>Also, I started the buffing of the paint with 1200 sandpaper, which
>shouldn't be too coarse, should it?
>
>How do I get it mirror smooth?
>Anthony.
In my opinion the hardest part of a good refinish is the color sanding and
buffing. Laquers sand easily and have an excellant shine, but just will not
hold up very well, after all its a very old technology. Enamels are more
durable but don't sand and buff very well, they seem to be too rubbery to
take a nice shine. The latest paint I've used is urethane, which sprays
like a laquer, dries hard, and can be sanded and buffed to a nice shine.
I've found that sanding with 1500, then 2000 followed by buffing with a wool
pad gives a nice initial result. After a few months the paint will dull
a bit as it cures, then give it another buffing and it will look really nice.
When sanding I use warm water with a little clear Ivory dishwashing liquid.
Soak the paper, and use a soft sanding block, use a large one for large flat
areas and a flexible one for curves. No sanding with fingers.
Sand gently following the lines of the car and use lots of water, cleanliness
is important. You don't need to get it perfectly flat if you want to duplicate
a factory finish, but If your going to spend the time it might as well be perfect.
I've used foam pads and wool pads, and wool will work a little faster since
it generates more heat, but foam is more forgiving. Hand rub all curvy and
sharp areas. You may need to buff an area more than once, and protect other
areas from splatter. Buff small sections at a time, and stay away from edges.
I plug the buffer into a variac so I can sdjust the speed of the buffer as
needed.
All the paint companies have recommended procedures, and Meguiar's has a nice
description on their web site. Just take your time, use the recommended
procedure for whatever paint you are using, and it will turn out great.
Good luck
John
62 SP250 (still looking for an Alpine)
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