I recently bit the bullet...

[re-tired]

I think you made the right call on the wet sanding
I think it has a little in common with the belief that tons of folks have about rotarys

[Accumulator]

GonzoBernelli- Ah, OK.. hope the CQUARTZ works out OK.

re-tired- Funny you should mention the rotaries as that`s the kind of thing that ruined the paint on my `93 (long before I got it). With only a few mils to work with, that`s not much for decades` worth of correction.

[re-tired]

Accumulator
I understand
There are people who should have guns and people who should not ( this statement EXCLUDES mentally sick folks who automatically shouldnt have them )
There are people who should have rotarys and people who shouldn`t
If you dont know how to use a gun--- AND use it safely & correctly ,bad things are likely to happen when you use it
If you dont know how to use a rotary--AND use it safely & correctly ,bad things are likely to happen when you use it
But if you know how to use a rotary- you probably will not use a dual action very often.

[Accumulator]

re-tired- As somebody who has, along with his spouse, had extensive firearms training (not talking a few weekends), I appreciate the analogy. Although I do differ in that IMO anybody who`s not a threat to (innocent) others can have a gun, it`s what they *do* with it, and *how* that I might take issue with. Namely, just don`t point it at me or mine and I won`t care.

Sorry for *another* rant I`m pretty opinionated about the right of Firearm Ownership. Guns can be useful tools even in the hands of people who aren`t really competent in their use (IMO that`s about 98% of gun owners, LEOs included).

More on-topic, hey..I`m no rotary-meister and I don`t like using them and I doubt I`ll ever touch either of mine again..but I`ve spend many hours running them on a lot of different cars and I`ve *NEVER* done damage with one. Not once. Ever. So I feel justified being zero-tolerance about it.

On the `93 Audi, there was obviously zero effective effort put in to determining how much clear could be removed...just kept correcting and correcting until it was too thin (especially on the usual areas). On the Jag, he should`ve listened to the guy (i.e., me) who specifically described the concerns and how to deal with `em. Anybody who does anything for a living oughta be seriously competent at it, and that would cover not doing damage.

[re-tired]

Accumulator
I`m with you on all the gun stuff, I am all for the 2 A- lifetime NRA guy here
As far as the rotarys-- what ones do you have ? Since your not going to use them again, I will put them to good use- make me a sweet deal!!!!!!

[GonzoBernelli]

I never said I used a "rotary", only a "powered polisher", so where did the rotary reference originate? 2000 and 2500 grit sanding by hand and 5000 grit by powered polisher (Rupes Duetto for the curious among you) and all further polishing after the sanding with foam pads and powered polisher (Rupes Duetto or 21). I have used a rotary in the past, but 99% it has been to burnish paint using super fine polish and "barely there" finish pads. I have never produced "color" on the pads when using a rotary.

[wannafbody]

I know a guy who`s pretty proficient with a rotary and even he has burnt through fresh paint. It`s easy to do on edges. Granted the time he did that it was single stage paint but it still can happen.

Wetsanding was a fad here a few years back and most of those guys never considered just how thin factory clear is.

[Accumulator]

I never said I used a "rotary", only a "powered polisher", so where did the rotary reference originate?

Sorry, I contributed to it going off in that direction

And I agree with you that there`s no reason why a rotary would be needed to remove sanding marks; I`ve done it by hand dozens of times let alone with a RO/DA.

Wetsanding was a fad here a few years back and most of those guys never considered just how thin factory clear is.

I sometimes wonder how the paint on 4u2nvinmtl`s clear is doing these days. I sure hope it`s OK, and I know from experience that it`s possible to baby compromised paint and have it be OK for ages, but I do still wonder.

Guess my big concern is future correction. I gather that most people correct their vehicles every few years and that alone can sure take its toll when there are only scant microns to spare in the first place.

[Bill D]

Guess my big concern is future correction. I gather that most people correct their vehicles every few years and that alone can sure take its toll when there are only scant microns to spare in the first place.

This is why I take extreme washing so seriously. Especially when it comes to my Honda’s thin clear. Haven’t had to polish it yet and I plan to continue washing in a way that never mars the paint

[E-Jag]

While the combined forces of the Russian and Israeli military couldn`t get me to apply sandpaper to car paint, I applaud Gonzo`s efforts and hope it works out as expected (by him).

[wannafbody]

Just to put this in perspective, I`ve looked at the thickness of the factory clear on my TA hood. To my eye, it looks to be about the thickness of a finger nail, maybe less. Granted I`ve taken a bit off over the years by sanding and polishing.

Based on some further research, a reply by Meguairs on their forum has suggested that factory clear is about 1.5 to 2 mils thick. So on the thick side, that`s 0.002 inches thick. Another comparison is a piece of copy paper which is approximately 3.5 mils thick.

[Accumulator]

Just to put this in perspective, I`ve looked at the thickness of the factory clear on my TA hood. To my eye, it looks to be about the thickness of a finger nail, maybe less. Granted I`ve taken a bit off over the years by sanding and polishing...

I`ve tried to figure cc thickness by examining to-the-metal chips under magnification, but it was beyond me...I just don`t see microns, or even mils, the way some people can (some old machinists are freaky-good at it).

Sorta wish I knew how much clear is on Audis just for the sake of knowing, but FWIW my wife doesn`t want me to correct the etching on her A8 lest it overthin the clear.

Based on some further research, a reply by Meguairs on their forum has suggested that factory clear is about 1.5 to 2 mils thick..

He was talking specifically about the paint on *your* TA`s hood, right? That`s a lot more clear than on a lot of vehicles...

[wannafbody]

No, the Meguairs comment was a general reply to another board member there, not one specific to my TA hood. There is probably some variation between manufacturers.

[Stokdgs]

Just to put this in perspective, I`ve looked at the thickness of the factory clear on my TA hood. To my eye, it looks to be about the thickness of a finger nail, maybe less. Granted I`ve taken a bit off over the years by sanding and polishing.

Based on some further research, a reply by Meguairs on their forum has suggested that factory clear is about 1.5 to 2 mils thick. So on the thick side, that`s 0.002 inches thick. Another comparison is a piece of copy paper which is approximately 3.5 mils thick.

25.4 Microns = 1 Mil
1.5 mils = 38.1 Microns
2.0 mils = 50.8 Microns
3.5 mils = 88.9 Microns

This is why I Always measure total thickness of paintwork in Microns..
Even knowing the total thickness of the paint, primer, sealer, etc., clear coat, in Microns, I still don`t know how much clear coat is on the top..

I just have to assume the higher the total thickness number is, averaged, over all the paintwork, there hopefully is more clearcoat to work with..

I have to know if I am even removing 1/2 of 1 micron of the Clearcoat..
I don`t ever want to hurt anyone`s paintwork..
Dan F

[Stokdgs]

I know a guy who`s pretty proficient with a rotary and even he has burnt through fresh paint. It`s easy to do on edges. Granted the time he did that it was single stage paint but it still can happen.

Wetsanding was a fad here a few years back and most of those guys never considered just how thin factory clear is.

."" It`s easy to do on edges""

This is the reason the - edge - of any pad especially, and the rest of the pad never hits an edge, period...
There will never be a reason to touch an edge with any machine in the first place.. I correct, etc., close to them, but never, ever, hit that edge with the machine..
How many edges have you ever seen that were needing correction..
Of all the places on auto paintwork that have the - Least - amount of primer, sealer, paint, clear, it will always be - All - the edges..
Perhaps your guy just had a moment.. Sorry it had to happen..
Dan F