Wet Sanding Query

Phetishboy

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Wet sanding. I can only find 220 grit paper to use with my orbital sander. When I wet sand, how much water should I use and how often should I change the paper? Also, should you clean the surface every 5 minutes, re-wet and start again, or just keep going? I am wet sanding oil based paint.
 
Wet sanding goes pretty fast, I usually dip my paper in a bucket of water, sand until it dries out a little re-dunk...Just keep it wet...(TWSS)
 
I used to wet sand cars a lot and after that spray paint them in a long forgotten past.

Use nice warm water, not hot and use a sponge an hold it above and keep it wet, you need to keep it wet ( you know like... :D) and flush away the paint residu that you sand off and wants to stay between the silicium carbid or titanium oxide (or whatever, you know the stuff that makes sanding paper sharp) of the sanding paper.

Keep your fingers together at aal times and move up and down and not in the direction of your fingers (hope this makes sense) cause when you sand with open fingers in the direction of your fingers then you might sand gutters (hope you know what I try to say) in there.

Good luck and keep it wet!!!! :D
 
personally the one time I tried wet sanding a clear coat on a game I was a bit disappointed. Seemed like it took forever and all the rewetting and it seemed like I had to go back over spots more than once. In the end I said screw the water and just dry sanded with a very fine grit paper. Basically the same grit I was using to wet sand like 2000 grit or something. Worked great IMO. After sanded I just buffed out the surface. BTW you can buy finer grit paper for your sander on line. I've bought 600 grit before but I believe they sell finer than that.
 
I would recommend wet sanding by hand only. Keep in mind it's really being done to "knock off" the rough finish the sprayer/brush created. (which in theory shouldn't take long at all)

I have wet sanded plenty, and depending on what I'm doing I've used anywhere from 800-2000 grit paper.

Also, doing the sanding by hand you will really "feel" the surface you are sanding. One trick I use is a bit of dish soap in the water.

I sprayed a Pac control panel with spray paint, then wet sanded and waxed it - man it looks like a million bucks.

Good luck!




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I usually wet sand everything I paint that requires a very smooth finish by hand. It really doesn't take long. I use progressively finer grits 220 (if needed) 400, 800 then 1000.
Basically like was said in previous posts the water is used to keep the paint from clogging and you should be able to tell by feel when that area is done. It will go from a little resistant to the paper to really smooth. You can use a sponge or even a spray bottle to apply the water. If wet sanding on an old cab try to keep water away from the bare edges. It soaks and swells. I learned this on the last one I did. It sux.
another way to approach it is tape the edges and tilt the panel at an angle to allow the water to flow off into a bucket or tray or sink and just dip the paper in a bucket every 5-10 seconds.
 
Geez I don't know what you guys are sanding, but at the grittiest I use 600, just to knock the highlights down, then use 1000 then 2000. Fill a spray bottle with a few drops of dawn, and warm water. Be sure to clean up excess water fast. if you have any exposed wood it will suck up the water and swell fast.

Besure to get a wet sanding block, don't sand with your fingers as you will create low and high spots. Shouldn't take more than a few hours to wet sand an buff a cab.
 
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