Sandpaper grades when painting

[TerryG]

Just to go over what I think is the right way to do it.
Assuming the base is flat (in my case filler primer flatted back with 600), even, etc and I degrease between each.
grey primer
800 grit
base
1200 grit
clear
1600 grit then a fine cutting compound.

I sprayed base last night and don't want to ruin almost 2 weeks of evenings in prep work on 2 doors and 2 wings by stuffing up the flatting back.

I bought a mask from screwfix after getting a headache spraying outside for the primer layer. HUGE improvement, everyone should wear a mask when painting.

[alabbasi]

I bought a mask from screwfix after getting a headache spraying outside for the primer layer. HUGE improvement, everyone should wear a mask when painting.

Certainly if you plan on having a long life. That's pretty nasty stuff. Especially clear.

[Luxobarge]

I'd agree with your schedule of grades of paper Terry, sounds spot on to me, except I'd add a final stage of polishing with finishing polish - 3M "Finesse-It" is excellent (as are all 3M products IMHO).

Cheers

[jimmyybob]

^^WHS^^ use a good quality finishing polish, TBH im not sure i would use cutting compound unless its very fine.

Dont forget to use plenty of water with your paper.

[tractorman]

I tend to use T-Cut metallic rather than cutting compound - it seems even kinder than regular T-Cut, yet gets a good finish quite quickly.

Mind you, I scraped a wheel arch on the Golf about eighteen months ago, sprayed it a couple of months later and haven't got round to the final "cutting" and polishing yet!

I agree about face masks - though find that they need changing quite often if you don't want a red/blue/silver goatee! One thing that stops me using 2K is the need for decent breathing gear - though the garage being attached to next door's garage and our house is more of a problem:I could smell the etch primer I'd sprayed in the garage the other day when I went into my bedroom later on!

[TerryG]

When I wasn't using a mask I could still smell the paint 2 days later.

[Penguin45]

Look chaps, I know I don't post a huge amount on here, so you don't know me all that well, but I have a number of qualifications, including IMI paint. 2K will kill you. You must use a filtered positive air-pressure breathing system. You can use a decent cartridge mask for celly, 1k, many primers and vitually all underseal/shutz stuff, but 2K is not nice stuff. Really, you should even mask up to use aerosols.

Please take this on board.

P45.

[Luxobarge]

Hi P45 - you make a good point, well worth re-iterating. (And nice to see you on here BTW!)

Tractorman clearly knows the dangers though, and I don't think Terry was intending using 2k, but for anyone who is contemplating using it, take note, you do indeed need a positive fresh air breathing apparatus as stated!

Cheers

[TerryG]

I was using celly paint (Rattle cans). I have done it before spraying in the garden with no side effects but after the headache incident I have got a cartridge mask. it says it is good for 30 days between filter swaps so I will see how it goes.