Update: I'm about 2/3 done sanding and buffing. Rasky is coming Saturday to help Opti-coat what is done, then I'll finish the rest once I'm done sanding.
I borrowed some D300 and microfiber pads and tried those out with the G100 and wow- what a difference! VERY easy to use and safer working near the edges to get the sanding marks out. I will also be trying out Optimum's polishes to finish out nicely and not have to prep with IPA before applying Opti-Coat.
I had an unfortunate experience a couple days back where I struck through the clear on a narrow door pillar. I wasn't being careful about the angle at which I was sanding and was moving the pad straight up and down with the edge parallel to the direction of motion and wore ruts in the paint. I knew better than to do that, but I was cheating with the narrow space and thought I could get away with it. Once I got it buffed out with the D300, it went through. Rasky is bringing some Opti-Guard, which I guess is a little thicker than Opti-Coat, in hopes that it will hide it a little until I can get that pillar resprayed (a buddy of mine has a paint booth and paints at a body shop as well). No biggie. I'm just glad it's my truck and I caused it! It certainly makes me respect the sanding process even more and I'll be more careful in the future.
My recommendation to anyone considering doing this to their factory paint is not to do it. I'm going to have close to 60 hours into this. I now have 20-30% less clear on the truck and probably isolated spots where there is less (or none, in one case). It's VERY difficult to remove sanding marks on factory clear (this clear seems to be fairly hard). Even 3000 grit is taking D300 with a fair amount of pressure and very slow arm speed and I still don't get all the scratches out in one pass. It's also difficult, while working at other things and watching my kids and such, to have to drag my stuff out, clean a panel and work on it, put all the stuff away, come back to it a couple days later, all the while my wife is wondering where her husband went.
In hindsight, I think I would give it a good once over with D300, Optimum polishes and Opti-coat and enjoy the gloss and paint thickness and especially more time with my family.
