A bit disappointed in m105/205

[piercetdg]

So I sanded down my car because I wanted a 100% perfect reflection then bought a porter cable DA polisher, m105, m205, wolfgang sealant and some pads. Then once I was done applying the 3 products, I noticed that some how the orange peel had some how come back from the dead! On further inspection it looks like it`s covered in hexagons. And to make matters worse some water gets sprayed on the back and next thing I know it dries into these water mark circles, which I find out the next day are really hard to wipe off.

So my question is how do I get rid of the hexagons and make it so that it doesn`t get water spots so easily?



The process I took is as fallows:

-washed

-sanded with 2000

-washed

-clayed

-washed

-m105 (slow movement, medium force, speed 5, sprayed with water when it got dry, 4" orange llc pad)

-m205 (faster movement, less force, speed 5, not much time spend using, 5" pad that pc comes with)

-wolfgang deep gloss sealant v3.0 (speed 4, little force, even less time using, let dry for 15 minutes, 7" black pad)



The car is a 2003 black Acura EL (7th gen civic body) by the way.

[Dan]

First newbie mistake is to tackle the whole car without doing a test area. Are the hexagons a result of your sanding process? Can you post pics? Also 105 isn`t exactly what I`d consider forgiving. The fact that you were spring with water indicates you weren`t using it as directed. Have you looked up the KBM method?

[Underdawg736GTC]

From what I`ve learned is that you need a lot more then 2000g paper to properly wetsand, 105 while it`s potent, using a DA would probably require AT LEAST multiple passes. The KBR method is key even if your not wetsanding or using different products then the 105/205 combo.



Also as Yakki said, test spot in a inconspicuous space is another key to getting it right. Once you dialed it in with products that work to your satisfaction, that`s when you go all out on your car and CHECK YOUR WORK OFTEN! How often were you cleaning your pads as that could cause the hexagons (pigtails?).

Auto paint are like humans, there`s no two alike it may be common that your model, year, color may be hard/soft, but it won`t guarantee you that yours will be.

Once you dial in your process with whatever products are working best with your paint, I think you`ll have no problems getting your Acura looking the way you need it too.



The pros here will definitely guide you in the right direction. Pics will help them out a lot too!

[Astro_ng]

Is this the first time you`ve wet sanded a car?



As for the orange peel appearing again, it`s probably because you didn`t sand it enough. As for the the paint seeming more porous now, i`d hit it with 105/205 repeatedly till you have a smooth surface again.

[piercetdg]

Didn`t think a tack would pick anything up once a car has been clayed and clear coat thoroughly scrubbed off. I also thought I was doing the KBM, I read that he sprays a very small spirts of water on the panel once it dries and I personally think it`s a good way to save product as well as time.

[SpoolinNoMore]

Seems like several things could have gone wrong here, the big ones already have been mentioned though. Pad cleaning is a major one. I`d suggest not jumping straight in to wet sanding and 105 as soon as you get your PC. If you could get your hands on some scratched hoods or painted car body panels (or someone`s beater), practice on those first before your own baby.

[piercetdg]

I sanded the car enough, I wish I had 3000 grit paper, the paint changes from hood to not hood but the hexagons don`t change.

I`ll have some pictures of my awesome ride and its big ol` racing motor soon times. My friend took some pictures yesterday so I`ll try and have them up soon the problem is that the camera doesn`t pick up the hexagons and frankly makes the car look a lot better than real life.

[Underdawg736GTC]

How much experience do you have with the PC, also with wetsanding (I don`t want to insult you by calling you a newb when your not)? How often where you cleaning your pad. I`ll be honest, I`m a novice, never done wetsanding, but at this point I`m pretty versed in the DA (no rotary exp). I was told that it`s best to start out with I think 1500g and work your way up to 2000-2500-3000g and so on while keeping the paper wet alot like claying and keeping the spares in a bucket of water so that they`ll be thoroughly soaked for when you need them. (DON`T QUOTE ME!). I was also told that if you still have the factory paint on then it`s highly advised that you don`t wetsand as the CC may be too thin and you`ll sand thru it. I guess that aftermarket paintwork is much thicker then the factory work.



Again it`s been awhile since I read up on it and I`m sure there`s plenty of knowledge here to guide you in the right direction

[gmblack3]

Water should only be used with M105 while using surbuf pads, never with foam.

[piercetdg]

You think that might explain the hexagons? I sorta doubt it to be honest with you, I think I could get the paint darker though.

[Astro_ng]

When you say darker, do you more clear?



These hexagons almost sound like the orange peel isn`t sanded down till smooth and is creating minor hexagon looking shapes from half shaved down orange peel. Do you have a paint gauge even to determine if you should be sanding your paint?



Strip the LSP and take another picture, maybe we could possibly decipher what the true problem is?

[Scottwax]

I don`t think I`d consider wetsanding a car without being proficient with a rotary.



Pictures would really help....

[David Fermani]

I`m assuming you sanded by hand? (2000 grit)

You did the whole sanding scratch correction with a 4 inch pad?

I wouldn`t use water.

Explain the "hexigon" pattern in better detail. Pics help big time!

How did you clean your pads? How many did you use for the job?

[piercetdg]

I used 2 of the 4" orange pads and I finished the car in 3 days, washing at the end of the day in water (combined with some pad cleaning powder stuff I have).

I just went out there to check my stuff and now I don`t think it looks like hexigons, I think it just looks like the regular orange peel, just not as bold. I really don`t think this is an issue of me not sanding enough because this took me a few days to sand and there were areas that I went through the paint. I wish I could take a picture to show you guys but there are some weird traits to it. For example, if I stay still and stare into the paint my reflection is 100% perfect, it`s only when I look at an angle do I see orange peel reflecting in the sun.

This may be a crazy theory but could it be possible that my clear coat changed to perfectly show what was under it, which was unsanded base coat. So there are no highs and lows to the surface of the paint but there`s still highs and lows under the clear.

[imported_Picus]

Just because you went through in some areas doesn`t mean you sanded enough in other areas. It`s very difficult to say without pictures, but I am thinking the issue here isn`t 105 or 205. I may have missed it but what kind of paper did you sand with, and is it possible you`re seeing tracers? Sanding tracers are often hard to see when looking directly at them, they tend to appear a lot more obvious at an angle. Just a thought.