When do you go to the next grit when color sanding?

Discuss anything after that final masking comes off.



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PostPosted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 12:37 pm
I have several paint jobs under my belt, but this is one step that has always been a puzzler for me. I am just starting to color sand my black single stage Mustang project, and to get the little specks and junk out, I'm starting with 1000 grit. Then, I moved to 1200, 1500, 2000, and finally 2500. I just finished the deck lid, and it looks amazing. But after the initial dulling/flattening that the 1000 provides, how do you really know when you've sanded enough (or not enough) before moving on? Obviously when I go to buff, if I haven't been thorough enough, scratches will show, especially in black. Then, it means going back over it again. This time I was lucky, and there are no stray scratches from coarser grits. I'd love to know if there is a trick to know when you've sanded enough. Thanks, Mark.

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PostPosted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 6:55 pm
I hold an oblique light to the panel and look at the panel at a very low angle, and I move the light around and make sure the entire surface is consistent. That's the key - consistency. You have to trust the sandpaper is doing its job, and as long as you can't see varying types of scratches in the finish, you should be ok. I also wet-sand in tight circles, like a human D/A ;-)

Going through those short steps of grits like you are also helps a lot. I generally do p1500 and sometimes go right to buffing. If an important car I will do p1500, p2000, p2500 and then buff.



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PostPosted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 10:03 pm
Today was the first time I ever used 2500 grit. I usually stop at 1500, and it really made a difference. The paint actually looked like it was slightly shiny when I wiped it down prior to buffing. Thanks for the tip about the light. I laughed at the "human da" comment because that is exactly what I do. I have a Hutchins water bug sander, and its great, but for black I just like to get in there and "feel" what I'm doing with a rubber block and paper. It takes longer, but at this point whats a few more hours?



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PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 12:03 pm
you can also use the 3m dry guide coat in between grits. And stretching it out to 3000 helps too. Rep said it takes 8 passes of 3000 to eliminate a 1500 scratch. Experience tells me it takes more so I step it out gradually as stated earlier.



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PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 3:41 am
guide coat is only good on lighter colors, lol, think he said its a black car,
also ive always been told to color sand in a cross hatch pattern prior to buffing, that way you can tell if its the buffing process thats caused a scratch or the sanding process, easier to eliminate the problem.
krem



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PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 7:51 am
Sand in one direction with the first grit. Sand in another direction with the next grit. Makes it easier to see if you have sanded out all the previous grit scratches out.

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