Wetsanding with DA polisher

[elohel]

A car I'm working on has some really bad runs in the clear of a panel that got repainted, along with really bad orange peel. Friend wants me to try and remove it since the rest of the car looks glass-smooth and it looks out of place.

Question is, if sanded with 1500 grit followed by 2500 grit on relatively soft paint, can a DA polisher along with M105 get out the sanding marks, or is that just a rotary tool that can do it? I was able to get sanding marks out with M105 by hand, but it takes a lot of effort and it's a relatively large panel.

Thanks

[Murr1525]

Re: Wetsanding with DA polisher

If you could do it by hand, no reason the DA couldnt. Using as high a grit as possible will always help.

[CieraSL]

Re: Wetsanding with DA polisher

I think you might find this thread to be very beneficial: Removing Orange Peel & Sanding Marks with the Griot's ROP and the Wolfgang Twins. Word of caution - it's a long read! Although you can use the Meguiar's DA and the M105/M205 combo instead of the Griot's DA and the Wolfgang twins if you wish. Hope this helps!

[elohel]

Re: Wetsanding with DA polisher

^^ Excellent read, thanks!

If you could do it by hand, no reason the DA couldnt. Using as high a grit as possible will always help.

I will do it by hand if it comes down to it, but I'm lazy and would prefer to use a machine instead of hand since it's a rather large panel :P

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Wetsanding with DA polisher

As mentioned, if you've had some level of success doing this by hand then a D/A should certainly do it for you, especially if you're working on fairly soft paint. Of course, using quality 2500 Unigrit papers will help to avoid the presence of any tracers (random, deeper sanding marks) that might cause problems for you. M105 on a W8207 polishing pad with a good amount of pressure should do the trick, but it might take a few passes to get you there.

Since you're just doing this to one panel (correct?) you might find that a W7207 cutting pad will help, followed by a W8207 polishing pad since the cutting pad may haze the paint while pulling out the sanding marks. You might also find speed 6 to be a big help here as well. And before anyone cries "foul" about these two recommendations, remember we are talking about very limited use of these techniques, and are recommending them ONLY IF M105/W8207 can't quite get the job done. We still do not recommend either process for routine swirl removal when detailing, or if you plan on wetsanding and buffing an entire vehicle. Get a rotary if that's the project.

[InfiniteDetail]

Re: Wetsanding with DA polisher

The DA can do it. I'd recommend the smaller 4" cutting pad as it has more cut, and speed 6 if speed 5 doesn't cut it. Several applications will probably be required.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Wetsanding with DA polisher

A car I'm working on has some really bad runs in the clear of a panel that got repainted, along with really bad orange peel. Friend wants me to try and remove it since the rest of the car looks glass-smooth and it looks out of place.

Question is, if sanded with 1500 grit followed by 2500 grit on relatively soft paint, can a DA polisher along with M105 get out the sanding marks, or is that just a rotary tool that can do it? I was able to get sanding marks out with M105 by hand, but it takes a lot of effort and it's a relatively large panel.

Thanks

A DA Polisher like the G110v2 with M105, the right pad and "good technique" can remove sanding marks but one of the biggest deciding factors as to how easy or how difficult it will be to remove the sanding marks 100% would be Topcoat Hardness.

If the paint is fresh/new then it would be best to jump on this project as sooner than later...

Also, the new Meguiar's Unigrit Finishing System is coming out and if you finish sand with the #3000 Unigrit Foam Discs removing the sanding marks will be a lot easier than removing most sanding marks instilled by hand sanding.

Meguiar's Unigrit Finishing System



I recently sanded down an entire 1969 El Camino using the new Meguiar's Unigrit Finishing System by Damp-Sanding the paint and not only was it easy it was fast. I probably sanded the entire car down in around 3 hours and only used 16 ounces of water and 4 discs. After sanding, I removed all the sanding marks using Meguiar's W5000 Wool Pad with M105 on a rotary buffer, followed by machine polishing with M205 on a W8207 foam polishing pad with a rotary buffer followed by W9207 on the G110v2 for a swirl-free finish, then sealed the paint using M21 Synthetic Paint Sealant.











Remember...
Whatever you decide to do, just keep in mind to do a Test Spot first to make sure you can remove your sanding marks with the pads, chemicals and tools you're thinking of using for the entire project.

Be mindful of all manufactures recommendations and if you're working outside their official recommendations understand the risks you're taking on.

[Tuck91]

Re: Wetsanding with DA polisher

Wow,

nice work Mike.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Wetsanding with DA polisher

A car I'm working on has some really bad runs in the clear of a panel that got repainted, along with really bad orange peel. Friend wants me to try and remove it since the rest of the car looks glass-smooth and it looks out of place.

Question is, if sanded with 1500 grit followed by 2500 grit on relatively soft paint, can a DA polisher along with M105 get out the sanding marks, or is that just a rotary tool that can do it? I was able to get sanding marks out with M105 by hand, but it takes a lot of effort and it's a relatively large panel.

Thanks

Somewhere on this forum is a write-up about a Dad that sanded down a new paint job for his son while his son was in Iraq and then painstakingly removed the sanding marks out of the entire car using a DA Polisher.

He did comment that it took him a long time and he understood the job could have been done better and faster with a rotary buffer but didn't want to use a rotary.

Not sure how to search for the thread but it might be in this forum group for wet-sanding.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Wetsanding with DA polisher

Thought it might have more meaning if you could see the El Camino after sanding, but before compounding and polishing...

[elohel]

Re: Wetsanding with DA polisher

Interesting stuff. You don't find that you burn through the paint easily if using the polisher to sand? I was just going to do that part by hand.

[InfiniteDetail]

Re: Wetsanding with DA polisher

Awesome! I've been waiting for Meg's to come out with padded sanding discs for the DA. What speed(s) did you use with the G110?

[DetailFreak517]

Re: Wetsanding with DA polisher

Mike, I thought you said on another forum you polished that out with a Surbuf pad and M105?

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Wetsanding with DA polisher

That is great. A sanding system for the d/a. Great news.

[Mary S]

Re: Wetsanding with DA polisher

I would recommend watching this Meguiars series on wetsanding.

Wetsanding part 1 of 5

And I definitely second the earlier remark to try the process on a small spot before sanding the whole panel and make sure you are happy with the results before going further.

I wetsanded a small spot on my hood with 2000 grit, and I could not pull all the marks out by hand with either UC or M105. It looks much better, reflects nicely and you wouldn't notice it on a white car, but you can definitely see some striae on direct reflection of light. My next step will be to take them out with a rotary and wool pad.