My first wet sanding experience

[Legacykid]

So I went to a junk yard in search of a hood, to only find a door. So I decided to give wet sanding a shot. I watched a few videos online, AMMONYC video with Jrose and KBrown was one of them easy to follow. Read up on MPhillips and figured lets do this. I got 1500,2000,3000 grit. I only let them soak for about an hour, because we made the purchase the same day. My GF and Friend were with me to give this a shot as well. We washed and clayed the door.

The car door is an off white with not many scratches in it, so I figured I could key it. Well I went to crazy and got to deep with the first mark. The next time I went a little easier and barely scuffed it. So I let them do the same.

Now we all taped off a section and got to work. I did 1500 - 3000. while my friend did 1500-2000-3000. We did not use a block, which would have been so much easier. Because it is tough to focus on the paint, hand pressure, and make sure your doing it evenly around the work area. I couldn't believe how hard I was able to push on it and not to much paint was coming off, I figured sand paper would just tear through the layers, leaving no room at all for error, especially in the hands of a rookie.

So I decided to push the limits on the first key mark I made. It was about an inch long so I worked that one area with one finger back and fourth.I went from about 150um to about 130um. I remember reading clear coat is unsafe usually at around 80um. So I had some wiggle room. I went back at it for maybe 10-15 seconds of moderate to hard rubbing to then find this!



So I checked my PTG:


About half way between the gauge and the clear coat failure is the point of measurement:



About half way between the gauge and the clear coat failure is the point of measurement:


As you can see things escalated quickly! Now I followed up with M105 with an orange CCS pad, then M205 with a white CCS pad. Loos what happen to the point of failure as I continued to polish. I did about 2 passes with M105, and maybe 1.5 passes with M205 for reference I used a GG6 with 4in pad speed 5, then speed 3.5.



Anyway here is the outcome of the general area we did.




All in all it was a good experience for me. something I think any detailer, enthusiast or pro, should try out. It is a lot of work that goes into it, and doing it correctly, taking off the least amount of paint, leaving texture or removing orange peel. Much respect to the pros. Anyone doing this kind of work for cheap is crazy and should hold them selves to higher standard. It really is an art that I now have so much respect for.

[Kamakaz1961]

Excellent Post!! Excellent work!! Once you get a pretty good idea of tackling the wet sand you start to appreciate whet the detailers do.

Again, awesome job!! If you could, the next time you are wet sanding, could you use a darker color panel?...LOL It was difficult to see but was able to see your work. Again, excellent!!

[Legacykid]

Excellent Post!! Excellent work!! Once you get a pretty good idea of tackling the wet sand you start to appreciate whet the detailers do.

Again, awesome job!! If you could, the next time you are wet sanding, could you use a darker color panel?...LOL It was difficult to see but was able to see your work. Again, excellent!!

Thanks for the encouragement! I have been trying to source a black hood or door. no luck yet. I was surprised how long it took me to get the two pieces I have. Might take it go get sprayed black and add a lot of clear to really have a testing zone. If I cant get a dark panel.

[Kamakaz1961]

Thanks for the encouragement! I have been trying to source a black hood or door. no luck yet. I was surprised how long it took me to get the two pieces I have. Might take it go get sprayed black and add a lot of clear to really have a testing zone. If I cant get a dark panel.

My next venture is actually learning how to paint (black or a dark color)....I am wondering if you should tackle that and give comments. Since you have a throw away panel that would be something fun to try.

But again, excellent work!!

[Legacykid]

My next venture is actually learning how to paint (black or a dark color)....I am wondering if you should tackle that and give comments. Since you have a throw away panel that would be something fun to try.

But again, excellent work!!

Haha the experience I have spraying is (very)limited to spraying plastidip. I don't exactly have a good place to spray either but If I had the opportunity I would. To bad your on the other coast!

[GSKR]

Just keep on learning, you will get it stay away from white it's a color even the most advanced detailer have a hard time.white always reveals the scratch after the repair,it's not like you're dark colors,yes you can improve it but don't look for 80 percent .any full time detailer that's been doing this for years ,knows what I'm talking about good luck and don't give in.