Auto body repair & detailing/Buffing new paint

Advertisement

Expert: Cameron Orsich - 8/25/2006


Question
I e-maied you earlier and you requested the type of paint I was using.My original question was, I have repaired and painted my gar with acrylic enamel paint. After it dries and hardens what do I have to do next as far as buffing it before I polish and wax it? Thanks Again Ed

Answer
Well...since you chose enamel...I would say you're done...unless you want to spear it around some.

Lacquer is made to wet sand and polish.

Base/Clear Coat...same thing.

But enamel never dries...sure, you sprayed acrylic enamel.  All that means is that its tougher--right.  Lets see what happens when a shopping cart or bicycle goes down its side--one big smear.

I don't know what you painted, but enamel's highest and best use is not for cars...its for tractor trailers.

In any case...using a variable speed polisher set on a slow speed, you can't use polishing compound, but you can use 3M's finesse-it, but you got to keep the heat down--that means you got to go at a low & slow RPM.

Go to a real auto body supply store, and tell the guy you need something to remove swirls--like 3Ms finesse (lotion like for swirl removal), and have him sell you a polishing sponge kit for your polisher as well--AS YOU DON'T USE FINESSE WITH A WOOL OR COTTON PAD.

In addition, ask him for the finest compound he sells--this should be 1 step grittier than the other stuff, and have him sell you a fine wool pad as well for it.

___________________


Try the finesse first, if its OK; try the more, fine, abrasive one--is it OK?

If not, your stuck with finesse...it will take a while, but it polishes nice--especially when used on paints its suppose to be polishing--keep off that speed.

If the slightly more abrasive one is gently polishing, and not smearing; then do a panel (NOT THE ENTIRE CAR), and go back over it with the finer finesse stuff.

If the finesse was able to straighten the other stuffs polishing swirl marks, then go for the whole car.

Always polish in the shade--stay out of the sun...especially with a soft enamel...and if this was painted at MACCO, and they told you they baked the finish, ask them why the interior didn't melt like it would have in a Detroit when they put cars in ovens years ago?

Auto body repair & detailing

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Cameron Orsich

Expertise

NOTE: MY EXPERTISE IS AUTO BODY...PLEASE limit your questions to the subject of GENERAL AUTO BODY PANEL QUESTIONS...you know: OlD Fashioned, Do It Yourself, By Hand, Back Yard, Under Shop Lights at 3:00 AM AUTO BODY QUESTIONS. I can answer auto body questions for any make, model, or year regarding replacing valances, door skins, fenders, etc... I can also answer questions on how to grind, weld, fiberglass, fill, paste and spray top coat, feather, mask, prime, paint (enamel, lacquer, base-coat/clear-coat), touch-up, melt-in, wet sand, wool polish, sponge polish, finesse, and much, much, more...to much to list here. I love air tools, but if you don't have any...no problem...as I can answer all your questions on how to achieve superb results doing it yourself...the old fashioned way...by hand. If you want a shop answer, go to a shop and pay someone to do it for you. If you want to take pride in doing it yourself, just ask someone who's been there and done that--me, Big CO. I'm available to answer general Auto Body questions for those whom want to do it themselves. Please...no collision, basket case, or train wreck questions. If you have something special that you want to fix, paint, or restore yourself; but don't know how, you've come to the right place...ask me...Big CO, the neighborhood know it all with the shop lights on all night

Experience

Having put myself and my brother through college in the late 80's and early 90's buying and selling over 250 cars. I restored my first car, a '72 350 Chevelle Malibu 4 barrel, in 1978 at just 16 years old. From there, I never looked back...usually restoring classics or sport cars: 340 Cuda's, 396 SS Chevelle's, Novas, Dusters, late 60's Mustang Convertibles, GTO Judges, 455 Buick Grand Sports, about a dozen 280ZX's ('79-'83)--the most recent, in July of '06, I sold a '83 280ZX on cars.com to a gentleman that flew in from Colorado to my state of Ohio just to purchase it from me. As for experience: Have replaced valances, door skins, fenders. Have grounded, welded, fiberglassed, filled, pasted and sprayed top coat, feathered, masked, primed, painted (enamel, lacquer, base-coat/clear-coat), touched-up, melted-in, wet sanded, wool polished, sponge polished, finessed, and much, much, more...to much to list here.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.