Wet Sanding
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,712
Likes: 9,218
From: Snow Hill, NC
It's clear coat and yes you can wet sand but do you know how? Have you ever done it? If not i wouldn't recommend starting on this...You do know you will have to buff, compound, polish etc...right?
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 661
Likes: 2
From: Da Windy City
Listen...The clear coat is only about 2mils thick. Deal with the orange peel or wetsanding and buffing will age the paint 10yrs+. If you ever scuff sometime after that or need minor/major paint correction, there will be no room for error!
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
if you really want to do it start out with 1500 wet paper and stay away from all edges. then get some 2500 wet paper. then start buffing with a foam pad with med compound the goto a finish buffing pad with light final glaze. then with a good wax(duragloss its the best ive found)
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+1 for crzyracing
Wet sanding is a process of using a solvent (generally water) to wash away the particals that are removed by the sand paper. This accomplishes 2 things, it keeps the business side of the sand paper from clogging and it clears the particals from the area being sanded.
If you have not done this alot - start searching for instructions. Its not complex, but to get the best (read easiest) results you need to know how to do it.
Once you have dealt with the orange peel, you need to refinish, that is another topic that you really need to research. Harley finishes are different than some and patching is a bit more complex, but still doable.
Again, google is your friend.
...gene
Wet sanding is a process of using a solvent (generally water) to wash away the particals that are removed by the sand paper. This accomplishes 2 things, it keeps the business side of the sand paper from clogging and it clears the particals from the area being sanded.
If you have not done this alot - start searching for instructions. Its not complex, but to get the best (read easiest) results you need to know how to do it.
Once you have dealt with the orange peel, you need to refinish, that is another topic that you really need to research. Harley finishes are different than some and patching is a bit more complex, but still doable.
Again, google is your friend.
...gene
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 404
Likes: 1
From: Athens, Georgia
Be VERY careful, HD doesn't put enough (my opinion) clear coat on in the first place, as someone else has stated you will go thru if you are not careful, if you go thru and actually sand the color coat you are screwed. I would probably leave it alone until I was ready for a custom paint job.
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Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 771
Likes: 2
From: Hurricane,WV
I do custom paint in my shop every day, and I would not recommend trying this. Not only could you sand through the clear , but you also run the risk of burning the clear while polishing. It takes some high dollar materials to accomplish this. I use a 3 step system that has taken mea long time to perfect.Each bottle of this stuff runs about $47 each. Live with the orange peel and ride that puppy!
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 863
Likes: 1
From: Dover, DE
I would stay away from wet sanding the OE finish. One, the guys are right very little clear to work with from the factory. Second, wet sanding and buffing an OE finish is not easy..the clear is fully cured so its very hard and removing even a 2500-3000 grit scratch is not easy unless you are skilled with a buffer.
Another option if it's bothering you that much is to flat sand the clear with out breaking thru and re-clear the parts. My opinion, just ride.
Another option if it's bothering you that much is to flat sand the clear with out breaking thru and re-clear the parts. My opinion, just ride.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,712
Likes: 9,218
From: Snow Hill, NC
If you will notice cars riding down the road with what looks like paint that the clear coat has peeled off specially on the edges...this is usually a result of guys buffing their cars too much...My paint looks like crap simply because of exposure and just plain use....I will buff it 1 time before i trade or sell it. I will make it look like showroom but not before.