Getting ready for buffing

JimKueneman said:
For those who hand sand all the way do you have a pattern you use? 1000 to get it flat then? 5 passes with 1500 and 10 passes with 2000 or do you look for scratches? I am still having problems finding a way that my eye can pick up if I am done with each phase. I can barely see them after I buff it out. Have to catch a light _just_right_.... I tried half the hood last night... 1000 on the block till nothing left. Then 1200 for 4 passes, then 1500 for 4 passes then 2000 until it did not catch on anything and after the buff if I caught the LED light just right there are still scratches... but this light yellow is a bugger to see anything anyways....
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I've come to just expect that I will be doing each panel at least 2, maybe 3 times.
I do it panel by panel. Work up through the grits, then cutting, then polishing compound. I expect to see areas that need more work.
I look at the panel from every possible angle, with good light (outside is best) and find the issues and usually it is pretty clear what girt is needed to address them.
I outline them with a little polishing cream on my finger, take a picture and then start back to work with the appropriate grit and work my way back up to polishing.
Tedious! But it pays off.
 
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No need to do repeated steps as long as you check your progress.
Here is a tailgate I did all by hand.
The entire panel has been sanded flat with 1000 grit and a hard block. The right side is being sanded with 1500 grit.
I wet sand the panel, then spray it with clean water and wipe it dry with a microfiber towel to check progress. If unsure spray with W&G remover and wipe it off and check panel before it flashes off.
1000-1500 Grit.jpg


Here is the same panel now being wet sanded with 2000 grit. You can clearly see that the 1500 scratches are being removed.
1500-2000 Grit.jpg


Reflection after buffing;
Tailgate Buffed 4.JPG


Color shot:
Tailgate Color Shot.JPG
 
Hrmm, i cant see that helping much. Realistically you should be able to see the dirt and peel go away when you squeegee the water away. Typically I wont guide coat until the first cut is done. Once the hand sanding is done up to 2000 I dont guide coat with the da paper. I just watch the dust and keep it clean.

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Jim C said:
well i will tell you, i usually do 4 coats of clear, either uv, euro or speed. i will use 1000 to get the clear perfect. no peel, no specs, nothing. once its perfect then i make the switch to 1500 and only have to worry about refining scratches at that point. if your using the assilex and bufflex discs, these discs do not remove peel. they are a super thin silky fabric and are made to not remove peel. they will leave the peel and just cut off dust nibs and smooth out the peel a little. the discs follow the surface. sort of like what a scotchbrite does with primer.
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Jim,
I had to refine the finish on a car for a dealer that had grapefruit peel and deep sand marks from shrunk primer. I used the Assiliex.
It removed all the peel and most of the scratches. Worked amazing.
 
Moral of story listen to Jim C. I got these at the paint store and man they work so much better then “regular” paper. The hatches allow grit to end up in the hatch and there is zero problems with pigtails and they cut like crazy. 1500 with normal DA then 2000 and 3000 of these.

image.jpg
 
JimKueneman said:
Moral of story listen to Jim C. I got these at the paint store and man they work so much better then “regular” paper. The hatches allow grit to end up in the hatch and there is zero problems with pigtails and they cut like crazy. 1500 with normal DA then 2000 and 3000 of these.

View attachment 19808
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I tried to go back and follow your process. Can you clarify? You are doing 1000 grit by hand? Then 1500 with a DA sander, then these 2000 and 3000 grit with what type of sander? Any difference if I’m doing single stage? So far I have been doing 1500 and 2500 with a durablock then Random orbital with foam pads. Coming out good but not perfect
 
50Shep said:
I tried to go back and follow your process. Can you clarify? You are doing 1000 grit by hand? Then 1500 with a DA sander, then these 2000 and 3000 grit with what type of sander? Any difference if I’m doing single stage? So far I have been doing 1500 and 2500 with a durablock then Random orbital with foam pads. Coming out good but not perfect
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1500 and up DA. Never worked with SS
 
Is the 1000 with just a block? Do you use like an interface pad for every grit with the DA? I’m assuming you polish with a random orbital after the 3000?
 
Shine mentioned something about white shoe polish as a guide coat…. I’ve used the dura gold dry guide coat with no success other than making my shoes and garage floor black.
 
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Jim C said:
You need to compound and polish with a rotary buffer not a random orbit polisher.

With a da sander you always use a soft interface pad.

Single stage is no different than doing clearcoat
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I got some of the sun might pads. They are really foamy. You still use an interface pad with those?
 
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