Noob at wet sanding
- Thread starter mikesal57
- Start date
I did it on my Bonnet of my old Jeep and it was fine just use plenty of water. Do a small inconspicuous spot first to see how it comes out. I would say 2000 to 2500 to 3000. Compound out using DA the polish. It is really easy to get out those scratches with a DA.
Check out the multiple articles and videos by Mike and others on the procedure.
Check out the multiple articles and videos by Mike and others on the procedure.
Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
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Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
- 51,004
- 7
This topic came up here yesterday,
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/80414-how-fix-bad-old-paint-repair.html
Here's what I posted....
Most people have really high expectations for rock chip repair. The expect that when looking directly down on the hood where the rock chips are to be able to make it look like nothing ever happened. As in no chips and no repair.
This can be done but it requires some time, skill, knowledge and the right products.
You can make rock chip repair as simple or as complex as you want but for most people, more and more work doesn't always mean better and better results.
The first thing to remember is less is more, that is put less touch up paint into the chip so you don't go from a sub-surface crater to a blob sticking out on top of the paint.
If you have the blob, then a couple of things you can do...
1. When possible, let the paint dry longer. You want the touch up paint as dry and hard as possible before you start sanding and buffing on it.
The problem you can run into when you start buffing on touch-up paint is when you warm it up, especially when using a rotary buffer, you can actually pull the touch-up paint right out of the scratch or rock chip.
Then you're back to where you started only now you've got sanding marks in the surrounding paint.
2. Touch-up paint will always be softer than the factory paint surrounding the repair, here's how this affects the buffing process. When you go to buff out your sanding marks, they will buff out quickly and easily out of the touch-up paint because this paint is softer, especially if it's only dried a short time. The surrounding paint will be harder and thus it will be harder or more difficult to remove.
ve your sanding marks out 100%
It's easy to sand paint as at it's core that's putting scratches into the paint... the tricky part is getting the ALL out...
When doing touch-up repair work on clear coat paints, what I've seen and experienced is the sanding marks come out of the touch-up paint quickly and easily but not so with the factory clear.
So what a person does is continue buffing the sanding marks in the surrounding clear paint and what happens is you heat the panel up and your buffing pad will literally pull the touch-up paint out of the scratch or chip.
3. You really need a rotary buffer to remove sanding marks 100%
Can you do it with a DA or Flex or even Cyclo? Sure but it will take longer. Again the sanding marks will come out of the touch-up paint quickly and easily, it's the surrounding factory baked-on clear coat that you'll need to be concerned with.
Try to finish sand with #3000 or #5000 before buffing.
Also, if you don't have a rotary buffer you can remove sanding marks by hand but this usually requires more skill than working by hand.
Avoid heating up the touch-up paint and underlying and surround panel and paint. Take your time.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/80414-how-fix-bad-old-paint-repair.html
Here's what I posted....
Most people have really high expectations for rock chip repair. The expect that when looking directly down on the hood where the rock chips are to be able to make it look like nothing ever happened. As in no chips and no repair.
This can be done but it requires some time, skill, knowledge and the right products.
You can make rock chip repair as simple or as complex as you want but for most people, more and more work doesn't always mean better and better results.
The first thing to remember is less is more, that is put less touch up paint into the chip so you don't go from a sub-surface crater to a blob sticking out on top of the paint.
If you have the blob, then a couple of things you can do...
- Sand the blob flat to be even with the surface of the surrounding paint.
- Remove your sanding marks.
- Re-seal the paint with wax, sealant or coating.
1. When possible, let the paint dry longer. You want the touch up paint as dry and hard as possible before you start sanding and buffing on it.
The problem you can run into when you start buffing on touch-up paint is when you warm it up, especially when using a rotary buffer, you can actually pull the touch-up paint right out of the scratch or rock chip.
Then you're back to where you started only now you've got sanding marks in the surrounding paint.
2. Touch-up paint will always be softer than the factory paint surrounding the repair, here's how this affects the buffing process. When you go to buff out your sanding marks, they will buff out quickly and easily out of the touch-up paint because this paint is softer, especially if it's only dried a short time. The surrounding paint will be harder and thus it will be harder or more difficult to remove.
ve your sanding marks out 100%
It's easy to sand paint as at it's core that's putting scratches into the paint... the tricky part is getting the ALL out...
When doing touch-up repair work on clear coat paints, what I've seen and experienced is the sanding marks come out of the touch-up paint quickly and easily but not so with the factory clear.
So what a person does is continue buffing the sanding marks in the surrounding clear paint and what happens is you heat the panel up and your buffing pad will literally pull the touch-up paint out of the scratch or chip.
