Sanding to Bare Metal

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ProZAutoDetail

New member
Hey guys, I know this is kind of strange for a detailer to be doing, but once again, I have a repeat customer with a Cadillac he needs painted, and he wants it down to bare metal. I own a Dewalt DW849 7/9inch rotary polisher, I figure I could use it to tackle the sanding job? Just wondering what you all think, where to get the proper sanding discs, and what grit to use without damaging the metal? I was thinking around 120 grit, but I'm not really sure. Any one that has some sort of body shop experience, please help!



Thanks Again,

Zac
 
There are a lot faster ways to get to bare metal then sanding...





What kind of car is this and what's the owners goal? Is he painting it himself? Show car, Maaco paint job?
 
It's a '90 Cadillac Eldorado, and he is getting it painted to be a show car.

What would you consider are the fast ways?

I thought for sure putting my rotary up to 3000RPM would just tear through the paint.
 
Well the best way IMO would be to have the car bead blasted, depending of coarse on how much rust it has, if any. Another option would be with the use of a liquid paint stripper, which is probably the cheapest route.



Why is he not just having the body shop do the work?
 
Honestly I don't know why, he asked if I could do it and I said yes...How would you suggest using the paint stripper? Just pouring it on and scraping it off with a bondo spatula or something?
 
Your client wants a show quality paint restoration and is having his detailer(who has no body work experience) sand it down to bare metal? Sorry, but this is almost laughable and scary at the same time. That's one hell of an upsell. I hope you're planning on detrimming the entire exterior prior to grinding and stripping.
 
David has a good point. If this is to be a show quality car a lot of stuff needs to be dismantled prior to painting and it sounds like the owner really has no idea what's involved in creating such quality work. You're looking at $6-10k to do this car correctly....and it really doesn't even make sense to do it to a car like this, but to each their own I guess.
 
ProZAutoDetail- As David said, this has that "all kinds of wrong" feel to it. I can't imagine the painter being OK with the idea, for one thing.



I guess it's easy for me to turn away *your* job :o but there's no way I'd touch that one with a ten foot pole. I mean...just all sorts of things...who's gonna pull the glass? How you planning to get all the pieces transported to the painter's shop?



My "good" painter uses a scad of different stripping methods when he does a car; what's right for one panel won't be right for the adjacent one. No way he'd want somebody else starting the job off and then turning it over to him, it'd end up costing a lot more that way too.
 
I'm not sure if I would attempt to hand sand to bare metal as well, at least not in the traditional method that we use (small pads).



I know of a body shop that will strip most of the paint (chemically) then block sand the metal. The reason a block sanding is used is because you won't create waves in the metal like hand sanding can, plus you are straighting the body as you go.



However block sanding is an art forum to the highest level, and you are sculpting the finish as you go. So while the best can lay the foundation for a masterpiece, the inexprienced can flatten body lines and corners.



It just seems easier for him (and you!) to let him have the shop do it.



If you do agree to do it I would stress that you are not certain of the results you are going to achieve. It's a lot of libaility IMO. Best of luck :D
 
90 Cadillac Eldorado says a lot about what is taking place with this car. I have a couple of NBA players that I take care of their rides. So with this comes exposure to a new type of clientele. Things are done differently and which brings new types of demands.



A sand blaster would be my recomendation. HF sells the blaster material pretty cheap so you can do it in the street or in your driveway. HF also sells the guns pretty cheap or you can look into renting one along with a compressor if you don't have one.



Just like there are many different levels of detailing there are many different levels of achievement or standards.



Not the direction I would go but I also don't have a 90 Cadillac Eldorado!!
 
fergnation said:
90 Cadillac Eldorado says a lot about what is taking place with this car. I have a couple of NBA players that I take care of their rides. So with this comes exposure to a new type of clientele. Things are done differently and which brings new types of demands.



A sand blaster would be my recomendation. HF sells the blaster material pretty cheap so you can do it in the street or in your driveway. HF also sells the guns pretty cheap or you can look into renting one along with a compressor if you don't have one.



Just like there are many different levels of detailing there are many different levels of achievement or standards.



Not the direction I would go but I also don't have a 90 Cadillac Eldorado!!
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I've seen way to many panels that were warped to hell from an inexperience user sandblasting a panel! Not a good idea IMO.
 
Plus, imagine all the paint debris, sand and crap all over your driveway/street. If your neighbors dislike you for detailing, they'll hate you even more after sandblasting the paint off a car at your house.
 
David Fermani said:
Plus, imagine all the paint debris, sand and crap all over your driveway/street. If your neighbors dislike you for detailing, they'll hate you even more after sandblasting the paint off a car at your house.
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LOL! We just blasted the chassis on the Austin Healey were restoring....I'm heading to take pics after work and will capture just how much of a mess it makes if it isn't already cleaned up when I get there! ;)
 
Glad you don't live in a Deed Restriction area. While your at it, how bout sandblasting the paint off the house.................
 
Well, with all of your opinions taken into consideration, I have told him I am not comfortable sanding his car completely down to metal. I guess since I have wet sanded his BMW, he must have thought I could sand anything-haha. It would have been a nice chunk of change in the pocket, but like previously stated, I am a detailer, not an experienced body shopper. Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it!
 
ProZAutoDetail said:
Well, with all of your opinions taken into consideration, I have told him I am not comfortable sanding his car completely down to metal..
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I think that was a very good decision :xyxthumbs



Oh, and FWIW, I think that most stripping-type blasting like that is done with media other than sand these days....I'm no expert but "sodium" or maybe "soda" come to mind. My guy used something like that on a recent frame-off job and there was *zero* warpage, things came out really clean too.
 
Accumulator said:
I think that was a very good decision :xyxthumbs



Oh, and FWIW, I think that most stripping-type blasting like that is done with media other than sand these days....I'm no expert but "sodium" or maybe "soda" come to mind. My guy used something like that on a recent frame-off job and there was *zero* warpage, things came out really clean too.
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Some of them use crushed walnut shells! :D



I believe sand blasting still does a better job at removing rust though.



Car we blasted yesterday....definitely makes a mess! :D

IMG_3476.jpg
 
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