Spray painting question please.

[Ron41]

I have just sprayed my back bumper with 3 coats of paint, I would like to know should you go over it with 1500 wet & dry sandpaper before applying the clear coat or not, or just spray the clear straight over it.
thanks

[gregphillips]

hey mate if you have painted it and let it dry over night then sand it with 500 grit sandpaper then paint your clear, just be carefull not to break through the colour, 1500 is too fine and the paint wont stick its purely for polishing, if you have just put your colour down then leave it for an hour then re-coat with your clear, after the clear has set properly ( alow a day or so) then use 1500 to take the orange peel down and buff it

[Ron41]

Thanks mate for your help, much appreciated.

[wildss]

500 is way too coarse to use before clear, it will end up looking scratchy and if its silver it will look horrible.
base it up, let it dry for a lil while and hit it with clear.
if your basecoat is very peely then sure wet sand it with 1500 and clear it but if its nice and flat just hit it with clear

[Ron41]

Thanks mate, the paint does look a bit peely.

thanks again.

[con7502003]

yes i agree 500 way to course go 1200_1500

[Ron41]

Thanks for your reply mate.

[Ron41]

Just one more question, after I put the clear on and wait a couple of days for it to set properly, do you just buff it up with a fine cutters ?
thanks

[con7502003]

just a light rub 1200-1500 just depends wot the finish is like but usually it will need a light rub then buff with lambswool buff keep the speed to about 1500rpm no more i used septone cutting compound from super cheap buffs and shine all in one step just for the record im self taught not a tradie this is wot i done worked for me but everyone got there own way of doing things help this helps.

[con7502003]

jesus i need ta learn to type and spell

[vn calais skyblue]

after yourve put your color down (base coat) usally rub with 1500-200grit, you want to avoid any scratch marks in the base coat color, now the only reason to do this is to di nib any bits of dirt hair ect, make sure on the last coat of base, give it a light 'evener' coat to get the tone and mettalics sitting nice, no point doing a job and rushing, and then clear, if u want a flat finish well wait a couple of days rub it with 1200 until ur happy then cut and polish the shit outa it lol, anymore questions just pm me ima spray painter by trade

[Ron41]

Thanks very much guys, been very helpfull.

[Doug81]

Spray ur base coat so as the area u are painting is covered (3-4) coats depending on colour wait 10 min then apply ur clear coat 2-3 coats let it cure for a couple of day's then rub out any bits of dirt or grit with 1500 wet and dry or 2000 grit using the hose to keep water flowing over the area to eliminate any dirt getting between the paper and ur job and scratching it then buff it up. i recomend freckler G3 cutter