What is next after clear coat application.

[Argeo]

HI, I just painted and clear coated about 80% of my car, well yesterday. Anyone have a mintue or two to provide step by step instructions for the finish work?

Unfortunately, I ran out of light in my well sealed garage so I had to push out to finish the clear. Well, I ended up getting a lot of bugs and misc in the clear. Besides the bugs, I also have some runs in the clear. Is it easier to just take the clear all the way off or to just sand?

I was told to use between 1000 and 2000 grit sandpaper and 3000 for any dirt that got in the clear. I ewould think you would want more grit but what do I know.

Now after you sand the clear, will I be able to get the shine back. It looks great now minus the bugs and dirt (RELATIVE I SUPPOSE).

Man, I love Mexico blue. My neighbor and I (who also owns a few Porsches just stared at it for about an hour yesterday in awe. My wife and his wife thought it was a bit flamboyant. Maybe you have to be a Porsche fan to get it?

Thanks,

David

[lateapex911]

DO NOT sand all the way through the clear, if the base color is metalic...

THe issue with bugs is very difficult, because they sink into the clear.It sounds like this is a first time painting deal for you. If so, is there a Pelican near that has painting experience?? A second opinion is important. You may be looking at a LOT of work if you make the wrong move.

That said, I think the critical aspect is to sand just what you need, and not too much. A block is critical.

Obviously, start with the coraser grits, maybe grittier than 100, dependign of the bugs, then once you have a flat surface, step it up thorough the grit range. Then onto the buffing and polishing stages.

THis is a dangerous procedure, as it is fairly easy to burn through the paint on edges and corners.

IF at all possible get an experienced set of eyes to give advise.

Post pictures as that will help us as well.

[Argeo]

Thanks Jake.

The color is non metallic. I think what I will do since I have a bunch of small pieces to do is take the clear off where I have problems and respray in the garage. I will make sure to have more light.

I am not shooting for concour so it can be a bit flawed. The car looked great from 5 ft. I wouldn't mind a spec here and there but these bugs were big so they are obvious when you get closer. I think I can figure out the sanding through trial and error and the compound I will talk to the supplier about.

I am not a big fan of using a block on a lot of areas on the car. Where they are so curvey, I have seemed to have better luch flat hand.

I guess ther is some good news, by bodywork appears to have come out good. The areas I worked on I think would pass 90% of the people, maybe more.

Thanks,

David

[dean]

Sand the clear with 1200 to get rid of the bugs and runs. If the bugs went through to the color you will have to shoot clear again. If your clear is ok after getting the ***** out, then sand with 1500 and then 2000 then buff out and you will be all set.

[Zeke]

I'd sand the clear with 600 to get the runs out and just knock off the rough stuff, about half way thru the orange peel. Check frequentlly as you go with a squeegee, assuming you are using lightly soaped water. Stay away from the edges and be real conservative on the tops of the fenders and other convex curves.

Then reshoot it with some clear. The idea is to get as good a job as you can out of the spray gun and not have to work to death sanding and polishing. It's hard enough even when the car looks real good right out of the booth. And if you have to sand that much, you will most likely sand into the base (or darn near leaving too thin of a clear coat) and have to reshoot anyway.

The paint stores sell a variety of disposable sanding pads nowadays. I use these to wrap the fragile fine grit papers around and sand without my fingers pressing on the paper itself, which shows later on if you do it wrong. The grit of the pads holds the fine paper in place better anyway. When using soapy water, the paper likes to roll up w/o a pad because it's so slippery.

[lateapex911]

I built my own spray booth, and with the money saved from not having a pro do it, I invested in some 4 ft fl lights, and mounted them low. Man what a difference it makes to be able to see exactly what you're doing. And use a good mask, and be sure to keep the booth immaculate.

I have found that the whole body work thing is ALL about prep...if the prep is done right, it is the most time efficient way.

Milt has a good point on the drips, and blocks. When it comes to stuff like drips you REALLY want to use a block. It will get the drip, and little else. Same is true on the orance peel. Your fingers will follow the contour of the orange peel, and you will only succeed in making the clear thinner. A block will lop off the high spots, but won't touch the valleys, which is the desired goal...a surface that is flat.

One trick to blocking is to use a block that has shape to it for the concave stuff. And go diagonally over the "run" of the surface. A little experience goes a long way here. PM me and I can help you more if you like, but I know that are better minds out there when it comes to this stuff.

Whatever you do, don't sand through the color coat! Thats when it gets tricky!

[oneblueyedog]

I have also heard of finesse blocks to shave off curtains (runs). You might want to drop by the paint supplier and see what options he carries. I have one that is called a nib file for touch ups that went too high with clear. I think the ones for runs have a razor blade that takes off the high clear an levels it with the surrounding clear. You then wet sand with a pad with 1000 grit or maybe finer and buff out. I'll bet it works on bugs too.

