Difference between show car and dailey driver

[Polish Painter]

When you guys paint a dailey driver vs a show car ( exterior only )
What are your differences when it comes to to wet sand and buffing stages ?
Start with finer paper ? Buff less ?

[Fordiesel69]

From my reading on here, many use more clear coat to begin with on a show car. Therfore you can safely level without running into your base coat. Most guys state they start with 800 on a block and work their way up. The 800 on a hard block cuts the peel out fast and the thinner grit prepares it for polishing. I was also reading you want to go finer than 1500 so that you are not taking as much off with the polish. I never did understand how the polish took off more than the sand paper. But you would probably go all they way to 2500-3000 if you wanted it like a mirror.

A daily driver with 2 coats of clear, I buffed mine at 1500 and did not bother going finer. You cannot see the sand scratches unless you really study the paint in direct sunlight.

[JCCLARK]

for a true show car straight finish you have to start the
clear sanding with a coarse paper, like 400 to 600.
For a daily driver a partial sanding with 2000 is all that's needed,
and sometimes no buffing at all, if you can keep the dirt out.:cool:

[Len]

On most standard drivers we usually don't sand out all of the orange peel. We usually bring it back to a factory-type finish by sanding a little and buffing or just letting it ride after the spraying.

The color can also make a difference in the amount of work after the spraying. Lighter colors don't need as much attention after spraying as darker colors.

[Togorashi]

Often, when it comes to wetsanding and polishing, the pro detailers have all the mojo.

Here is a link that I really enjoyed reading.

http://www.autopia.org/forum/pro-det...polishing.html

BTW, try to avoid getting sucked into the Autopia universe. After finding that forum, I'm hopelessly addicted!

[Len]

Often, when it comes to wetsanding and polishing, the pro detailers have all the mojo.

Here is a link that I really enjoyed reading.

http://www.autopia.org/forum/pro-det...polishing.html

BTW, try to avoid getting sucked into the Autopia universe. After finding that forum, I'm hopelessly addicted!

Actually if you look at that black hood picture you'll see quite a bit of orange peel that was left in the paint. Maybe it was just a quick job.

[Togorashi]

Actually if you look at that black hood picture you'll see quite a bit of orange peel that was left in the paint. Maybe it was just a quick job.

Hmmm...I'm not seeing any orange peel in the final shots. Looks like glass to me. The total time for cutting and buffing was 50 hrs. Are you sure you aren't looking at pictures that are in progress. The completed shots aren't until page 3.

[Len]

Hmmm...I'm not seeing any orange peel in the final shots. Looks like glass to me. The total time for cutting and buffing was 50 hrs. Are you sure you aren't looking at pictures that are in progress. The completed shots aren't until page 3.

ANY of the pictures that show the car under the florescent lights show orange peel. Pictures taken outdoors won't show the peel. All the pictures that I see on page three are taken outdoors and it may be free of orange peel but you wouldn't see it as well if it had any. A couple of the outdoor pictures have a reflection of the sky and a roof line of the building which shows some peel but, like I said, it's difficult to see unless you have a florescent bulb reflecting in the finish.

It appears that the sanding was NOT done with a hard block and coarse paper which makes it easier to leave some peel.

[ColorTex]

looks like it has a tad bit of urethane wave. Nothing too bad. Other than that it's pretty damn slick.

[dadspackard]

looks like it has a tad bit of urethane wave. Nothing too bad. Other than that it's pretty damn slick.

How does one control the urethane wave?

That sure is slick. Sure hope the roof of my '31 (which will be a SS black) turns out like that. :cool:

[ColorTex]

How does one control the urethane wave?

That sure is slick. Sure hope the roof of my '31 (which will be a SS black) turns out like that. :cool:

I sometimes find it hard to control uro wave when I spray. I think it has something to do with the high solids clears today, and putting them on too thick. I can't quite put my finger on the reason I get it, sometimes I'll spray clear and get really a even flat finish with no uro wave, but other times it looks like it was sprayed out of a super soaker, when I could have sworn I kept a steady hand. But if I do end up with it, it's no big deal I just sand with a coarse grit, remask/tape, spend another $200+ on clear, and shoot it again

[Len]

looks like it has a tad bit of urethane wave. Nothing too bad. Other than that it's pretty damn slick.

I've never had a problem with "urethane wave" so I can't comment on how to remove it. What I see in the above pictures is the edge of the lamps and the edge of the roof in the bottom shot. They are not smooth like they should be if sanded and polished to the max... ie. "show quality".

[ColorTex]

I've never had a problem with "urethane wave" so I can't comment on how to remove it.

Man, I always get jealous of the guys who never have this problem I know a couple painters who say they have never had it happen, and sure enough their paint jobs come out glass slick. Must be a gun setup or spray technique thing. But yeah I see the pics you are talking about with the op, and it's pretty difficult to see uro wave in any pictures so it could just be my eyes. It's not any major uro wave at all that I see, it just seems that he could've sanded with a harder block and courser paper for it to come out "show quality". A lot of the urethane wave I see can make a brand new oem panel look like a sack of rocks. It's been discussed here before I'm sure, and on other forums as well. There's more guys out there that could give more accurate detail on the uro wave subject than I can.

[MARTINSR]

"Urethane wave" is directly related to how much clear is applied. It can be reduced by CUTTING the clear flat using a block and 600 or so paper after a few coats and prior to applying more.

I have came to the conclusion if fewer coats is applied, you have less. If you apply a couple of coats and sand and buff you are going to have a much nicer finish than if you apply three or four "just to be safe" and cut and buff.

I have measured with a digital mil guage and a nice cut and buff cuts about a half a mil off. So if you have applied the two med wet coats as recommended in the tech sheet of most any high solids clear, you have the 3 or so mils and then cut and buffed end up with the 2-2.5 you need for protection.

Brian

[MeanGreen]

I can name a shop that specializes in applying urethane wave. Comes supersized with every 10,ooo dollar paint job. :mad:
Okay, I'm grumpy.
Jerry