Okay 3rd Genners....need your help...I picked up my '92 from the paint shop Saturday...to go back in time, didn't like how the Niterider looked after last summer so I had her freshened up (1st re paint done in 2005)...just before Memorial Day (second re paint) picked up '92 but....car just was not right...not enough gloss, some mistakes so since it was a friends shop...I took her back for a third repaint which brings us to today...car looks fine...factory black with 1 gallon of clear...car looks wet....however still needs to be wet sanded and buffed....this is where I need your help...I have never wet sanded myself but am thinking of doing it myself instead of taking the Niterider back for the shop to do....but I need the A-Z on how to do it step by step....I know how to hi speed buff and have a buffer....

I hear I should have 1200 and 1500 sanding paper but what else do I need or do....thanks in advance

hear is a pic (not the best ...but) from Saturday after picking her up

 

Just My Opinion... And I'm by no means an expert... But let them do it.

Wet Sanding is ALOT of work.

 

The work does not bother me...I am on vacation until after Labor Day...and because I use to own a detail shop I think I can do as good of a job if not better if I know the right order of the steps to do the job...I just don't think they will apply the attention to detail that I will....

 

yes wet sanding is alot of work but i will try to be as specfic as possible in my explanation
1. get materials 1500- 2000 grit wet sand paper ( use 1000-1200 if there are any runs in the paint), a flexible sanding block, a bucket of water ( you can add a drop of soap to keep it slick, and a spray bottle,

2.spray the area you are going to do and use light pressure and always use the block it is easy to mess up paint. ( make sure it is wet at all times)

3. after you wet sand go over the car with a good buff with fine rubbing compound ( make sure to use the appropriate speed for buffer
4.wash the car to ensure all rubbing compound is off.

 

Thanks...So am I buffing the rubbing compound "off" or do I remove the compound by hand and then buff with wax or polish?

What's in the spray bottle?

How long should I wait before wet sanding-a week, two weeks or a month?
I have been told at least two weeks but what is best....?

Do I wetsand the plastics like I do the metal or is there a different technique? The one run on the car is a small one on the side of the bumper.

How do I know when I have gone low enough into the clear? Will it be visible?

If an area does not have a lot of orange peel do I wet sand it anyway or do I just do the entire car reguardless of how it looks now?

I have some liquid 3M Microfiber compound or should I use a paste? The 3M is kinda old and seperated over the winter being in the garage but I imagine a good "shake" would bring it back together.

 

i ussually wait about 24 hours after the car was painted too make sure its hardended. and your buffing the rubbing compound off i wouldnt wax a car for atleast a month if not it can crack further down the road and the spray bottle is water same thing in the bucket i recomend using perfect-it line by 3m,

 

Oh...so with the car being painted last Thursday I could wetsand it ...like..tomorrow....? No waxing...I figured that, just wanted to be sure.

 

http://www.ehow.com/how_5215503_wet-...at-finish.html

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/vi...ur-car-215972/

http://carpaint.blogspot.com/2005/07...-your-car.html

I hope these help

 

yup.

 

im no expert by any means but i have had a lot of people tell me not to wet sand it at all until it starts to wear a little then wet sand it and you have a new paint job.
i dont know if that is true or not.

and you ride looks great.

 

Hey 86niterider, I have a small body shop in Harvey and painted a car that I was going to buff. It's already been sanded it but if you want you can swing by the shop and I can show you the steps and the results.

 

YES...I am in Markham...can I come today?

 

Sent you a pm.

 

I work at a body shop and we will wet sand and buff a car a day after it is painted, if the paint was baked. What we do is get a bucket of fresh soapy water, and 2000 grit sand paper. Keep the paper very very wet. Go over the the car one body panel at a time and really concentrate on the length of the strokes and how many times you go over each area. This is when you determine how much orange peel you want. The more orange peel, the less shiny, but it will be tougher to scratch and vice versa. My boss had a black car that had absolutely no orange peel and the clear would scratch just from drying the car after a wash. then if there is any dirt or anything thing in the paint, which usually there will be, go over those parts with 1500 grit. Then repeat with the 2000 and give it a good buffing. With buffing we use a yellow cotton material pad with the buffer set at about 2000 rpm. careful not to burn through the paint, its pretty tough to do but i have seen it done before. once its buffed, we spray a alcohol/water mixture on the car so clean off the compound to make sure that every thing is shiny again, and if its not go back over those areas. after that is done, we use a waffle pad and machine glaze the car. That will get rid of most of the swirl marks from the compound. Then wash the car good, really get in any cracks. once compound dries it can be a bear to get off. you should now have a show car look!

 

thanks for the responses. I will definetly be doing mine real soon.

