mark79,80

Anyone using a finishing air sander for sanding clear coat prior to buffing. If so what specific sander and paper grits are you using? I noticed that finishing sanders come in several different orbits.

roger55

Assuming you are sanding and buffing to remove 100% of the orange peel, I would start out using 1200 or 1500 by hand on a sanding block (with lots of clean water) then go to 2000 still using the block. If you laid that clear down real flat then maybe you can start with the 2000 or go right to the D/A.

Use a standard D/A with the 3M Trizact or Mirka with 3000 or 4000 grit disks.

I would get a dedicated D/A for this purpose because you don't want to use one that may have any dirt or debris on it from another use.

Roger

Jim Dillon

I have used a waterbug (I believe it was made by Hutchins) with several different grits starting with 1000 grit and then 2000. I think there may be more than one model. The one I used was specifically for clear coats, I was told. They have a water line attached which is makes it nice but unless you have a heavy amount of texture I am not sure I would use one all the time. If I was finish sanding on a more regular basis I might consider a purchase. I really only used it in the flat areas as I did not have the guts to run it up to any peaks or edges. I guess I have done it so many times by the old fashioned method (in the day when 600 was the finest and the next finest grit was a worn out piece of 600) that it is hard to break old habits. The thing is I like to watch the surface get progressively shinier as I use finer grits. I still had to resand the whole area with dish soap and 2000 grit by hand as I did not trust what I saw with just the waterbug.-Jim

VtVette

I've tried them, don't really like them. Just a personal thing. Over the years I've tried many things but the only thing I do now is hand sand with 2000 grit then buff. On the rare occasion I get a big run I may use 1500 than 2000 but 2000 works fast even if you have moderate orange peel.

blue6t7

Yes there are different orbits for orbital sanders. They come in 3/32, 3/16 and 3/8 orbits. You want a finishing sander (3/32) orbit for sanding your clear coat.
I personally use 800 on a finish sander to remove any trash and peel in the clear. I then follow this with Black Ice 1200 grit to remove the 800 scratch. Then on to the buffing. This works real well with the new clear I'm using now.

Dan

BondoKing

Color sanding with a dedicated DA with a small orbit is perfectly fine and done is body shops and custom shops all around the country everyday.. The key is proper paper choices and not using cheap paper.. Cheap paper leaves behind what we call "pigtails", and you don't have these using high quality grade paper like the P1200 finishing disk from 3M.. Mirka makes a finish sanding disk ( not the Abralon pads, they are completely different), and they will leave pigtails no matter what you do.. I have 600 all the way to 1500 and cant use them for anything..

I prefer to cut the clear with either 600 or 800 first then move to P1200 3M finishing disk, then you can buff right there or go the extra steps and use the Abralon pads 2000 and then a 4000.. simply wave the buffer at it and it will shine right up

Product choices and knowledge make or break color sanding and getting the finish you want


Another reason you use the 600 or 800 first is to get rid of " urethane peel or urethane wave as some call it".. It is not orange peel, it is the waviness you see on cars after they have been repainted

Example, you go to a car show and the car looks like glass as you walk up on it, but if you look down and side site the car from an angle it looks like little ripples all the way down it.. This is caused by the clear not being flat enough, provided the body panels are straight.. The only way to get rid of this ugliness is to sand with aggressive grit papers to remove the wave and then work your way back up to buffing grits..

mark79,80

Thanks for your responses. Am going to purchase a 3/32 orbit finish sander and give it a try.