[jbranontn]

I just got my car painted this week and getting it back today....the painter used The Econo Body AC from NAPA with hardner.Paint #49801.
His garage is not the best condition for painting so the finish has lots of what I guess are dust particles in the paint and a few paint runs.My son and I did all the prep work and he only charged me $300 so for the money, its a really good job.
My question to you is,can I wet sand acrylic enamel metallic? If so , when can I do this....can anyone kinda give me an insight on how to go about doing this.....What grit paper and procedures
Thanks for any help you can give me,
Jeff

[dhutton]

As far as I know you cannot wet sand single stage metallics. Let's see what others have to say.

Don

[Jeff Walker]

Wet sanding any single stage (like acrylic enamel) is a not recommended. When you do so you fracture or sand off the top of the metallic in the paint and it will actually make it appear different. Just don't ask me how I know that.

Buy yourself a nib file and use that to knock down the dust nibs and buff it would be your best bet.

HTH

[n20ta2]

you cant buff the metallic single stage either,it distorts the mettalic in the paint and shows silvery where buffed.I had my t/a done in ss metallic and I did try and buff it and thats what I got.I will never use a metallic in a ss again you cant work it at all it has to be perfect.

[wytnyt]

you CAN wet sand single stage metallic paint but the end result depends on if the painter evenly flowed the metallics during each coat.
many times they only get the metallics right at the last coats.considering theres runs in it,id think its not flowed underneath
can you panel it?
no probably not but a good painter can duplicate the metallics in the paint
it comes down to how good of a finish your looking for

[wytnyt]

Originally Posted by n20ta2

you cant buff the metallic single stage either,it distorts the mettalic in the paint and shows silvery where buffed.I had my t/a done in ss metallic and I did try and buff it and thats what I got.I will never use a metallic in a ss again you cant work it at all it has to be perfect.

depends on if the painter evenly flowed the metallics during each coat
if its base/clear then there no disturbance of the metallic

[carcrazy]

The PPG tech sheets say you can't sand SS metallic. I wouldn't say you absolutely can't but it would be risky at best!

[wytnyt]

Originally Posted by carcrazy

The PPG tech sheets say you can't sand SS metallic. I wouldn't say you absolutely can't but it would be risky at best!

ive never seen any that can't be wet sanded,,and ive used the the cheapest to the best.the paint needs to be cured underneath and layed evenly
in 77 my wife wrecked her 76 amc.
i used acrylic enamel blue metallic paint
it wasnt slick enough for me so i wet sanded it but had to wait a couple weeks for the exposed paint to cure before it would buff out.

[GT182]

I've seen single stage metalic paint sanded and then buffed back in the 80s before base coat/clearcoat came out, laquer and enamal. 1000 or 1500 grit was used when the paint cured so it wouldn't screw with the metallics in the paint. When buffed out and waxed it looked pretty darned good too. And it didn't happen in a weeks time either. But then again, the painter knew what he was doing when he sprayed on the paint and then let it cure. He was a 30 year pro.

[wytnyt]

there was a time when it was normal to buff paint,,,,remember lacquer paint?
i know the term ''lacquer cracks'' is known by all old school painters
or how about using lead instead of bondo for a filler?
im glad i started at the end of that era even tho i had to start out with it

[GT182]

Originally Posted by wytnyt

there was a time when it was normal to buff paint,,,,remember lacquer paint?
i know the term ''lacquer cracks'' is known by all old school painters
or how about using lead instead of bondo for a filler?
im glad i started at the end of that era even tho i had to start out with it

Yep, I've helped out in a body shop. Didn't paint but sure watched him in the boothe. There's were times I was so sick of sanding it wasn't funny. I didin't have fingerprints for a long time from that. LOL Remember Mr. Meagi's wax on... wax off?

[wytnyt]

Originally Posted by GT182

Remember Mr. Meagi's wax on... wax off?

ha,,i know that phrase quite well

[Jerry H.]

Back in the 80's I sanded and buffed several AE metallic paint jobs. Like was posted, I started with 1000 and then went to 1500 and then buffed. I did get a couple that have a place or two that had a slight 'splotchy' look at a certain angle, but it sure looked better than all that orange peel and trash in the paint. That being said, the make up of paint may be different now that would prevent that.

[n20ta2]

my answer stems from the fact that the car had runs to begin with,if the application had been flawless there would be no need for a cut and buff.My experience has been that if any aggressive cutting has to be done with a ss metallic you will have some distortion in the paint,any professional body man will agree (as well as the manufacturer) that ss metallics cant be cut without some level of distortion.Also as stated above most first and second coat ss applications go on without much thought as to metallic flow out across the panel as the final coat.You may be able to get away with a minor buff with a very light duty compound but its always a risk,good luck!

[PaulatFast]

While some are saying it can be done, and it can. DON"T TRY IT! You will be respraying the car if you do. Trust me.

[jbranontn]

What is a nib file?

Originally Posted by Jeff Walker

Wet sanding any single stage (like acrylic enamel) is a not recommended. When you do so you fracture or sand off the top of the metallic in the paint and it will actually make it appear different. Just don't ask me how I know that.

Buy yourself a nib file and use that to knock down the dust nibs and buff it would be your best bet.

HTH

[dhutton]

Originally Posted by jbranontn

What is a nib file?

They are used to file down runs and trash in paint:


http://motors.search.ebay.com/?satit...00&_trksid=m37

Don

[jbranontn]

Does using a nib file hurt the paint?

Originally Posted by dhutton

They are used to file down runs and trash in paint:


http://motors.search.ebay.com/?satit...00&_trksid=m37

Don

[paint guy]

the chances are very great that if you wet sand/buff a single-stage metallic,you will burnish the aluminum flakes in the paint,causing an optical variation that you won't be pleased with.You could find an indescriminate spot on the car(door jamb,under the deck lid,etc)and try the least aggresive compound you can find to see how its going to respond,and decide from there if its worth it.Good luck.

[jbranontn]

Can you get rid of those kinds of imperfections in the paint just with rubbing compound and buffing?