buffing advice needed
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,705
Likes: 983
From: Orlando FL
buffing advice needed
Once I`ve wet sanded the clear coat, what grit of compound should I use to buff it out with? I did it once with a medium, and then with a "finishing" polish, but it doesn`t shine like it should. Any recommendations on what brand to use? And should I hit it first with something with a little more grit to it first, then go with medium?
Wool or foam pads?
Best RPM`s to use on a multi speed polisher?
Wool or foam pads?
Best RPM`s to use on a multi speed polisher?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,107
Likes: 14
From: Lancaster PA
first question, what grit did you sand the clearcoat with?
You need to work up to 1500 and then I use 3000 grit on the DA.
It makes the buffing step so much easier. It doesn't really matter if you use foam or wool but wool cuts faster. There are many good compounds on the market but make sure it is designed for today's clears. The compound should not have a grit that you can feel.
I like the 3M 3 step system.
Step 1 compound,with white foam or wool pad
Step 2 polish with black foam pad
Step 3 swirl removal. with blue foam pad
RPMs between 1500-1800
Good luck,
Craig
You need to work up to 1500 and then I use 3000 grit on the DA.
It makes the buffing step so much easier. It doesn't really matter if you use foam or wool but wool cuts faster. There are many good compounds on the market but make sure it is designed for today's clears. The compound should not have a grit that you can feel.
I like the 3M 3 step system.
Step 1 compound,with white foam or wool pad
Step 2 polish with black foam pad
Step 3 swirl removal. with blue foam pad
RPMs between 1500-1800
Good luck,
Craig
Last edited by CF6873; Jan 21, 2014 at 09:09 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,503
Likes: 906
From: Tulum, MX
Here is something I did for another site a while back
http://www.300cforums.com/forums/tec...-sand-how.html
http://www.300cforums.com/forums/tec...-sand-how.html
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,868
Likes: 13
From: Mascoutah IL
Jim--
I did 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000 and finally 5000 wet... By going to all the way to 5000, it eliminated buffing with compound and a rotary/wool... I used Menzerna products (FG400, SI1500, SF4000 and SF4500) with a DA porter cable and Lake County pads (orange, white, blue, red)... I have a good rotary buffer and good wool pads, but did not need to use them... Ask 100 folks and will get 100 different "best" answers... This worked for me... I sprayed PPG DCU base coat and PPG DCU 2021 clear...
Here's a link to my page and you can see my work on the hood...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...-resto-39.html
Good luck...
Rogman
I did 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000 and finally 5000 wet... By going to all the way to 5000, it eliminated buffing with compound and a rotary/wool... I used Menzerna products (FG400, SI1500, SF4000 and SF4500) with a DA porter cable and Lake County pads (orange, white, blue, red)... I have a good rotary buffer and good wool pads, but did not need to use them... Ask 100 folks and will get 100 different "best" answers... This worked for me... I sprayed PPG DCU base coat and PPG DCU 2021 clear...
Here's a link to my page and you can see my work on the hood...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...-resto-39.html
Good luck...
Rogman
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,705
Likes: 983
From: Orlando FL
Well this is really encouraging! GREAT help here! I think I may need to cut a little more, as I still have a bit of orange peel. (Oddly enough, the car looks great out in the sun, just not real shiney. But in the garage under the flourecent lights, you can still see a little peel).
Yamabob, I bookmarked the page, great reading there!
Rogman, car is stunning! Mine is going to be a driver, but if it looks HALF as good as yours, I`ll be satisfied!
Yamabob, I bookmarked the page, great reading there!
Rogman, car is stunning! Mine is going to be a driver, but if it looks HALF as good as yours, I`ll be satisfied!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,107
Likes: 14
From: Lancaster PA
If you want to remove more peel it's the coarser grits that will knock it down. You may have to go back to 1000 and work up to buff again. Resanding with anything finer will just follow the contour and won't remove peel. Then again a little peel on a very shiny car is not always a bad thing. If you haven't got the shine you want, it maybe you are still seeing sand scratches that you haven't worked out or you didn't get it compounded enough.
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,705
Likes: 983
From: Orlando FL
I was thinking that.... start over with the 1000 again.... but hoping for better results this time, hence asking for advice to improve the outcome on the next go-round!
