Wet Sanding...Have you tried it?

[warrior151]

Evening all! So sitting around and cruising the net I came across Megs vids on Youtube. talked about wet sanding and 1500-2500 grit paper...my wife's 03 Liberty had some nasty scratches from a scotch brite pad a former owner used to clean bugs off from the bumper.

Tried sanding today and not bad...used 2500 then Megs 105/205 to clean up came out slick....

With that all said...have others tried this method on newer cars? Just wondering is this is a practice out in the field or more reserved for older vehicles. The friend who sold me the Jeep also used the scrotch brite pad on his Acura and he wants me to fix it....

Let me know your thoughts on wet sanding (micro polishing?)....

[rider9195]

I really would like to try wet sanding. My sisters car is a perfect example. Has scratches I know need to be wet sanded down. So it is the perfect candidate.

[Flash Gordon]

I only started sanding about 6 months ago. In the past if a rotary didn't remove the defect the customer...urrr client would have to live with it or take it elsewhere. There's hugh potential for failure if your not familiar with the cars paint history. You need to be prepared to pay to have the panel resprayed should something go awry

I still get a knot in my stomach when I do this :)

[Flash Gordon]

I really would like to try wet sanding. My sisters car is a perfect example. Has scratches I know need to be wet sanded down. So it is the perfect candidate.

Sounds like a great canidate for sure. You can see the defects being removed as you sand. Its really not that hard at all

If nothing else you two will have something to talk about when your old and grey :)

"Remember that time you sanded through my clear?"

[warrior151]

Flash Gordon, I agree not knowing the paint history would be scary...I was a little apprehensive but testing with the wife's Jeep (not my M3) I thought I couldn't make it look worse than it already was...just like I am learning with the other detailing products...patience!!

[rakkvet]

A Scotchbrite pad is pretty aggressive. I would be concerned with the amount of clear already removed by your buddy. Wet/color sanding removes material in the same way.

I bought a trunk lid from the local junk yard for practice. It had bird droppings etched into it and a few places with really bad RIDS so I got quite a bit of practice. I did sanded through to the primer where the bird etchings were. It didn't take long at all. Even with 1500 and 2000 grit.

My point is, if you don't know the history of the paint and you are just starting out, be careful and go slow. You can also buy a small panel and work on it. If you screw up, just get some rattle can paint and some clear and try it again.

[Kristopher1129]

Like Flash said...without knowing the true history of a vehicles paint, there is ALWAYS risk.

Even if you go out and buy an expensive paint gauge and measure...you're still then just making a more educated guess. Really, an educated guess may leave you with a false sense of safety.

It can really work wonders...but you have to know your limits. Work the sand paper back and forth, you'll see a white film being produced (that is the clear coat slurry), work it back and forth in straight lines a few times with finger pressure...then stop. You're not trying to completely remove the scratch...if it comes out, then great. If it doesn't...compound, polish, and there you have your results. Most the time, it's not visible.

I always make sure I let the customer know that my intention is to simply improve the defect. 100% removal would be nice...but it's not fair to you, or the customer to assure them of that. But the times it does come out...they are psyched.

Toughest part of this procedure is making absolutely sure you remove your sand paper etchings. Use plenty of light, check, double check, and triple check before you polish. Etchings can be tricky if mistakes were made during sanding. Also, don't get discouraged if they aren't coming out. You don't want to get all amped up, and accidentally burn the paint trying to remove them.

There's risk, and plenty of it. Practice makes perfect for sure.

[warrior151]

Thank folks for the tips...I have a test hood from a wrecked car....going to try to duplicate the scratches then try the wet sand method....let you know how it comes out or if it doesn't!!

[tw33k2514]

The thought of wet sanding makes me pucker up.... But I am going to get a couple test panels from the local junk yard to try it out on eventually.

[andrew b]

I've done it, mostly to smooth out touch-up spots and also to clean up some scuffs on hard plastic fog light covers. Always go slowly so you don't go through the clear.

[Rav777]

Ive done it on newer cars, scary as hell, but it works. It is usually brought on by request or usually a customer is ready to paint his car, but decides to try wetsanding first to see if he can get some color out of the clear, it usually works out nicely!

[M0nk3y]

Like Flash said...without knowing the true history of a vehicles paint, there is ALWAYS risk.

Even if you go out and buy an expensive paint gauge and measure...you're still then just making a more educated guess. Really, an educated guess may leave you with a false sense of safety.

It can really work wonders...but you have to know your limits. Work the sand paper back and forth, you'll see a white film being produced (that is the clear coat slurry), work it back and forth in straight lines a few times with finger pressure...then stop. You're not trying to completely remove the scratch...if it comes out, then great. If it doesn't...compound, polish, and there you have your results. Most the time, it's not visible.

I always make sure I let the customer know that my intention is to simply improve the defect. 100% removal would be nice...but it's not fair to you, or the customer to assure them of that. But the times it does come out...they are psyched.

Toughest part of this procedure is making absolutely sure you remove your sand paper etchings. Use plenty of light, check, double check, and triple check before you polish. Etchings can be tricky if mistakes were made during sanding. Also, don't get discouraged if they aren't coming out. You don't want to get all amped up, and accidentally burn the paint trying to remove them.

There's risk, and plenty of it. Practice makes perfect for sure.

Awesome advice.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk

[Flash Gordon]

The thought of wet sanding makes me pucker up.....

There's a certain part of my anatomy that puckers up each and everytime I do this. Just like with riding bikes, I hope I never get to comfortable doing this

You might wanna stay about a finger tip away from the edges if possible

[Black Car]

Plus 1 on what Kris said. I love wetsanding and i'm all self taught from articles on this site. it's easy but DON'T GET CARRIED AWAY. Don't keep going after that deep scratch because you will go through the clear. Careful of subarus too. I just paid for a hood to get repainted because i went through it like butter...clear, base right to the primer with just 2000 grit.

[Mike Phillips]

DON'T GET CARRIED AWAY. Don't keep going after that deep scratch because you will go through the clear.

Careful of subarus too. I just paid for a hood to get repainted because i went through it like butter...clear, base right to the primer with just 2000 grit.

Great story to share with others...


Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself

-Eleanor Roosevelt