Wet Sanding
03-02-2010, 01:28 PM
#2
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: London,UK / Florida US State- Dazed & Confused
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Colour Sanding / Polishing:
Years ago it was called colour sanding because automotive paints were single-stage (primer and a colour coat) and when the finish faded from ultra violet radiation (UVR) exposure, sanding off the oxidized paint thereby exposing the underlying paint would bring back the paint surface colour. Then, as now, most sanding was done wet so the terms colour sanding, wet sanding and as all these process involves a sanding block, block sanding all became interchangeable whether you were sanding for colour or for a level surface.
This kind of work should only be undertaken by a very experienced enthusiast or a professional detailer; experienced in colour-sanding (wet-sanding) / paint renovation, more so than detailing, someone who uses a paint thickness gauge (PTG) to measure and document the vehicles paint. This is a technique that takes a lot of practice to perfect.
(See also http://www.detailingbliss.com/forum/...et-sanding.htm)
Years ago it was called colour sanding because automotive paints were single-stage (primer and a colour coat) and when the finish faded from ultra violet radiation (UVR) exposure, sanding off the oxidized paint thereby exposing the underlying paint would bring back the paint surface colour. Then, as now, most sanding was done wet so the terms colour sanding, wet sanding and as all these process involves a sanding block, block sanding all became interchangeable whether you were sanding for colour or for a level surface.
This kind of work should only be undertaken by a very experienced enthusiast or a professional detailer; experienced in colour-sanding (wet-sanding) / paint renovation, more so than detailing, someone who uses a paint thickness gauge (PTG) to measure and document the vehicles paint. This is a technique that takes a lot of practice to perfect.
(See also http://www.detailingbliss.com/forum/...et-sanding.htm)
03-02-2010, 10:17 PM
#3
Addict
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Thread Starter
Thanks for the response. I was just introduced to a classic hot rod guy who's car "the widow" was displayed at SEMA a couple of years ago and got to talking about a car he just bought at Barret Jackson and is now in the process of wet sanding to get the paint right.
08-01-2010, 12:06 AM
#6
Drifting
The factory "orange peel" is called stipple. It is a desired trait and will vary from mfg to mfg and model to model and year to year. In many concours and pro restorations it is very import and much more difficult to get the stipple or texture of the paint just right and uniform throughout the entire vehicle. Leveling the paint, having a mirror smooth finish was done in the '50s and '60s to lacquer finishes that were often sprayed too dry or even too wet and developed runs. It really didn't matter because the rough or runny finish was sanded and loaded with clear, then sanded again and polished. It looks good, but not as good as an even stippled finish as shot by an expert painter.
