sean_foster52•1mo agoProlific Poster

Tried wet sanding a blend panel with 3000 grit instead of 1500 and the result surprised me

I was working on a silver 2018 F-150 in San Antonio last week and kept getting visible sand scratches through the clear on a rear quarter repair. Out of frustration I grabbed some 3000 grit I use on headlights and wet sanded the blend area before buffing, and the scratches completely disappeared with no need for compound work. Has anyone else found that jumping up a few grit sizes actually saves time on metallic paints?

3 comments

3 Comments

wyatt_green1mo ago

...and i mean, are we really acting like this is some kind of breakthrough? look, i get it, you had a problem and you fixed it. but jumping from 1500 to 3000 grit isn't exactly rocket science, you know? that's a pretty big jump in abrasiveness. 1500 is for aggressive cutting, 3000 is basically polishing paper. of course the scratches went away, you basically skipped the whole compounding step. it's like saying you saved time by not doing the work you skipped.

parker_campbell1mo ago

The real issue nobody's talking about is what happens when you need to recoat or repair that spot down the road. With a 1500 grit surface, new finish has a fighting chance to mechanically bond to the scratch pattern. Jumping to 3000 grit and polishing it out smooth creates a surface that's almost too slick for any fresh coat to grab onto. I've seen plenty of folks end up with peeling or fisheye in those spots six months later because the new finish couldn't get a foothold. If you ever plan on selling that piece or passing it down, that's a hidden weakness that'll show itself when you least expect it.

jesse_barnes371mo ago

Heard a buddy in the woodworking club say pretty much the same thing last week. Skipping steps like that is just asking for trouble later, especially if you ever have to touch up that spot. Always better to go full sequence, @wyatt_green.