Compounding new clearcoat

[Nik Patel]

Hi all. I will be repainting my hood later this summer and was wondering what I should use to compound the clearcoat once I am done. I have DACP, PI-III Machine Glaze, and Diamond Cut. Are these too aggressive? Oh yeah, I will be using a PC 7424.



Thanks,



Damon

[paco]

Why would you compound a new clear???

[imported_StyleTEG]

Are you possibly thinking of trying to level out the orange peel?

[imported_Intermezzo]

Come on fellas, let`s not try and give suggestions without really knowing what you`re talking about. Compounding/polishing after the paint dries is a part of any painting process (OEM and repaint). Why do you think 3M & other major abrasives manufacturers make their compounds and polishes "Body-shop safe"??? Without compounding, the surface would look dull and gritty.

[shaf]

Is this because you`re going to be wetsanding the clearcoat or something? :confused: Don`t compound it unless there`s some reason...

[imported_Intermezzo]

Originally posted by Spilchy

I think we`re all expressing the sentiment that 4DSC stated. We`re simply stating don`t do it unless you need to.



OMG....I seriously cannot believe what I am reading....



Even a perfectly applied automotive paint job needs polishing. In fact, I would consider it not a separate step but a part of automotive repainting. This is a very important step -- it is your final job.



Have you ever seen a freshly painted & dried panel that hasn`t been compounded and polished? I certainly have....and it`s the wetsand (if there are errors), compounding and polishing steps that bring out the shine.



I`m not sure how much simpler I can state it... :nixweiss

[imported_Intermezzo]

Don`t worry too much about what product line to use. Just be sure it`s body-shop safe.



Finesse-It II, Meguiar`s Fine Cut...they`ll all work fine. Use a rotary at a speed of 1000-1200. If you need to wetsand, use between 1500 - 2000 grit (soaked in water for 20 mins) and a sanding block. Stay away from edges and high crown lines b/c you won`t be able to polish those areas. FI-II and FCC with a lambswool pad at 1200 RPM will both make quick work of the sanding marks. Follow that up with Meg #9 or 3M SMR with the polishing pad and finish with Meguiar`s #7 or 3M IHG and you`re done.



That`s all I can think of for now.....I`m sure i`ve left a few things out. Might wanna research it before starting....talk to body-shop pros...etc..

[shaf]

Okay, I admit I don`t know that much about painting! :o So you mean the last layer of clearcoat doesn`t come out naturally shiny? See, I was under the impression that you sprayed on the last coat of paint, baked it, and then just called it a day.... :nixweiss



Does this mean the factory has people or machines that do such a good job of polishing that factory-fresh paint is swirl free? This is kind of why I thought the above... :o

[paco]

Unless I am completely out to lunch, modern 2-stage paints (non OEM) do not require any compounding steps unless they are poorly applied.

[Nick T.]

Originally posted by Intermezzo

Even a perfectly applied automotive paint job needs polishing. In fact, I would consider it not a separate step but a part of automotive repainting. This is a very important step -- it is your final job.Even with my limited experience (I bought my first car in 1951) I’ve got to agree 110% with Intermezzo!

[imported_Smoker]

Ive painted a few panels in my time and Intermezzo is spot on.





Compounding out the panel after de-nibbing with something like 1200 wetsand paper is part of the refinishing routine.



Theres no way on this planet you can spray pefectly flat, shiny paint.

It usually looks kinda `orange peely` with little tiny bits of stuff embedded in it from stuff floating round where your spraying.



Even the guys at Aston Martin and Rolls Royce compound after spraying.



Like the prep, the shine quality comes from using top-notch materials and years of experience.



Thats why expensive cars paint looks flawless and yer neighbours Geo looks like crap ;)



As for which compound to use ?

Depends what paint you use.



If the paints thin (like an enamel)... take it gentle with something like DACP or even a 3M line product....



If the paint laid on good and thick I used to use G3 from Farecla alot.



I guess thats around Megs Diamond Cut abrasiveness but I`m not sure.

A good body shop supply store will help you out.











p.s. Aston Martin get the flawless finish by compounding by hand ...... but unless yer Mr Universe I wouldnt reccommend it :P

[2wheelsx2]

Based on all these posts then, what you are suggesting is that BMW and Mercedes do not compound their paint, while Aston Martin and Roll Royce do? I can see how they can afford to, with $100,000 cars. I would expect them to be like a custom paint job. But I suspect 99% of the cars which are repainted are not compounded.



And yes, there is orange peel to some degree, but 99.9% of the cars on the road have orange peel.



Based on the several posts about all paint jobs needing compounding, do the posters have cars with perfect paint with no orange peel? THAT, I would like to see. Please post pics. Based on your results, I would immediately compound my car.



I also have another question. What if the orange peel is in the base coat. How do you compound that out, after the clear is sprayed. I have seen many custom paint jobs, and as far as I know, those jobs had each coat wetsanded. But those were custom jobs, and the paint job cost more than my car.

[imported_Intermezzo]

LOL, I give up man....I seriously give up! Don`t know how many times the same information can be repeated.... LoL



::::putting on my straightjacket:::::



Gives new meaning to the oft-used phrase here.."Autopian Standard"....

[Nick T.]

2wheelsx2, I would assume that all cars coming out of the factory paint booth have defects including orange-peel. I would also assume that some work is done at all factories to remedy these defects. On a $150,000 car they can afford to spend a lot more time than on a $10,000 car. My new 2002 Bimmer certainly had its share of orange-peel! The top notch paint shop that replaced my bumper, hood, front quarter panel, and rocker panel gave me a flatter surface than the BMW factory. (Damned suicidal deer!)



As a matter of interest, my GMC Suburban (made in Canada) came with better paint finishing that my BMW (made in the USA).

[2wheelsx2]

Thanks, Nick. That`s the kind of answer I was looking for. I sincerely did not know that each and every car was compounded OEM. They never show any of that process in any documentaries or anything I have seen. They always show the spray booth, and then the end result.



So, it`s the level of perfection they achieve that is different, and not whether they do it or not. Thanks.:bow