Wet sanding/ buffing

[spitfire481]

Figure it would be nice to have a thread for people to refer to when it comes to wet sanding and buffing new paint. share

3m 2000 grit, left to soak in a bucket of CLEAN water for 10 minutes or so to soften up,
blocked with rubber 3x6" block

buffed with 3m extra cut compound (06060) with 3m white cutting foam pad (05737)
finished with Meguiars M205 polish with 3m black polishing foam pad ( 05738)

Matco rotary buffer

compounded:


polished:

[johnnynumfiv]

I usually do 1200->1500->2000->3000 trizact. We used to presta products, but we found that swirl marks would appear a few days after the buff was done, so we switched to 3M water based products. Unfortunately my boss is allergic to something in the 3M so we've swtiched to Menzerna products. I still use presta's ultra cutting creme w/ 3M white wool for the initial buff, then I use Menzerna Super Intensive Polish w/Menzerna Yellow foam ->Final Polish w/ Menzerna Black foam.

This is the usual result:

[Señor BigJuts]

awesome thread.

I haven't painted the car yet but it'll be cut with Meguiars M105 and yellow foam pad -> M205 with green foam pad -> final polish with 1Z polish and black foam pad.

Porter Cable 7424XP


how long do you guys usually wait before wet sanding and buffing? 1-2 days?

[johnnynumfiv]

We used to use meg's compounds/polishes and pads. We could never get rid of fine swirls with it. I just started a sanding a jag xk120 today that was painted tuesday (w/ glasurit), so yea, about 1-2 days. It really depends on the product though.

[Señor BigJuts]

Haven't used it yet but ive seen a lot of good stuff after using Menzerna SIP. Keep thinking about switching from the 205 to SIP. We'll see when the time comes.

[spitfire481]

I usually wet sand and compound 2 days after spraying with ppg 2021 clear, air dry. Then I let the car or parts sit in the sun as much as possible for a week or two then do my final polishing. Swirl always seem to show again when doing it all right out of the booth for me. Figure there is no point in doing anything but compounding the first go around

[APURPLEKING]

At BMW I would just hit the nibs with 1500 wet and then buff and polish with 3m products. Some times I would use 1200 or 2000 and even 3000 depending on what needed to be done. But either 2000 then buff or 1500 and buff works just fine...

[munkittrick]

Mother F----- that's clean! I can see the future in that paint. Great work!

[vdubmike2]

at work (collision repair) - sherwin williams paint. just hit the nibs with 1500, then 3000 trizact wet, and buff with 3m compound and glaze on 3m foam pads.

my personal projects/side jobs/ custom work- ppg paints. wet sand 1500 wet, 2000 wet, finish with 3000 trizact on a da wet. buff with 3m compound/glaze on 3m foam pads. finsih with 3m blue swirl remover on blue pad (stuff is the bomb, no swirls, beautiful glossy depth to the finish)

never been a fan of wool pads much, aside from trying to put a shine on a faded pos from the 80's ive never come across a situation where ive needed anything to cut that hard, especially on fresh paint when buffed in the correct time window.

[Afazz]

For you guys using 1500-3000 Trizact, what DA are you using? Wet or dry? I have a 3/16" orbit Dynabrade, would I just keep it wet with a squirt bottle?

For hand sanding, do you use soap or anything in the water to break the surface tension?

[APURPLEKING]

On my DA I use it wet for pretty much all applications that will be buffed.

[johnnynumfiv]

I use 1500 and 3000 trizact on my IR DA w/ a 3/32 orbit wet, never dry. I use Presta lubrisuds mixed in with water in a spray bottle for any wet sanding.

Foam pads take forever to give the same result as wool. I've been using Menzerna 1000 with white 3M wool, menz 1500 with 3M yellow wool, menz 2000 black foam, and menz 4000 with a lake country black foam or 3M blue foam. I find that wool pads level the paint more than foam pads, which is why I use them on the first step. I did a Siata with this process and got great reviews on the job when it was at Amelia island concours.

[Afazz]

Thanks for the info When buffing in tight areas like an engine compartment, has anyone used one of the Matco/Blue-Point/Astro/CP micro polishers?

http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Pneuma...424473-1403652

I have the Matco DA version for sanding and it works really well.

[spitfire481]

I have a Matco 3" pneumatic polisher. Have white and black foam pads for it as well. Works great for tight spots

[APURPLEKING]

I've used that Chicago Pneumatic you posted above, it works good you just have to get used it handling it and such. But its a good tool to have for tight spaces.

