Color sanding

[de1kustomizer]

Can anyone help me? It seems everytime I color sand I break down to the color sometimes even to the sealer. I have tried to use a lesser course sand paper. Is there something I'm doing wrong. I was told to sand until the clear is dull.

 

[MPAVLAS]

MY FIRST RESPONSE WOULD BE YOUR CLEAR ISNT THICK ENOUGH BUT THEN AGAIN YOU COULD BE SANDING TOO MUCH , USING 1500 GRIT PAPER A FEW STROKES AND YOUR CLEAR WILL BE DULL.... THE BEST ADVICE WOULD BE TO LAY YOUR CLEAR DOWN BETTER SO YOU DONT HAVE TO BUFF AND THEN JUST NIB OUT THE DUST PARTICLES

 

[DaveK]

I generally use 600 grit to color sand, unless its the last coat of clear. Then I use 1000, 2000 and then 3000. Sand lightley on hard curves. I'm curious.... if you can put down a good 3 wet coats of clear, its pretty hard for me to sand through it and I get after it. There is always a little texture in clear and you just want to sand enough to get it flat or smooth. The light reflections can tell you whats going on after wiping the water off from wet sanding

DaveK

 

[TWISTED]

Alot of the guys here don't color sand. I like the smooth as glass finish myself but I guess it's personal taste.
Make sure you have enough clear on (at least 3 good coats) I start with 1500 then 2000 when its almost smooth. I still hand rub all my bikes with 3M fine cut.

 

[ezrider]

actually i think most painters DO color sand from the posts that i come across.

 

[TWISTED]

Sorry. There have been a few posts lately from guys that don't color sand and say the smooth clearcoat is an illusion of high gloss.

 

[Stretch]

I recently painted a mailbox and decided to bypass the color sanding because the clear layed down so nice. It looks good, but now that it's out in the elements it really holds the dust on compared to a color sanded piece.

-Stretch

 

[rex]

HeyTwisted,I brought that up.It's really more info than a practice but when it comes out not needing buffed I don't.Buffing knocks back the gloss but enhances DOI(that's really not the term I want but but alzhiemers set in),you have to set them side by side to see it.I call the unbuffed gloss something generic but I can't say it here (it's ______ shine).I still buff the majority of them whether it's nipping a few specs or blocking and buffing it.I'm not one on sanding base before clearing so it doesn't lay down perfect but if you cocktail your flow coat of clear right (the reclear) it'll lay down like glass.If you manage not to get a dust spec in it the job is done but that's a tall order.