New Paint & Orange Peel - Help with Products / Process

[cruiserjeff]

Hi All - First post here!

Finished painting my truck a month ago and, given I'm a novice, I managed to orange peel the clear quite a bit (Used PPG Shopline products FYI). To remedy this, I've been using 2,000 grit wet on a DA and then 105 on a yellow cutting pad with a DA polisher. I'm getting good results but it's requiring too many compounding passes (10 on this door) to get to an acceptable level of finish. I also tried using 3,000 grit wet, using a rotary with wool pad, etc. but nothing seems to shorten the process. At this point, I'm thinking that the 105 doesn't have enough cut and that I need to go to 101 or something else. Any and all advice is appreciated!

Starting Point:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49911519282_b33ecb9694_b.jpg

Bottom just sanded, top with one pass of 105 on a yellow pad:
https://flic.kr/p/2j3rpnKhttps://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49910703793_96dc98460b_b.jpg

Second Pass:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49911222451_9d95a488f9_b.jpg

Fourth Pass:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49911519242_f6014c3365_b.jpg

Sixth Pass:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49910703788_64f4a978f5_b.jpg

Eighth Pass:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49911519247_fd606a64d7_b.jpg

Acceptable after 10 passes:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49911222471_9166a32b54_b.jpg

[Mike Phillips]

Sounds like the paint is really hard?


Because it's your first post, (I remember approving your account this morning)



Welcome to AutogeekOnline! :welcome:



:)

[cruiserjeff]

Thanks for the warm welcome Mike!

It would likely have been easier if I had cut and buffed a couple of days after the clear but that ship has sailed sadly. Any thoughts on options that are more aggressive than 105? I have 101 on the way which seems like it has more cut but I'm open to other suggestions.

[Mike Phillips]

Thanks for the warm welcome Mike!

It would likely have been easier if I had cut and buffed a couple of days after the clear but that ship has sailed sadly.



Agree. There's a sweet spot between sanding and buffing too soon and too late....





Any thoughts on options that are more aggressive than 105? I have 101 on the way which seems like it has more cut but I'm open to other suggestions.



My guess is there are more aggressive compounds, my initial thought is the 3M Super Duty Rubbing Compound. We carry 3M products but not this one.

3M website states it will remove down to #1000 grit sanding marks.

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-Super-Duty-Rubbing-Compound/?N=5002385+3293242380&rt=rud


It will not finish as nice but should offer a MUCH more aggressive cut.


:)

[Mike Phillips]

Two more comments....


I'm sure you're doing this one but.... be sure to clean your wool pad with a spur often. A clean wool pad will cut better than a wool pad that's all gummed-up with compound and paint.

And - it will cost you some money, but you could re-sand with 3M Trizact #5000 and even #8000 and then start compounding.


From experience and my own knowledge base, while it will cost more to purchase the discs, it will be faster to refine your sanding marks so they are more shallow PLUS be cooler to the paint. Buffing out #5000 grit won't generate as much heat as buffing out #3000 grit on hard paint.


And a couple of quotes.....


I feel your pain -Bill Clinton

I feel your paint -Mike Phillips




:)