REFLECTOR: painting

Joe Ewen Jewen at Comporium.net
Tue Dec 20 23:17:30 CST 2005


Hi Al,
Looks like I finally have a reliable internet service again.  Cold definitely appears to be the problem, probably a wire inside the tap that was receding when cooled.  

First the disclaimer - I am not a pro, but have done a number of cars / repairs prior to the Velocity project.  I will say these techniques have rubbed through the clear in a couple of small spots, which of course will have to be fixed (not too hard), but overall it has saved me a large amount of time.  The greatest caution has to be payed to edges and sharp radiuses.

General steps I follow with respect to materials and application.  Start at what ever point the defect requires or your comfortable with.

1 - 400 3m Gold Stick it on a hard pad. (very careful with this step)
2 - 600 wet with a jitterbug (1/3 sheet pneumatic orbital) with a medium rubbed backup pad.
3 - 1200 dry 3m Finishing Film Disks.
3a - If large areas are being done, I use the 1200 disks wet before following up with the 1200 dry.
    I use a fairly fine mist, just keeping enough water to prevent the disk from bogging down, adding
    more misting as the process continues.  I found too much water seem to stop the disk from cutting.
4 - 3m Extra Cut Rubbing Compound with a 3m wool pad in a conventional buffer.  When starting a
    session I add a water mist, the wool seems to adsorb the water from the compound and the 
    compound dries out a bit too fast.  Use the compound sparingly and add if more if required.
5 - 3m Rubbing Compound with a 3m wool pad in a conventional buffer.  Add water as described in step
    4.  I use a separate wool pad for each compound grade.
6 - 3m Swirl Mark remover applied with a foam pad.  I prefer the pad with the rounded corners.

Runs - I use a DA (pneumatic) with a hard backup pad and 3m Gold Stick It 400.  With this I carefully try to eliminate the bulk of the run or sag.  By using the hard pad with the 400, it removes the material pretty quickly and the hard pad helps avoid rubbing the adjacent surface.  When I have tried the finishing film directly on a run, I have found the area adjacent to the run tends to wear through.  Then follow the above steps.

Orange peel - Depending upon the severity I will start with step 1, 2 or 3 depending on the depth of the orange peel and or dust nibs.  Then follow with the above listed steps.  For my average level of orange peel, I generally start with step 2.

Other notes:  
A quck buffing pass with extra cut after the film disks followed by regular buffing compund seems to take a lot less time than following the disks with the regular buffing compound.

The film disks appear to cut the best when fresh, but loose their life rather quickly.  Using the disk with a minimal water level seems to do well on large orange peel areas without going through a pile of expensive disks. 

For sharp radius areas I use a film disk wet by hand.  On a power toll they are far too likely to break through.

For edges I took a rubber sanding block and applied Velcro with 'industrial adhesive,'  I then attach a film disk to the sanding block.  This works well on edges.

Part Numbers:  (I like 3m products, they are a bit more money, but they seem to last much longer)
Extra Cut Compound - 06060 (qt)
Rubbing Compound - 05973 (qt)
Swirl Mark Remover, Light Color - 39109 (pt)
Compounding Pad - 05711
Foam Pad - 05735
Buffer Back Up Disk - 05717
Finishing Film - as required

Hook-It Disks have the loops on the disk, while Hook-It II has the hooks on the disk.

Al, Hopes this gives you some useful info.
Joe



----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Al Gietzen 
  To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list' 
  Sent: Thursday, December 15, 2005 1:50 AM
  Subject: RE: REFLECTOR: painting


  Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: painting



  Hi AL,

  Sorry about the delayed reply, until this evening when I put a heater on the cable companies equipment on the corner of my property, I have not had more than a couple on minutes per day internet service.  Have you figured out the use of the finishing disks or can I still be of assistance. Let me know.

  Joe



  Joe;



  Good to hear from you again. What? Is it so cold it is freezing up the electrons? Where do you live?



  I have just gotten started with the sand/buff/polish program.  I got the 3M "Hook-it II" 1500 discs and the corresponding backing pad for my Porter Cable electric DA.  (Isn't it clever of 3M to reverse the "hook" and "loop" faces on the Hook-it II so it is not compatible with anybody else's pad) I've used a wool pad with Perfect-it II compound, and foam pad with Swirl Remover, then the wax with pretty good results.  I was hesitant to use 1200, or the 'extra cut' compound, for fear of cutting through the clear coat. However, the 1500 and the rubbing compound won't get the orange peel very well.



  Yes, I could use any tips you wish to offer on using the discs - I just put one on the backing pad (with an interface disc) and sanded the surface. And, how concerned should I be about cutting too deep in the clear coat?



  One thing is clear to me, using the Apollo HVLP over the conventional gun has caused a lot more post-paint finish work, and I'm not sure that it saved all that much in over-spray.  The atomization of these paints by the conventional gun is definitely superior.  But the painting is finished, and overall the job looks quite good.



  I was going to take this off-list, but there are likely others who can benefit from your advice.



  Thanks,



  Al







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