which is easier to buff out

[newtlicious]

I have a great deal of experiance buffing out sanding scratches but I have never used a DA sander for my sanding. Do y'all out there find it easier to buff out linear scratches from hand sanding or the random scratches from a DA? Thanks.

[Superior Shine]

I can sand MACHINE a panel with 1200 grit to remove imperfections then go over it again with 4000 quicker than one could sand buy hand.

To buff out 4000 grit sanding is SUPER EASY!

[Mike Phillips]

Re: which is easier to buff out

Originally posted by newtlicious
I have a great deal of experience buffing out sanding scratches but I have never used a DA sander for my sanding. Do y'all out there find it easier to buff out linear scratches from hand sanding or the random scratches from a DA? Thanks.

Hi newtlicious,

Welcome to Meguiar's Online!

All things being equal, then typically machine sanding marks will buff out faster and easier. Over the summer Meguiar's held their first NXT Tech Institute Seminar which included both hand sanding and machine sanding, (wet and dry), with the Mirka Abralon System.

TWO THUMBS UP !!--Meguiar's NXT Tech Institute

Here's Mirka Rep. Jesse Castio demonstrating machine sanding...






Here's Jason Rose sharing hand sanding techniques with forum member



For hand wet-sanding, Meguiar's offers our own Unigrit Finishing Papers which offer uniform particle size and placement over the entire sheet of paper.

Unigrit Finishing Papers




What are you working on?

Mike

[newtlicious]

Re: Re: which is easier to buff out

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
Hi newtlicious,

Welcome to Meguiar's Online!

What are you working on?

Mike

Thanks for the warm welcome. I have been an amateur detailer for years and I was so glad to find this site.

I recently wetsanded my 2004 Mazda RX8 with 2500 grit unigrit papers to remove the orange peel in the factory clearcoat. It was terrible. I did the same thing to my previous car, a 2003 Accord coupe. Both endeavors were successful but the clearcoat on the Mazda was a bit thinner and I went through the clearcoat on a hood body-line. I am researching to find the method that is least agressive to avoid such a mishap in the future.

On the Mazda I sanded with 2500 only and compounded with #83 and a green Meguiars pad on a rotary at about 1800 rpm. I finished with something from the "other guys" on a finishing pad.

My next car is going to be a 2005 C6 Corvette and the orange peel is really bad on them as well. Here's what I'm thinking for the 'Vette and please feel free to offer any changes/suggestions.

1 - Hand wet-sand 2500 grit Unigrit until flat surface is achieved

2 - DA sand with 4000 grit to make buffing easier and help remove any tracers before buffing

3 - Rotary buff with #83 on a green Meguiars pad

4 - PC with #80 on a green pad to finish up.

5 - Wax

Again, please feel free to offer any ideas on which products or methods to use, that's why I'm on the forum!


I saw on another thread that GM's tend to have pretty thick paint (4.5-6 mil?) That's easily more than my Mazda but I'd still like to be really careful on a 50K+ car. Any special suggestions for working on the fiberglass and SMC panels of the 'Vette?

[Mike Phillips]

Hi newtlicious,

You are a braver person than I. I wouldn't wet-sand a factory finish myself. The clear layer on a factory finish is often times to thin to provide you with enough margin for error. While it can be done, if you make a mistake, and it's not your car, don't be surprised if the owner wants you to pay for a re-paint. Also, even if you don't go through the clear, you may remove too much material which could lead to premature clear coat failure.

When people refer to paint thickness, as in 4.5 mils, that is usually total paint thickness, not just the clear coat. The average clear coat is 1.5 to 2.0 mill thick, (or thin is a better way to describe it).

You might want to check into trying out our #84 Compound Power Cleaner with our W-7000 or W-7006 foam cutting pad for removing your sanding marks instead of the #83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish.



Mike

p.s.

Also, Meguiar's doesn't offer any of our pad in a green color?

We have a maroon cutting pad, a yellow polishing pad and a tan finishing pad.

[newtlicious]

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
Hi newtlicious,


You might want to check into trying out our #84 Compound Power Cleaner with our W-7000 or W-7006 foam cutting pad for removing your sanding marks instead of the #83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish.

Really, that agressive for 4000 grit scratches? The less agressive DACP removed the more agressive 2500 grit just fine. If I used the #84 could I still finish with a PC and #80?

I must have been hallucinating about the green pad, it is indeed yellow.

If I skipped the 2500 grit hand sanding and went straight to the machine 4000 grit, do you think it would knock the peel down or just float over it? Thanks for the help