sanding the body
New User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Pensacola,FL
sanding the body
hey,
it all depends on the time and quality u want to put into it. if u just want it thouroughly sanded and primed, its best to sand it with a DA (dual action) sander. this is the air powered sanders that all body shops use.320 grit sandpaper should do the trick. at my old job i could completely sand and prime a a truck in about an hour and a half.
Mike
it all depends on the time and quality u want to put into it. if u just want it thouroughly sanded and primed, its best to sand it with a DA (dual action) sander. this is the air powered sanders that all body shops use.320 grit sandpaper should do the trick. at my old job i could completely sand and prime a a truck in about an hour and a half.
Mike
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 999
Likes: 1
From: Willamette Valley Oregon
sanding the body
<cr>
It all depends on where you are headed.
Mike is right. A DA is the way to go. They are fast. The problem is, you need a real air compressor. I have used a typical 5 horse Sears while using one but you certainly aren't going to have the job done in an hour and half.
Are you planning on stripping to bare metal or are you just scuffing up the old paint?
It all depends on where you are headed.
Mike is right. A DA is the way to go. They are fast. The problem is, you need a real air compressor. I have used a typical 5 horse Sears while using one but you certainly aren't going to have the job done in an hour and half.
Are you planning on stripping to bare metal or are you just scuffing up the old paint?
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 999
Likes: 1
From: Willamette Valley Oregon
sanding the body
<cr>
You have about 3 options and only one (as far as I'm concerned) that is the way to go.
1) Sandblast - I've had this done one time. I ended up with a warped hood and one giant mess. Getting the sand (in my case, soda) removed was nearly impossible. For months, soda would blow out of hidden corners and pockets.
2) Chemical stripping - I might do a fender, if I had the fender off the car. I find the process messy. Making sure all the stripper has been removed can be difficult and it can reappear after you get your new paint on.
3) Sanding - This is the only way I strip paint. 32 grit on a DA sander and then I go over everything with 100 grit. Some just use 80 grit.
You have about 3 options and only one (as far as I'm concerned) that is the way to go.
1) Sandblast - I've had this done one time. I ended up with a warped hood and one giant mess. Getting the sand (in my case, soda) removed was nearly impossible. For months, soda would blow out of hidden corners and pockets.
2) Chemical stripping - I might do a fender, if I had the fender off the car. I find the process messy. Making sure all the stripper has been removed can be difficult and it can reappear after you get your new paint on.
3) Sanding - This is the only way I strip paint. 32 grit on a DA sander and then I go over everything with 100 grit. Some just use 80 grit.
Last edited by Aekisu; Sep 2, 2003 at 09:19 PM.
New User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Pensacola,FL
sanding the body
another thing to add when talking about stripping to bare metal is to make sure that if your not going to prime immediately, the metal has to be safe against oxidation. rust appears quicker than most people think. it never hurts to wipe a surface down with ospho and dry good before priming..... my personal preference is to start with 80 grit, and then run over it again with 180 or 240 grit before priming. but thats just a personal preference.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
From: Huntsville USA
sanding the body
Say I've stripped it down, and I want to take it to a body shop for a good paint job.
What kind of primer should I use? Is there a shake and rattle that would be sufficient?
Do I need to sand again after primer?
I've never done any prep work, but I'm about to put a new bed on my truck, and I'm going to have to have it repainted.
Thanks for any guidance!
Rick
What kind of primer should I use? Is there a shake and rattle that would be sufficient?
Do I need to sand again after primer?
I've never done any prep work, but I'm about to put a new bed on my truck, and I'm going to have to have it repainted.
Thanks for any guidance!
Rick
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Beer Fridge Finder
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 14,988
Likes: 1,151
From: Savannah, GA
sanding the body
The best thing to do is to contact the body shop that is going to paint it. They will tell you what primer to use, because if you get the wrong stuff their paint won't stick.
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sanding the body
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 999
Likes: 1
From: Willamette Valley Oregon
sanding the body
What kind of primer should I use? Is there a shake and rattle that would be sufficient?
Your best bet is epoxy primer. It seals in any rust and seals out water. It is safe for use on any paint. The problem is, epoxy is a 2-part paint and requires a spray gun.
