Whay type of Polisher should I get?????

[BOXoROCKS]

...Steve S...been painting for 30+ years. Done my share of show stuff.Its what I do..... Even the new cars need help to have show paint.
I was just assuming he wanted it to be free of ANY orange peel, and uniformly straight and level. That was my assumption as to why he wanted a machine... I may have read the post incorrectly....

 

[Steve_S]

The way I read it is that he simply wants to shine up his new paint job. Obviously for that, no color sanding would be required. As we both know, there's a huge difference between regular paint and show paint. If that's what he's after then I'm sure Newkie will hop in here and enlighten us.

 

[PC]

... The clay kinda just glides across the surface. When I wipe it off with the towel, it looks like the same dull paint. What am I doing wrong?

You haven’t done anything wrong. As <span style="font-weight: bold">Steve_S </span>said, you’ve cleaned off contaminants and exposed the paint itself.

Oxidation isn’t a contaminant that sticks to the paint. It <span style="font-style: italic">is</span> the paint, paint that’s been chemically altered by exposure. Now you’ll need to do some tests to dial in what product/process will grind off the oxidized, dead layer and expose good paint.

You mentioned earlier that you’ve used TW rubbing compound to reduce the dullness. I would highly recommend that you <span style="font-style: italic">not</span> do the whole car until you’ve experimented with a small area, maybe 1’x1’ and worked out a process from beginning to end that gives you the results you’re after.

The last person I saw try to remove a defect with TWRC did more damage to their finish than the defect they were trying to remove. It took more work to remove the scratches left by the compound than it would have taken to deal with the original defect with a much milder product.


PC.

 

[Steve_S]

Here's what wash, clay and polish can achieve. After ten years of sitting in a carport, this paint was in poor condition.

BEFORE

AFTER

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

 

[Newkie]

Hey guys, sorry I was away for awhile concerning the post.
What I have is a semi pro paint job from a guy that does this on the side. He does the prep, paint, nothing else. He doesnt get into the finishing of the paint job (example sanding the orange peel, or small specs which it does have in places.) The price of the paint job leaves that out and all I could afford at the time. I am told to use a 1200 and 1500 wet sandpaper, then polish the job when done. So with that said, I am thinking I need a small, higher rpm sander.
It is a 2 stage paint job. base with 4 coats of clear. (ppg)

Thanks

Newkie

 

[Scott_Hower]

I am thinking I need a small, higher rpm sander.
It is a 2 stage paint job. base with 4 coats of clear. (ppg)

Thanks

Newkie

No. What you need is a case of wet/dry paper and a block for wetsanding. You need to do this by hand.
Wetsanding is an art; you need to know what you're doing lest you burn through.

 

[BOXoROCKS]

...right on...

 

[Newkie]

A friend of mine uses a sandpaper wrapped sponge to do the wet sanding. Its more foregiving in his mind?
Makes sense.

I will definetly go slow and light until I get the hang of what is needed to get the job done. I did this yrs ago as a kid with my father. Yeeeaaarrrsss ago.

Thanks

Newkie

P.S. I did get a 7" angle polisher/sander by the way. It has two speeds. I just need to find foam disc for it. It came with the wool bonnets.

 

[BOXoROCKS]

... wont cut correctly,...what kind of sponge. just go to a good auto paint supplier and get the right schtuffgf.

 

[vping]

I picked up a Porter Cable 7424 and it comes with one sponge. I tried using Turtle Wax Rubbing compound over and over and it will not cut through the years of abuse. I decided to test a spot with 2000 grit and wet sand it. Then Rubbing compound followed by California Gold #2 Swirl Remover and glaze. She's like a Mirror. I think I'm going to do the entire car this way. Time consuming but the results are very nice.

 

[BOXoROCKS]

...vping....2000 then rubbing compound is going backwards. use 1500 then 3M fineness-it, then machine glaze....then a good wax if old paint.

 

[vping]

I was using a paper first that was scratching it too badly and it states that this is the paper to use before compound. The 2000 takes off just the right amount of paint to achieve what I want. From years of it sitting under trees, there are slight impressions in the paint that give it a hazy look. Machine with compound was not doing it. I did learn just last night that the single pad that comes with the machine is for polish and not cutting. It's the white foam pad. I read that the Yellow rubber pad should be used for cutting. This also may be my problem.

Also I am afraid of burning through to the primer.

Anyone know where I can get just the rubber pad for the Porter Cable?

 

[BOXoROCKS]

....OK, but you called it a rubbing compound, go to your jobber and ask what grit constitutes a rubbibg compound. It is a coarse cuttng material, in the 600 to 1000 range. I think the problem on this topic has been the terminology, some of it has been misused. 2000 paper is virtually a polishing paper.Household dust has about the same cutting power.