[David]

I used a razor blade held at a 90 degree angle to the paint to shave off the clear runs. Just drag the razor over the runs and scrap them away slowly. After cleaning up the runs, I wet sanded the car with 1500. Then I polished with Meguires polish with a wool pad on an orbital polisher.

I had a few bugs. I left them.

[Bobboloo]

Milt's got the right idea. Start with 600 to knock it down almost flat. Then go 1200 and then to 2500 and finally compound. You can actually skip the 2500 depending on the compound but I like going to 2500 before compounding. Starting with anything less than 600 is a waste of time. It will shine beautifully after compound and wax. Make sure that it's completely dry before you start though. Those drips take a long time to dry completely through.

Mexico Blue. I love it. That's what color I'm going to re-do my black 73' Targa in even though technically it wasn't used by Porsche until a year later. That's how much I like it.


P.S. Where's the pictures?

[Willem Fick]

What Bobby and Milt said.

Give the runs plenty of time to cure completely before attempting to sand - a week is good.

Cheers!

Willem

[RoninLB]

technique that works for the shooter gets kinda personalized.

if my shoot I'd do clean up with a 600 then a quick 800 or 1,000 w&d, then mix a 50/50 retarder/clear after giving the catalyst a good hr to kick. A few drops of accelerator for entertainment and up the gun psi to 90psi. Shoot One double coat only.

doing it this way fills only the w&d scratches and is so thin bugs have no depth of paint to sink into. Should be a mirror after this.

buff only using foam pads and fine polish and see how it looks.

[Argeo]

Thanks everyone for the useful information.

So many different ways to approach this I guess.

I have a strong feeling that all the bugs and grit came after I had sprayed a couple clear coats in my booth. So all these (or majority) are in the clear.

I guess I will start with the 600 to wife out the runs, bugs and other grit using a rounded foam block out some sort, then bump up to 1500 and final sand with 2500 and finish with polishing.

Now, after I sand with the 2500, what should I expect the clear to look like. Will it still be like water, dull, something else? Is it the buffing that brings back the watery look shine? What is it doing that the sanding isn't?

Oh, RoninLB, please tell me if I am clear on this. Mix my Chromoclear with the 7985S (activator), 1 for 1 and let sit for an hour. After the hour, get the gun up to 90 PSI and shoot the imperfections. How long between coats?

Thanks.

David

Sorry, no digital camera.

[Argeo]

One other question, will I need a whole sleeve of each sandpaper or like 15 pieces of each.

David

[lateapex911]

I like the idea of shaving the drips, but ...MAKE sure they are hard. Catalized paint takes at least a day to REALLY firm up in those thick areas.

And your sandpaper use will be in single sheets, not boxes as you will be flushing with water.

The idea is that you go finer in the grit as you progress, but each step is cutting the paint. THe 1200 removes the "gouges" left by the 600 and so on. The polishes do the same, but in even finer amounts, Your final look will be wet and glassy, but the clear will be a bit hazy during the sanding steps, once it dries out.

I'm not sure if Ronnie is saying respray the whole thing, or spot it.

[Ron.G]

Heres a trick my father showed me years ago when we were restoring my 65 Mustang fastback.
For the contoured areas of the body, Use a sponge rapped with your sand paper. It works great when wet sanding.

good luck getting the bugs out.

[Argeo]

I wasn't to clear on the shaving. Am I basically just taking a razor and cutting if off a little at a time. I can't see how it would cut at 90 degrees from the metal, wouldn't there need to be some angle.

I think RoninLB was just saying to spray the areas I am touching up.

Thanks again,

David

[David]

I also use a sponge to keep from having finger contours. Expect to use a few sheets of each. Even after the fine paper the paint will look dull. After polishing it will be nice and shiny. Make sure you have the correct polishing tool with a NEW pad and plenty of polish. You don't want to burn or scratch your new paint.

How thick is your clear coat? If it's only one coat, you could cut through it pretty fast with 600 grit.

When you sand it you'll see the paper taking off the top of the imperfections or orange peel. You don't want to any farther than removing these imprefections. The polishing will mask many of these if some remain.

[Argeo]

The clear is thick so hopefully I will be ok.

I am also not a perfectionist which helps. I am just worried about the real obvious stuff. I have already decided to keep one bug that I have found. Something to remember the struggle.

I like the spong Idea. I will ceratinly give that a try.

Thanks all,

David

[Rot 911]

This thread might help with your wet sanding and buffing: Painting the Ducktail

[widebody911]

http://www.rennlight.com/howto/colorsand/