Hey guys;

I have just finished wet block sanding the body of my 68' with 320.

I used guide coat, and sanded until the guide coat was gone.

It seems to me I have read that this has to be done like 2-3 times..............Depending on the straighness of the body and/or the body work quality?

Now as long as I don't have guide coat low spots, or gigantic epoxy blow throughs, is not the idea to have it just be gray in color? Could I really have gotten this lucky first time out of the gate?

I really only have about 4-5 very small ones showing. (spots where I sanded a little too low into the epoxy) Can I simply spot shoot them with some more 2K, then wet sand them smooth?

And the end question, is this not what you want prior to shooting color? Am I really that close......?........on these parts.....

Have a look:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/donbartlett/IMG_0761.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/donbartlett/IMG_0763.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/donbartlett/IMG_0759.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/donbartlett/IMG_0762.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/donbartlett/IMG_0760.jpg

As a side note I really like my wet sanding blocks I got. They are the "Dura Blocks"

This is the set I got:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/donbartlett/dblaf44m.jpg

I really look forward to the answers on this one guys......

Thanks a lot;

Don Bartlett

Don, looking fantastic man!!! I wish I would have had that result on my first time out the gate. If I were you, I would re-shoot one more good thick coat, and block with 400. it's not going to hurt anything.

The places you sanded thru the primer into the epoxy is ok as long as you didn't go to metal. If you want less work to do and to make it right, leave the epoxy spots alone and seal coat it. The spots will go away and you won't have to do anything but scuff and start shooting color. I'd advise to scuff the seal coat with 400 wet, then 600 wet. I guess it all depends on the outcome of the seal coat. Painting a car is not easy! My elbow is FUBARD from all the sanding!!!

Looking good man!!! Your gettin close fosho!!!

~Joe

Are you planning on putting the doors, trunk lid and other parts back onto the car and then block sanding all off these things while it's together ?. I don't do bodywork a lot but I was talking with a person tonight about his project in the bodywork stage and told him ideally have the car all together to where you can block sand over the gaps from one panel to the next and if done right after the paint is applied and buffed out it should look like the gaps were cut into the car. In other words the reflection in one panel and the one butted next to it will not have any wiggles or distortions from the edge of the one panel onto the edge of the next panel. Sorta like it was one piece of metal covering the doors and quarters and then someone sliced in the gaps.
Depending on how slick it is now you might be able to look down the side of the panels and see a little bit of reflection and be able to notice any problem area's you might want to address.
Like so many things, the closer you look the more things you might find and if you work on these little things and correct them the finished product should show that attention to detail that much more when it's all done.
Keep going. It's looking good.

Jim

Don, looking fantastic man!!! I wish I would have had that result on my first time out the gate. If I were you, I would re-shoot one more good thick coat, and block with 400. it's not going to hurt anything.

The places you sanded thru the primer into the epoxy is ok as long as you didn't go to metal. If you want less work to do and to make it right, leave the epoxy spots alone and seal coat it. The spots will go away and you won't have to do anything but scuff and start shooting color. I'd advise to scuff the seal coat with 400 wet, then 600 wet. I guess it all depends on the outcome of the seal coat. Painting a car is not easy! My elbow is FUBARD from all the sanding!!!

Looking good man!!! Your gettin close fosho!!!

Thanks Joe; I sure appreciate all the words of wisdom....

Are you planning on putting the doors, trunk lid and other parts back onto the car and then block sanding all off these things while it's together ?. I don't do bodywork a lot but I was talking with a person tonight about his project in the bodywork stage and told him ideally have the car all together to where you can block sand over the gaps from one panel to the next and if done right after the paint is applied and buffed out it should look like the gaps were cut into the car. In other words the reflection in one panel and the one butted next to it will not have any wiggles or distortions from the edge of the one panel onto the edge of the next panel. Sorta like it was one piece of metal covering the doors and quarters and then someone sliced in the gaps.
Depending on how slick it is now you might be able to look down the side of the panels and see a little bit of reflection and be able to notice any problem area's you might want to address.
Like so many things, the closer you look the more things you might find and if you work on these little things and correct them the finished product should show that attention to detail that much more when it's all done.
Keep going. It's looking good.

Jim

Jim;

My plan is after I am done with the block sanding, I am going to shoot the trunk, decklid underside, hinges, door jambs, door edges, cowl panel, spoiler and all panel edges.

After all of that is dry, I am going to put tape on all of the mounting points, and reassemble the car. I will line up the doors and body lines, and then shoot the car as a whole.

