Hi,
My first post and first BC/CC job. I've searched and read many posts on this subject but have one specific question which I haven't pinpointed.
I sprayed 2 coats of PPG DCU 2055. Fair results but have some curtain runs and while wet sanding, I notice that the orange peel, although not terrible, is taking some time to smoothen out. Using 1000 for starters. My fear now is that although I sprayed two fairly wet coats, I'm not going to have enought to complete the buffing operation without approching too close to the base. MY QUESTION IS: Do I have to remove ALL the orange peel before I re-coat or will the next two or so coats cover it?
Thanks in advance for any help.

I would remove it all before spraying. To me an already orange peeled surface will only amplify more orange peel on top of it. If you knock it flat now and you do get those next coats even smoother you will have less sanding. If on the other hand you have even more orange peel combined with your current surface it's going to be even harder to level. Anytime I add more clear I knock down the existing clear.

So you can reapply clear to a sanded clear? I thought you had to reapply the basecoat if you sanded a lot of the clear off (orange peel, bugs, etc)? How fine do you have to get the clear to recoat it with more clear (1,000?). And what if you used 600 to sand down the clear first to get to the **** bug that was in the first coat of clear?

You only have to reapply base if you go through the clear or need to fix a base problem. Otherwise you will see where you sanded through.
Your fine at 600 grit. If you didn't go through or don't have to fix something in the base then you can just put more clear on. 400-600 grit is what I usually use.
Lots of custom painters clear the car, sand it with 600 or so, then reapply clear to the whole car. Then they color sand and buff it. Seems like extra work but thier paint always looks nice.

Larry

Thanks again Larry! I need to quit listening to my local "consultant" Assuming the wife has no more trips for me to take or errands to run this weekend, (ah yes, must go look at daughter-in-law's new house), I should be able to show you some more pictures.

i ran into the same problem....i got some runs and peel in my 1st coat....i decided to spray 2 more let it dry overnight, sand it smooth then apply the final, 4th coat..i figured what if i sanded and sanded the 1st, goofed on the 2nd, sanded that then goof'd again....figured i'd spray up to my last coat and get all the buggers at once

i sanded the last, 3rd coat smooth with 600 then reduced the last coat about 5% to get a little better flow...no peel....wheeeew

and another thing....don't try to cross your fingers for luck on that final coat.....it makes it hard to hold the gun and airline