Buffing Out Dry Clearcoat Using 800 – 1200 – 2000 Grit Sand Paper 😎

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Hey, it’s Tony from LearnAutoBodyAndPaint with another video for our Q&A series. Here’s the question from one of our VIPs.

“Hey Tony, been watching your videos and just enrolled in VIP. First, a couple of things about me, I’m a master mechanic with over 40 years experience. I retired from Federal Service Army in 2015. During my tenure, I was involved in refinishing equipment for deployment to Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan, painting green camouflage to tan colored CARC paint (coating). 

After retiring, I went to work for a carpet cleaning company maintaining and rebuilding the vans. Replaced the floors and have had to replace sides to the vans along with all the other maintenance needs. I always wanted to be an auto body tech when I was in HS. My father passed away in 2006 and I still have today his 1998 Ford F150. He was a fugal-minded guy and didn’t want to pay for undercoating.

I just replaced the cab corners and rocker panel then decided to add ghost flames. My question is, even though I think I know the answer, is how to correct the clear coat. It a 2K Finish line project. I do not have a DA sander and everything is done by hand. I sanded 600, 800,1000, 1200,1500, then 2000-grit, by hand. As shown in pictures. I then buffed with a polisher (Craftsman) with Maliquers 105 buffing compound. Please review and advise what needs to be completed to correct this. Please keep in mind, equipment available and equipment needed.

Also, haven’t reviewed all videos but please show needed basic tools and equipment for a novice auto body guy. Thanks!”

You need to go through all the sandpaper grits for buffing. It looks like here that you were kind of short on clear coat and your clear wasn’t laid heavy enough. But, I see the ghost flames came up pretty cool. 

You didn’t lay your clear coat heavy enough that’s why you have these dry patches. I always like to say, it’s better to have a run or to have more than enough clear than to not have enough. It’s easy to sand and buff out a run than to sand and buff out dry patches because you’ll have a hard time buffing without having enough clear. 

It seems like you went through all of these grits.In VIP, I recommend starting with 800-grit since 600-grit is pretty coarse.

Get it down flat to where you want and then you could just finish off right to maybe a 1200-grit and then 2000-grit. 

Then you can buff with a polisher. I don’t know what kind of buffer you’re using but you can use a rotary speed buffer so you can get that high speed to cut and melt the clear.

I have tons of free videos on this process and even better videos in LearnAutoBodyAndPaint VIP Program, so go check out the course for those of you non-VIPs.

If you’re still having problems and if it looks like you don’t have enough clear, then you would have to wash off your buffing compound. Then, put wax and grease remover the whole hood, then cut it down again and repaint it.

Make sure you put enough clear coat on it. If you don’t want to repaint it, you can probably just cut it down with 800-grit and re-clear it.

It’s Tony from LearnAutoBodyAndPaint. Hopefully this video will help you with your project. Don’t forget to SMASH that Like Button, Share and Subscribe to my video. 

Also, grab your FREE 85-Page Auto Body And Paint Manual if you want to get started with your own custom car project. 

Thanks everyone and I will see you in the next Q&A series video! 

Talk soon! Cheers!

Tony

Other Helpful Links:

Buffing Overspray After Clearcoating 👌

Secrets To a Professional Gloss When Color Sanding And Buffing Your Car

LearnAutoBodyAndPaint: Buffing My Ass Off – The Ninja Buffer

Color Sanding And Buffing Tips

2 Step Buffing – Wool Pad Rotary Buffer, Then Orbital Buffer Foam Pad