Wet sanding how to get started?

BrianMcLeod

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I want to kinda of start wet sanding I have a porter cable and a flex can I use the porter cable to sand? What it the technique? What are the steps grits etc? Thanks!!
 
There's several threads on AGO as well as AG YouTube account hosted by Mike

Grit goes from 1500 to 5000

Depends on the job at hand what steps size you'll use
 
Yeah a lot can very on the specific job. I had to use 800 grit to help get rid of a huge run on at the body shop by the painter.

I work on repaints so there is plenty of CC to spare and sand down. Sometimes the painter shoots and the orange peel matches the OEM finish and I just use 3000

When there is dirts I use 1000,1200,1500 then 3000

If there are no dirts and I just want to match the OEM finish, at times I just use 1500 to 3000 then buff that out.

So it all depends IMO, so there is never a one answer will solve it all. Using the least aggressive method isa good practice. I could be wrong though... :dunno:

What are you planning on sanding down?

View attachment 23628

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^ This was 1000, 1500, 3000
 
What is the reason you want to wet sand?

Is it to reduce orange peel or to remove scratches?

How much paint is on the car?

Will you have a practice panel to test things out on so you can get a good feel for doing it?

I'd start out on a practice panel or a clunker type of vehicle and begin my test section with nothing more than a few passes with 3000 grit until you see what is happening on the panel.

I got some good advice from a great detailer who told me to black out a section with a sharpie marker and then start machine polishing with 3000 grit, checking my progress after each pass to see how much of the sharpie has been removed, ultimately getting a visual of how much orange peel was left.

This gave me a good feel for how long it was taking to remove how much orange peel.
 
So, you just found out why to wet sand, now you want to do it? Is this on your Fathers Mustang? I would definitely follow Daves advice and find a piece of painted metal that has no value or meaning to anyone and practice on that. Mike Phillips' articles on the subject are great!
 
This question can not be answered in a forum.
DON'T WET SAND UNTIL YOUR PROPERLY TRAINED.
 
I don't want to wet sand any car just wondering how to get started I have a panel of a car that I can test on
 
So, you just found out why to wet sand, now you want to do it? Is this on your Fathers Mustang? I would definitely follow Daves advice and find a piece of painted metal that has no value or meaning to anyone and practice on that. Mike Phillips' articles on the subject are great!

No I would not wet sand that thing I have a test panel bc someone hit my friends car when it was parked and I got a test panel from it
 
I think it's good that you want to learn. I have not seen personally how a detailer sands to compare how a body shop buffer sands.

However, I am pretty sure that they are different styles. I think it's good to know and learn both. A test panel is a good place to start practicing.
 
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