I am going to try and mask the door jamb opening and hood openings as well to try and reduce over spray.

That's my plan..................:o

Don, I think it looks great. One small thing I noticed. Don't use plastic to mask off your car. Get the painters paper from the parts store. Here is why, when you start spraying the color, it will get on the plastic and will dry quickly. When you come around for your second color coat, it will flake off and end up in your paint. The air from the spray will blow it everywhere. The paper will soak it up. Ask me how I know??? Lesson Learned. If you had already thought of this, ignore me... Good Luck and hope to see your car finished in person... Feel free to ask me anything???!!!
Jess

Looks super Don.... nice job. The gods of paint have smiled upon you.

I use paper like Jess says. Whenever I get a box in the mail\FedEx\UPS I keep the huge balled up packing paper the item is packed with. It's the perfect size and won't rip very easily. Nothing penetrates it either.

I can't see the pictures because I'm at work, but I can tell you what I did. I just got done painting my '68 RS Vert black. I blocked my car a total of 3 times. I hit it with 3 coats of 2K, blocked with 180, then 320. Sprayed it and blocked it again with 180 then 320. Sprayed it again, and wet blocked with 400.

I waited a minimum of 2 weeks between coats of primer because I wanted to minimize any chances of anything blowing up on me. I too used the durablocks and love them.

A good rule of thumb to follow is if you think it's good, do it one more time! I thought it was really good after the second blocking, but I did it one more time and I'm glad I did.

Then I sealed it, and hit that with 1500 dry just to knock off the nibs. I used Single Stage Urethane and sprayed 4 coats. Same process for BC/CC though.

I like your process of reassembling the car if you're using a metallic color.

Good luck and keep us posted. Brian

Well, I have now wet sanded everything but the doors.

I have a very few Epoxy burn throughs, but all in all, pretty damn decent. I have identified there is some minor work to be done on my drivers' door where there used to be a crease. I have already taken a body hammer and managed to massage the bit that showed back in line. Feels smooth as a baby's buttocks now.

I really feel lucky that I am getting such a good result at this stage........I am sure it is quits possible to get to here only to find you have done poorly on the previous work, and you have to go back to body work......UGGGGGG that would suck about now........

So, knowing that I have just the few burn throughs to deal with, and that it all blocked out really nicely......

Would you:

1. Spot shoot the burn throughs with 2K, let them dry, and sand em' with 400 then shoot color;
2. Not worry about the burn throughs and seal the whole thing....then scuff with 400 and shoot color....
3. Hit it all with a fat coat of 2k, scuff sand with 400 and shoot color?

I know I am close; I want to do it right, but I dont want to (and can't afford) to simply spend away on more primer and the like if it is not necessary....IF it is necessary, then so be it.......I am NOT trying to cheap out, it is just the way it is!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am down to 1/5 gallon of the 2k at best.......

FEEDBACK please!

.....................and thank you kindly.....:beers:

If your on a budget, #1 all the way man. If you can shake the change out of your pocket, seal coat it.....that way no lifting will be in the back of your mind.....EVER.

Good luck man! I want to see color on it!!!

~Joe

20 years. Always used sealer over 600 grit for restos but tech data will call for minimum of 400. Sealers are not meant to be sanded. Maybe take out a few nibs if you have them. If you have to sand your sealer you are doing something wrong. It should lay down smooth. That is it's function. It provides uniform value providing topcoat uniformity, can be tinted to reduce basecoat product usage, prevents sandscratch swelling and bleed through and provides color holdout and gloss (stops topcoat from sinking into primer), assists in blend repairs, covers any spots sanded through prior to final finish, also acts as an adhesion promotor. In a nutshell it seals or creates a barrier resulting in a superior finish. Can you paint without it? Sure. Many do. I choose not to.
Product data is abundant for all manufacturers. I tint my sealers if needed.

I think I am going to just hit the "Bleed through" spots and feather them in..........I can not see why that wont be acceptable........

The rest of the car looks really nice......a couple shots of the 2K, feather them and I should be golden............

unless I am told a huge NOOOOOO!!!!!!! don't do it.....

Really decisive aren't I....LOL :yes:

Don, if it makes you feel any better, when I shot my black seal coat, I realized I needed to fix a few spots. When I fixed them, I had primer gray areas, so I bought some rattle can "sandable primer" made my plasti-cote. I sprayed the gray area, waited for it to dry and feathered it in. It was slightly lighter color than the real sealcoat, but not much. I have tried looking for color variations, but I can't seem to find any.