 

[vping]

It is a rubbing compound. It's a new product that I found at my local parts store.

So what you are saying is that I should be using 1500 then the Rubbing compound on the Machine, then polish on the machine?

 

[BOXoROCKS]

..vping ole buddy, what I am saying is, is RUN from your parts store. Unless they are the exception they dont know squat about car finishers except what they read on the back of the bottle. Go to a good auto paint supplier, THEY DO KNOW what they are doing. It's your paint, and unlike a set of spark plugs, if you wreck it you can't just go get another set of paint.
If it is a professional grade product and it has the words "rubbing"....it is coarse. After a 1500 wet sand, the product to use is 3M finness-it, a polishing compound. Then a machine glaze.

 

[vping]

Just been reading about it and heeding all warnings. Will get the correct product and wheels too. Results to follow and hopefully good ones.

 

[PC]

I am thinking I need a small, higher rpm sander.
It is a 2 stage paint job. base with 4 coats of clear. (ppg)

Thanks

Newkie

No. What you need is a case of wet/dry paper and a block for wetsanding. You need to do this by hand.
Wetsanding is an art; you need to know what you're doing lest you burn through.

I would say you need both abrasive sheets/disks for removing major defects like orange peel and a rotary buffer to remove the sanding scratch.

A friend of mine uses a sandpaper wrapped sponge to do the wet sanding. Its more foregiving in his mind?…

Using the sponge without any sandpaper would be even more forgiving. :wink: To remove orange peel you need enough stiffness in the block to put more pressure on the peaks than in the valleys between them. When removing heavy sanding scratch with finer abrasives soft foam backing works well.

The paint shop should have dense, moderately stiff, foam blocks for sanding.

…P.S. I did get a 7" angle polisher/sander by the way. It has two speeds. I just need to find foam disc for it. It came with the wool bonnets.

If the two speeds are 2400 & 3400 as mentioned earlier you should get an external speed controller.

Professional rotary buffers use a 5/8”-11 NC threaded spindle to attach backing plates. Any detailing or body shop supplier should have 5/8”-11 NC female threaded, Velcro faced, backing plates and Velcro backed foam pads.

…. I did learn just last night that the single pad that comes with the machine is for polish and not cutting. It's the white foam pad. I read that the Yellow rubber pad should be used for cutting. This also may be my problem.

Also I am afraid of burning through to the primer.

Anyone know where I can get just the rubber pad for the Porter Cable?

I’ve never heard anybody ever say anything good about the factory pad that comes with the 7424. They’re pretty much universally tossed and replaced with a Velcro faced backing plate to allow the use of high quality pads from Meguiar’s, Lake Country, Edge, etc.

The PC has the industry standard 5/16"-24 threading as used on pneumatic DA sanders. As with the rotaries, backing plates and pads are available at paint shops and detailing suppliers.



PC.

 

[Newkie]

I went by the paint suppliers store today, and Maquires does have what they call a backing sponge for sand paper.
I assume thats what my friend was talking about.
So now I have the sponge, foam polishing disc, and the sandpaper. (1500-2000) Now all I need is patience and experience. I guess it will come this weekend? I will let you know how many times I sand or burn through...

Newkie

P.S. Oh, I still need the polish, Rubbing compound, and etc. Looks like alot of people in here like the 3M product?

 

[PC]

I went by the paint suppliers store today, and Maquires does have what they call a backing sponge for sand paper.
I assume thats what my friend was talking about....

Is what you have Meguiar’s E7200 Sanding Backing Pad?

If so, you have the right tool.

... Now all I need is patience and experience. I guess it will come this weekend? ...

Some people pick up on it pretty quickly. Others don’t. Take your time and concentrate on working evenly and consistently. Inspect the results often.

It’s a good idea to start with a limited section of one panel and dial in your whole process beginning to end. You don’t want to be in the position of doing something to the whole car and finding out afterwards you should have done something differently.

...P.S. Oh, I still need the polish, Rubbing compound, and etc. Looks like alot of people in here like the 3M product?

3M is the 800lb gorilla in the business. Their stuff is easy to find everywhere and often the only thing available.

All of the players in this industry make products that work*. What’s important is to develop the skills to use them effectively. A capable operator can get good results with any of their systems.

Conversely, products that gave fantastic results in the hands of a capable craftsman will yield disappointing results if used incorrectly.


PC.



*note that said “All of the players in this industry make products that work,” <span style="font-style: italic">not</span> that their products all work the same. Every system and every product is unique. Every company has its fans. It comes down to personal preferences and choices.

 

[BOXoROCKS]

...before you start mask tape all sharp edges, thats where the burns come first, also never start your machine while pressing on the work. Start in the air and bring to the work. Let the machine do the work, patience and enough material will reward your efforts. You have no life anyway, so take your time...