[turbinepowered]

I wish I Knew more about all this stuff

[FACTORYBOOST]

I wish I Knew more about all this stuff

Yea me too... I really want to get into painting as a hobby/side projects. There is just so much I need to learn, but I am a perfectionist and fairly patient when working on something I care about so I think I would do a pretty good job once I get all the info/tools I need

[turbinepowered]

Yea me too... I really want to get into painting as a hobby/side projects. There is just so much I need to learn, but I am a perfectionist and fairly patient when working on something I care about so I think I would do a pretty good job once I get all the info/tools I need

It's kinda hard to find a good, solid "How to" for the basic prep and stages. Lots of stuff is so disjointed, or based on one person's preferences...

[FACTORYBOOST]

It's kinda hard to find a good, solid "How to" for the basic prep and stages. Lots of stuff is so disjointed, or based on one person's preferences...

Oh Yea, I'm not looking so much for a "How to" as much as a basic steps and tools required. And info on tools and stuff like that. I know as far as materials and process it's almost all preference, but it's still nice to get a lot of input from different people to know options and help decide what you can do that could get a result you might want.

[APURPLEKING]

Alot of paint work is following a process but there is a ton of room for personal preference with guns/solvents/air pressure/etc etc...

[turbinepowered]

Oh Yea, I'm not looking so much for a "How to" as much as a basic steps and tools required. And info on tools and stuff like that. I know as far as materials and process it's almost all preference, but it's still nice to get a lot of input from different people to know options and help decide what you can do that could get a result you might want.

Yeah, basic steps is what I'm looking for too.

[APURPLEKING]

Basic steps for wet sanding and buffing or basic steps for painting?

[turbinepowered]

Basic steps for wet sanding and buffing or basic steps for painting?

Wet sanding, mostly. I think I have decent basic steps for paint, not taking it down to bare metal unless I have to, trying to leave factory primer intact, that sort of thing.

[dasbeast3.0]

PPG 2021 clear, dried for 2mo. Did 1200, then 2000 on a hand sponge. 3m polish. extra cut compound on red pad, then med cut on orange, ultra fine cut on green. All done with a Flex lightweight polisher which is the best thing in the world lol Sealed with wizards breathable sealer.

[FACTORYBOOST]

PPG 2021 clear, dried for 2mo. Did 1200, then 2000 on a hand sponge. 3m polish. extra cut compound on red pad, then med cut on orange, ultra fine cut on green. All done with a Flex lightweight polisher which is the best thing in the world lol Sealed with wizards breathable sealer.

That is quite an amazing job
And a sexy car

[das-yeti]

Just painted my car candy...will be wetsanding soon. Just been lazy. Will post pics when its done.

[spitfire481]

did my once a year follow up. getting the car ready for VagFair next weekend. meguires m205 on a black foam 3m pad. coat of NXT wax to seal it up. ill throw a layer of Poor boys blue wax on it before we leave for the show next week to add some more depth. only downfall with the poor boys blue is that it doesn't last very long. if i owned a garage and it didnt sit outside all year that would probably change

[Newbomb]

Blocked with 1000, followed up with 12-1500. Initial rub was with 3m 6086 follwed with black foam pad with the dark foam polish. After that just hand glaze/polish. BTW, paint is Centari single stage, no clear here.

[FACTORYBOOST]

The first two pics I was like "Why did he chrome dip his car???"
And then it was like That's a sexy paint job

[VegasJetta]

The first two pics I was like "Why did he chrome dip his car???"
And then it was like That's a sexy paint job

Having seen, driven in, and I think I actually helped him GET this car, I can agree with you.

[prom king]

Blocked with 1000, followed up with 12-1500. Initial rub was with 3m 6086 follwed with black foam pad with the dark foam polish. After that just hand glaze/polish. BTW, paint is Centari single stage, no clear here.

How many coats of paint did you put on?

[Newbomb]

How many coats of paint did you put on?

Four medium wet to wet coats.

[johnnynumfiv]

Centari is easily the best single stage paint I've ever used. It gives great results as you well know.

[Newbomb]

Centari is easily the best single stage paint I've ever used. It gives great results as you well know.

Hands down the best!! Hard to believe it's 30yo technology. The added bonus is the way my garage smelled for about 8 months.

[dasbeast3.0]

Ill have to keep Centari in mind, looks awesome.