Technical Sanding Plastic Primer

[AgnessGP]

From word of mouth, I was told to smooth plastic primer using wet and dry grade 2500. However, the car shop only sold up to 1500 and he said there is no need to go past 1500 for plastic.

Can anyone please advise on this as I want the best finish possible.

 

[Sweex]

From word of mouth, I was told to smooth plastic primer using wet and dry grade 2500. However, the car shop only sold up to 1500 and he said there is no need to go past 1500 for plastic.

Can anyone please advise on this as I want the best finish possible.

If you want the best finish then youll need 2500 or higher mate.

 

[AgnessGP]

If you want the best finish then youll need 2500 or higher mate.

Knew that would be the case! okay mate thanks, will try and find some....

 

[Sweex]

Knew that would be the case! okay mate thanks, will try and find some....

Halfords do 2000 i think :/

 

[Jordan92]

Why sand your primer? To get a good finish you only need to level your clear coat.

Jordan.

 

[Sweex]

No, sand the primer, colour and clear and itll be perfect. Its messy but worth it.

 

[Jordan92]

I sprayed my steering wheel controls yesterday primed then paint then clear with only sanding the clear and they are perfect. Did the same on my wing mirrors yes it will look unbelievably good to sand all layers but its going to take a lot longer for not much improvement.

If you are sanding your primer Sam then use a guide coat basically a dark colour sprayed on your primer from a distance so it spots the primer then you can sand knowing how far it is until you go through the primer. There's no point sanding your primer to sand through and start again

Jordan.

 

[AgnessGP]

I sprayed my steering wheel controls yesterday primed then paint then clear with only sanding the clear and they are perfect. Did the same on my wing mirrors yes it will look unbelievably good to sand all layers but its going to take a lot longer for not much improvement.

If you are sanding your primer Sam then use a guide coat basically a dark colour sprayed on your primer from a distance so it spots the primer then you can sand knowing how far it is until you go through the primer. There's no point sanding your primer to sand through and start again

Jordan.

My plan was to sand the primer, colour, sand the colour, laquer.

Surely ill not go through primer with wet and dry and a light touch?

 

[Sweex]

If you just sand so its smooth youll be fine, you wont go through

 

[Jordan92]

My plan was to sand the primer, colour, sand the colour, laquer.

Surely ill not go through primer with wet and dry and a light touch?

Yeah with a light touch you will be ok... I'm no expert at this but i have made a few mistakes when doing such stuff and i find i usually get to the point where i go "almost finished " then i mess it up and have to start again :bang: for me the best way is to leave the sanding until the clear coat stage but its entirely your choise mate... What you painting anyway?

Jordan.

 

[GYoung87]

You could get away with just sanding the clear coat if the painted a bit that is small like the steering control surrounds.

Anything larger for the best result, prime, sand, colour, sand, colour, sand, clear coat, cutting paste.

More you put in, the more you get out it

 

[AgnessGP]

Yeah with a light touch you will be ok... I'm no expert at this but i have made a few mistakes when doing such stuff and i find i usually get to the point where i go "almost finished " then i mess it up and have to start again :bang: for me the best way is to leave the sanding until the clear coat stage but its entirely your choise mate... What you painting anyway?

My door mirrors matey. I'm gonna risk it and keep sanding as below...
Jordan.

You could get away with just sanding the clear coat if the painted a bit that is small like the steering control surrounds.

Anything larger for the best result, prime, sand, colour, sand, colour, sand, clear coat, cutting paste.

More you put in, the more you get out it

I've got some scratch-x and super resin polish to hopefully bring it up as best I can. Ill post the results up when finished, if I don't sand through the primer/colour

 

[GYoung87]

2000+ grade paper doesn't take a lot off. To be honest with that paper it would take ages to get through the primer.

All you are doing is smoothing. If it isn't smooth, keep going. Get rid of the orange peel effect

 

[AgnessGP]

SMoothed with 2500 grade sand paper. Now I've got the problem of where to spray em. Mother won't let me spray them in cupboard and im not spraying them outside in ****ing wind. Proper **** without the right conditions, and only have use of a spray booth on weekends. ****ing ****. Instead of waiting for the colour to dry, now waiting for somewhere to spray.

 

[AgnessGP]

I get so stressed spraying. Just done 3 coats and it's barely covered the primer on top. I was scared of getting too close and it running but obviously this has made it too thin.

 

[Jordan92]

Just take your time with it mate slow and steady and all that. I am really impatient when spraying iv been spraying something today luckily its metallic paint and blends really easily I am just sanding and leveling the clear I will be posting pics in my thread but won't be till the end of the week if you want to see the results.

But like I said though slow and steady you will kick yourself if you rush and have to start again.

Jordan.

 

[Sweex]

Just take your time with it mate slow and steady and all that. I am really impatient when spraying iv been spraying something today luckily its metallic paint and blends really easily I am just sanding and leveling the clear I will be posting pics in my thread but won't be till the end of the week if you want to see the results.

But like I said though slow and steady you will kick yourself if you rush and have to start again.

Jordan.

You cant sand the colour coat in metallic paint as it distorts the metal flake and makes it look dull! Hope you havent done that

 

[AgnessGP]

Just take your time with it mate slow and steady and all that. I am really impatient when spraying iv been spraying something today luckily its metallic paint and blends really easily I am just sanding and leveling the clear I will be posting pics in my thread but won't be till the end of the week if you want to see the results.

But like I said though slow and steady you will kick yourself if you rush and have to start again.

Jordan.

Thanks mate. I've bought some more spray today as I've got a feeling it's gonna take more than 4 coats. The problem is, as some of the mirror cap is black, but the top more or less primer, will this make the paint uneven?

You cant sand the colour coat in metallic paint as it distorts the metal flake and makes it look dull! Hope you havent done that

As far as I know, at least on plastic, sanding does make it dull then laquer brings it up again

 

[Jordan92]

You cant sand the colour coat in metallic paint as it distorts the metal flake and makes it look dull! Hope you havent done that

No not sanded anything yet only sanding clear coat. The flakes make it easier to paint

 

[AgnessGP]

After 5 coats, the colour is done.

One is smooth but one is covered in small fibres and bits of hair for some reason.

Will this sand off before the laquer stage do you think?

Many thanks

Sam