Aggressive clay or 3000 grit ?

Mike Hoekstra

Mike Hoekstra

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Since I've started my own side business, every project thus far has been with heavy contamination. By heavy, I mean bonded to the substrate/clearcoat. Aggressive clay works, but also considering switching to using a 3000 grit wet sand instead of clay, and then finishing out with an AIO to save time and headaches. Thoughts from the more seasoned professionals?
 
Just to chime in,


You're thinking is logical. The idea sounds good on paper. The problem with substituting SANDING with CLAYING is

1: If the paint is HARD then removing 100% of the sanding marks will be difficult.

2: The sanding discs are expensive and wear-out quicker than we all like.

3: If there are a lot of tough contaminants on the surface of car paint and you do try to SAND them off instead of clay them off - you will load up and wear out your sanding paper or disc.


4: The most EFFECTIVE and time-efficient way to remove 100% of the sanding marks out of ALL body panels both flat and CURVED is with a rotary buffer.
(I'm throwing this #3 item, (which is very carefully worded), in here for all the guys that say a free spinning random orbital is just as fast and faster than a rotary for removing sanding marks. This might work in the middle of a flat panel but it won't work for the entire car so just break out the rotary and get it over with) :laughing:


That's off the top of my head. And you're getting this opinion from the guy that taught the first PUBLIC class on damp sanding and I believe the ONLY guy that has an article on damp sanding in the world.



I feel your pain.

I say an aggressive clay
trumps rubber products all day.


So go with what you know...


:)
 
Thank you for the feedback and advice Mike. As for the rotary method, would you use a traditional wool pad and Meguire's 205 heavy cut? OR since I own one, use the Beast and a microfiber pad with Meguire's 205? I'm not opposed to buying new tools, but if I CAN-DO with what I have in my lineup already, that would be my first approach.
 
When it comes to removing 100% of the sanding marks as fast as possible and as efficiently as possible, I would do it the same way I teach in my classes.

The RUPES wool pads are nice, especially for anyone new to using the rotary as they come in small sizes and this makes them easier to use. I'm a huge fan of the FLEX PE14 in both corded and cordless. I have not used the RUPES rotary as much as the FLEX PE14 but as an equal opportunity exploiter I think they are both really nice COMPACT and lightweight rotary "polishers" that simply make a a hard job a lot more enjoyable.



From the 2020 February wetsanding class here at Autogeek in Stuart, Florida. In my classes we actually sand down real cars, not hoods. :D

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:)
 
Spikey Mike said:
Since I've started my own side business, every project thus far has been with heavy contamination. By heavy, I mean bonded to the substrate/clearcoat. Aggressive clay works, but also considering switching to using a 3000 grit wet sand instead of clay, and then finishing out with an AIO to save time and headaches. Thoughts from the more seasoned professionals?
Click to expand...

Have you tried to decontaminate with something like IronX and then clay?

Beats the hell out of wet sanding, compounding and polishing and then risk the chance of burning through.
 
Factory clear is pretty thin these days. I wouldn't risk wet sanding a car unless I was willing to shell out for a repaint if I went through the clear.
I'm not a professional but if a decon and clay can't get it perfect then live with it.
 
Rsurfer said:
Have you tried to decontaminate with something like IronX and then clay?

Beats the hell out of wet sanding, compounding and polishing and then risk the chance of burning through.
Click to expand...

I actually did use an iron remover on this and it didn't even touch the contamination.
 
Mike Phillips said:
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:)
Click to expand...

In these pictures it is okay to use rotary (? I believe that is nano rotary?) to compound/buff around those slats like that?

Specifically, the risk of burn-through on top part of those slats is not too high ?
 
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