Wetsanding 2004 Lexus, RX330, horrible orange peel

[LEDetailng]

I couldn`t stand looking at the horrible orange peel paint texture on the rear driver`s door of my RX330. I bought this car with pre existing paint work and it was not done to a very high standard. You can see from the before photos how bad the orange peel was.

My process was to wetsand with Mirka`s Abralon 3 inch foam back disks. I started with 1000 grit and worked up to 4000 grit. I used a nanoskin 3in backing pad by hand. Mike Phillips warned the Abralon discs with foam backing don`t level the paint`s surface very well. He is right, I had to resand using 2000 grit 3m wet/sand paper and foam sanding block.

Here are the before photos:

[LEDetailng]

After wetsanding with Abralon discs.

After compounding with Menz FG400 and polishing with Menz 3800
I improved the orange peel, however this panel is far from even coming close to my satisfaction.

[LEDetailng]

I think I`m going to go with matte paint look. I will wetsand the entire car and leave it dull and sanded this way I won`t have to worry about my wash technique.

[Migue]

Haha I thought about that when I was contemplating getting one of my cars re painted, just doing the whole thing flat to not worry about wash technique and shine. But then I wouldn`t be able to use it as some form of advertising so I`m now a slave to another shiny finish.

[Stokdgs]

LEDetailing -

Sorry for the crappy Painter that laid the paint on so dry, and then seeing this, didn`t take the time to Block Sand this down with a Guidecoat..

The Block has to be perfectly flat, you have to sand perfectly flat, with even pressure on each stroke, and eventually the Guidecoat which is just Flat Black Lacquer lightly and evenly misted all over that panel, will go away, and those little dots at the bottom of those high points will go away when the high points that you can see easier now, are sanded down..

Hopefully, the body work WAS sanded flat with a Guidecoat, so you dont have to deal with yet another fiasco..

(Ever wonder why Home Builders spray a Texture on all walls ? To hide all the non flat areas from the mud and sand phase... You can`t spot the high and low spots very easy after its all textured up and painted...)

Then the panel will be straight and will polish up beautifully...

I assume you have a Material Thickness Meter, to get an idea of what you have on there and from that point, you can measure in microns, how much is coming off and hopefully not too much to get it all flat again..

I used to do this with Wet or Dry 3M 600 Grit paper on an absolutely flat rubber block and just watched the GuideCoat go away and know that it was going to be really close to perfectly flat or perfectly flat, depending on how much time I had, and how good I paid attention to this..

You can then run up the paper to finer grits and that will make the buffing out much easier and faster..

I would do this with a hose with the nozzle cut off so I can turn it down really low and have it in 1 hand, flat against the top of the panel surface, water running down in a film, wetting the sanding as I do it to help rinse out the material faster and keep from rubbing it back into the paint again over and over...

If you want to try this and not ruin a good hose, they sell these 12 foot extensions for a few bucks at H/D that you can use and cut off that nozzle, so it wont scratch up the panel when you hold it against it...
The paper lasts longer when you do it wet and rinse continually, and it will turn out great..

Good Luck !
Dan F

[Ronkh]

Nice work.... More guts than I`ve got.

[512detail]

wow- great job

can you come do the quarter on my SRT now?

I`m afraid to wetsand

[LEDetailng]

wow- great job

can you come do the quarter on my SRT now?

I`m afraid to wetsand

Just try a tiny spot and "feather sand" (Mike Phillips terminology) with a postage stamp size piece of 2000-2500 grit. Mike has this great thread on AGO.

Link:

RIDS and Feathersanding - A Highly Specialized Technique by Mike Phillips

Send me a PM and I will send you a couple sheets of Meguiar`s unigrit 2000 and 3000 grit paper.

[LEDetailng]

LEDetailing -

Sorry for the crappy Painter that laid the paint on so dry, and then seeing this, didn`t take the time to Block Sand this down with a Guidecoat..

The Block has to be perfectly flat, you have to sand perfectly flat, with even pressure on each stroke, and eventually the Guidecoat which is just Flat Black Lacquer lightly and evenly misted all over that panel, will go away, and those little dots at the bottom of those high points will go away when the high points that you can see easier now, are sanded down..

Hopefully, the body work WAS sanded flat with a Guidecoat, so you dont have to deal with yet another fiasco..

(Ever wonder why Home Builders spray a Texture on all walls ? To hide all the non flat areas from the mud and sand phase... You can`t spot the high and low spots very easy after its all textured up and painted...)

Then the panel will be straight and will polish up beautifully...

I assume you have a Material Thickness Meter, to get an idea of what you have on there and from that point, you can measure in microns, how much is coming off and hopefully not too much to get it all flat again..

I used to do this with Wet or Dry 3M 600 Grit paper on an absolutely flat rubber block and just watched the GuideCoat go away and know that it was going to be really close to perfectly flat or perfectly flat, depending on how much time I had, and how good I paid attention to this..

You can then run up the paper to finer grits and that will make the buffing out much easier and faster..

I would do this with a hose with the nozzle cut off so I can turn it down really low and have it in 1 hand, flat against the top of the panel surface, water running down in a film, wetting the sanding as I do it to help rinse out the material faster and keep from rubbing it back into the paint again over and over...

If you want to try this and not ruin a good hose, they sell these 12 foot extensions for a few bucks at H/D that you can use and cut off that nozzle, so it wont scratch up the panel when you hold it against it...
The paper lasts longer when you do it wet and rinse continually, and it will turn out great..

Good Luck !
Dan F

Dan,

You obviously have some knowledge and experience around a paint booth. Thank you for your advice. I need to finish this panel out better. I just bought some 2000 & 3000 grit Meguiar`s unigrit from AG. I will post some follow-up in the future.

thanks again
Bob

[Stokdgs]

Bob,
Yes, I painted for a few years in the late 70-80`s here in the Sacramento area..
Loved it, but moved on to another love - Telecomm - and it was way better healthwise and $$$wise...
Always Detailed on the side and later on in life started Detailing full time...
Of all the hard jobs I have had in life including the Military, by far the hardest job ever - physically - is Detailing - when you are doing it for a living, and you work alone..

Good luck with your project - you can do it, just take it slow, an area at a time, and it will be good..
Dan F

[Migue]

wow- great job

can you come do the quarter on my SRT now?

I`m afraid to wetsand

Bring it down to Houston with a case of beer and I`ll help you tackle it. I prepped my entire car for repaint and went to school for body work plus painted on the side back in high school.

[512detail]

Bring it down to Houston with a case of beer and I`ll help you tackle it. I prepped my entire car for repaint and went to school for body work plus painted on the side back in high school.

That sir is a hell of an offer.

Honestly im not 100% its orange peel. You can barely see it. I need to take it to a pro somewhere close in Austin and get their thoughts..i cant capture it on my phone