Wetsanding and Polishing after Painting

StumpyDetailing · 04-13-09, 01:14

Hey guys,

Just wondering, what is this stage after painting techically called?

I have a friend that restores and modifies older cars, mostly 50's, currently working on a '55 Buick Custom? and he's doing a complete rotissarie resto... Got everything painted but he has never found someone that can finish off a paint job perfectly...

Luckily I had told him months ago that I'm a proficient wetsand and polisher, so he gave me a ring and now I got the job... But I'm still wondering how I can turn this into my specialty considering the $$$ involved with a custom paintjob on a hotrod can easily reach $20k... And the wetsanding and polishing is what really makes a great paintjob stand out from the rest.

Here are a few pics I took with my camera phone (really bad quality, and I think I just finished compounding and not polishing at this point):

I have 5 hours into the hood alone which is done, trunklid is done, and I've sanded one of the doors so far... Lots left to go!!

What do you guys think a good $$$ amount is for a job like this? Overall I think I will have ~30 hours into wetsanding and polishing.

Thanks for any info or tips! I may be good but I'm always learning!

bufferbarry · 04-13-09, 05:26

not to sound like an *** here, but if your at that level of detailing where someone is gonna trust you finishing a $20 grand restoration, then you should know exactly what is called and know exactly what to charge! and one more thing you did this work but yet when you took the photos you didn't know if you were compounding or polishing at this point?

StumpyDetailing · 04-13-09, 08:25

Sorry if I come across as new, this is the first time I have posted on Autopia in more than 2 years, so I don't remember any of our regulars, and nobody around here will recognize me... Thus the "new here" tone to my post.

Also I was at work at the time (I don't detail fulltime) so I had a limited amount of time!

Now, I have been detailing for 9 years now, earning money, and I am well practiced at the physical portion of detailing, the buffing, sanding, cleaning, masking, as well as the finer points like knowing what to look for when starting, problem areas, and diligence to do things the RIGHT way the first time, with absolutely no cutting of corners.

This leads me into the thought of "I want to work on a car that I can truly take pride and do the best damn job I am capable of".

Which will be solved by myself working on freshly painted hotrods, restorations, or even just really nice cars that need a full color sanding of the clear coat. Removal of all orange peel. Who deoesn't want that?

Thing is I'm capable of doing it through practice, but I've never done it as a "professional", due to me being 24 I come across as "The kid that actually knows what he's doing"... Which I hope to turn into a professional soon!

Thats why I'm here... Turning from the kid with skill into an actual professional colorsander. I guess thats the word I'm looking for... the stage after paint would be colorsanding and compounding...

I absolutely have the time of my life when I'm wetsanding beautiful paint and then compounding it to an absolute brilliant mirror like shine, that is a joy that not everyone gets. And the fact that I get paid $40/h to do it is just icing on the cake!!!

Now, what is my next step?

Schooling ?

Taking what? I'm wondering if I should become a painter as well, or should I concentrate on the after-paint process, ? There are lots of painters out there... and painting well is not hard...

As you can see I'm ready for a career change, but its hard to give up $20/h salary...

StumpyDetailing · 04-13-09, 08:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by bufferbarry

not to sound like an *** here, but if your at that level of detailing where someone is gonna trust you finishing a $20 grand restoration, then you should know exactly what is called and know exactly what to charge! and one more thing you did this work but yet when you took the photos you didn't know if you were compounding or polishing at this point?

Heh, also, I was serious when I said $20k paintjob, its more of a $50-$130k restoration... Very very nice cars.

Barrett Jackson quality for sure.

I really don't remember when I took the pictures, it was a 20 second idea to use my camera on my cellphone because I always bring my 7.1mp camera with me but forgot it this time like a *******!

Had to be out of the house at 6:30am to make it there for 8:00am... 1.5 hour drive each way

Thats why I feel the $40 an hour is a bit on the low side...

