Peter Newell's Top Five Sanding and Buffing Tips
1. Always add a dash of liquid dish soap to the water in your wet-sanding bucket to help lubricate the sandpaper and cut excess friction on the paint surface.
2. To make your sandpaper more pliable, be sure to let it soak in your wet-sanding bucket a few minutes before getting started.
3. When wet-sanding body surfaces, be sure to use a semi-hard block on all flat areas, and a soft block on contoured areas or edges. To remove orange peel on a panel (especially at the edges), carefully wet-sand to the edge since final compounding and buffing will not remove any remaining peel.
4. In between the compounding and polishing stages, it's a good idea to wash the surface areas with fresh water to remove any remaining compound residue. Once dried, you'll be able to properly inspect the surface prior to completing the polishing stage.
5. Remember that compounding helps to remove any wet-sanding scratches while preparing the surface for its final step. Polishing brings out the final luster, especially when followed by hand waxing.
With the car's prep completed,...
With the car's prep completed, Newell wasted no time in mixing the PPG DP90 sealer (PPG DP90 sealer in a ratio of two parts DP90 to one part DP402LF hardener along with 20 percent PPG DT860 reducer) to give the car its first coating. The sealer allows Newell to not only lay down a uniform color base on the car, but also to seal the surface from any potential break through in the primer once all of the final sanding was completed.
Wow! Let the changes begin....
Wow! Let the changes begin. With the sealer laid down, the car is already starting to take on a life of its own, and it sure looks evil coated in black.
After the paint was properly...
After the paint was properly shaken, Newell mixed and strained the PPG Deltron 2000 urethane basecoat with the PPG DT 860 reducer in a 1:1 ratio to prepare it for spraying. By the time he was done, Newell had laid down six coats of base through his SATAjet 3000 spray gun, each with a flash time of 15 minutes.
With each step of the painting...
With each step of the painting process, Newell brings the car closer to completion. The application of the Ferrari Grigio Silverstone base lays out a dramatic picture of what the final outcome of Project Karma will be.
With the basecoat complete,...
With the basecoat complete, Newell applied the first of four coats of PPG high solids clear to the body to bring out the final luster. Newell mixed the clear using three parts D894 high solids clear to three parts PPG D870 fast thinner to one part PPG high solids hardener. Note that there is a 20-minute flash time between coats.
One thing that separates a...
One thing that separates a good paintjob from a great one is the attention to detail the paint surface receives once everything is dry. After the body is fully examined, Newell wet-sands the surface using 3M Imperial 1,000-grit through 2,000-grit paper in graduated stages. This is followed by a final compound and polish using 3M's Perfect-It system.
On the rear quarter-panel,...
On the rear quarter-panel, Newell begins wet-sanding the area with 1,000-grit paper wrapped around a semi-flexible foam sanding block, working the pad in a left to right motion. It's important to take it easy throughout the process of taking down orange peel in the paint while not cutting too far through the four coats of clear. This is the typical residue that will be generated by the wet-sanding process.
Newell uses the back side...
Newell uses the back side of the sanding block (with the paper removed) to squeegee the surface clean for inspection. It's important to wash the panel you are working on between steps with fresh water and wipe it with white paper towels to check on your progress.
This image lets you see the...
This image lets you see the halfway progress Newell made working the panel (from 1,000-grit through 2,000-grit) and just how dramatically it changes visually while on its way to perfection. In the transitional area of the panel you can see where the orange peel starts and ends.
When working some of the finer...
When working some of the finer curvaceous edges on the panel, Newell used a soft foam sanding block to take on these areas that require an extreme amount of care.
With the surface washed clean...
With the surface washed clean and free of wet-sanding debris, Newell laid down some of 3M's Perfect-It compound to prepare for buffing.
Using a variable speed buffer...
Using a variable speed buffer topped with a white foam pad, Newell begins to work the quarter-panel from left to right. Be sure to use enough compound to lubricate the pad, then move the buffer lightly across the panel to avoid heat buildup and possible burning of the paint.
After buffing half of the...
After buffing half of the panel with compound, you can begin to see the dramatic change to the overall appearance in the depth of the paint.
Newell made a final pass with...
Newell made a final pass with a black foam buffing pad working the polish on the surface. It's important to keep the buffer moving and to apply only light pressure so as to not damage the paint surface as you work your way across the panel.
All of the hours invested...
All of the hours invested in the surface preparation of Rose's car made the overall quality of the paintjob just plain bitchin'. This is one car that will stop you dead in your tracks when you see it in person. Newell settles for nothing short of perfection, and it's easy to see why clients send their cars to him from all over the country.