3. You really need a rotary buffer to remove sanding marks 100%
Can you do it with a DA or Flex or even Cyclo? Sure but it will take longer. Again the sanding marks will come out of the touch-up paint quickly and easily, it's the surrounding factory baked-on clear coat that you'll need to be concerned with.
Try to finish sand with #3000 or #5000 before buffing.
Also, if you don't have a rotary buffer you can remove sanding marks by hand but this usually requires more skill than working by hand.
Avoid heating up the touch-up paint and underlying and surround panel and paint. Take your time.
Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
- 51,004
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Who told you they were the same product. I don't believe they are the exact same product. They probably are very similar and share similar technology but here's the deal....
M105 is formulated and sold into the PROFESSIONAL market. By definition, Professionals use products like M105 for a living and SHOULD have a higher skill level than Joe Consumer.
Joe Consumer on the other hand MIGHT wash and wax his car once or twice a year. The "marketing people" at companies like Meguiar's KNOW THIS and make consumer grade products a lot more Bubba-Proof.
Be careful what you read or who you listen to when someone tells you something like M105 is the same as Ultimate compound.
Same category, that is "Aggressive Compounds" but not the exact same formula for the reasons I pointed out above and even a few other good reasons.
:dunno:
Thanks Mike! I found out first hand that they were different. The UC was much easier for me to use. (Weekend Warrior)
DetailKitty
Well-known member
- Jul 17, 2013
- 5,068
- 67
Subscribed.
Let us know how you make out... I want to take this leap of faith at some point.
Let us know how you make out... I want to take this leap of faith at some point.
mikesal57
New member
- Apr 29, 2013
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- Thread starter
- #13
Kitty..I'm off a work next Tues for a week..
Will build up the nerve..lol
There are plenty of You Tube videos on wet sanding..
alot uses "by hand" technique...2000 grit, compound and polish
maybe thats the the course for me
Mike
(after that , Is to clean engine bay..nerve issue too)
DetailKitty
Well-known member
- Jul 17, 2013
- 5,068
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I think you will be fine... and the hand method would be my choice as well.
I am with you 100% on the engine bay. I do clean mine, but I just wipe it down, I've never sprayed or done anything like that under the bonnet.
My car is half English and half German... that's an electrical nightmare waiting to happen and I don't want to provide the catalyst :laughing:
TundraPower
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- May 18, 2011
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Are you wet sanding using a machine or by hand? If you've never wet sanded I would start with 5000 grit.
David Hayward
New member
- May 8, 2014
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I've wetsanded some parts I have painted and I have also wetsanded some parts that I had painted to save body work cost.
It seems a bit scary at first but it's not bad. I've done all my work by hand before to do small trim parts I have painted and when I did the entire bed of my truck I used a rotary to removed the sanding marks.
You can polish by hand no problem just takes a ton of work. All I can reccomend is keep the surface wet and keep an eye on your paper kind of like it was a clay bar. Keep the paper wet and dunk it into a bucket of a water mix as not not let any paint build up in it because if you get any buildup or contaminates in the paper you will have some serious marring in the paint of you continue on. I'm no expert on the topic but I have had wonderful results wet sanding with 2500 grit being a beginner and everything.
It seems a bit scary at first but it's not bad. I've done all my work by hand before to do small trim parts I have painted and when I did the entire bed of my truck I used a rotary to removed the sanding marks.
You can polish by hand no problem just takes a ton of work. All I can reccomend is keep the surface wet and keep an eye on your paper kind of like it was a clay bar. Keep the paper wet and dunk it into a bucket of a water mix as not not let any paint build up in it because if you get any buildup or contaminates in the paper you will have some serious marring in the paint of you continue on. I'm no expert on the topic but I have had wonderful results wet sanding with 2500 grit being a beginner and everything.
mikesal57
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- Apr 29, 2013
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- Thread starter
- #18
The only thing that bothers me is the size of the Meg block that comes with the sand paper
With such a small area between the chips...that block looks like it will make a large area to sand out..or mess up...O MY
Any tips on how to keep the sanding at a minimum?
or just go with the block for uniformity...
With such a small area between the chips...that block looks like it will make a large area to sand out..or mess up...O MY
Any tips on how to keep the sanding at a minimum?
or just go with the block for uniformity...
David Hayward
New member
- May 8, 2014
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I've always done it just paper with a very light touch. You don't need a ton of pressure to wetsand. Just go very light pressure and take your time and look at the work to see how it is progressing.
Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
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From this article...
RIDS and Feathersanding - A Highly Specialized Technique by Mike Phillips
Cut some small postage stamp size pieces of sandpaper and then just use your finger as the backing pad and like mentioned, sand very little and very lightly.
Remember,
- Sanding removes a little paint.
- Compounding removes a little paint.
- Polishing removes a little paint.