Denzil · 04-13-09, 09:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by bufferbarry

not to sound like an *** here, but if your at that level of detailing where someone is gonna trust you finishing a $20 grand restoration, then you should know exactly what is called and know exactly what to charge! and one more thing you did this work but yet when you took the photos you didn't know if you were compounding or polishing at this point?

Maybe you shouldn't be posting at all if you aren't going to be constructive.

Flashtime · 05-13-09, 12:59

Nice project! Well, you should charge by the hour.

Here's one i painted/polished a while ago (39 Pontiac):

The wetsanding/polishing took over 40 hours. 4 coats of a high solids polyurethane
clear, sanded 1000 - 1500 - 2000. This is clear is "soft" by any standard...

Flashtime · 05-13-09, 01:43

bufferbarry has a very good point.

One burn through and that can mean thousands of dollars (from your pocket).

Whether it's 20k job or 50k/100k, it's impossible to tell from those pics.

Flashtime · 05-13-09, 03:21

Quote:

Taking what? I'm wondering if I should become a painter as well, or should I concentrate on the after-paint process, ? There are lots of painters out there... and painting well is not hard...

Lol! Are you sure about that?

The actual painting - pulling the trigger of your Sata/Iwata - is easy.
Just pour the paint into the cup and blast away! And Bam! dead flat
gun finish in just 1 pass! No sanding. No buffing. Just pull the trigger!
The 100's hours of "preping" and the thousands of dollars in materials
dont matter! Clear coat what? Temperature what? 80 grit sand scratches
no problemo! Sealer what? Just point and shoot. Easy.

Well, actually it isn't brain surgery. If you take the time (lots) to research
and practice, you can produce a killer paint job.

Here's what a dedicated "newbie" can do:
View topic - The Paint is on!

And you really want to be a painter, get training.

tett · 05-14-09, 11:38

Flashtime,

really enjoy your work. I check out your stuff on Autobody101... I go back and forth between wanting to paint and not wanting to deal with the hassle of finding a booth somewhere...

That Pontiac is pretty... no substitute for a glass out, trim off all over job.

Finaltheorem47 · 05-14-09, 11:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by tett

Flashtime,

really enjoy your work. I check out your stuff on Autobody101....

+100

Yeh, message too short.

Auto Concierge · 05-17-09, 06:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denzil

Maybe you shouldn't be posting at all if you aren't going to be constructive.

Being constructive was not Barry's point...... the point was and is that this guy is not up to speed as far as the business of what he is doing. If he does go thru the clear can he pay for that mistake??? also nine years of experience starting @ sixteen years old ??? I have met only ONE person in my career that is that age with the goods and that is Dave from Steetdreams(dsms).

Asking for advice is not wrong, that is what this site is for but wetsanding whole cars to a show level is not something "you just do" as in in "kids do not try this at home" almost all body shops get this wrong(I have fixed countless cars one recently).

I think Barry was driving home the point that if you do not know the steps involved or what to charge for the work, you should research this info BEFORE you start the work.

bufferbarry · 05-17-09, 12:56

i was in no means trying to belittle this guy. what i was trying say really was that on a $20,000 paint job one mistake is costly. Depending on the color it would have to be resprayed by the same person. now my next point is that, when wet sanding your litterly shaving down paint. now if it clear coat your messing with danger. now if its single stage your walking on fire. truely people seeing some of pro's wetsanding to acheive a flawless finish or to repair a scratch and so and so. ill be the first to admit i have gone threw clear and made that mistake already. i live and learn from my mistakes. i have also sanded cars down flat and passed with no ooops, but im telling you this 20,000 grand paint job is no laughing matter. every move had to made precisly. you can't push to hard to risk tracers or burn threws. its just something that isn't for the inexsperianced. i don't this the origanal posters exsperiance, but he was simply asking what to charge and what the process is called! now what im getting at is if has to ask that? is he capable of performing the job? by no means am i trying to come off harsh im just trying to help someone prevent a big mistake if not fully qualified. sorry if i came of wrong