Go for it man, it'll be ok.

~Joe

Well, I had JUST BARELY enough of the 2K to re-shoot my drivers door; I had gotten it all sanded down earlier, and that is when I noticed a fairly decent low spot on the lower portion of the door, and signs of the crease that had been there from my Aunt's encounter with a hard object for about a foot and a half!

I feathered in the other spots..........Tomorrow I will sand them with the 400.

Assuming the front fenders sand down alright with no burn through, I think I will be alright to shoot!

Then I will get ready to shoot the trunk, under decklid, door jambs, door edges and hinges, and all panel edges.

I think it looks pretty darn good. (for a rookie!)

Now here's hopin' tomorrow goes alright.......

Thank's you guys!

Don, I agree with the other guys. Use a seal coat. Sometimes primer and bondo will bleed through into the paint. I used a Dupont brand and it was grey. It is a cheap insurance policy for your hard work. When I got to where I thought I was ready paint, at your point, I had my buddy and his wife look over my car with a fine tooth comb to find any places that needed attention. Small roll of green masking tape will work to mark the spots. I came back and it looked like I had an easter egg. It turned out a 100 times better because they did this. I fixed all the spots by taping them off and shooting the primer in the low spots. Pull the tape and sand smooth. For high spots hammer and dolly, I used 3M Glaze, very easy to sand. Comes in a tube. I dont remember the name. Right when you think you are done sanding, spary it again and sand some more.... As for the seal coat prep, wax and grease remover!!!!! Tack rags!!!! I did mine three times all over, then sprayed sealer.
Jess

Just looked at the pics... You must have a cool aunt... Love your car...

Thanks Jess,

She is a champ! I have wanted this car ever since I can even remember!

Camaros have always been my favorite car, and it was true love from the first time I saw it. I had to needle her about that car for over 35 years!

thanks a bunch for the tips, I appreciate it.


BTW: in an earlier post you had said that you would like to see the car in person; Do you live anywhere near Stanwood Wa? Where is Lost Creek?

Don, when you do the jambs and undersides of lids will you be clear coating also? or will you clearcoat the entire thing "inside" and out at one time?

Rob

Don, when you do the jambs and undersides of lids will you be clear coating also? or will you clear coat the entire thing "inside" and out at one time?

Rob

Anything that I shoot in color, I will shoot with clear as well. I would like to have all of the areas I mentioned DONE prior to reassembly of the car.

Any potential over spray will not be an issue as I will simply scuff sand those areas.

Any of the edges and/or bolt points will get covered with easy release masking tape to (I hope) reduce the scuff potential.

It's all theory right now since this is my first time........we will see how it all goes....:o

Don, i'm following this thread closely as I am heading down the same path as you have.

Just wanted to get opinions on the steps to get the clear on, i was kinda thinking the same as you, clear the jambs and undersides, them put it all together and spray the entire exterior at one time.

Thanks for the help.

Rob

Don, i'm following this thread closely as I am heading down the same path as you have.

Just wanted to get opinions on the steps to get the clear on, i was kinda thinking the same as you, clear the jambs and undersides, them put it all together and spray the entire exterior at one time.

Thanks for the help.

Rob

My pleasure Rob;

I hope this thread is helping you out as much as it has been helping me........


*NEWS FLASH*

I have bitten the bullet; Thanks for all the advice about the seal-coat guys!

I have just finished ordering two more Qts. of the Epoxy seal coat and a bit more hardener. I already have the reducer for it.

So I will get those last two fenders sanded out just right, and wait for the shipment to arrive.

Once it gets here, I am going to put one fat coat of seal over everything....and be good for the color shoot!

OOoooooooo getting closer................:hurray::hurray::hurray::hur ray:

I am pretty dern' excited, but I do want it right after all...........LOL

Good deal Don. I think you took the right step fo-sho!!!

Hopefully you will get it before the weekend so you can start painting.

One little note......the smell of sealcoat and basecoat are somewhat tolerable.....just wait till you start shooting clear....that stuff stinks!!!! I had a buddy of mine ask me if I was painting cause he smelled the clear from about a half mile away!!!

Good luck man,

Joe

Block sand prime, block sand prime, block sand again and prime again, then block sand once more and then seal coat it ... But do NOT prime and block sand one more time ... If you want the best, put in the best ... (work that is)
Just kidding on the last one ... But if you do too much build up, there will be chances of chipping or losing the body line to too much paint ... Cool sanding blocks, I want some ...