Wife says she`s getting sick of sanding, so if I don`t get it right this time, I may lose my helper!
Wife says she`s getting sick of sanding, so if I don`t get it right this time, I may lose my helper!
Last edited by oldgto; Jan 23, 2014 at 06:22 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Maker of Sharp Objects, AL - Roll Tide
St. Jude Donor '10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
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Usually takes the coarser grits like 1k to 1200 to get rid of orange peel. Be careful though, I've seen it burned / rubbed through plenty of times when excessively sanding in a concentrated area in an effort to knock it down. Like the other poster said, a little orange peel isn't always a bad thing.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,705
Likes: 983
From: Orlando FL
Usually takes the coarser grits like 1k to 1200 to get rid of orange peel. Be careful though, I've seen it burned / rubbed through plenty of times when excessively sanding in a concentrated area in an effort to knock it down. Like the other poster said, a little orange peel isn't always a bad thing.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,556
Likes: 91
From: Skiatook. Oklahoma.
Look's like there is to much of a jump in between the 1000 to 2000. Go 1000, 1500 then 2000. Your probably seeing the 1000 scratch (dulling) in the finish that the 2000 is to weak to remove. Also... start with the 1000 going the length of the car. Follow up with the 1500 going across the car and finish up with the 2000 going the length. This way you can track your sanding by using the scratch from the prior grit as a guide coat. Now you've removed all trace's of sand scratch in the final finish. It also level's the paint surface and avoid's sanding rut's in the clear.
If I want to eliminate orange peel, I'll start with 800 then follow up with 1000,1500,2000,2500. Alternating the direction of each grit. Then three session's of buffing.
1967 GT-500 under those unforgiving shop light's after first buffing with 3M rubbing compound and a wool pad.
If I want to eliminate orange peel, I'll start with 800 then follow up with 1000,1500,2000,2500. Alternating the direction of each grit. Then three session's of buffing.
1967 GT-500 under those unforgiving shop light's after first buffing with 3M rubbing compound and a wool pad.
Last edited by orourke; Jan 25, 2014 at 04:11 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,556
Likes: 91
From: Skiatook. Oklahoma.
To add,
I buff with a wool pad with 3M 05973. Then follow up with a 3M white foam cutting pad using Meguiar's #83. This will remove the compound micro scratch. I finish up with a 3M foam finishing pad using Meguiar's #9.
This process work's for me. It's all about managing abrasive's.
I buff with a wool pad with 3M 05973. Then follow up with a 3M white foam cutting pad using Meguiar's #83. This will remove the compound micro scratch. I finish up with a 3M foam finishing pad using Meguiar's #9.
This process work's for me. It's all about managing abrasive's.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,868
Likes: 13
From: Mascoutah IL
To add,
I buff with a wool pad with 3M 05973. Then follow up with a 3M white foam cutting pad using Meguiar's #83. This will remove the compound micro scratch. I finish up with a 3M foam finishing pad using Meguiar's #9.
This process work's for me. It's all about managing abrasive's.
I buff with a wool pad with 3M 05973. Then follow up with a 3M white foam cutting pad using Meguiar's #83. This will remove the compound micro scratch. I finish up with a 3M foam finishing pad using Meguiar's #9.
This process work's for me. It's all about managing abrasive's.
Rogman
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,705
Likes: 983
From: Orlando FL
No kidding! Beautiful! After reading this thread to my wife, I think she`s ready to start again... this time lightly with 800, then moving up through 1000, 1500, 2000 from there. Seems we should have sanded at least 3 times, then buffed 3 times, not twice each.
GREAT advice here, I LOVE CF!
GREAT advice here, I LOVE CF!
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,442
Likes: 87
From: bluff dale tx
after all that has been done i would protect all edges and peaks with blue painter tape before any more sanding and while buffing. one pass over an edge removes way more than on a flat panel . i remove the tape on final polish . i switched to this system a while back. i use only foam pads since sanding to 3000 - 5000 there is no need for wool.
this sample pack is the best way to see if you like it. plus it goes a long way .
http://www.chemicalguys.com/Chemical...ap_vkit_04.htm
this sample pack is the best way to see if you like it. plus it goes a long way .
http://www.chemicalguys.com/Chemical...ap_vkit_04.htm
Sweet!