13 replies to this topic

[dan_w]

Hi All, I have only recently started the body work on the Mini and have been sanding back using a varity of grades of wet and dry. It is the first time i have used Wet and Dry with water and have been really pleaed with the out come. The pecies are usable for a lot longer and with none of the dust. The only thing is i happened to watch American Hot Rod the other day and watched a few more episodes since and noticed they are doing all the sanding dry.

Would there be any reason for this? What are peoples recomendations? Stay with it wet or should i go back to using it dry and investing in a new face mask.

Also while i am here can anyone recomend a good filler to apply a thin skim coat. I am using Isopon P38 filler at present but find it dose not apply very well when trying to get a thin coat.

Thanks in advance.

[MiniDick]

If it's just filler you're sanding down you usually start with 240 and as you finish get down to 320. I work at a body shop as a valeter but I've done a little bit to my Mini at home. I've never seen any of the preppers wet sand filler (it's porous as far as I know) Once it's primered you wet flat it with 800 to get a nice smooth finish. Like I said I'm by no means an expert but this is what I've learnt.

[jack_marshall]

Filler should be rubbed dry down to about 320 dry for a really fine finish, this can then be primed.

Dont wet sand filler as it is porous and will only cause problems later. And its not necesary.

Wet sanding is only really for preping primer for basecoats although I know alot of people are just dry sanding because of problems like micro blistering later down the line.

[dan_w]

Thanks for the reply guys.

Like i mentioned i wet sanded the primer in a few places before. Will this cause problems? I didn’t spray the primer until around the next day so hopefully any water should have evaporated by them. Is this anything to worry about?

Thanks

[E11OOT]

i bought some body filler yesterday and set to work, and on the instructions it said "using wet and dry paper with plenty of water to rub down the area"

[WiredbyWilson]

P38 should be fine for your filling dan, just make sure you mix it well and it should go on fine.

sanding, depending on how much your putting in, start at 80 to knock the big lumps off and work down to 320 as above, but do not use water!

the only time i have seen primer rubbed dry is if people have had to apply a lot of primer to hide inperfections in filler, and only then it was 320 before going to 400 wet and dry, then finally 800 prior to painting in colour.

this is all my opinion and personal experience befoe i upset the pros on here

but give me a shout if you want me to come down dan - still need to grab those wheel nuts off you!

[dan_w]

Thanks for the advice guys.

Wilson I'm not working Friday night so will be around working on the mini all Saturday if you wana pop round a collect the wheel nuts.

Just give me a call.

[MiniMikey]

Dan, where about's in Tonbridge are you, im just starting to do some body work to my mini to but mines probably only minor touch-ups compared to what you're doing. Bodywork is the only bit i dont enjoy and seem to do badly at every time

[dan_w]

MiniMikey I dont really mind doing body work at the mo. Im sure that will change after weeks and weeks of sanding lol.

I have also sent you a pm.

[Tomf]

Dan get yourself an electric DA or random orbit sander or if you have a compressor get an air DA, this will save you hours and hours on sanding...

[dan_w]

I have been thinking about that tom. Its the mrs birthday on Sunday so money is a bit tight, may have to wait till the end of the month. In the mean time i will continue to sanding by hand. It has not been to bad so far. Give it another couple of days and im sure that will change lol.

[Mad Modder]

just a quick post all sanding from filler to primer should be done dry - filler and primer are highly porus

colour coat and top coat can be wet sanded

[dan_w]

Thanks for all the advice. Im sticking to wet sanding for everything except the top coat then. Its starting to look like X-mas in my garage with all this dust, lol

[Cooper-202S]

On a related point IE dust control.
If your dry sanding and you can lay your hands on an old hoover with the old style paper bag filter .
Then running close to where you are sanding 2-3 feet, will catch alot of the airborn dust out of the atmosphere saving the eventual snow drifts across the workshop.
The constant noise can be a pain though.
however this is no replacement for a good mask.