Old painter taught me to stop sanding clear coat with 800 grit

I had been sanding clear coat with 800 grit for years before a job in Phoenix. The sun hit the hood at the right angle and I saw all these micro scratches I never noticed. The old guy next to me said try 1500 grit and step up to 3000 for the final pass. Has anyone else had that moment where the desert light humbled their work?

3 comments

3 Comments

amy_murphy851mo ago

I start at 800 myself and never had issues.

abby_wilson511mo ago

That "desert light" really humbles you doesn't it... Did the old guy mention waiting for the clear to fully cure before hitting it with the 3000?

west.henry1mo ago

@abby_wilson51 the waiting part is key. That old painter let the clear sit in the Arizona sun for three full days before he touched it with anything. I learned that the hard way when I rushed a job and the 3000 grit just smeared the clear instead of cutting it clean. The whole stepping up the grits thing changed how I work. Now I start at 1000 if I really messed up, but usually 1500 does the trick. The micro scratches disappear completely if you take the time to work through each grit properly. The clear looks like glass when you're done.

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