Skip to main content

Reply to "Newbie with many questions"

Todd M posted:

The biggest difficulty for me with sanding is that the paper loads up, and it gets expensive to waste paper before it is worn out.  On the various car building tv shows, it seems like they start sanding the skim coat before it hardens so that it is easier and faster to sand, which should make their paper load up quickly.  But, you never see them switching out paper every 30 seconds, so is their paper loading up and they just go through a lot of sandpaper, or do they know something I don't about how to keep their paper from loading up?

Todd,

The best advice I can give is that not all sanding papers are the same.  You get what you pay for!  It took me too many years (including building a Speedster from just a pan and body) to learn that the expensive paper is worth the money.  The Harbor Freight stuff is cheaper, but does not come close to the performance of quality name brand paper.  I use Norton Gold PSA paper and discs for blocking and finishing.  If you hit it with compressed air occasionally it will cut a long time and not load up.  There are other options for particular applications.  Go to a local auto paint supply store and ask, they won't mind selling you expensive stuff!  

You may already know this, but it's one of those things that I should have learned 40 years ago.  Projects would have been much less work!  

James

×
×
×
×
×