Color sanding question
11-09-2006, 10:47 AM
#1
Secret Agent
Thread Starter
Color sanding question
I don't know if this is the correct place to ask this or not. Hopefully someone can educate me about this.
I've watched Hot Rod shows where they build cars from the bottom up. Basically frame off restorations. During the painting process they refer to "color sanding" the paint and then buffing it out. Do they do this before any clear coat is applied?
The way I see and understand this is that once the paint is applied it's wet sanded. This gives the finish an absolute uniform appearance. Once that is done it is polished and buffed. This is what gives it an almost mirror like quality.
Does the clear coat get applied after all of this is done? I don't understand how the paint can be wet / color sanded after a clear coat has been applied. If so, does the clear coat need to be wet sanded and buffed out as well?
I understand that manufacturers cannot do this except on high-end vehicles as it's labor intensive and does not lend itself to mass production or automation. I was just wondering if the process as I understand it is correct.
I've watched Hot Rod shows where they build cars from the bottom up. Basically frame off restorations. During the painting process they refer to "color sanding" the paint and then buffing it out. Do they do this before any clear coat is applied?
The way I see and understand this is that once the paint is applied it's wet sanded. This gives the finish an absolute uniform appearance. Once that is done it is polished and buffed. This is what gives it an almost mirror like quality.
Does the clear coat get applied after all of this is done? I don't understand how the paint can be wet / color sanded after a clear coat has been applied. If so, does the clear coat need to be wet sanded and buffed out as well?
I understand that manufacturers cannot do this except on high-end vehicles as it's labor intensive and does not lend itself to mass production or automation. I was just wondering if the process as I understand it is correct.
11-09-2006, 11:01 AM
#2
Moderator Alumnus
Originally Posted by Shalooby
I don't know if this is the correct place to ask this or not. Hopefully someone can educate me about this.
I've watched Hot Rod shows where they build cars from the bottom up. Basically frame off restorations. During the painting process they refer to "color sanding" the paint and then buffing it out. Do they do this before any clear coat is applied?
The way I see and understand this is that once the paint is applied it's wet sanded. This gives the finish an absolute uniform appearance. Once that is done it is polished and buffed. This is what gives it an almost mirror like quality.
Does the clear coat get applied after all of this is done? I don't understand how the paint can be wet / color sanded after a clear coat has been applied. If so, does the clear coat need to be wet sanded and buffed out as well?
I understand that manufacturers cannot do this except on high-end vehicles as it's labor intensive and does not lend itself to mass production or automation. I was just wondering if the process as I understand it is correct.
I've watched Hot Rod shows where they build cars from the bottom up. Basically frame off restorations. During the painting process they refer to "color sanding" the paint and then buffing it out. Do they do this before any clear coat is applied?
The way I see and understand this is that once the paint is applied it's wet sanded. This gives the finish an absolute uniform appearance. Once that is done it is polished and buffed. This is what gives it an almost mirror like quality.
Does the clear coat get applied after all of this is done? I don't understand how the paint can be wet / color sanded after a clear coat has been applied. If so, does the clear coat need to be wet sanded and buffed out as well?
I understand that manufacturers cannot do this except on high-end vehicles as it's labor intensive and does not lend itself to mass production or automation. I was just wondering if the process as I understand it is correct.
The "high and low spots" are just a fact of life because the paint can never be sprayed on evenly or in a perfect pattern creating a perfectly flat even surface.
ya, clear is applied after they level the paint. Some of the time they will even then level the clear, again it depends on the clear they use.
11-09-2006, 12:50 PM
#3
The Old Grey Whistle Test
Color Sanding
The secret to a show-winning paint finish is color-sanding.
Wet-sanding Prep- fill a spray bottle with paint cleaner/ degreaser (DuPont Prepsol) spray onto a paper towel (Torx products) and clean the surface. If you don’t wipe the surface before you sand you will not remove the contaminants, you will force (sand) them into the paint surface
Put a drop or two of Woolite® liquid in a clean bucket and fill it with clean water. Next, tear three or four pieces of the Nikkens™ 1000 - grit finishing paper in half and place them in the bucket also. Leave them in the bucket of water for about 20 minutes to soften their edges. Keep the surface wet at all times and sand in short strokes with your hand held flat. Color-sanding levels the paint and removes orange peel. After going over the finish again with 1500- grit finishing paper, then switch to 2000- grit finishing paper and sand another time.
While you're waiting for the paper to soften, wash your vehicle to completely to remove any grit or dust, then gently dry it with clean terry cloth towels. Next, take a tack rag and wipe over the truck's surfaces one final time to make sure the paint is absolutely clean. A small particle of grit can make deep scratches in even the hardest finish. If you're working outdoors, wet down the surrounding area to keep dust under control, and keep a garden hose running with a trickle of water on the surface at all times.
