FF2Skip

True. I'd probably wreck the damn thing or a third person would hit it while it was parked.

I'm interested in doing it for the practice and to see just how sharp I can get the reflection. This would give me the confidence to do it to others' vehicles.

animeS2K

well, i've done a fender, but that was in BAAAD shape. I'd feel confident to do spot work on customer cars (have in the past) and with the Metabo arriving in the next day or two, I'll be able to jump straight from 1500 grit to polishing...

It's amazing how much depth, gloss, shine, sharpness you can get with a properly leveled paintjob...

animeS2K

unlike my crap factory subaru paint - OP and all kinds of surface issues... oh, and with a repaint, you've got more clear to work with than a factory spray...

my "problematic" subaru paint (this is after polishing, on a horizontal panel... i'm going to get this fixed, damnit!)

animeS2K

i'm THINKING that the problem there is solvent popping, because it exists on most of the car, not just horizontal panels, but vertical panels (actually, that's a vertical panel, it's the front fender) and damnit it looks like sh1t. Keeping me from achieving that luxuriously deep wet finish...

FF2Skip

Yeah... that doesn't look so hot.

FF2Skip

Meguiar's has a video of basics and my paint shop said they'd give me tips. I'm always open to suggestions.

animeS2K

wetsanding really isn't that hard. careful around the edges where paint is thin, being smooth and even, keeping the surface wet, not rushing, checking your work often (a squeegee helps) and making sure you got every little spot (it'll be dull, duh!)...

Depending on what you're trying to correct with your paint job, you may want to start with 2000... if you've got orange peel to correct or other "deep" defects, 1500 would be a good place to start, follow up with 2000 then 3000 if you have only a PC... With a rotary and wool pad you can hop from 1500 -> rotary -> PC...

also good to have a paint thickness meter to let you know how much you've taken it down, but those aren't cheap (~$550 ebay for one that does steel and aluminum) and it's sort of a guessing/experience thing to know how much you can take off - again depends on the finish (OEM, respray, etc)...

that's all i have to contribute at 2.42am

animeS2K

ah, my wetsanding test, the PC wasn't QUITE able to take out the 2000 marks... either that or i didn't take out all the 1500 marks with the 2000 and I just barely wore through the paint on a ridge of the fender...

i was also dealing with the worst respray ever. crap op was so thick... and i've realized that the respray has gold metal flake, but the rest of the car doesn't! WTF?!

yah i posted these before...

starting out...


part way through the 1500 - you can see some spots I missed


after 2000


after polishing with pc


after more polishing, glaze, wax...

FF2Skip

Damn, you've got the Monkey's Tail.


My paint doesn't look nearly that bad!

FF2Skip

I only have the PC. I think I'll do like you've done- one panel at a time.

And I'm going to bed.