Chemical Guys & Sanding

MDPotter

MDPotter

Promoted Users
I've been searching around and haven't found a thread that addresses my particular situation:

I just bought the CG V32, 34, 36, 38 kit along with the orange, white, and black hexalogic pads. I have a 6" RO sander as well.

From what I've read, for the best finish, I should sand with 1000/1200/1500/2000/2500/3000 (all wet).

Here are my questions:

1) Where can I buy this sandpaper? I would like it to all be the same manuf and purchased from the same source, but if not that's okay too. I also don't want to buy a huge quantity as I don't sand and polish hardly ever.
2) Which of these grits should be done by hand and which with an interface pad on an RO?
3) After finishing with 3000, should I use the orange pad with 32 or 34?
4) After the orange pad with 32 or 34, go to 36 with white pad?
5) Final step 38 with black pad?
 
HI MDPotter,

Speaking to the sandpaper, I just bought a round of what you mentioned (except the 2500) in Sunmight paper (sheets for the 1000-grit and 6" Velcro pads for everything else) from R&E Paint Supply. It was 50 sheets / pads of everything except the 3000, which was only 10 pads, but they are foam backed. Great customer service (almost as good as SPI) and the shipping was free for over a $100 order. I think I got it about 3 days after I ordered it. Sunmight was recommended on here and it's much cheaper than the 3M stuff, so that's what I went with.

I personally did 1000 by hand, then 1200, 1500, 2000, 3000 with the RO sander. Sunmight doesn't make (or at least R&E didn't carry) 2500. I asked and they said I'd be fine going from 2000 to 3000, which appears to be true.

I am not happy with the final product of my cut and buff (my fault, not the sandpaper), but after the 3000 I used the orange pad with the 32 and 34 (I bought two orange pads, using one for each level so that I didn't worry about "cross-contamination" or waiting for the pad to dry after washing). CG also makes a conditioner. I use it - I'm not sure that it makes a huge difference, but it doesn't hurt and it is recommended. I think it is more for pad health than anything, but others, I'm sure, know better. I haven't gone to the white or black pad yet, but when I do I intend to do white with 36 and black with 38.

I'm a rookie at all of this and this is my first time doing all of it. I spent a lot more time with the CG stuff than it felt like I should, but it does make a difference in the final gloss.

Hope this helps,
Chris
 
do not worry about the pad being dry . works better after the first rinse. CG compounds are just like sand paper , you have to spend the right amount of time with each grit . rush it and you'll be starting over .
 
MDPotter said:
I should sand with 1000/1200/1500/2000/2500/3000 (all wet).
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Personnely, I don't normally use the 1000,1200 and 2500.
I use 1500, 2000, and sometimes followed with 3000 witch gives
me a finish much nicer than original and better than I need.
I don't need "show car" finishes for collision repair work, it wouldn't match anyway.
I do mine all dry with an electric random orbit sander.
 
Skip straight to 1500. And finish at 3000. And do it by hand. No machine is ever going to beat your hand. The orbital sanders used to wet sand are loud. How can you hear if there is anything abrasive between the paper and the surface? You cant. Before you know it your car is covered in pigtails.
 
" From what I've read, for the best finish, I should sand with 1000/1200/1500/2000/2500/3000 (all wet). "

exactly . there's a reason for all the grits .
 
V32 orange, v36 black did all i needed for mirror enough finish. Rotary not orbital.
That followed going thru grits including 3000 by hand.
 
Gotta disagree about skipping straight to 1500. You are not going to level any peel or texture with 1500. It will just follow the texture. Ideally you want to use 600-800 to start with and work up. Also make sure you have enough clear on the car to do all this. Absolute bare minimum 3 coats. If you aren't going to reclear I'd go with 4 coats. Ideally you would spray 3 coats, then cut it with 600 then 3 more coats. Then start the color sanding process.

What works well for me is to start with 600-800 (assuming 2 rounds of clear 3 coats each) then 1000-1500-2000-3000 Trizact (using the DA) 5000 Trizact (using the DA). 3000 Trizact has been discontinued so you can substitute 2500 Eagle Bufflex (Green). Hand sanding after 2000 grit isn't neccesary IMO. Much easier and better results to use the Trizact or Buflex system after sanding with 2000 by hand. That being said, nothing wrong with sanding up thru 3000. I just prefer to use the 3000 and 5000 foam discs with the DA.

If you are new to this do what Shine says and use some 1200 after your 1000 and before 1500. Helps make sure that you aren't leaving 1000 scratches in it that you can't buff out.

Be prepared to spend some coin as all this paper isn't cheap.
 
Chris_Hamilton said:
Gotta disagree about skipping straight to 1500. You are not going to level any peel or texture with 1500. It will just follow the texture. Ideally you want to use 600-800 to start with and work up. Also make sure you have enough clear on the car to do all this. Absolute bare minimum 3 coats. If you aren't going to reclear I'd go with 4 coats. Ideally you would spray 3 coats, then cut it with 600 then 3 more coats. Then start the color sanding process.

What works well for me is to start with 600-800 (assuming 2 rounds of clear 3 coats each) then 1000-1500-2000-3000 Trizact (using the DA) 5000 Trizact (using the DA). 3000 Trizact has been discontinued so you can substitute 2500 Eagle Bufflex (Green). Hand sanding after 2000 grit isn't neccesary IMO. Much easier and better results to use the Trizact or Buflex system after sanding with 2000 by hand. That being said, nothing wrong with sanding up thru 3000. I just prefer to use the 3000 and 5000 foam discs with the DA.