Wrap a piece of the softened Nikkens™ 1000 - grit finishing paper and a Unigrit Sanding Block, if you're going to be working broad, flat surfaces. Otherwise, you can just fold the sandpaper in thirds. Keep wetting the surface of the vehicle in the area where you're sanding and keep it wet while you work. Place your hand flat on the paper at all times and start sanding in short, criss-cross strokes. Avoid applying excessive pressure and never sand with just your fingertips -- you'll create grooves if you do.
Only move the finishing paper and block about 4 - inches back and forth, if you do make a scratch, it will be a short one and easier to buff out. Using shorter, quicker strokes requires about the same amount of time as the longer sweeps most people are used to. Besides, you shouldn't worry about time and have a lot of patient when color-sanding. A clean rubber squeegee or rubber block is the best tool for checking your progress (3M™ Wetordry™ Rubber Squeegee, P/N 05517, 2 ¾-inches x 4 ¼-inches) Swipe the squeegee across the sanded surface periodically to clear it of water. Only when you have the surface completely free of any suggestion of orange peel or imperfections are you ready for the next step.
Proceed to the 1,500 - grit finishing paper and repeat the process until all the coarser scratches are eliminated. Use 2000 - grit finishing paper and finish with 3000 - grit finishing paper in order to remove all of the very fine scratches, only when the paint has a consistently level, smooth, satin finish can you continue to the buffing stage, if you want a show-winning finish.
Reference source- [url]http://www.eastwoodcompany.com [url]
Knowledge; [ability to correctly diagnosis problems] [then utilizing appropriate methodologies and products]
The secret to a show-winning paint finish is color-sanding.
Wet-sanding Prep- fill a spray bottle with paint cleaner/ degreaser (DuPont Prepsol) spray onto a paper towel (Torx products) and clean the surface. If you don’t wipe the surface before you sand you will not remove the contaminants, you will force (sand) them into the paint surface
Put a drop or two of Woolite® liquid in a clean bucket and fill it with clean water. Next, tear three or four pieces of the Nikkens™ 1000 - grit finishing paper in half and place them in the bucket also. Leave them in the bucket of water for about 20 minutes to soften their edges. Keep the surface wet at all times and sand in short strokes with your hand held flat. Color-sanding levels the paint and removes orange peel. After going over the finish again with 1500- grit finishing paper, then switch to 2000- grit finishing paper and sand another time.
While you're waiting for the paper to soften, wash your vehicle to completely to remove any grit or dust, then gently dry it with clean terry cloth towels. Next, take a tack rag and wipe over the truck's surfaces one final time to make sure the paint is absolutely clean. A small particle of grit can make deep scratches in even the hardest finish. If you're working outdoors, wet down the surrounding area to keep dust under control, and keep a garden hose running with a trickle of water on the surface at all times.
Wrap a piece of the softened Nikkens™ 1000 - grit finishing paper and a Unigrit Sanding Block, if you're going to be working broad, flat surfaces. Otherwise, you can just fold the sandpaper in thirds. Keep wetting the surface of the vehicle in the area where you're sanding and keep it wet while you work. Place your hand flat on the paper at all times and start sanding in short, criss-cross strokes. Avoid applying excessive pressure and never sand with just your fingertips -- you'll create grooves if you do.
Only move the finishing paper and block about 4 - inches back and forth, if you do make a scratch, it will be a short one and easier to buff out. Using shorter, quicker strokes requires about the same amount of time as the longer sweeps most people are used to. Besides, you shouldn't worry about time and have a lot of patient when color-sanding. A clean rubber squeegee or rubber block is the best tool for checking your progress (3M™ Wetordry™ Rubber Squeegee, P/N 05517, 2 ¾-inches x 4 ¼-inches) Swipe the squeegee across the sanded surface periodically to clear it of water. Only when you have the surface completely free of any suggestion of orange peel or imperfections are you ready for the next step.
Proceed to the 1,500 - grit finishing paper and repeat the process until all the coarser scratches are eliminated. Use 2000 - grit finishing paper and finish with 3000 - grit finishing paper in order to remove all of the very fine scratches, only when the paint has a consistently level, smooth, satin finish can you continue to the buffing stage, if you want a show-winning finish.
Reference source- [url]http://www.eastwoodcompany.com [url]
Knowledge; [ability to correctly diagnosis problems] [then utilizing appropriate methodologies and products]
Last edited by TOGWT; 11-09-2006 at 12:54 PM.
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