Wet sanding clear for re-clear?
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Hey guys
I just did some body work on my car which can be seen here:
Anyway, I’ve gotten to the point where I need to start wet sanding the old clear on the panels (fenders, some of the hood, bottom of door) for the new clear. I was planning on using 800 wet…what do you think? I’m really hesitant about doing it because I think almost all the panels on this car have been re-cleared at one point and I don’t know if the clear is very thick or not…
How far do I sand the clear? Just until it’s dull a bit? Not shiny anymore?
Thanks,
ElliottIf your worried about burning threw the clear use a gray scotch brite pad with some scuff paste/blend prep(even comet will work) ans scuff it wet.You just have to do it enough to knock the shine off.
Hey thanks.
So there is no chance of going through the clear doing that method? And what do you mean when you say wet? Do I have use water with the paste, too?
If I don’t have time to get that stuff, will 800 wet sandpaper work just as good? What is more aggressive in terms of 800 wet vs. gray w/ scuff paste? And what grit sandpaper is more or less equal to gray w/ scuff paste?
very little chance of burning thru with the scuff and paste.800 grit would be the more agressive of the two. yes you can use the paste with water.
Oh okay. So what do you guys usually use to sand down thin clear coat? Should I use 1000 grit wet instead?
Most of us us 800 with and interface pad on a DA. Probably the quickest way, but also the easiest to screw up and burn through. Grey pad and scuff paste can be fairly quick too, and is almost foolproof. Just make sure to clean it (not let any residue/sludge dry on there) and check for shiny spots when dry. Sanding with 800-1000 wet works ok as well, but is probably the slowest possible way of prepping. A grey pad with paste may be the best way for you.
If I am ever prepping a blend panel and I am worried about the clear being thin (like on some Korean cars, I would go grey pad (wet or dry).
[quote=”Ben” post=26677]Most of us us 800 with and interface pad on a DA. Probably the quickest way, but also the easiest to screw up and burn through. Grey pad and scuff paste can be fairly quick too, and is almost foolproof. Just make sure to clean it (not let any residue/sludge dry on there) and check for shiny spots when dry. Sanding with 800-1000 wet works ok as well, but is probably the slowest possible way of prepping. A grey pad with paste may be the best way for you.
If I am ever prepping a blend panel and I am worried about the clear being thin (like on some Korean cars, I would go grey pad (wet or dry).[/quote]
Thanks Ben.
Is the scuff paste expensive?
And when you say grey pad (wet or dry), what do you mean exactly? Like when would you do it dry and when would you do it wet?
Also, am I looking for the “ultra-fine” gray pads or just regular ones? Anyone know the # of the pads? 3M I think?
Thanks,
ElliottIf you don’t want to buy scuff gel you can use comet,just dip the scotch brite in water put a bit of comet/scuff gel on the pad and go to town.
The paste isn’t too expensive. Depending on the brand you should be able to get a bottle for under $40 I would think. The Presta Scuff Stuff seems to be the most popular. A little goes a long way as well, and if you are doing it with the paste, the grey pads last a fair while.
Basically clean the panel first, get it wet, then wet the pad. Apply a small amount to the pad and start scuffing. You should be able to feel the abrasive in the paste. As you go, the paste will break down and just become soapy, so you can get more paste going then. Just work one area at a time (like half a panel, or a small panel) and rinse well before moving on.
Grey pads can be used dry, but when doing a large area it is generally quicker to go wet. Also depends on the pads. The grey 3M pads don’t last as long as some of the others when used dry.
I usually go dry to get the edges of the panels I have sanded with 800 on a DA, or if I prepped a panel wet with the pad and paste I will inspect it when it is dry. If there are small areas a little shiny still, I would just go over them with the grey pad dry, rather than getting it wet again.
Great thanks.
And if I’m going to sand it with sandpaper, I just go until the panel isn’t shiny anymore as you mentioned with the scuff/paste method? Basically when it’s not shiny anymore that means that the new clear has something to bite into?
sandpaper are ya sure :blink:
[quote=”bondomerchant” post=26684]sandpaper are ya sure :blink:[/quote]
Well that’s what I have on hand right now…going to the store for me is a problem because I work every day and when I get home the stores are usually closed…I thought that’s what people normally do was sand paper?
Remember that sandpaper is the more agressive of the two, probably not the best for thin clear….
[quote=”smooth” post=26698]Remember that sandpaper is the more agressive of the two, probably not the best for thin clear….[/quote]
Especially if you are sanding it wet. You won’t know you burnt through the clear until it is too late..and by that point it is probably a big burn through…
Come on man everyone here has explained to you why scuff gel will work better for you and nobody wetsands with 800 for blends cuz its too slow.If you have thin clear and are worried about buring thru don’t use 800 wet,guaranteed you will burn thru on an edge before you know it.Like was said before 800 on a da and gray pad the edges is what everyone here does,not 800 wet.If you want to use it go ahead,but scuff gel is much safer.Good luck…
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