Can you remove sanding marks with the Flex 3401

[Shane731]

OK, suppose you want to lightly sand down something like a trunk lid that has a lot of RIDS, so you use Meguiar's 1500 Unigrit sandpaper, and then Meguiar's 3000 Unigrit sandpaper. Realistically, can you remove the sanding marks with the Flex 3401 VRG and a purple foamed wool pad with M105? Or do you have to use a rotary with a true wool pad?

[JonMiles]

you can get the sanding marks out, its just going to take longer than with a rotary. If its any help to you, I sanded out a scratch on my driver's door with 3000g and a da, and was able to remove it with Menzerna Power Gloss on a GG DA with a yellow foam pad with no problem.

[Rob T]

OK, suppose you want to lightly sand down something like a trunk lid that has a lot of RIDS, so you use Meguiar's 1500 Unigrit sandpaper, and then Meguiar's 3000 Unigrit sandpaper. Realistically, can you remove the sanding marks with the Flex 3401 VRG and a purple foamed wool pad with M105? Or do you have to use a rotary with a true wool pad?

I've done it myself with the Flex... but as Jon said, it takes longer. I went ahead and finished the compounding following the wet sanding with my Rotary.

[Shane731]

Well, taking longer isn't really an issue, as I'm only looking at the trunk on one of our cars, not the whole car. I just wanted to know if it was possible.

EDIT: Just noticed I passed the 2,000 post mark. Woo-hoo!

[Rob T]

Well, taking longer isn't really an issue, as I'm only looking at the trunk on one of our cars, not the whole car. I just wanted to know if it was possible.

EDIT: Just noticed I passed the 2,000 post mark. Woo-hoo!

It's definitely possible with the right pad and compound combination. I'm not a fan of using the foamed purple wool with the Flex though (by contrast, I love the purple foamed wool for the rotary).

Oh, and congrats on your 2000th post, you post ##### you!

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Sufrbuf + M105 + 3401 should be able to remove 3000 grit sanding marks.

[Toymachine2009]

Supposedly you can even take out sanding marks with a DA and surbuf pad..

[Mike Phillips]

Sufrbuf + M105 + 3401 should be able to remove 3000 grit sanding marks.

Supposedly you can even take out sanding marks with a DA and surbuf pad..

Both above combos will work.

Working smarter instead of working harder is a phrase thrown around pretty loosely but here's an example of how to put it into practice...

Do your finish sanding with the highest grit finishing papers you can obtain.
Do you last sanding step to the best of your ability to leave behind uniform sanding marks.
Work clean, this helps to avoid pigtails and/or tracers


Those three actions will make removing your sanding marks faster and easier no matter which tool you use as well as pad and compound combination.