I've started working on my door that i'm gonna do some custom work on. I'll be sure and post pictures of all the diff. adjustments. Anywaz I've been sanding this door for 2 days now only like 2 hours or so total. Well i bought an orbital sander and some stick on pads. Well i thought i bought and ment to buy 80 grit but instead got 40 grit, well i was lookin at them after doin some sanding which was/is going slower than grass grows, and relized my mistake. I went and got some 80 grit immediatly. I'm going through these pads quick i'm on my 4th on and that hasn't got me much done on the door. I'm going full paint to bare metal. Am i missing something or doing something wrong or is it supposed to take a long time. I know it's not going to just come off in the sweep of a sweep but i work on some little spots for 10 minutes and basically i just thin them out but cant get metal. I might try stripper for the fact that i'm not gonna buy like 10 boxes of sanding pads. Any tips or corrections or whatever ya got would definetly be appreciated. Also in some on area i have a big metal spot but in this spot there are diff. colored metal, basically what i'm trying to say is i'm gettin 2 shades of shiny metal and in spots and streaks. What causes this?

 

Hey 351ballsofford, welcome to the bodywork forum.

I'd recommend that you have a little patience and wait until Aekisu, Park911 or one of the other guys can respond to your questions.

My first question is why are you sanding down to the metal? Do you have rusted or rust-eaten spots you're trying to get rid of, are you changing from the original color, what color are you painting, are you going to be driving it while doing the fix? Might help if the guys knew what year vehicle you're repairing why you feel it needs repairing.

Some vehicles with only dulling can get by with a simple sanding and repainting without going down to the metal.

Good luck with your project.

 

well to answer your first question i'm sanding it down to metal becuz i'm changing the color. I haven't looked for a diff. color yet. I won't be driving on fix. basically i'm shaving the handles and fixing a small dent and fixing a bend on an edge. This door is off of a 94 f-150 my dad took the glass and motor and basically everything out of. I'm just doing this to get some practice, cuz if i like it this summer i'm gonna do it to both of my doors.

 

You do not need to sand down to bare metal to change the color unless you are trying to repair some major rust.

 

I used a wire brush in a 4" grinder for stripping my paint, I could do a door in a couple of hours inside and out

 

allright well at least it wasn't my real door. I'm having fun learnin this bodywork stuff though. I wish i had more time between work and school i'm not gettin much time. ohwell i'm guess i'm gonna repaint the whole door, it's kinda late now. Is there a faster way to do this with an orbital sander? i'm usin 80 grit.

 

<cr>
If it has only one coat of paint, I don't strip to bare metal. If it has had one repaint, I'll look the car over and make a decision. If it's had 2 or more repaints, I strip.

I strip all my cars with 32 grit on a DA sander. I finish up with 80 grit. I probably average about 1 1/2 days of work for an entire car.

 

allright well i work tonight (menards) so i'll pick up some 32 grit paper. i'll let u know how that comes if it works for you then i'm sure it'll work for me. thanks alot for the help guys

 

<cr>
Just remember. If you see sparks, you are removing metal, not paint. You do not want to see sparks.