Sanding through clear with 2000 grit?

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dannythekid

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Quick question on this.... I had a chip on a corner of my fender which I dry sanded with 2000 grit to smooth the edges of the clear. I touched it up with paint (dark shadow gray metallic) and clear mixed 50/50. I let it dry and then wet sanded (to feather out the touchup) and buffed. However, you can see a dark spot where it almost looks like I sanded through the clear, but it's shiny like there is still clear.

My question is, how easy is it to go all the way through the clear with 2000 grit? And is it possible that, while wetsanding, the paint/clear mix blended with the OEM finish and makes it appear darker? As I look at it on camera, it actually looks like I may still have a hard edge that needs sanded/buffed a bit more. The paint is also kinda hazy on the tops of the fenders and hood as this was a Texas car. What say you, Autogeek!??!

R6YkfsS.jpg


Thanks!

Dan
 
Add more touch-up paint before you do any more sanding. Looks like you created a little bit of a valley when you sanded out the chip. Touch-up paint shrinks into the lower areas as it dries, so you need to add more to continue to fill the chip/sanding. After a few layers, try wet sanding with 3000 grit to level with the original paint. If it still looks low, then add another layer or 2. Once you get it level and wet sanded where you want it, then polish. Try to focus the sanding on the touch-up area so you don't go through the clear on the OEM paint (other than feathering the edge into the OEM).
 
OK yea that's kinda what I was thinking that I needed to add a little more clear and then re-feather it. If you look close you can see the original chip kinda in the middle and another layer of clear on it that has not yet been sanded. I think I will smooth that out and then go a light layer over the "darker" area and then feather it out into the fende.r
 
It's easy to sand through the clear using #2000. Especially around an edge.


To test if you've sanded through the clear layer, rub some white colored polish on a white cloth to the area in question, if you sanded through the clear the color of the color or base coat will show up on the cloth.


:)
 
Pretty crazy, I only did maybe 5-6 passes with light pressure.

I noticed paint coming off when I buffed with a towel, but I figured that was because I touched up with paint/clear mixed. I will check it out later tonight. If this is the case, can I apply a thin layer of clear directly and feather it out?

Edit:

To be more clear, you can only really see it at this angle and looking directly down the paint still seems unaffected as the flake looks the same.
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
It's easy to sand through the clear using #2000. Especially around an edge.


To test if you've sanded through the clear layer, rub some white colored polish on a white cloth to the area in question, if you sanded through the clear the color of the color or base coat will show up on the cloth.


:)
Click to expand...

Agreed. Especially the part about the edge. ;)
 
Sanding edges can be a deal killer. Bet you won't do that again. Sorry for your loss
 
Luckily it's only noticeable to my OCD eye. Thanks for all the useful (and not so useful) information guys!
 
dannythekid said:
Luckily it's only noticeable to my OCD eye. Thanks for all the useful (and not so useful) information guys!
Click to expand...

One of the 1st cars I sanded on I sanded right through the clear. It was a nib on a doorjam. When I went through I was like "Why did I just do that?!?!?"

Luckily the owner wasn't as concerned as I was. I'll NEVER do that again!
 
Been there before, learned the hard way. I was going to write the same answer Mike Phillips gave you, but based on your actual experience (same as I had earlier) you already knew the answer.

However, 5-6 strokes are not enough in my opinion, but remember you were sanding an edge... maybe you had bad luck as well sanding the finest spot on your entire car, but detailing is not about lucky at all.

As a rule, I avoid 99% of times sanding even near an edge.

If I can add something,

The problem for me wasn't exactly sanding through, but the polishing afterwards to get rid of sanding marks. Polishing on edges can be also risky.

That way, like someone said above, try sanding higher (3000 or even 5000 if you can), so you will have less trouble while getting rid of your sanding marks.

You can always try to read more and more about sanding, like pre-soaking your sanding papers, using a drop or two of soap, wet sanding, damp sanding, ordering higher quality sanding devices, etc...

May be this way you cannot achieve 100% correction, but I prefer 90% correction than 'coating failure'.

Hope that helps,

Kind Regards.
 
Yeah i hear that. It's all about trial and error! I think i was able to salvage any little bit of clear as when I hit it with polish I didn't notice MUCH color. Thanks for the tips for next time guys, i will have to be much more careful and lcky it's my car not someone elses!

Here is my end result:

pydesaqu.jpg
 
dannythekid said:
Yeah i hear that. It's all about trial and error! I think i was able to salvage any little bit of clear as when I hit it with polish I didn't notice MUCH color. Thanks for the tips for next time guys, i will have to be much more careful and lcky it's my car not someone elses!

Here is my end result:

pydesaqu.jpg
Click to expand...

liked your outcome, barely noticeable.

I have the same thinking about my own car, it's a DD (coated and relatively well maintained, of course), but if something odd happen I will not complain with myself the way a customer should ahhaha

Sad but true, we just learn this way... good you shared experience with us,

good luck in the future,


Kind Regards.
 
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