Thinking of wet sanding my whole car - advice wanted

[Mike Phillips]

Any particular reason why I would be asking for trouble?

The fact I might sand too far is the only cause for concern?

Good question, fair question...


First read my article here and I explain in detail the topic of wetsanding paint...


Wetsanding - Fresh Paint vs Factory Paint


And here's the deal...

1. Sanding removes paint
2. Compounding removes paint
3. Polishing removes paint

Factory paint is both thin and harder than re-paints, (generally speaking), it's easy to sand paint, that's putting scratches into the paint, the tricky part is getting them 100% out.

Some people, perhaps yourself are not concerned with removing 100% of the sanding marks, I tend to be held to a higher standard, so 100% is my goal and standard.

At some point, chances are really good you'll make a mistake and by this I mean you'll ever sand through the clear layer or buff through the clear layer. Now it's time to visit a body shop.


I've been there and done this and made the mistake and paid to have a hood repainted. It doesn't really matter how good you are, the odds are stacked against you. This means, thin paint and hard paint. Bad odds.

If this is a daily driver, then buff it out and remove as many defects as you can and then learn to live with the rest as chances are good you're going to get more scratches and other defects into the future and you can't continually compound or even sand each time you want to remove all the defects.

At the same time... it's your car, do as you will. My job is to give you some sound advise.


Also keep in mind all the UV protection for the basecoat and for the paint as a whole is in the clear coat. The more clear you remove, the less UV protection, the greater the risk for clear coat failure. This is especially true for someone that lives in an area with intense sun rays.


Read this article,

Beginning Clearcoat Failure

I am looking at getting more and more into panel beating/detailing/spraying etc and this car is my second car (daily). I am not super fussed about how it turns out, more wanting to learn then anything....that said I don't want to ruin it if i can avoid it

Two suggestions...

1. Get a junker panel and practice on it first. After you get some experience and feel more confident with your skills then move onto your car.

2. If you do sand on you car, limit yourself to a single panel. That way if you make a mistake it's limited to this single panel.

And do get a rotary buffer, a good wool cutting pad and a good compound. Make removing sanding marks as easy as possible on yourself.


Hope that helps...

[Booki]

Thanks fellas, I think at this stage you guys have well and truely talked me out of sanding my whole car.

I am looking at a foam wool pad which worked great on the first car I polished, but ended up deteriorating half way through the car and fell apart. I think the foam wool pad will remove my defects and is alot less harsh on the paint then wet sanding.

[Flash Gordon]

Thanks fellas, I think at this stage you guys have well and truely talked me out of sanding my whole car.

Boooooooo :thumbsdown:






















J/K Probally the right decision

[jmfp]

If its a skill you really want to learn, it is worth taking the time to do it. Junk panels are a great way to learn, just like Mike said. If you really don't care much about the car. Go at it.

I was thrown to the wolves and had to learn in a very high pace body shop. I never had the chance on junk panels. I had to do a lot of sanding on factory paint, because my boss was really o.c.d. and had us sand orange peel off of factory paint.

I hated having to do it, but he was psychotic and you could not dispute anything he said. Needless to say, I burned through my share of paint. He would lose his mind when we would burn through. Subaru paint seemed to be the thinnest.

[Booki]

Ha ha, Well truth be told when i was wet sanding a small part of my car, i had sanded too much and exposed a bit of the door handle :P ha ha...ah well, #### happens.

Found a pic on my phone on what I am dealing with, its a shitty picture but will snap some when I remember and the lighting is good.

[Flash Gordon]

Ha ha, Well truth be told when i was wet sanding a small part of my car, i had sanded too much and exposed a bit of the door handle :P ha ha...ah well, #### happens.

Funny Stuff Dude !!!

[Booki]

Truth be told I would be in tears weeping on the ground of it was my other car!

But this one is the daily and I am willing to try new stuff on it to learn
Worst case, if it all goes pear shaped...looks like I will be learning to paint on it ha ha!

[erichaley]

I wet sanded my car and exposed something too... a reflection!

[Flash Gordon]

Truth be told I would be in tears weeping on the ground of it was my other car!

But this one is the daily and I am willing to try new stuff on it to learn
Worst case, if it all goes pear shaped...looks like I will be learning to paint on it ha ha!

Fuuny stuff again !!! Your alright in my book

I wet sanded my car and exposed something too... a reflection!

Amen

[Booki]

If only this car didn't have a metallic/pearl through it....I would so be painting it in rustoleum lololol