 

yea id say start wityh 1200 wet. use nice warm soapy water with liquid soap, the soapier the better, move from that to 1500 to 2000 if you'd like . my dad even uses 3000 wet (which i deem not worth it). when buffing remember a little compound goes along way, make sure its a mild compound not extra cut. buff it all to the same sheen then go over it with a black foam pad for glazing and glaze for dark paint, it will take out the swirl marks from the buffer. also since you have a black car, give it a nice good bath and dry it off, then go back over it with a wet towel with a mix of 90% water 10% isopropyl alcohol, the alcohol helps get the fine dirt out of the micro scratches and it works wonders on black cars.

also when buffing buff away from edges with the buffing pad. for example if your buffing the edge of the hood towards the windshield, make sure the rotation of the pad is going from the hood to the windshield..... i know its hard to put it into words but i think you get the idea. always buff off a corner not on, because an edge will build heat and will burn the paint off, also when buffing tape adjacent panels off to prevent burn through. simple small steps. the best way i learned was on things that didnt matter.... like the hood i wrecked, its better to practice on junk first

 

What about areas that don't have a lot of orange peel?

 

Supplies you will need...
A clean bucket
a large sponge
dish soap
a small squeegee

1000,1500,2000 grits of wet sand paper
and a nice shady work area
SOAK the paper for at least 2 hours if not overnight.Make sure your car is clean.
When you are sanding concentrate on one area and do it one panel at a time.
Use the squeegee to check your work as you go.
If you hear any squeaks STOP sanding.There is a piece of dirt that is getting scratched into your paint! Rinse off the area and the paper.
Stay away from your edges.You can sand them gently with the 2000 if you like.
Dont sand anywhere you arent going to be able to buff.
Start with the 1000 to cut the clear and get it flat.The 1500 and the 2000 are basiclly to get the 1000 scratches out so you dont have to go crazy.It will make the scratches fine enough to buff out quickly.
Finally when you are ready to buff rinse all the wet sanding slop off before you start buffing.Black is a pita to buff.Keep the pad as flat as you can to keep the swirl marks to a minimum.
Buff with a heavy cut pad and compound.
Then use a light cut pad and either a light cut compound or a little compound and some water.
Then you can use a foam pad with polish.
Then swirl remover.
And yes you shouldnt wax the car for at least 60 days after paint.
However Wizards products make a awesome product called "shine master"
its breathable and silicone free.
I hope this helps.Let us know how ya make out!

 

Watch the following 3 part video , these guys show you how step by step and the guy doing the wetsanding is quite funny lol. Watch it then click on the link to follow the next vid and so on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iAwHCqtayw

It's also not as much work as people make it out to be. A good days work with some beer you can get at least half of the car done. Personally I would only do area's that need it , then use the rubbing compound and polishing compound to blend it into the area's you didn't do. Works like a charm.

 

Thanks again and yes bsorty...I will let you know (and take pics) how she turns out, I plan to do it next week.

 

Decided to do it this weekend...bought my products and have just jumped in...here are a few quick shots...started with the drivers fender...so far so good...thanks Big Dog Chevy

 

That's a look of confussion!!! hey hope it turns out great as I will be doing this very soon!!! nice ride.Be sure to give a detailed write up on how everything worked out. I polished my black pickup last weekend and had an issue removing polish from pastic trim and molding.Ive heard about peanut butter,back to black,etc.My body supplier sold me a can of areosal glass cleaner and told me to try it.It is the best wax and polish remover Hands down.if your interested I will post the name of the stuff later as My memory is bad.

 

Hahaha...naw...just not photogenic when I am focused on the task at hand....just came in to take a break....I have the drivers fender and half the hood done and the other half hood sanded down and the fender too...I am now convinced that to do it right will take a full day if not longer...there are just so many steps and you can't rush it...I am very glad I am doing this instead of someone else...


Definetley need the soapy water as you sand...


driver's side after 1500...


added the fender...


drivers after 1200...then lunch...lol

 

nice,I have 11 years experiance "hand rubbing" caskets same thing as wet sanding looks very similar.Keep it nice and wet then use a mixture of alcohol and water to clean up.I am excited to see the finished product good luck.

 

Got my first burn in the side of the passenger blister...got it out with the 1500 and the 2000

the squeeze allows you to check for mistakes...glad I got it...

 

Half the roof and the Sail panel down to 2000

more roof....

 

How does the squeegee show mistakes? Just highlights high and low spots?

 

The squeegee saves lives, shows you all the imperfections.. ALWAYS Finishing with your last run sanding from the front of the car toward the back, the scratches will be less noticible..

 

86 just remember, when you start to buff go slow at first and never buff dry you WILL burn through the paint. Good luck!

 

Thanks...I will put up more pics late tonight....

 

First time in the sun. Still got to do some more deep buffing because I can still see some sanding marks on the passanger side.

 

FWIW I do not consider a paint job done until it is sanded and polished. I also recomend 3M extra cut compound and will use the triazic pad between sanding and polishing. I always sand front to back so the scratches are all the same direction. I also use a water blade on the big areas for my sqeegee.
It is an art and I find that if you are the guy that blocked the car before paint it helps when color sanding. (you know all the areas to stay away from !)

The sqeegee helps to show how much "peel" you have and if you go through you are not checking often enough.

It can take me 3 to 4 weekends to properly finish a car so patience is a plus.
(I do not even untape the car till it is wet sanded, the oversray on the paper will help it shed the water)
I am no pro at this so it takes a while but you can rush it and end up re doing the paint!