#1000, 1500, 2000 and today, Trizact 3000 My plan is Chemical guys V36 Orange pad, V38 White pad and Glossworkz with a Black pad. I'll use V34 if the V36 isn't strong enough on the first pass but I think it should be using the Trizact.

 

In your third photo...it looks REALLY good...but I know that photos can not show the real effect to the fullest.

I see that the car is outside.....and HOPEFULLY you are not buffing it outside. Because sanding it with the 3000 grit and buffing it outside is 'kinda' like a conflict in interest. Due to debris flying around in the air...if it gets on your pad...it will put scratches in your clear that will cause you to have to deal with them later. Hopefully you are buffing this in a good clean environment....especially if you are looking the the BEST shine and finish possible.

****TRUE STORY****

I went over to look at a Corvette that a guy did himself. When he went to buffing it...he had it in a large shed that had a dirt floor. When he buffed it and stirred up the dirt and got this dust and 'stuff' to swirl around in this shed to land on the finish. When he buffed it further and polished it not knowing that he was allowing 'stuff' to stir up and land on the clear...he literally scratched the clear so badly that it could not be repaired by sanding and buffing again. The scratches were way too deep. It had to be sanded and cleared again.

Just 'saying'.

***EDIT***And personally..I do not buff and allow sunlight to get on the panel and allow it to get warm or hot.

DUB

 

DUB, well I WAS going to buff it outside but you convinced me that could be a bad idea. I did TRIZACT it outside but kept flushing it off. Thanks, Fred

Ps. Here's the hood wetted after #3000

 

Your paint job is now at the level of completion that KNOWING that you have put so much into it....NOW is the time when the small things can damage it. Not wanting to make you paranoid...but it is just the facts.

Hopefully that turned out well for you. Washing it off during your wet sanding I am sure helped.....but all it takes is a super small spec of crap to get between the paper and the clear and it can grind itself into the clear and put a scratch that looks like you could jump a dirt bike off of it when you get it buffed.

****EDIT**** The hood looks GREAT...this paint job should come out looking awesome when you get done buffing/polishing it.
DUB

 

I'm taking extra care now.
Going R E A L S L O W

 

painters blue tape is your friend ....

 

Are the "peaks" all done by hand? Does the buffer stay away entirely?

 

Nice job

 

peaks need only a small amount of polish on last session . i never sand them .

keep in mind that clear flows off of peaks. there is not as much on a peak as there is on a panel . just like valleys will build up excessive thickness.

 

Gotcha, thanks. I haven't sanded the peaks

 

And ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND...that is IMPORTANT. The buffer rotates in a direction....lets say clockwise. SO when you are buffing...ALWAYS have the pad ROLL OFF and edge....and this is done by making sure that the rotation of the buffer and how you have it positioned ALLOWS you to do that....VERSUS.....having the buffing pad cut into an edge....which will NOT be good.....AND

Even if you do this...it also has to due to the ANGLE that you are holding the buffer.....so when you are getting to and edge...do not have the buffer be at a sharp angle....because even if the pad is rolling off an edge...you can still take the paint off because you are not holding the buffer slightly angles above FLAT.

Hopefully I described that where you can understand.

DUB

 

DUB, fully understand. Glad I got this new buffer. The variable speed is a big deal and gives me a lot more control

Regards, Fred

 

Bought it yesterday - hope to do some buffing today

 

The weather has certainly been cooperating with us so far. Can't wait to see it finished.

 

Ok, so I've only done 1 door but I'm getting kinda excited and needed someone to share it with. The door is (IMHO) freakin' amazing - well at least for an amateur backyard painter. I'm using Chemical guys v34 orange pad, v36 pink pad, v38 white pad and Glossworkz with the GRAY pad. I started with the v36 but think I'm better off using the v34 first like Porchdog suggested. Obviously no orange peel and smooth as a mirror. I'm using the Dewalt 849x rotary with Lake Country 7.5" (8.5") pads. One of these days I'll get a good photo of it assembled outside before the snow flies.

 

Looks fantastic! I really like that color. Keep up the good work!

 

Thanks. Weather has been UNBELIEVABLE. Big job now is using the correct polish with the correct pad in the proper order

 

TWINRAY.

AWESOME RESULTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And...now...isn't it 'kinda funny' on ALL the time you had spent on the car to get it to this point is 'somewhat' forgotten..... BECAUSE..... when you are in the ZONE and performing the final buffing and polishing and completing panels???

SERIOUSLY AWESOME JOB!!!

A variable speed buffer is quite a tool....when properly used.

AND...for what it is worth to those who may read this....A DIY'er CAN do this IF that DIY'er WANTS TO DO IT!

DUB

 

well, except for the comment "all the time spent is forgotten" . Seriously, thanks for your help in this project. I'll get this done this year and will ONLY have the '69 to finish next year.

 

treat your pads just like your gun clean them before you put them up. i rinse my pads after 3rd application of compound to it . clean pads will make a world of difference. i call dirty pads scratch pads .