hey mike, et al, need polish interior trim advice

[glen e]

Guys :

Need your advice here...the vette comes with a cheap plastic piece for the center console that was easily painted with metallic black and 5 coats of clear acrylic lacquer...it came out great, there are no runs and just a hint of orange peel but I want it to look like a piano...so I'll let it out-gas for a month and then what do you suggest?

Here's what I own:
3 inch griots
6 inch griots
flex 3403
carpro denim and velvet pads
fg400
ultimate compound
many finishing polishes; menzerna 4500, megs 205, etc

I think all my power tools will be too hard to use on the curves but you tell me what you would do:

Here's the finished product:
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h307/gersly123/photo6661.jpg (http://s67.photobucket.com/user/gersly123/media/photo6661.jpg.html)
the original piece:
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h307/gersly123/06F2CCB5-4F58-4552-85C6-16D9DAC4F84B.jpg (http://s67.photobucket.com/user/gersly123/media/06F2CCB5-4F58-4552-85C6-16D9DAC4F84B.jpg.html)

thanks in advance

[Mike Phillips]

Looks like you need a mini polisher. Bobby here at AG can order them...


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/722/Rupes_LD30_Mini_Orbital_Sander_01.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/722/Rupes_LD30_Mini_Orbital_Sander_02.jpg


Then to polish cut up some microfiber pads and a few foam pads and polish out your sanding marks.


Besides that you could do it the old fashioned way by hand sanding and hand rubbing out your sanding marks.

The surface area on these pieces look kind of small to try with the Griot's 3" Mini Polisher with a 3" Meguir's Unigrit Disc or Trizact Disc but this is one of my favorite options for sanding thin panels or sanding next to edges and rasied body lines.

I'm actually showing the above in one of my classes this Thursday.


Mobile Tech Expo 2014 - Class Schedule (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/74834-mobile-tech-expo-2014-class-schedule.html)




:)

[glen e]

Mike if I was to hand sand is assume 3000 grit and then just polishes?

[Mike Phillips]

Mike if I was to hand sand is assume 3000 grit and then just polishes?




I'm going to show a pretty cool hand sanding technique at Mobil Tech Expo, have you thought about going?

To your question...

My personal opinion is #3000 is so fine it's not a good starting point for most projects.

I'd suggest #2500 Nikken. You can get them as individual sheets on AG. Then hand rub using something like M105, Ultimate Compound or Uber Compound. I've pulled #2000 grit sanding marks all by hand with these three compounds.

I usually start using a microfiber applicator pad by hand and use the fibers to increase abrading ability of the process but then re-apply using foam to remove any marring caused by the fibers/pressure.


:)

[aim4squirrels]

Love the Wolfgang Uber Compound.

I accidentally put a scratch in my vehicle I spent 2 days correcting and detailing just last Friday during my last inspection check for paint cleaning residue. it was right next to the door handle and rather large, so it couldn't be ignored.

I had already packed up the Flex and coiled the extension cord up and put away, so I grabbed the LC white 5.5" flat pad I had used the Uber Compound on earlier to correct a water spot, added a little fresh Uber to the pad, and buffed it out by hand. Took maybe 2 minutes total to make the spot disappear, and after I cleaned up the spot with the prep polish, I couldn't tell the difference between it and the surrounding finish I had previously finished out with Menzerna SF4500.