best sanding process
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Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 867
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From: Eastern Pa
best sanding process
Ok I'm taking my donor cab down to nearly bare metal, and bare where needed. I don't have access to an air supply capable of running pnuematics so my choices are using and 4.5" angle grinder of 7" buffer fitted with a backing plate for sanding, or an orbital sander. I also have some wire brushes for the grinder. Which makes the most sense? Also what grit shouild be used? There are only a few spots with minor rust, most of the work is removing the original paint to get prepped.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 209
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I would avoid the angle grinder except for grinding out rusted areas. The orbital sander will give you the best results. Electric ones are much improved over what they used to be. As for grit, I use 80 on body fillers and get progressively finer until the desired results are obtained. To achieve perfectly straight panels before applying the paint, the old hand sanding with a long block is the only way to go.
Elder User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 623
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From: Mississauga,Ont.,Canada
The orbital sander has a flat surface and I believe takes a 1/3 of a sheet of sandpaper.As gwall says a straight piece of wood with the correct paper can give you some good results and work surprisingly fast on your body work.Use the grinder with 50 or 80 grit paper to remove rust and give the metal tooth for the filler.
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 52
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From: salem va
porter cable makes a really good sander. it looks like a grinder but i think the box says sander polisher. i will have to go out to the garage and get you a model number. i whink i paid about 115 dollars for mine. i promise you will wear out before it does. it uses 6 inch paper also. i repost when i get the model number
