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I`m currently getting my car repainted. I was down at my friend`s body shop. He wanted to get some 3000 grit 3M sandpaper for wetsanding. The counter guy at the paint store convinced him to try the 3M foam sandpaper on his air powered DA. He got some 3000, 5000 and 8000. This stuff is absolutely amazing for wetsanding. I really don`t like the idea of wetsanding factory paint but if for some reason you need to do so, the foam stuff seems to be the way to do it.
Without a doubt. I use the Mirka abralon foam disks and the 8000 grit 3m. Stuff is a godsend.Quote:
Originally Posted by wannafbody
Glad to hear 3M has upped their game. I`ve always liked the Mirka stuff, but never tried those ultra-fine grits, only up to 4K.
I’m going to be doing a sanding project in the upcoming days with sanding blocks. Unfortunately they aren’t 3M. We will see how well they fare
Bill D- whose did you get, Meg`s? I`ve done OK with their little sanding blocks before.
Nope,the store only had a generic brand. I hope since I’m doing a small area they will be good enough.
I don`t see what the reason is why you dont like wetsanding factory paint.
Wetsanding with paper that is made for it, on a hard rubber block, actually works really great, fast, and the water dripping from a hose (that has the metal end cut off), is continually cleaning the work, so you don`t have to keep rinsing it to see what you have done..
The sand paper will last a lot longer and be more efficient if it is continually rinsed with the water..
The block is necessary to insure you sand "flat" so the finished painted panel is also perfectly "flat"..
This process with a very light guide coat of something like spray can black lacquer, sprayed over the work, will absolutely help you "see" where you have sanded, and where you need to sand perhaps more. The guide coat will also help you see high and low spots, which you want to make "flat"..
Yes, your trained, bare, clean, dry, hand can also with practice, also detect high and low spots, etc., but in production, you have to be efficient, fast, and do perfect work each time..
This is how I prepped a zillion vehicles when I worked as a Painter in a couple of shops before I painted them..
Dan F
Factory clear is thin. I don`t think it`s worth the risk to wetsand it. If you feel you have the skill to do it and are willing to take the risks then fine.
When I had my car repainted, there was a small run on the bumper cover. The painter tried to sand it smooth with a block and ended up going through the clear. That was with 4 coats of clear. He ended up repainting it.
Agreed. It`s not like you still have two-thirds of a mil to work with any more.Quote:
Originally Posted by wannafbody
I`ll always think of wetsanding as being in the "if you have to ask, you`re not qualified to do it" category.Quote:
If you feel you have the skill to do it and are willing to take the risks then fine.
I`m really surprised he didn`t spray additional clear, "how many coats of clear" is one of the discussions I have every time I have paintwork done. Gee, if he went *through* the clear it would`ve been ready to fail even had he stopped sooner, what with the UV protection being in the topmost however-many mils.Quote:
When I had my car repainted, there was a small run on the bumper cover. The painter tried to sand it smooth with a block and ended up going through the clear. That was with 4 coats of clear. He ended up repainting it.
He was ticked at himself for breaking through. I think it was a "i`m going for perfection" and then bam it`s too late. The repaint looked perfect.
wannafbody- I`m really glad it turned out great, that`s the main thing IMO. Having a good painter who really cares is worth the occasional need for him to redo something like that. (My guys have *all* either retired or passed away, I`ve lost every paint/body guy I know who was worthy of trust :( )
This guy is 65 and retired from his day job. His dad had a body shop and he loves paint work. Certainly a dying breed of guys.Quote:
Originally Posted by Accumulator
Back around 2001 I backed my car into my mom`s car in the driveway. It had a small dent. I took it to the dealership that I bought it at. They did an OK job. Well. over the years the paint on the protector strip on the door faded. So one day I decided to pull it off. The piece on that rear quarter was about 4 inches long. I pulled it off and had a ring of visible clear. The guys at the dealership were so lazy that they cleared over the trim piece.
Sigh....literally :( At 65 your guy`s clock might be ticking too...a lot of paint/body guys don`t last all that long.Quote:
Originally Posted by wannafbody
Yikes! Well, at least it stayed on there for quite a while.Quote:
Back around 2001 I backed my car into my mom`s car in the driveway. It had a small dent. I took it to the dealership that I bought it at. They did an OK job...[but]..were so lazy that they cleared over the trim piece.