Wet Sanding...Have you tried it?

LOL!! thanks. i'd rather call myself a practicer. it doesnt really matter how good i get at doing something, i'm just practicing. like walking. been doin it for 44 years but i still stumble.
 
Now I have some use for all the polish I collected during my 28 years of service!! Great Tip!! Have to give a try this weekend....and my new Flex 3401 which is supposed to arrive tomorrow!!WOOHOO!
 
I'm working on my daily driver. wet sanding, then polishing.

wet sanding is a skill and takes practice. you can do it! just be patient, and be ready for the worst case. are you willing to be okay if you burn through the clear ?

It takes a lot of reading the threads and how to's and then going for it. It takes a lot of time, and patience. use one grit one way, then the next step up the next way.


Can anyone relate to these?

  • Drive around town between sessions with masking tape on the car?
  • Drive around town between sessions with wet sanding 1/2 done?
  • remind your self constantly where you left off? "driver door panel I got the 2000 grit done driver door panel I got the 2000 grit done driver door panel I got the 2000 grit done driver door panel I got the 2000 grit done.
  • Cut some small papers to fit your finger - then get them mixed up and realize the # grit is not on the back - I now write the grit on the back in indelible pen - it lasts through soaking)
  • soak the papers planning to sand, then getting distracted by another ________________(fill in the blank), and the papers have been soaking for 2 days
  • let the touch up paint dry for a good 2-4 days, finally find the time to wet sand, and proceed to wet sand the paint right out of the scratch...
  • wet sand a small space, nowhere near an edge, but as you go up in grit, the spot gets large and soon your flirting with edges!
  • wet sand very carfully, up the line 1200, 2000, 2500, 3000 (can you skip some grits? ) then after buffing realize that some of the 2000 marks weren't fully covered by the 3000. :P Dilemna: Do you go back to fix?
  • Happy and elated to have one panel sanded, polished, sealed and carnaubaed ( new verb) while the adjacent panels have swirls water spots, bird droppings, and polish splatter... just knowing in time it will all get done.

I've made all these wet sanding errors, and I'm sure more to come, and yet the car still looks better! Each panel, I get a little better. you will too.

I've resolved to repair any chips and touch ups with paint and a wet sand before buffing. it adds a lot of time, but it just doesn't make sense to polish, then have to someday go back to fix the chips.

There is a great thread here somewhere by our very own Mike Phillips about wet sanding. still searching...


Oh By the way, I've only wetsanded by hand.
 
warrior151 said:
Thank folks for the tips...I have a test hood from a wrecked car....going to try to duplicate the scratches then try the wet sand method....let you know how it comes out or if it doesn't!!
Click to expand...

Now heres an AGer that listened to all the previous threads about wet sanding. Don't practice on a valuable car! Get some expierence under your belt before doing it on a real car.

Even compounding is removing clear coat and can get you into similar trouble if you don't know the paints history or measure the paint before and during the polishing steps.
 
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