color sanding

I visited a high end shop ($30K+/body/paint job) over the summer. He uses Clausen Rust Defender build primer, sealer coat of epoxy, base/clear, then starts with 600. He said starting with 600 vs. 800 or 1000 is the best thing he's ever done. It gets the surface flat fast. Then goes to 1000, 1500, 3000, then Sonax.
My last two cars I've started with 600, 1000, 1500, 2500, compound, polish. They look the best I've ever done.
I had 5 coats of Euro on the cars.
 
ksungela said:
I visited a high end shop ($30K+/body/paint job) over the summer. He uses Clausen Rust Defender build primer, sealer coat of epoxy, base/clear, then starts with 600. He said starting with 600 vs. 800 or 1000 is the best thing he's ever done. It gets the surface flat fast. Then goes to 1000, 1500, 3000, then Sonax.
My last two cars I've started with 600, 1000, 1500, 2500, compound, polish. They look the best I've ever done.
I had 5 coats of Euro on the cars.
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How old was the clear when you went at it? Are you hand sanding or machine?
 
A couple weeks old and in the sun part of the day. I hand sanded everything even though I have a shelf full of sunmight and eagle abrasives pads. Its hard to get a feel for the DA pads. I have a propensity for sanding through.
 
ksungela said:
I visited a high end shop ($30K+/body/paint job) over the summer. He uses Clausen Rust Defender build primer, sealer coat of epoxy, base/clear, then starts with 600. He said starting with 600 vs. 800 or 1000 is the best thing he's ever done. It gets the surface flat fast. Then goes to 1000, 1500, 3000, then Sonax.
My last two cars I've started with 600, 1000, 1500, 2500, compound, polish. They look the best I've ever done.
I had 5 coats of Euro on the cars.
Click to expand...
Curious if you use guide coat? How many coats did the high end shop use?

Thanks,
Don
 
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texasking said:
Eagle Assilex orange, peach, then blue Buflex wet. I have seen no need to go finer. Blue Buflex buffs very easy with wool and ACA 500. Orange Assilex seems to cut as well as the 1000 yellow without the scratches seeming so hard to get rid of.
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Texasking, do you use twisted or single strand wool with ACA 500?
 
pounce powder works well for a guide coat . you can get it in black and white .
biggest problem is guys who only do a little paint work will not get the aggressive scratches out . it takes longer to master cut and buff than laying the paint .
 
dhutton01 said:
Curious if you use guide coat? How many coats did the high end shop use?

Thanks,
Don
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The high end shop advised using merka guide coat, but for me it just washed right off when using 1000 when applying it after the 600 cut. I don't know how many clear coats they applied.
 
this was 3 and 2 . 3 coats then blocked with 600 then 2 coats . took very little sanding for final buff .
 

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i recently ditched the 3m 3000 trizact in my process for the blue bufflex. so much better. so i start with 1000 dry then do pink assilex which is 1500 then blue bufflex (2500) then 8000 trizact. so far this has been the most fool proof and quickest method for me.
 
Jim C said:
i recently ditched the 3m 3000 trizact in my process for the blue bufflex. so much better. so i start with 1000 dry then do pink assilex which is 1500 then blue bufflex (2500) then 8000 trizact. so far this has been the most fool proof and quickest method for me.
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Use a wool or foam pad?
 
yes. i have found that no matter what you cant avoid the compound step. there are always things you need to work out where polish wont cut it. you may have an edge or area where you didnt fully get out the prior grit, or the occasional pigtail, etc.
 
I was awful when I began painting, so I had alot of sanding and polishing to do. First cars I cut with 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000, wool then foam. Tried the trizac, also cut out steps like the 600 and 800 in attempt to save time. Did not achieve the results I desired as with the 600 process. I do most black cars and they look like mirrors when they are done. Used to do four, now I do six coats of universal.
 
I used Jim C's exact method above today on this door. The Euro 5000 is 3 weeks old. While yellow is not the best color to show the results, I was super impressed with the result! I had always used the Trizact system before and never assilex and buflex. I have to say they are the most impressive products I have used to date. The even pattern they leave behind is obvious to the eye. It's also quicker than using trizact 1500 and 3000 and also easier to tell when you have used them long enough! Then I buffed with twisted wool and ACA 500 followed by ACA 520 and black foam.

Thanks Jim C!
 

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Jim/Texasking do you have any issues going straight from peach (1500) to blue (2500)?

I have used a few boxes of the yellow flim discs in 1500 grit but I have never tried the assilex discs before. How does the assilex compare to the yellow? Are you using the assilex wet or dry?
 
assilex wet. the yellow 1500 is the same grit as the pink assilex, 1500. the assilex though, because its wet gives a more uniform scratch and doesnt load so it lasts a long time. i would say 1 pink assilex last about the same as 8-10 yellow discs. going from pink to the blue works great. 3m's process goes from 1500 to 3000 so this is less of a jump. the blue cuts quicker also. i have found going to the blue results in less 1500 grit scratches not fully worked out. after blue i do a pass with 3m 8000 trizact. that leaves a finish that needs just a quick pass with compound and polish.
 
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