Buffing w/ Compound vs Wet Sanding. Need advice to return to mirror finish.

[skratpiece]

I would like to get my Metallic Silver 04 Cobra back to a mirror finish. Sap fell on the car, and I used rubbing compound to remove it, and in several spots there are now swirls. I am sure these swirls are minimal and can be polished out easily. What method should I use. My research has led me to two conclusions, but if anyone has any other suggestions please help. Thanks.


What's the difference between buffing with compound, and wet sanding with 2000 grit? Can someone shed some light, cuz I would like to get my paint back to a perfect mirror finish without taking any clearcoat off.

 

[oldmodman]

First, a question. How are you going to apply the compound? If you are going to use a PC or a Flex you will only be removing tiny amounts of the clearcoat. If you will be using a rotary with a mild pad you will remove a bit more, If you use a rotary and an aggressive wool pad you will remove quite a bit more.
But if you sand, even with 2000 you could go all the way through the clearcoat really fast it you use the wrong method. Like holding the sandpaper in your hand. But if you wetsand using plenty of lubricant and a good sanding block, and just make a couple of passes and then check the work you might be able to remove the orange peel without destroying your clearcoat.
Once you have removed all the orangepeel then you compound the finish to remove the sanding marks. Then you use a milder pad and polish to remove the compounding marks. Then you go to a very fine pad with a very mild polish to jewel the finish. The wax or seal the finish to keep it that way.

 

[01GTvert]

First, a question. How are you going to apply the compound? If you are going to use a PC or a Flex you will only be removing tiny amounts of the clearcoat. If you will be using a rotary with a mild pad you will remove a bit more, If you use a rotary and an aggressive wool pad you will remove quite a bit more.
But if you sand, even with 2000 you could go all the way through the clearcoat really fast it you use the wrong method. Like holding the sandpaper in your hand. But if you wetsand using plenty of lubricant and a good sanding block, and just make a couple of passes and then check the work you might be able to remove the orange peel without destroying your clearcoat.
Once you have removed all the orangepeel then you compound the finish to remove the sanding marks. Then you use a milder pad and polish to remove the compounding marks. Then you go to a very fine pad with a very mild polish to jewel the finish. The wax or seal the finish to keep it that way.

^^^^ damn good advice!

 

[skratpiece]

Cool. Thanks. I'm not familiar with the difference between pc and flex buffers. I will research that. Also not familiar with the type of pads you refer to. I will also research that. I am under the impression that the pads you refer to have different levels of abrasion, and the compounds have different levels of abrasion as well. I will need to go out and buy a buffer, any suggestions on retail stores that I can buy a good buffer, pads and compounds?

 

[mblgjr]

There really aren't any retail stores where you're going to find anything other than 3M products (which are great) and you'll basically only find that at your local paint suppliers/body shop supply stores.

You don't need to wetsand the areas you've described. That would be going way too far.

And if you use water and 3M 2000 grit sandpaper that's been soaked; on a wet surface...it will take you a WHILE to actually get through the clear. You'd have to be pushing wayyy to hard and go about 4X's longer than you should have before checking your work.

I'd leave the wetsanding alone for now.

Pad wise, go here for a breakdown:

Learn how to use the Porter Cable 7424 dual action buffer with CCS Smart Pads by Lake Country. Polish swirl remover car wax polisher wax buffing pad

You should only need orange, white, and blue.

I'll post more on the compounds later; but for simplicity sake go here:

Menzerna Polishing Compounds Products, menzerna polishes, menzerna car polish, menzerna nano polish, menzerna final polish, menzerna compound,

106ff or fa will get the job done from what you've described.

Use with a PorterCable; 5.5" pads (NOT 6.5") and speed 6; you should be good to go.

 

[32vofFury]

for future reference. I've detailed a few cars that had sap problems and i got away with using a stoner product called "tarminator." It's basically a wax, tar, bug and sap remover. Almost like a spray on clay bar. after i used that i clayed the car normally and continued the detail normally with the pc.

 

[mixxer]

If you are asking these questions you doo not know enough to wet sand and do paint correction please hire a professional.