At the very least, you want a self-etch primer. You can get it in rattle can (Acid 8 come to mind). Assuming the primer won't be exposed to water, it provides a good base to build on.
Do I need to sand again after primer?
All paints have a flash time and recoat time.
Flash time is the time you must wait until you can apply additional paint.
Recoat time starts at the end of flash time and extends sometime into the future. The actual time depends on the product you are using. For example, the epoxy I use has a recoat time of 24 hours. A 1/2 hour after I spray it, I can recoat anytime up 24 hours. If I exceed the 24 hour recoat period, I have to sand.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 999
Likes: 1
From: Willamette Valley Oregon
sanding the body
<cr>
The paint is only as good as your base. With that in mind, it's a judgement call.
Assuming your paint is in good shape, then you will probably be safe in not stripping the primer. For example, an older paint job where the clearcoat is peeling.
On the other hand, if your paint is lifting, rust is appearing, or you have similar types of problems, then you need to strip to bare metal. Finish by priming with an epoxy.
When I do an older rig, I always strip to bare metal since the primer is lacquer. Why take a chance.
The paint is only as good as your base. With that in mind, it's a judgement call.
Assuming your paint is in good shape, then you will probably be safe in not stripping the primer. For example, an older paint job where the clearcoat is peeling.
On the other hand, if your paint is lifting, rust is appearing, or you have similar types of problems, then you need to strip to bare metal. Finish by priming with an epoxy.
When I do an older rig, I always strip to bare metal since the primer is lacquer. Why take a chance.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 999
Likes: 1
From: Willamette Valley Oregon
sanding the body
<cr>
The paint is only as good as your base. With that in mind, it's a judgement call.
Assuming your paint is in good shape, then you will probably be safe in not stripping the primer. For example, an older paint job where the clearcoat is peeling.
On the other hand, if your paint is lifting, rust is appearing, or you have similar types of problems, then you need to strip to bare metal. Finish by priming with an epoxy.
When I do an older rig, I always strip to bare metal since the primer is lacquer. Why take a chance.
The paint is only as good as your base. With that in mind, it's a judgement call.
Assuming your paint is in good shape, then you will probably be safe in not stripping the primer. For example, an older paint job where the clearcoat is peeling.
On the other hand, if your paint is lifting, rust is appearing, or you have similar types of problems, then you need to strip to bare metal. Finish by priming with an epoxy.
When I do an older rig, I always strip to bare metal since the primer is lacquer. Why take a chance.
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 543
Likes: 7
From: Tulsa
sanding the body
my paint is pretty badly oxidized, but shows virtually NO signs of rust except in places where the paint has been gouged out by abuse. Other than that the body is in good shape. Is there a way I could maybe spot treat the bad places?
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 999
Likes: 1
From: Willamette Valley Oregon
sanding the body
<cr>
Sure there is.
The whole secret to fixing chipped areas is to feather out the chip. You do that by sanding the chip through the various layers of paint. Each layer should have about a 1/4" feathered area before the next layer appears.
Once you have the chip feathered out, you need to fill the area. There are a couple of ways to do that.
You can apply multiple layers of primer until the primer is level with the top layer of paint. Then you sand the primer so it is blended in to top layer of paint. The 2K primers work great.
The other way is to use a catalized polyester filler. It is similar to Bondo but is much finer. You mix it up, fill the sanded area with the filler, and then sand it flat.
Please stay away from the old 'Nitro-San' type of products. They are nothing except thick paint. Besides being old tech, they can cause a hot spot when you apply your new paint.
Sure there is.
The whole secret to fixing chipped areas is to feather out the chip. You do that by sanding the chip through the various layers of paint. Each layer should have about a 1/4" feathered area before the next layer appears.
Once you have the chip feathered out, you need to fill the area. There are a couple of ways to do that.
You can apply multiple layers of primer until the primer is level with the top layer of paint. Then you sand the primer so it is blended in to top layer of paint. The 2K primers work great.
The other way is to use a catalized polyester filler. It is similar to Bondo but is much finer. You mix it up, fill the sanded area with the filler, and then sand it flat.
Please stay away from the old 'Nitro-San' type of products. They are nothing except thick paint. Besides being old tech, they can cause a hot spot when you apply your new paint.