If you are new to this do what Shine says and use some 1200 after your 1000 and before 1500. Helps make sure that you aren't leaving 1000 scratches in it that you can't buff out.

Be prepared to spend some coin as all this paper isn't cheap.
Click to expand...
Different strokes for different folks. Method is good. All im saying is takes 1 very small foreign body to get caught. Or even the velcro itself to carry pigtails all over the entire car after the 2500 grit...then what...ill never use a da to wetsand a car.
 
shine said:
" From what I've read, for the best finish, I should sand with 1000/1200/1500/2000/2500/3000 (all wet). "

exactly . there's a reason for all the grits .
Click to expand...
maybe. Maybe not. Starting with 1000 without knowing how much clear could turn into a mess of work that perhaps the owner of car doesnt know how to fix. Scratches or texture is least of worry if were to burn thru
 
RosharonRooster said:
Different strokes for different folks. Method is good. All im saying is takes 1 very small foreign body to get caught. Or even the velcro itself to carry pigtails all over the entire car after the 2500 grit...then what...ill never use a da to wetsand a car.
Click to expand...

You should try it sometime. Using the 3000 and 5000 Trizact foam discs cuts out so much work with the buffer. Pretty much eliminates the compounding step. I'll never go back. Think of it as pre-buffing. Last 2 steps are all I use the DA on. Rest is by hand although others here use the DA for more steps than I do.

Maybe Jim C will chime in with his opinion. He does a ton of color sanding with the DA and he does some very high end work.
 
Chris_Hamilton said:
You should try it sometime. Using the 3000 and 5000 Trizact foam discs cuts out so much work with the buffer. Pretty much eliminates the compounding step. I'll never go back. Think of it as pre-buffing.

Maybe Jim C will chime in with his opinion. He does a ton of color sanding with the DA and he does some very high end work.
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I have a da setup. I dont know. I just prefer hand block. Maybe ill give it another shot when i do my doors next week
 
The problem I always have is figuring out when to switch grits, how long to work each grit. It seems like there has to be a method or sense of time for when to switch, but I have not figured it out.

Speaking only from my own limited experience, but if I run through all the grits I end up with the wool and rotary running about 2 grand anyhow. Im not sanding long enough somewhere, but figuring out where is difficult.

It would be priceless to watch someone from start to finish sand and buff through all the grits without using any wool.
 
sprint_9 said:
The problem I always have is figuring out when to switch grits, how long to work each grit. It seems like there has to be a method or sense of time for when to switch, but I have not figured it out.

Speaking only from my own limited experience, but if I run through all the grits I end up with the wool and rotary running about 2 grand anyhow. Im not sanding long enough somewhere, but figuring out where is difficult.

It would be priceless to watch someone from start to finish sand and buff through all the grits without using any wool.
Click to expand...
The average rubbing compound is supposedly designed to remove 1200 grit scratches. I think thats BS. But thats what they claim.
 
chris, who told you the 3000 tri was being discontinued? the 5000 is supposed to be discontinued and replaced with the 8000...or so the 3m rep here says. but who knows really. 3m doesnt like to discontinue anything. they just come out with another part # lol.

i have a sleeve of 1500 wet/dry that i bought 18 years ago and im 2/3 of the way through it. shows you how much i wetsand by hand lol. 1000 dry with the da then wet 1500,3000,8000 with the da. for me. really no issue with pigtails or dirt under the pad. if i did a whole car i might have 2 or 3 small ones that i just go back and hit real quick in the end.
 
Jim C said:
chris, who told you the 3000 tri was being discontinued? the 5000 is supposed to be discontinued and replaced with the 8000...or so the 3m rep here says. but who knows really. 3m doesnt like to discontinue anything. they just come out with another part # lol.

i have a sleeve of 1500 wet/dry that i bought 18 years ago and im 2/3 of the way through it. shows you how much i wetsand by hand lol. 1000 dry with the da then wet 1500,3000,8000 with the da. for me. really no issue with pigtails or dirt under the pad. if i did a whole car i might have 2 or 3 small ones that i just go back and hit real quick in the end.
Click to expand...


Lol Jim, I got them confused. :rolleyes: Been a long day.:)
 
sprint_9 said:
The problem I always have is figuring out when to switch grits, how long to work each grit. It seems like there has to be a method or sense of time for when to switch, but I have not figured it out.

Speaking only from my own limited experience, but if I run through all the grits I end up with the wool and rotary running about 2 grand anyhow. Im not sanding long enough somewhere, but figuring out where is difficult.

It would be priceless to watch someone from start to finish sand and buff through all the grits without using any wool.
Click to expand...

When I get to that stage on this truck I'm doing sprint, I'll video a fender start to finish and post it on youtube if you want. I won't be using any wool. Don't even own a wool pad.:)
As for when to change grits, look at the scratches as you are doing it. It's subtle but you'll see the scratches change as you are sanding with a particular grit. That and just doing it long enough you start to get a sense of when it's time to switch.
Judging from those pics you posted you have a pretty good grasp on it though. I thought that the inside of your bed looked terrific.
 
Sanding 1000 grit scratches with 1500 grit starting from right to left of tailgate panel.
1000-1500 Grit.jpg

Sanding 1500 grit scratches with 2000 grit starting right to left on panel.
1500-2000 Grit.jpg

It's actually pretty easy to see your progress if you keep the panel clean.
Granted much more difficult when you get into the finer grits.
I confess to using a wool pad and Meguiars M100 after the 2000 - call me lazy if you like.
Tailgate Buffed 6.JPG
 
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