 

[mblgjr]

How's he going to know or learn if he doesn't ask a few questions

 

[Amazongt]

Theres already some good advice in this thread but some of it needs to be refined and or slightly corrected.
If the sap is still on the paint surface either use what has already been suggested or you can purchase wax and grease remover which is what body shops use to clean the car right before its painted.
If youre worried about swirl marks on the paint all you need to do is buff it. Dont even trouble yourself with sanding if the swirl marks arent aggressive. Sanding will smooth out the factory texture aka "orange peel" within a couple of seconds if you dont know what youre doing or if youre using the wrong grit. This will leave a smooth, mirror like patch in the middle of all the factory texture and it will look like an obvious amateur fix.
If you have blemished resembling hard water spots from sap sitting on it then sanding might be required depending on the severity. Even then only a quick pass with 3000 wet grit and water should take care of the problem and 3000 will not smooth out paint texture unless you get completely carried away on the same spot.
When it comes time to purchase your polish, glaze and buffer I would find out where the nearest body shop supply store is; 99% of them carry all of that stuff. If you dont plan on getting carried away and wet sanding, buffing your whole car and are more interested in small fixes such as these I would inquire about the small hand-held polisher which is good for tight, small areas. Its damn near impossible to burn though with is because its extremely easy to control compared to the big PCs. As for pads, a soft foam pad will be the only one you should need and its the least aggressive(again assuming all you need it for is small blemishes and swirl marks).
As for polishes, everybody has their own prefferences. At the shop I work at we use "presta 1500 polish" and it works really well. Ask whoever youre buying it from what they would recommend, the sell it everyday and know.
I think that should be good enough to get you started. Nothing too complicated since what you are trying to fix seems to be nothing more than small blemishes.

 

[sd04cobra]

i agree with mixxer, you might be a little in over your head, but that's why it's good to ask questions. you're not going to sand some sap off. if you have sap on your paint, use clay or a bug and tar remover, then polish.

also, please note that a factory paint job will not yield a "mirror finish" without being detrimental to the paints life. the factories job is to give you a paint job that will last, not one that will be a show quality finish. if that's what your after, plan on spending a few more bucks than wet sanding or compounding.

 

[thomas91169]

you dont need to wetsand unless the sap has etched into the clearcoat.

some Compound and an orange pad with a PC should be more than sufficient. However you should always start out with the most mild product/pad combo and work your way up to the most aggressive when figuring out how far you need to go to get the job done.

if you just have swirls left around from hand using a rubbing compound, you will probably be good to go with a orange pad and some polish.

 

[coolcobramatt]

How's he going to know or learn if he doesn't ask a few questions

agreed :beer:

 

[brianz426]

There really aren't any retail stores where you're going to find anything other than 3M products (which are great) and you'll basically only find that at your local paint suppliers/body shop supply stores.

You don't need to wetsand the areas you've described. That would be going way too far.

And if you use water and 3M 2000 grit sandpaper that's been soaked; on a wet surface...it will take you a WHILE to actually get through the clear. You'd have to be pushing wayyy to hard and go about 4X's longer than you should have before checking your work.

I'd leave the wetsanding alone for now.

Pad wise, go here for a breakdown:

Learn how to use the Porter Cable 7424 dual action buffer with CCS Smart Pads by Lake Country. Polish swirl remover car wax polisher wax buffing pad

You should only need orange, white, and blue.

I'll post more on the compounds later; but for simplicity sake go here:

Menzerna Polishing Compounds Products, menzerna polishes, menzerna car polish, menzerna nano polish, menzerna final polish, menzerna compound,

106ff or fa will get the job done from what you've described.

Use with a PorterCable; 5.5" pads (NOT 6.5") and speed 6; you should be good to go.

Great info! Thanks

 

[skratpiece]

Good Stuff Guys. Thanks alot. I'll be taking this project on as soon as I can get a buffer. I will no longer be wet sanding after what was explained to me. I will simply get the correct pad, some compound, and go light with it. Finish with some wax.