colorsanders, help a fellow autopian out(DLW read this)

S

smfrycruzr

New member
My dad is going on vacation tomorrow and I am going to detail his S-10 Blazer while he is gone...he has an area that he nicked a mailbox and scratched the paint. That spot was touched up with some color match but the job is horrible...what I want to know is how I can sand the high spots down(procedure please) and what to follow up with...note that I have 1500 and 2000 grit paper, Meg's Scratch X, 3M SMR, TW Rubbing compound...should I wet sand the area, rubbing compound, scratch x, then SMR and follow with my polish and wax or what would you recommend? Also do I need to flow water while I sand or just spray the area and make sure that the paper has been soaked?
 
You'll need something like a sanding block. If you don't have that then get a rubber eraser (the block style, not off the back of a pencil) or stack a few small square of cardboard ontop of each other. The reason for this is to prevent fingerprint lines in the paint from sanding.



You'll then need to soak the sandpaper in a solution of water and car soap for 30mins. I'd use the 2000 grit



For the area I splash some water on it and then make a few passes with the sandpaper. I'll then dry it and inspect the work. Wet it again, and make a few more passes. Stop, dry and inspect. I keep doing that until I'm happy with sanding.



I'll then use ProWa's DUZ-all to take the sandpaper marks out. Not sure what it compares to. I use to use 3M's Perfect-It rubbing compound on fresh paint but I think it is more abrasive than DUZ-all. After that just follow up with a light polish like 3M's SMR or Meguiar's #9.



I use a rotary for applying both with yellow waffle foam cutting pads.



Edit: Also, don't put to much water on the surface or the paper or the sandpaper will glide over the water and make no contact or uneven contact with the paint. So free flowing water over the surface isn't the best idea.
 
Whatever you do DON'T forget the pre-soaking of the sandpaper. If you don't get it soft, you risk sandpaper edge scratches that will be too deep to remove safely, ruining an otherwise glassy surface. You can fold the edges over themselves to avoid this too, and a drop of car wash shampoo to the water bucket aids lubricity and "sticking" of the paper.



I use a rotary with a Meguiar's burgundy cutting foam pad and 3M perfect -It III Rubbing Compound followed by 3M Perfect -It III Machine Glaze ( with foam finishing pad) after wet sanding (1500 and 2000), and they combine for a glass shine for me, even on black, with no swirling. Sometimes I follow with Meguiar's #9 when I'm truly picky. Good luck.
 
is this a metallic paint?? if so its gonna be a blitch to match the color up right - my emerald green metallic doesn't match up well at all - you can see right where the scratches and chips were because the metallic additive is extra-concentrated in those spots for some reason.....



but either way what these guys are saying is the right stuff. Just make sure the car soap you use is wax/silicone free (aka something "bodyshop safe", I have a bottle of meguiar's #00 hi-tech I use for this purpose only.)
 
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