color sanding
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 326
Likes: 1
From: washington
color sanding
I sanded the BC/CC on a panel from 1200 to 1500 to 2000 and finished with 3000. Then buffed. In the shop under the flouresant lites it looks like it has orange peel, but if I put it outside in the sun lite it looks great. Ever seen such a thing?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,107
Likes: 14
From: Lancaster PA
It probably does have some orange peel. It is almost impossible to remove all of the peel starting with 1200. When looking at paint under florescent bulbs you will see the peel because of the straight line reflection of the bulb.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,107
Likes: 14
From: Lancaster PA
I start with 1000 on a DA sander ,but some guys use coarser paper and then reclear with 1 or 2 more coats to get the peel out. I have never sanded clear with 800 but I think it would take a lot of work to remove the scratches.
The DA seems to remove more peel than wet sanding. If you DA, be careful not to clog the paper and put pig tails in the clear.
The DA seems to remove more peel than wet sanding. If you DA, be careful not to clog the paper and put pig tails in the clear.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Youngstown OH
I've heard of people using a DA to color sand before, and all I can usually picture is a lot of bare metal (or in this case fiberglass) showing through. Eek! What DA do you use, and what's your technique? I restore cars professionally and usually paint them as well, but I always color sand by hand. I'm guessing a DA would be much faster, and probably give better results. Again, as long as you don't remove too much!
Dan
Dan
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,107
Likes: 14
From: Lancaster PA
Dan, You want to use a palm style DA with an interface pad. I like the 3M or Dynabrade sander with a 3/16 -1/4" stroke. 3M velcro attached paper should be used wet so that is doesn't ball up the clear residue and give you pig tails. You can start with 1000 to remove the peel. Just keep a squeegie in your hand to check the peel.Then follow up with 1500 and then finish with Trizact 3000. Just keep the sanding off of all edges and style lines.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Youngstown OH
Sounds pretty good. I'll definitely look into this. I have two cars nearly ready to paint in the shop and I might give this a try when the time comes.
Now I'm curious, after DA color sanding with up to 3000 grit, it doesn't sound like you'd need to do much buffing/polishing to get a mirror finish. What compounds and/or polishes do you finish up with after the sanding, if you don't mind educating me, and in conjunction with what pad(s)?
Thanks much.
Dan
Now I'm curious, after DA color sanding with up to 3000 grit, it doesn't sound like you'd need to do much buffing/polishing to get a mirror finish. What compounds and/or polishes do you finish up with after the sanding, if you don't mind educating me, and in conjunction with what pad(s)?
Thanks much.
Dan
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,107
Likes: 14
From: Lancaster PA
There are many good quality compounds and polishes available and every shop has their favorite. I mostly have experience with 3M products. I start with a wool pad and #6085 (1) compound. Then change to the black foam pad with #6064(2) polish and finish with a blue foam pad with #6068(3) swirl remover.
You are correct in stating that after sanding with 3000 Trizact that the surface is almost semigloss before buffing.
3M just released a 5000 grit DA disc but I have not tried it yet.
You are correct in stating that after sanding with 3000 Trizact that the surface is almost semigloss before buffing.
3M just released a 5000 grit DA disc but I have not tried it yet.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,364
Likes: 1,588
From: los altos hills california
3M has a nice one page summary of the color sanding process using their products. Go to
http://3mcollision.com/library/sops
and click "Paint Finish Full Panel Process" to get the download. Got it up on my garage wall. What CF6873 said, but with all the steps in more detail. Lots of other good stuff there as well.
http://3mcollision.com/library/sops
and click "Paint Finish Full Panel Process" to get the download. Got it up on my garage wall. What CF6873 said, but with all the steps in more detail. Lots of other good stuff there as well.
Former Vendor
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 420
Likes: 1
St. Jude Donor '12
You can even sand with an electric DA that detailers use for polishing paint.
When doing Orange Peel removal, it's usually best to start by hand with either 800 or 1200. This will depend on how hard the paint is. From there, slap on a disc of 3M Trizact 1500 and start your refining all the way up to 3000 grit which is the next level up.
From there, (in my honest opinion), there really isn't any need for a heavy compound and wool pad as a 3000 grit sand scratch should be able to be cut out like butter with a hot knife. I've been demonstating to people that with the right product/technique, you can use an electric DA to make your paint perfect with just 2 steps. And by using this type of machine (instead of a circular/rotary buffer) you will NEVER have swirls come back because you aren't ever putting them into your finish.
3M's system is great for a production style body shop stuck on their old school ways of cutting ang buffing paint, but it's pretty outdated. 3 polishing steps on 99% of modern paint just isn't needed.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,107
Likes: 14
From: Lancaster PA
From there, (in my honest opinion), there really isn't any need for a heavy compound and wool pad as a 3000 grit sand scratch should be able to be cut out like butter with a hot knife. I've been demonstating to people that with the right product/technique, you can use an electric DA to make your paint perfect with just 2 steps. And by using this type of machine (instead of a circular/rotary buffer) you will NEVER have swirls come back because you aren't ever putting them into your finish.QUOTE
Please tell us about your 2 Step process.
Please tell us about your 2 Step process.