Blacking out your hubcaps
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Joined: 06-07-2012
Posts: 65
From: Buford, GA
As a future reference for anyone wanting to do this, you really want to stay away from using sandpaper this fine
When prepping a surface for paint, you want to stay around a 600 grit. When you start going with to fine of a paper, you are giving the paint to smooth of a surface so it can't 'bite' into it good enough. 1500 is much closer to a finishing grit paper, that is used for wetsanding a finished project, than it is for prep work
Granted this might work ok for the op, but if you want to do it the best way possible, go with the 600 and the job will look just as good and be a lot more durable. Also 1500 grit paper is to fine to get rid of a lot of blemishes in any of your parts. 600 will work much better, but you should even start with a rougher paper than that if your surface is bad
Not trying to be an ass or anything. I'm just trying to help people do a better job on their projects, because it sucks when you work harder than needed and you end up with an inferior product
When prepping a surface for paint, you want to stay around a 600 grit. When you start going with to fine of a paper, you are giving the paint to smooth of a surface so it can't 'bite' into it good enough. 1500 is much closer to a finishing grit paper, that is used for wetsanding a finished project, than it is for prep work
Granted this might work ok for the op, but if you want to do it the best way possible, go with the 600 and the job will look just as good and be a lot more durable. Also 1500 grit paper is to fine to get rid of a lot of blemishes in any of your parts. 600 will work much better, but you should even start with a rougher paper than that if your surface is bad
Not trying to be an ass or anything. I'm just trying to help people do a better job on their projects, because it sucks when you work harder than needed and you end up with an inferior product
Senior Member
Joined: 09-05-2009
Posts: 452
From: New England
I debated using a different grit, however the last time I sanded plastic was for the tail lights of my old lumina and I used 2000 on them. I wanted to go a little rougher but not so much as to scratch the heck out of the plastic. My hub caps didn't really have any scratches or marks either, so I didn't need to smooth them out. But thanks though, it's a good point to those who might need a little more smoothing.
600 will not leave scratches. Any primer and paint fills in anything left (which there really won't be anyway) from the sandpaper. Most people are going to lay down the paint with a rougher finish than even 400 paper would even leave. That why they use 2000 after painting, because it flattens everything out
As long as you like your outcome, that's all that matters. Just if your paint starts chipping to easily, hit it with 600 next time and you'll see the difference
That's all I'm going to say on this now, because I already feel a little bad because I feel like I've hi-jacked your thread a little to much already.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: 06-07-2012
Posts: 65
From: Buford, GA
2000 and even 1500 up to a point, are for wetsanding AFTER laying down paint and clear. It evens out any orange-peel before buffing.
600 will not leave scratches. Any primer and paint fills in anything left (which there really won't be anyway) from the sandpaper. Most people are going to lay down the paint with a rougher finish than even 400 paper would even leave. That why they use 2000 after painting, because it flattens everything out
As long as you like your outcome, that's all that matters. Just if your paint starts chipping to easily, hit it with 600 next time and you'll see the difference
That's all I'm going to say on this now, because I already feel a little bad because I feel like I've hi-jacked your thread a little to much already.
600 will not leave scratches. Any primer and paint fills in anything left (which there really won't be anyway) from the sandpaper. Most people are going to lay down the paint with a rougher finish than even 400 paper would even leave. That why they use 2000 after painting, because it flattens everything out
As long as you like your outcome, that's all that matters. Just if your paint starts chipping to easily, hit it with 600 next time and you'll see the difference
That's all I'm going to say on this now, because I already feel a little bad because I feel like I've hi-jacked your thread a little to much already.
No worries man. It's one simple thing you mentioned, the rest of my tutorial is still good. Hopefully the paint will stay in tact, but if not, ill just buy more paint and do it with the 600 grit.
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