Jacobpockros
New member
My 03' Acura has alot of factory orange peel on it. Would it be safe for me to get it wet sanded and buffed?
Is it safe to wet sand factory orange peel?
- Thread starter Jacobpockros
- Start date
the other pc
New member
Depends on what you mean by "safe."
It won't jump up and kill you, so it's safe for you.
But safe for the paint? Well,...
Many a highly skilled detailer has reported success at it. Many more untrained, unpracticed noobies succeed only in destroying their paint.
Factory clear is very, very thin. It's intentionally design not to be wetsanded flat. Even if you succeed in not grinding all the way through it you might still remove so much that its lifespan is severely compromised.
It's a task for a skilled craftsman, not for the unpracticed, the feint of heart or the risk averse.
pc.
It won't jump up and kill you, so it's safe for you.
But safe for the paint? Well,...
Many a highly skilled detailer has reported success at it. Many more untrained, unpracticed noobies succeed only in destroying their paint.
Factory clear is very, very thin. It's intentionally design not to be wetsanded flat. Even if you succeed in not grinding all the way through it you might still remove so much that its lifespan is severely compromised.
It's a task for a skilled craftsman, not for the unpracticed, the feint of heart or the risk averse.
pc.
Accumulator
Well-known member
the other pc said:
What did Ford used to say (as per AutoInt)? Something like...you can't remove more than half a mil or you'll precipitate clearcoat failure. Sheesh, people here do that easily enough without ever wetsanding!
JohnKleven
New member
It's definitely risky, but it can be done. However keep in mind to wetsand an entire vehicle is usually $2000+. It's very labor intensive, but the finished results are pretty amazing.
John
John
JohnKleven said:
Hi John! I'm back!
Yes...Risky is the word.
Car mftrs and their paint suppliers have established a standard explaining the minimum Film Build Thickness that's necessary to ensure the paint is durable up to xx years.
Any sanding that reduces FBT too much will compromise the longevity of the paintwork, as the clear can no longer offer sufficient UV protection.
For these thin OEM clearcoats, if my customers insist on sanding and have accepted the risks, I'll use Mirka's 2000 wet/dry foam paper and follow up with a quick 4000.
On certain clearcoats, some minor light sanding is better than no sanding at all.
Accumulator
Well-known member
John Kleven- What system do you generally use for your wetsands these days?
gigondaz- Hey, I thought of you when I saw this thead
You still liking the Mirka stuff?
Do you use their Bulldog (is that the name?) sander with the foam disks or something else?
gigondaz- Hey, I thought of you when I saw this thead
You still liking the Mirka stuff?
Do you use their Bulldog (is that the name?) sander with the foam disks or something else?
Accumulator said:John Kleven- What system do you generally use for your wetsands these days?
gigondaz- Hey, I thought of you when I saw this thead
You still liking the Mirka stuff?
Do you use their Bulldog (is that the name?) sander with the foam disks or something else?
Heh, heh!!! Nice to hear fro you again, bud!!
At the moment, I use 3M's Trizact, and then follow up with Mirka's Abralon foam-type sand paper (used with a light spritz of water).
JohnKleven
New member
Nice to see you back gigondaz. Accumulator, I'm using STARKE, it's a German sandpaper if I'm dry sanding with a D.A. If I'm blocking the car I use 3M.
5pointadam
New member
I wouldn't do it. You have to look at risk vs reward. We have customers come to us all the time that either tried to DIY or hired a cheap "professional" to do all sorts of repair/detailing to their cars. The results are never favorable. At least we are honest with our customers enough to tell them no. My advice to anyone that drives their car is learn to accept that which cannot be changed and hire the best to fix/maintain that which can.
Accumulator
Well-known member
gigondaz- Sorry, I wasn't clear...what *sander* are you using with the Mirka?
Ah, yet another abrasive I've never heard of! DRY sanding huh?
What makes the STARKE so appealing, anything in particular? How fine does it go...down to 4K, for instance?
I've been nuts over the Mirka Abralon stuff as between the uniformity and the foam backing it seems, well... Accumulator-proof.
And yeah, I hear the current generation 3M stuff (is it *really* any different from the Meguiar's these days?) is very good.
JohnKleven said:
Ah, yet another abrasive I've never heard of! DRY sanding huh?
What makes the STARKE so appealing, anything in particular? How fine does it go...down to 4K, for instance?
I've been nuts over the Mirka Abralon stuff as between the uniformity and the foam backing it seems, well... Accumulator-proof.
And yeah, I hear the current generation 3M stuff (is it *really* any different from the Meguiar's these days?) is very good.