Safe enough to cut & buff?

[Sk808]

Just had my car painted "British Racing Green", a Dark green metallic Jaguar color, by my High-School Autoshop teacher. The Paint came out pretty nice, but it still lacks that deep clarity due to the orange peel.
But he told me that he was only able to lay down two, "double wet coats" of clear. I guess the clear I bought (1 gal. of PPG shopline) wasn't enough or something. But for a general rule of thumb: is the clear thick/safe enough to cut and buff?
I'm planning to do the initial cut with 1500, then follow up with 2000 grit sandpaper, then buff out with m105 with LC yellow cut pad and finish on top with m205 and LC white polish pad.

 

[Sk808]

*And for a side not, i'll add some photos on a separate thread when I get home!

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Just had my car painted "British Racing Green", a Dark green metallic Jaguar color, by my High-School Autoshop teacher.

Congratulations.

What is the car?

The Paint came out pretty nice, but it still lacks that deep clarity due to the orange peel.

That's normal.

But he told me that he was only able to lay down two, "double wet coats" of clear.

I was part of a team of people that wetsanded, cut and buffed a 1949 Ford Woody that the painter only sprayed 2 coats of clear. We sanded the HECK out of that project and it came out great.

Sad to say, all the pictures were posted to a temporary discussion forum using Microsoft software that ended up being junk so the company dumped the forum and went back to vBulletin. I lost 3500 posts when this happened and all of the pictures and the write-up from this project. The company? Meguiar's.

The team?

Mike Pennington, Jason Rose, Kevin Brown, Tom McDonald and me.

The car was a streetrod that belonged to a Surfing Band, I might even have one or two of their CD's somewhere.


Point being, painters are different. Some painters lay down just as much paint in two heavy or wet coats as other painters would lay down in 3-4 coats.

I guess the clear I bought (1 gal. of PPG shopline) wasn't enough or something.

What is the car, that gives us an idea of the surface area.

But for a general rule of thumb: is the clear thick/safe enough to cut and buff?

I'd say yes but kind of depends on how large the car is. Are we talking about a Ford Excursion or a Ford Focus?

I'm planning to do the initial cut with 1500, then follow up with 2000 grit sandpaper,

The sanding plan is okay. I'm a fan of finishing out at higher grit levels like #3000 and #5000 just because it makes the compounding step faster and safer.

then buff out with m105 with LC yellow cut pad and finish on top with m205 and LC white polish pad.

This is where I would suggest using a wool cutting pad. Wool cutting pads cut color and faster as it relates to removing sanding marks.

You can do it with foam, especially if you finish out at a higher grit paper/disc, but it will take longer and foam cutting pads when used with compounds on rotary buffers for heavy cutting generate a lot of heat to the surface. Heat is NOT good for clearcoats. Despite what others in the forum world have been posting for decades.



Now how about a picture of that car!

 

[Sk808]

You can do it with foam, especially if you finish out at a higher grit paper/disc, but it will take longer and foam cutting pads when used with compounds on rotary buffers for heavy cutting generate a lot of heat to the surface. Heat is NOT good for clearcoats. Despite what others in the forum world have been posting for decades.



Now how about a picture of that car!

WOW, now that's a lot of information to absorb!
I'm sorry, I noticed now I left out a lot of valuable information.

Now I know i've seen around that people wouldn't suggest it, but i'm gonna be doing all the buffing with a PC. (It's the only thing I have, and I can't get my hands on a rotary) So I just gotta work with what I have. But going the DA route is still do-able/realistic... right?
So i'm now thinking about changing thins up and sanding with 1500, 2000, and 3000. My question is if 2000>3000 is to high of a jump?
And what wool pad would you suggest? (preferably something a tad bit on the cheaper side) And would one be enough? (If anything, I could use you method for "cleaning on the fly")

OH and btw, here's my little thread of the painting process of my Mustang! http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/80297-repaint-my-04-v6-mustang.html#post1099014

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

WOW, now that's a lot of information to absorb!

That's what this forum does.... provides info that helps see people through to success in their garage.

I'm sorry, I noticed now I left out a lot of valuable information.

Now I know i've seen around that people wouldn't suggest it, but i'm gonna be doing all the buffing with a PC.

(It's the only thing I have, and I can't get my hands on a rotary) So I just gotta work with what I have. But going the DA route is still do-able/realistic... right?

I coached a guy through wetsanding a 1965 Mustang and then buffing out the sanding marks using only a Porter Cable 7424, (first gen PC). So it can be done but it will take a lot more time.

The guy I helped fixed up and painted this 1965 Mustang for his son while his son was serving in the military in Iraq.

So i'm now thinking about changing thins up and sanding with 1500, 2000, and 3000.

My question is if 2000>3000 is to high of a jump?

I'd say "no" but you want to make sure you sand thoroughly with the #3000 to remove or "level" all the #2000 sanding marks.

And what wool pad would you suggest? (preferably something a tad bit on the cheaper side)

And would one be enough?

Normal wool pads like are used on rotary buffers WON'T and DON'T work on Porter Cable type tools.

You can however use the THIN Purple FOAMED WOOL Pads like you see my buddy using on a PC to remove oxidation on this boat.

Pictures: 16' Key Largo Center Console Boat Detailing Class with Marine 31

(If anything, I could use you method for "cleaning on the fly")

My towel technique won't work for the thin PFW's but you can use a nylon brush like a Pad Conditioning Brush.


1967 Mustang GTA Fastback - Pictures & Comments

OH and btw, here's my little thread of the painting process of my Mustang!

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/80297-repaint-my-04-v6-mustang.html#post1099014

Very cool. Somehow I missed this thread when you posted it.


We'll do everything we can to help you successfully wetsand, cut and buff the new paint job on your Mustang.