After wetsanding the whole car down I would,

A. wheeling/buffing

B. another perfect coat of clear


I was taught the old-school way(A) to pull the best shine. One of the new guy's been telling us, the results are great but takes too long. I've never heard of this method(B) he's been talking wreckless about and would like to hear some opinions/experience.

Tell me what YOU think pulls out the best shine and why.

 

If I understood the question (I am assuming there is one in there somewhere) I would probably give a response

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LastDetail &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If I understood the question (I am assuming there is one in there somewhere) I would probably give a response</TD></TR></TABLE>

LOL

 

i would say that option a. would be your best bet. you can run into alot of problems reclearing, such as contamination, more dirt, runs, etc. Lets not forget about the unecessary material waste such as tape, paper, clear, and time. the last mentioned is most expensive imo.

so do the cut n rub it out. to save yourself some time buffing, i would end my sanding with 2500 wet or 3000 dry da. then start your universal three step process.

1. wool pad with cutting compound. (all scratches should be buffed out in this stage)
2. polishing pad with polish. (this finalizes the scratches)
3. polishing pad with wax suitable for new paint. (this helps with swirls)

note: CHECK your work over in direct sunlight. NEVER WORK IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT. you may have to repeat steps 1 and 2 for best results. holla!

 

Excuse me for the confusion,

The car is getting bodywork and paint. I was talking about wetsanding after laying base and clear.
We ended up laying down clear(B) and it's getting buffed/cleaned up(A) tomorrow.

I'd appreciate if anybody can share their experience (with final buffing/cutting step and results)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MiracleWhip &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i would say that option a. would be your best bet. you can run into alot of problems reclearing, such as contamination, more dirt, runs, etc. Lets not forget about the unecessary material waste such as tape, paper, clear, and time. the last mentioned is most expensive imo.

so do the cut n rub it out. to save yourself some time buffing, i would end my sanding with 2500 wet or 3000 dry da. then start your universal three step process.

1. wool pad with cutting compound. (all scratches should be buffed out in this stage)
2. polishing pad with polish. (this finalizes the scratches)
3. polishing pad with wax suitable for new paint. (this helps with swirls)

note: CHECK your work over in direct sunlight. NEVER WORK IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT. you may have to repeat steps 1 and 2 for best results. holla!</TD></TR></TABLE>

by the time you put wax on, you shouldnt have any swirls if you know what you are doing. and wax with a polishing pad to hide swirls? ummmmm.....

 

Occasionally I will use a light cut pad with a cleaner wax to get that eensy teensy bit of polishing. But only when I am in a rush or the car is just a beater.
I would in no way recommend it for a newly painted car or as a replacement for a true cut and buff.

 

If your wet sanding, make sure you double check your sanding marks that it's not there after you buff. Look at the spot where you buff at different angles and check to see if you still see sand marks, if you do then just apply compound and buff again until you don't see the sand marks anymore. When you're done cutting use a foam pad and glaze.

 

If both methods are done right, the visual difference will be very minimal or none at all, as far as shine goes. Method B would allow a higher MIL clear thickness vs A after cut/buff. Three to four coats of clear in one step will give you alot to work with, any more in one step may lead to curing problems. If its applied well the side panels should be the only parts that will need to get fully worked over to be completely flat. The top/ flat panels should flow out pretty well if they are painted horizanal/flat. Method B obviously takes more planning and much more time, labor, material than A. Method B, side panels especially might still need to be de-nibbed, wetsanded and buffed, if your going for a show quality, completely flat profile, top to bottom.