Im preping my car for a repaint, instead of using a dual action sander im just blocking it. Im buying a new hood, front bumper, front lip, and both front fenders. The rest of the car im sanding down. Im using 320 grit dry but i dont know if im sanding it down enough? It feels smooth and when i clean it off the paint looks very dull. Someone said something about orange peel and all i really have to worry about is getting it off?
I have the car stripped pretty well, its not going to be a show car, but i want the paint to go under some of the molding in the door jams. And when i put the new motor in ill probably repaint the engine bay.
it is a bright redish orange color, almost looks like hugger orange? Im going to paint it black with a purple pearl.
Im at work ill post pics later today.

 

Anyone?

 

Orange peel is a neat look that you almost can't see until you're done with the clear.

It basically looks like your car has a really slight texture, like an orange peel. Dirt, or water on the car because it wasn't properly cleaned, or in the paint when it's sprayed generally causes it, but it can be wet sanded and polished away. It really sucks if your whole car has it, especially if you have a darker or a metallic color.

If you're blocking with 320 it should be fine.. most painters I've watched use sanders 400 and sometime blocking on a few of the larger flatter spots. On their own cars, some of them go as far as 800, and then wet sanding and polishing the entire car after the final clear. But that's just them being retentive.

 

Im also wet sanding it with 400 after i dry block it.
There isn't like a "Depth" persay that i need to sand down to? Just sort of "roughing it up" for the primer to stick right?

My buddy owns a shop and has a paint booth but he's out of town at a race atm so i can't get a hold of him. He will be primering and painting the car for me but im prepping it all to save him time and money. I will wet sand it and polish it after it is painted aswell.

 

I never sand the primer any finer than 600 wet. i have a super high build primer, so i block it with 220 dry, and then get all the scrathes out with 400 wet. really had some great results. whenever you get the car cleared, give it a couple days to cure, and then wetsand it down (i use 2000), then let it sit for a few days. (i go for about a week) then buff the car all out! if you prepped it right, orange peel should be minimal.
just my 2 cents:lala: