I don't know if one can ever be an "expert" when it comes to this stuff, but here are some of my thoughts....I paint, and detail....
Hey guys.. i have a few questions for those of you who have ample experience with clearrcoat depth etc..
First, i was curious as to how many mils thick an OEM finish is? (I know it varies, but approximate) From a toyota to a Lamborghini..
If we are referring to mils, my in-laws' Mazda minivan is in the mid 3's from the factory. *Most* GM products I work on are @5. Single stage cars are typically thicker....the las factory single stage paint I worked on was 8+.
Also, how many mils is ONE coat of aftermarket clearcoat?
Aftermarket clear is a crapshoot. As those have noted previously, it depends on the painter. So much is determined by arm speed, proximity of the gun to the panel, etc... Additionally, the speed of the hardener mixed into the clear can play a role, as well as the fact that some painters mix a little reducer into the final clear coat, to try to reduce orange peel.
Next, what is the minimum depth a clearcoat finish can be sanded without risking delamination?
Again, too hard to put a number on. If you were to push the envelope on wetsanding, you couldend up with clear that fails in a climate such as Florida, where it is hot and sunny most of the time, but would never fail in a place like Pittsburgh, where it is tends to be cloudy more often than sunny.
And finally, how much clear is removed if you were to sand a panel down with 2k grit and then polished?
This kind of goes back to my point about it varying when it comes to painters. It also varies with the wetsander....how much pressure you use, the type of lubricant you use when wetsanding, arm speed, etc... It's best to take a reading, sand a little, take another reading, and so forth.
