New Paint, Wet Sanded and Polished

Project Description #27 Paint Passenger Side Lower Molding

New molding had no coating at all and was dull grey plastic.
Needed to paint to match body color.
Spread out over 2 day weekend for painting stage 2 left fully flash between coats.

Material used

Automotivetouchup Adhesion Promoter
Automotivetouchup WA528F Base Coat Dk. Bronzemist Met.
24042 Dominion Sure Seal High Gloss Instant Clear Coat
Dupli-Color Dark Grey Sandable Primer
Bondo Glaze Putty
400 grit wet/dry sandpaper
800 grit wet/dry sandpaper
1500 grit wet/dry sandpaper
2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper
Orange LC Cutting Pad
Optimum Compound II
White LC Polishing Pad
Optimum Polish II
Blue LC Polishing Pad
Optimum Finish Polish
Optimum Gloss Coat

Procedure

Prep

Sand complete with 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper
2 light coats Automotivetouchup Adhesion Promoter
3 light coats Dupli-Color Dark Grey Sandable Primer
Sand defects 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper (2 defect rear section-original OEM defects)
Filled defects with Bondo Glaze Putty
Sand Glaze Putty over defects 400- 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper
(took a lot of sanding and still not 100%)
Spray defects with Dupli-Color Dark Grey Sandable Primer two light coats
Final sand defects with 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper

Paint

3 coats Automotivetouchup WA528F Base Coat Dk. Bronzemist Met.
(used 1 complete 16oz. can of paint)
3 coats 24042 Dominion Sure Seal High Gloss Instant Clear Coat
(used 1 complete large can of paint)

Finishing

Test panel starting with 2000 grit to identify "Orange Peel"-view from different angles
Test panel with 1500 grit to remove "Orange Peel"
Buff with PC with 4" Orange LC Pad and Optimum Compound II speed 5 (remove sanding scratches)
Sectioned off test area and just buffed the unsanded portion to see if noticible difference
(definite difference in shine and depth of colour between sanded and not sanded)
Sand out "Orange Peel" complete with 1500 grit (three coats of fresh Clear Coat to work with)
(took over an hour to do and mistakenly used 800 grit on small section and had to finish up with 1500 grit)
(could have used 800 grit on whole thing and then gone back over with 1500 as final step)
Buff with PC with 4" Orange LC Pad and Optimum Compound II speed 5
(a bit tricky using the PC and 4" pads but need the coverage area and power for cutting)
Polish with PC with 4" White LC Pad and Optimum Polish II
Final Polish with PC with Blue LC Pad and Optimum Finish Polish

Sealing

Optimum Gloss Coat

Will try tomorrow-hard to get picture as is 8ft long and usually to dark when I get home from work.

Pictures as best I could do. I will wait on the Gloss Coat as long as weather permits (definitely have to get on before the snow flies).

Pictures of the molding on the vehicle.

My picture taking skills could use some upgrading.