sander advice
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,787
Likes: 261
From: Blue Bell PA
2018 C3 of Year Finalist
sander advice
could someone tell me if there is an electric disk sander I could
use to safely remove the paint on the car. the body shop tells
me I could save time and money if I took the paint and chrome off
myself. He uses an air disk sander(PDA) I don't own an air compressor
large enough to run one . If I buy the sander and a compressor I
won't be saving any money. If there is an electric sander that would
be a cheaper way to go. body shops don't seem to like ichy fiber glass
work. I hope this makes sense, thanks
Jim
use to safely remove the paint on the car. the body shop tells
me I could save time and money if I took the paint and chrome off
myself. He uses an air disk sander(PDA) I don't own an air compressor
large enough to run one . If I buy the sander and a compressor I
won't be saving any money. If there is an electric sander that would
be a cheaper way to go. body shops don't seem to like ichy fiber glass
work. I hope this makes sense, thanks
Jim
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,709
Likes: 3
From: Savannah GA
If you have zero bodywork experience I would not recommend a powered sander to learn with on a fiberglass body; it is easy to sand too aggressively and damage the car. If you are willing to sweat some block sand it wet, or pay the shop to strip it. Hand sanding a car to bare glass is a rather large undertaking though, and less fun than running over a yellowjacket nest with your lawnmower.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,363
Likes: 303
From: Lansdale 19446 PA
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '10-'11, '15, '19
Jim - I used CitrusStrip to strip the original paint off of my 69. Smell was not bad and the paint came off pretty easily.
I purchased both the aerosol cans and the jugs of it at Home Depot. The aerosol cans worked great on the sides. I used plastic scrapers to remove the crud and then sprayed the area with warn water and s scrubbed with a ScotchBrite pad to remove whatever remained on the surface.
Good luck!
John
I purchased both the aerosol cans and the jugs of it at Home Depot. The aerosol cans worked great on the sides. I used plastic scrapers to remove the crud and then sprayed the area with warn water and s scrubbed with a ScotchBrite pad to remove whatever remained on the surface.
Good luck!
John
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 11,361
Likes: 383
From: Plano TX
I second using chemical stripper. You can also start with a razorblade and heat gun. Some manage to get almost all paint off that way, but on some cars the paint is hard enough that you end up nicking the fiberglass. If you see it start damaging the panels you should stop and switch to chemical. Every nick you put in it will have to be fixed.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,787
Likes: 261
From: Blue Bell PA
2018 C3 of Year Finalist
The body shop won't even paint the car if I use paint remover. the
sander he uses is a PDA disk orbital combination he says it is easy to use and won't be as hard as using a disk sander. I think it is just like the porter cable polisher with sand paper. I think I can remember
seeing them somewhere. the body shop is very small and he doesen't
want to tie up a bay with a old car restoration plus one that picks.
thanks again Jim
sander he uses is a PDA disk orbital combination he says it is easy to use and won't be as hard as using a disk sander. I think it is just like the porter cable polisher with sand paper. I think I can remember
seeing them somewhere. the body shop is very small and he doesen't
want to tie up a bay with a old car restoration plus one that picks.
thanks again Jim
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,787
Likes: 261
From: Blue Bell PA
2018 C3 of Year Finalist
No he didn't say that he said if it was sanded before and all he had to do was repair , final sanding and paint. it wouldn't sit in the shop that long and tie up a bay. they make their money on what comes in on
the hook not old stuff sitting in the shop. plus he is a friend and does
great work. the scraping idea sounds good to me. I don't want that
dust in my shop either .
the hook not old stuff sitting in the shop. plus he is a friend and does
great work. the scraping idea sounds good to me. I don't want that
dust in my shop either .
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Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 36,040
Likes: 4
From: All great change begins at the dinner table Ronald Reagan
80% of the work is in body prep.
Using an orbital sander on fibreglass will create tons of little swirls you'll have to get rid of eventually in the prep work.
Using a DA on glass isn't good either. If you sand the surface too much, the finish look will be wavy. I block sand Corvettes - a good block kit costs ~$50.