What are your bad habits in this line of work

Easy as I am a shade tree guy!

Using sandpaper too long! Get a new piece!!
Also not using coarse enough paper! I am always using 400 when I should be flattening the surface with 100 on a block. This adds WAY, WAY too many hours to your project.
Pushing too hard on my sanding blocks! Let the sandpaper do the work and you need to finesse the block not try to push it thru the panel so that it sands FAST!
Never use sandpaper with your hands IF at all possible. I know you must and I do too.
This feeds into knowing the difference between a smooth surface and a flat surface. You need flat first then smooth. I have produced many smooth but not flat panels!

As posted above way too many filler applications! I hate to see those "fried egg" patterns all over the car because of this! I don't follow the TV guys who coat the entire car with filler and go from there BUT I do need to spread the filler over a wider area.

This a subtle one and I did not learn this until years of using my SATA 2000 gun. When you read the term "production" gun that means it's a fire hose! Made for guys painting all day long and they need to move fast and make money. As a home guy I don't! I am moving to an Iwata LPH400 as that is a much slower gun and matches my speed WAY better! The SATA requires no mistakes and fast movements. Great for a pro terrible for an amateur.
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theastronaut said:
Telling myself "I can do that".
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There is truth to that but, you won't know unless you try. That's been my experience anyways. I say that yet I chickened out replacing the quarter panels. At that point in time, I thought it was beyond my capabilities. Now I don't feel that way and will try it on the next vehicle if it's needed. Thankfully my quarter panels didn't have any rust, just lots of dents.
 
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Outside of being guilty of leaving tools laying around, I tend to nitpick my work. Sometimes spending hours fixing something that no one will ever see, is not structural and that will ultimately be covered by a carpet or panel.
When the vehicle is finished, I have to stop myself from pointing out every flaw when people are looking at it.
 
'68 Coronet R/T said:
Outside of being guilty of leaving tools laying around, I tend to nitpick my work. Sometimes spending hours fixing something that no one will ever see, is not structural and that will ultimately be covered by a carpet or panel.
When the vehicle is finished, I have to stop myself from pointing out every flaw when people are looking at it.
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I suffer from paralysis by analysis….yes no one will know, but I do and someone years from now will be looking at stuff I’ve done, and I hope they smile instead of frown, as I have done with what I find and fix.
I have done this with things my grandfather made.
He was quite the craftsman
 
'68 Coronet R/T said:
Outside of being guilty of leaving tools laying around, I tend to nitpick my work. Sometimes spending hours fixing something that no one will ever see, is not structural and that will ultimately be covered by a carpet or panel.
When the vehicle is finished, I have to stop myself from pointing out every flaw when people are looking at it.
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I spent 4 hrs the other day working an area that is covered completely when car is done lol
 
My bad habit is working on one part while thinking of another. Once the fantasy starts, I may as well give up for the day.
If I die they will just have to haul this mess to the scrapper. I’m the only one who can keep this mess straight in my head. Even that’s becoming a bit much.
 
MJM said:
There is truth to that but, you won't know unless you try. That's been my experience anyways. I say that yet I chickened out replacing the quarter panels. At that point in time, I thought it was beyond my capabilities. Now I don't feel that way and will try it on the next vehicle if it's needed. Thankfully my quarter panels didn't have any rust, just lots of dents.
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You probably did yourself a huge favor, many quarters get replaced when repairing them would have been a lot easier. It just amazes me how little work some of them need that get discarded.
 
chevman said:
You probably did yourself a huge favor, many quarters get replaced when repairing them would have been a lot easier. It just amazes me how little work some of them need that get discarded.
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I'll agree with that statement. Actually the quarter panels are the only original panels left on the car, including the firewall and engine compartment, and one door. The entire front clip, fenders, header panel and valance are 1968 original pieces. This is why I'm replacing the 1969 quarter panel marker lights ( rectangular) to 1968 (round) to match the front fenders round marker lights. This car was an original Pick n Pull junk yard assembled master piece, lol
 
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My old grandfather had a saying, spoken in broken English ( Italian). It was "Too gooda is a no-gooda". He meant when you go back in to make something a little better you end up ruining it! He was a stone mason but the saying applies to many a situation.
 
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