likwidchz

Howdy,

I finally have finished painting my EG hatch and it has some orange peal in it. I'm ready to start cutting it and buffing it, although I fail to get the correct info from people who sell the maguiers buffing compounds or DA pads.

Previously I have sanded with 1000 grit went up to 1500 then 2000 then 2500 then buff.

Since I used my orbital DA to do all my body work previously I realized that I was able to buy some Velcro 4000 Grit pads thinking SWEET! no more hand sanding this bitch. Since the DA is quite a bit more aggressive and less strenuous on my body/hands/ego/motivation to continue doing this I'm really curious as what point I should call it quits on sanding and when to break out the buffing compound.

So I plan on getting some 2000 grit or maybe even 1500 grit DA pads sanding, then moving up to 3000 then 4000 then breaking out the buffing compound, although here is the question

Maguiers rates the cut from level 9 Diamond cut to 1 something like swirl remover, at what point does the grit of my sand paper equal a number from 1-9 on magnifiers compounds?

I want to avoid sanding the entire car with 3000 grit to find out that my buffing compound is equal to 1500 grit and I just went backwards you know?

Thanks!
--Aaron

redboost10

i have always preferred wet sanding the paint by hand, i usually finish with 2000 grit....then i grab my porter cable and some menzerna sip followed by menzerna intensive polish using the lake country ccs pads (the pads with the little dimples in them).

here is my car that i did a half-*** job on

gorillafart

iTrader: (1)

meguiars is pretty simple. since you have a new paint job, you dont have to worry about much. so use their 105 and 205 product. 105 to remove all those 2500-3000grit marks.... and then 205 to polish . done. simple. yes. you're using a DA... use meguiars pads as well. much like anything else you wanna stick with one company's product from start to finish. you cant really go wrong unless you're retarded. if you have skill use a porter or rotary its faster. if not, your DA is fine. then wax. and viola.

redboost10

ive been using the 105/205 combo a lot lately, but still like the menzerna stuff better.

likwidchz

Thank you both for the tips.
RedBoost10 -- 931whp B series? shitclowns I bet that's fuel efficient! The Menzerna is wayyyy spendy! and you're hatch/coupe needs to be about 3.5 inches lower to the pavement!

Gorillafart -- I'm guessing the 105 number you are referring to is the Ultra Cut compound which shows a 9 listed, It mentions that it removes 1200 grit or finer. I believe that would be way to aggressive for my situation. I would rather do as much as I can with the DA and wet sanding the thing with the foam pads "on the DA" rather then using an orbital as I feel that the orbital removes too much material. I have one foam pad I should invest in a couple and label them for higher and lower cut compounds. I would prefer to sand with the DA up to 4000 grit and then finish with a single compound that's very very low cut as I am pretty sure that the areas between 2500 and 4000 grit are so fine they start intersecting with the cutting ability of some of these compounds.

I think I'm going to invest in some 1500/2000 grit pads for the da do the whole car except the bumpers, then step it up to 3000, then 4000. Unfortunately when I painted this in a garage there was **** in the air, I would love to have used a paint booth but you know how that goes.

Then stick with some buffing compound lower then a 4-5 cut on Meguiar's line up of crap.

Personally I feel that they should rate buffing compounds in a grit scale..


Does any of this sound incorrect? I have never really been able to get a straight answer out of any people I have talked to about what products or how to wet sand or what grits to use to get some glass like paint.


--Aaron

redboost10

It's a dragrace car not a street car, but was street legal. Needed to fit the slicks under it. Yes menzerna is spendy. Just a little easier to use in my opinion.

gorillafart

iTrader: (1)

i dont get why you're trying to use all these grits. just use the one that will remove your orange peel. then step up to something you can buff out... i.e. use 1500-2000grit to sand orange peel, then 3000-4000 to remove those 1500-2000 grit scratches... then compound with the 105 and finish with 205.

meguiars compounds are used in a way that the longer you use one application, the smoother the "grit" in it becomes. so as you apply 105 compound to the pad, it actually cuts, and starts to get finer as you continue to use it. in essence, it cuts then almost starts to polish as the compound thins out.. . just watch your heat. check your progress. if those 3000-4000 scratches are gone, change pads and move to 205.. if not, continue with the 105 lightly, and check progress after every application. untill you're ready for 205

in the end of the day, a true detail job comes with experience. everyone likes different methods and products, but the end result is the same no matter how you go about it... and that is to achieve a mirror finish like everything else

likwidchz

I had a conversation with a painter that worked at Baxters autoparts, about diminishing abrasives in one of the higher cut compounds I believe it was the one labeled Diamond cut.

I am going to sand the car with a DA with 2000 grit, then 4000 then use the diamond cut then finish off with a #3 low cut polish. I found it strange why you would skip lots of middle steps. He mentioned that due to the fact that the Diamond cut compound has abrasives that wear out the more passes you make on it.

Gorillafart - "meguiars compounds are used in a way that the longer you use one application" This is not 100% accurate, only compounds that say "Diminishing abrasive" on the back will do this.

Although good tips! I was able to pick up some info I had not known before. I think if its not horribly cold outside I'll start on a door or something when I get home.


Thanks again.