfect It ll rubbing compound and buffed it with Makita 9227CY with yellow LAKE COUNTRY cutting pad. I was able to shine it on the first step but it showed some lined scratches that I didn't see before sanding it. Why is that? I set the speed of the buffing machine to 3.

Am I doing it right? How do I take the scratches out? Do I Have to sand it again or is there any other way of rubbing it after sanding?

Again, hoping for some answers. Thank you!

[Father'swax]

Re: Newbie: Wet sanding, rubbing & deatiling

By the way, there are Lamborghini and Ferrari clubs here that uses other products aside from Meguiar's. Most Lambo owners are swithcing to Adam's polish, which I think is a new product. While some uses Mother's wax. Most Ferrari owners are using Meguiar's and Mother's. Anyway, I noticed that Adam's have better results compared to Mother's and I think it is at par with Meguiar's. But the problem is, most guys from the clubs are rubbish and won't tell how they do it. Are you guys using any of these other products (Adam's & Mother's)?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Newbie: Wet sanding, rubbing & deatiling

I was able to shine it on the first step but it showed some lined scratches that I didn't see before sanding it. Why is that?

Are the scratches left behind in the same direction you were sanding? If so then these are called Tracers and their deeper scratches that didn't buff out because they're deeper.

The cure is to re-sand with a higher quality paper and/or a finer grade or re-buff till they're gone, the problem is you could run out of film build.

Wet sanding is not an easy process, it's not as simple as some people make it out to be. Removing each and every sanding mark requires skill, the right products, hard work, patience and experience.

[Chex]

Re: Newbie: Wet sanding, rubbing & deatiling

Mike's right. check for that one.

by the way, if you're using 3M perfect it II rubbing compound, it is recommended to be used with a wool pad. I know this breaks the "the the least aggressive product" rule, but that's what they set as a system.
regarding the speed, put it between 3 and 4. that makes it 1800RPM's approximately which is also another recommendation from them.

if you need more cutting power, try perfect it III extra cut rubbing compound, or even better, Meguiar's M84 compound power cleaner.

P.S. perfect it II rubbing compound is able to remove 2000 grit scratches with ease, up to 1200 grit but with more difficulty.

[Father'swax]

Re: Newbie: Wet sanding, rubbing & deatiling

Thank you again Chex & Mike Philips.

I'll try your advice and do it right this time. I'll be asking more questions soon. I hope you guys would still be around to answer.

Thanks!