Prepping C/C with orange peel?

[tgm]

We I just finished with the minor body work on my wife's '94 BMW 740 and I am ready to prime the areas today. Most small areas are from the door handle and down. I was going to blend the areas of the front and rear quarters as required, using all the great blending information this board and it's companion videos have to offer, and then I noticed some really heavy 'orange peel' in the clear coat where I am going to recoat. 1000 grit did nothing and I had to go down to 400/500 to remove it. I am still in the clear layer and have not got through to the base coat.
What grit should I sand to in those area?? Should I take it all the way back to 1500 or just prime and re-paint over at this point??

Thanks for all the forum help,

Tom in PA

[Phil V]

A picture or two of the areas in question would help us to make an informed decision and advice on how best you should proceed.

[Len]

If you're going to blend a base coat metallic over this sanded area I would probably sand it with some 1000 grit or finer before applying the color and blending. You'll want to make sure that you sand enough to remove the heavier scratches out but it's hard to see if you've sanded enough when removing the 400/500 grit scratches because all of the scratches are so fine.

[tgm]

Thanks for the info.
I went and prepped the blend areas with 500g Abralon and then finished with 1000g Abralon, wet. After drying, the surface was really smooth and scratch free. I am fairly pleased that the final result will be good which leads me to a new question, how far do you go blending before you just repaint a whole panel??
I have some areas on each panel from the door handles down and two doors where I had to work at the handle area and above. I had planned on blending where I could but now that I have had to sand out all that orange peel am I better off just priming the patched areas and then re-basing the complete side? I had already planned on clearing the whole side anyway. This way I eliminate the blending and color match issues. Am I all wet or on track??

Thanks again,

Tom in PA

[88GT]

I have some areas on each panel from the door handles down and two doors where I had to work at the handle area and above. I had planned on blending where I could but now that I have had to sand out all that orange peel am I better off just priming the patched areas and then re-basing the complete side? I had already planned on clearing the whole side anyway. This way I eliminate the blending and color match issues. Am I all wet or on track??

Thanks again,

Tom in PA

How small you can keep the blend depends on the size of the repair and the color. Sometimes I wil blend almost up to the next panel. Matching and coverage are really the only concerns. There are times where you will have to make that descision as you go, but try to keep it as small as possible and take it out only as far as you need to, then clear the entire panel.

[Len]

Thanks for the info.
I went and prepped the blend areas with 500g Abralon and then finished with 1000g Abralon, wet. After drying, the surface was really smooth and scratch free. I am fairly pleased that the final result will be good which leads me to a new question, how far do you go blending before you just repaint a whole panel??
I have some areas on each panel from the door handles down and two doors where I had to work at the handle area and above. I had planned on blending where I could but now that I have had to sand out all that orange peel am I better off just priming the patched areas and then re-basing the complete side? I had already planned on clearing the whole side anyway. This way I eliminate the blending and color match issues. Am I all wet or on track??

Thanks again,

Tom in PA

When blending you don't want to apply color to the edge of the panel because it probably won't match the adjacent panel. So if your damage is too close to the next panel it usually pays to extend the blend onto the panel then clear that entire panel also.

[tgm]

Well, I am getting closer to shooting color on my wife's car as described above but a few questions still need answered. I have prepped all the old clearcoat areas where I had originally intended on blending. I have decided to just re-base those areas as I have them prepped and I have the paint.
The color, Oxford Green Metallic, calls for a # 7 shaded sealer which is dark gray / black which will be used over all the primed areas but the question now remains..Do I use it also over the non primed areas where I have the C/C ready for a new base coat??
Basically at this point do I just seal the complete side and BC/CC?
I am only thinking of the color match in those areas of the shaded sealer and those areas of new base coat over the old color/clear.
Need final advice from you seasoned veterans..........

Thanks to all forum members,

Tom in PA

[Len]

The color of the sealer won't make much difference if the base coat covers decently. You'll need to spray base over the primer or sealer until it's covered then blend the color into the surrounding old color then clear it. If the base doesn't cover well then you've got to apply enough coats of base so that it covers the sealer and that's when the sealer color can make a difference. If you have a strong light you can shine it on the base after it's sprayed and the light can help determine if the primer/sealer is covered well. When I use inexpensive materials and I'm concerned about coverage I'll sometimes grab my 1,000,000 candle power flash light and look over the job before I apply clear.

[cully1]

Tom, by the mention of #7 shaded sealer I'm assuming you're using Dupont? Nice stuff, the Chroma premier sealer is awesome (if that's what you're using). Anyhow, spray the sealer over your primer area and then lightly blend/fade it out a little beyond that area to soften the transition from sealer to OEM color....no need to seal the entire side. With #7 sealer being called for, the green must be on the dark side so basecoat coverage should be fine. Start spraying the base over the area with sealer.. with each coat step out the color a little farther. 3-4 coats and you should be good to go. If you are using Dupont, the basecoat blends out extremely easy with no special technique required. If you're refinishing the entire side, try not to get any color up next to the hood or decklid so the OEM match will remains intact. Good luck, Cully

[tgm]

Thanks for all the info guys.
As they say....'now I know enough to be dangerous'..

Thanks again,

Tom in PA

[88GT]

The color of the sealer won't make much difference if the base coat covers decently. You'll need to spray base over the primer or sealer until it's covered then blend the color into the surrounding old color then clear it. If the base doesn't cover well then you've got to apply enough coats of base so that it covers the sealer and that's when the sealer color can make a difference. If you have a strong light you can shine it on the base after it's sprayed and the light can help determine if the primer/sealer is covered well. When I use inexpensive materials and I'm concerned about coverage I'll sometimes grab my 1,000,000 candle power flash light and look over the job before I apply clear.

Len, The correct sealer color makes a huge difference in coverage for Chroma base. Just wanted to point that out.

[Len]

Len, The correct sealer color makes a huge difference in coverage for Chroma base. Just wanted to point that out.

If that's the case then the base coat is not covering well.

[88GT]

If that's the case then the base coat is not covering well.

True, esp. on those hard to cover colors as you know. I hear thats why dupont came up with that VS system. Used to take me 6-7 coats of maroon colors to cover a light gray primer spot. With the VS it takes about 3

[Len]

I use mostly Glasurit bases and the only one I've had a problem with was a yellow but just about all the rest cover with one pass. When blending I usually need to over reduce the bases by at least 50% in order to get them translucent enough to blend into the surrounding color. I guess that's why Glasurit doesn't have different shades of primer or sealer.

[88GT]

I use mostly Glasurit bases and the only one I've had a problem with was a yellow but just about all the rest cover with one pass. When blending I usually need to over reduce the bases by at least 50% in order to get them translucent enough to blend into the surrounding color. I guess that's why Glasurit doesn't have different shades of primer or sealer.

I guess each manufacture has their pluses. Glasurit probably has more pigment. I dont have to change the reduction at all to blend Chroma base. As a matter of fact, I rarely blend anymore. Thats another thing I like about it. It almost always matches perfect. Even silvers. Just gotta spray wet so the metalics lay out