Sanding Question

[zmanak]

When I am sanding, the paper keeps getting clogged very quickly. I washed the truck with dish soap then wiped it down with degreaser. When I say clogs fast, I meen within a minute. Can paint get soft or break down
? I will probably get some spray on stripper.

[Len]

What are you sanding on, old paint?

If it's old paint that has aged it shouldn't be clogging the paper. What kind and grit paper are you using?

[zmanak]

Its an 85 ford ranger original paint. I am using 80grit 3m paper.

[Phil V]

There is no way the original baked enamel on that old Ranger should be clogging up your sandpaper. That stuff turns to dust immediately when its sanded.

[Len]

Phil is right old enamel should come off easily but if it was repainted using lacquer then you could have a problem.

What type of machine are you using? If you're spinning the paper too fast you may be heating the surface and causing your problems but even then the enamel should not clog the 80 grit too badly.

[spiffitz]

Taking my 67 Mustang's paint down to the factory primer I had to use 40. From the top it had epoxy primer, lacquer, lacquer primer, some repair paint over original (enamel?), then the original finish. 80 really got clogged up and being a cheapskate I couldn't see myself buying more than one six-pack of discs. Using 40 wasn't too bad, I just have a few too-deep grooves from when the DA skipped especially around corners and ridges. Once the 40 started to wear out to "66 grit " it was perfect for doing fast passes and no gouging.

Staying in one spot too long would heat the paint to a melting point which can really cause clogging. Don't try to get it all off on one pass.

[zmanak]

I am using an electric Black and Decker random orbit sander. It seems to be worse in certain spots. Looks like a price tag that you have tried to scrape off in some spots, comes right off. Maybe I will try 60 or 40 grit.

[Len]

Taking my 67 Mustang's paint down to the factory primer I had to use 40. From the top it had epoxy primer, lacquer, lacquer primer, some repair paint over original (enamel?), then the original finish. 80 really got clogged up and being a cheapskate I couldn't see myself buying more than one six-pack of discs. Using 40 wasn't too bad, I just have a few too-deep grooves from when the DA skipped especially around corners and ridges. Once the 40 started to wear out to "66 grit " it was perfect for doing fast passes and no gouging.

Staying in one spot too long would heat the paint to a melting point which can really cause clogging. Don't try to get it all off on one pass.

A DA or orbital sander is not really a good tool for stripping but if it's all you've got AND you have a lot of time it will eventually do the job. A good variable speed sander/buffer is a lot quicker and you can use it after the paint is applied to polish it to a glass-like finish. However the same rule of which sandpaper to use would apply... enamel or urethane use 80 grit and lacquer use 40 grit.

[zmanak]

Should I use some stripper on the larger areas and then come back with my sander and finish it up? Would one of those 3m paint stripping wheels work better? This is a project so I have lots of time.

[Len]

Should I use some stripper on the larger areas and then come back with my sander and finish it up? Would one of those 3m paint stripping wheels work better? This is a project so I have lots of time.

We rarely use stripper on metal unless it's in a place where our sander can't reach and even then we usually opt for our small blaster. However stripper is cheap but you've got to be careful not to allow the liquid to get into places where you can't clean and paint it. If you're stripping with chemical stripper it usually pays to mask all the gaps tightly and keep the stripper away from door handles, wipers or anywhere it can be difficult to remove. Be sure to CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN the areas where stripper is used because the slightest amount of that waxy residue will cause major problems.

[zmanak]

I will try the stripping wheel then and see how that works.