Wet sanding with a DA........

[LudicrousSpeed]

I saw the post the other day about wetsanding with a DA, but I have always been too scared to try it.

Today, I was working on a hood that got a lot of dust in it, and it was taking forever... I spotted the 1000 grit wet/dry paper I have had laying around for a couple years, and decided to give it a try. What a difference! I had done 1/2 the hood already, and did the other half with the DA, in less than half the time!

I have access to some 3m 800 grit paper at work I am going to try, the 1000 paper seemed to almost be too fine.

I think this is the way I will go from now on, but only on really flat panels. Anything curved, I think I will stick to using a block. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yay.gif

 

[tiller2nv]

For the curves you can get the foam pads for the DA. I just bought this setup and it works great! I also have been wet sanding with 1000 and it seems too fine. I think 800 would work great!

 

[pkthomas]

hey, i just thaught i would let you know i have been useing a 3m hookit foam pad on my finishing da and useing 800grit dry and then going back over it by hand with 2000grit wet and every thing has been turning out beutifull. I was a little worried about how this prosess would work on darker colors but i just finished a restoration on a 31'ford and it worked great. i've been using the typical 3step buffing process with the cream color foam pads for the cutting compounds and the black foam pads for polishing. everyone has there own way but this seems to work great for me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/luck.gif

 

[LudicrousSpeed]

Anyone got any links to these foam DA pads? I would like to see and perhaps try one.

This block sanding is getting old!!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beat.gif

 

[tiller2nv]

[ QUOTE ]
Anyone got any links to these foam DA pads? I would like to see and perhaps try one.

This block sanding is getting old!!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beat.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Sure do,
http://www.innate.com/Paint/DIY/mirror_finish_B.htm
Im using hook it two

 

[pkthomas]

your local paint supply store should have them, you will need to get a new da pad to except the hookit style soft pad also, there not real cheap but well worth it! you can find everything you need at www.autobodysupply.com once you try this methid i beleive you will like it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bigokay.gif

 

[tiller2nv]

Hey PK where did you find 800?

 

[rex]

Are you guys using the 800 before buffing or reclearing?If it's for buffing what are you finishing the sanding with?

 

[pkthomas]

tiller2nv, you can find the hookit 800grit at any auto body supply store, if they don't have it in stock they should be able to get it for you, they have 6inch hookit da paper in many different grits. and hey Rex, i go back over the 800grit by hand with wet 2000grit before i start the buffing process /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[rex]

PK,that's cool.I used to do it that way but if you want to save some time I've gone to this route recently.I'm still back to the handsanding but I use 1200-1500 to level and then DA it with 3M's 3000 trizac and the interface pad.Buffs out fast and easy and if you get up tight on an edge you're not on pins and needles you're fixing to burn it or gouge it.I only use the handsanding so I can see that the straight line sanding marks are gone by the da,I always find I have to go back and redo a spot if I use the da for the courser grits .

 

[LudicrousSpeed]

I tried 800 grit wet today on my DA. I kept having problems with the 800 wanting to stick to the paint, no matter how much water I had on the paint. I guess the 800 just has too much "tooth" to it. I just have a hard pad that came with it, the kind you stick the discs to, so maybe that is the problem?? Anyway, I followed the 1000 grit DA wet with 2000 on a block, also wet.

Knocked a lot of time of my work!!

I am going to have to see about getting the system to use the finer grit pads and see how they work.

 

[tiller2nv]

Thats not good! I just spent 40.00 on 800 for hook it two. Havent had a chance to use it yet. I hope I have better luck!

 

[LudicrousSpeed]

I think that the hookit stuff would work better, the ones I was using were adhesive backed...........

 

[rex]

The hookit will eliminate the suction problem,that's normal for stickit papaer on a hard pad.On the Hookit system,use the courser papers on the bare pad for leveling (like the 1200) but water doesn't seem to help much,dry the paper loads up fast and using water seems to float the paper so it won't sand much,that's why I went back to handsanding it.After that parts done put on the foam interface pad with the 3000 and it'll cut the previos scratches right out,one piece will go pretty far and you have to use water with it.Polishing is real fast on 3000.

 

[LudicrousSpeed]

I may have to look into the hookit system and some sanding discs........

What is better to go with? I know there are several different systems out there, but I know nobody around here that has any experience with anything like it....... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/think.gif

 

[rex]

I use 2 systems.The Hookit 2 is what I like best for the 3000trizact (and that's the only way you can use it) and I also use it with 240 or 320 to sand e-coat and primed bodywork.I use the original Hookit with anything from 500-800 for blend or paint prep but I use Norton paper,and it's real expensive.The reason is the original hookit has a soft paper backing so you can get up into concave areas.The 3M hookit2 paper all has a hard plastic backing that will gouge up the paint in the same scenario.The 3000 is actually grit on a thick piece of foam so it's not a worry.I like the hardbacked for leveling but it's caused me a few scratches for finish work.The only difference between 1 and 2 is the velcro is reversed,so you need 2 pads to use both systems but the interface pad works with both.