Who does paint work?

[HarrisonTX]

I have a super oxidized hood for a '79 malibu. I thought I could just wet sand a little and it would smooth out. After doing a small section, and realizing how much is going to need to be removed to make it smooth, I figure I might as well buy a sander.

What type of sander for this job? I don't even really know my options. Orbital? DA?

Also, Air powered, or electric? What are the pros and cons to each?

 

[blackgold]

media blast it? There is a place in temple... I don't know what you have in Waco.
Brian

 

[yjWrangler]

An air powered DA sander would work well for the job

 

[HarrisonTX]

An air powered DA sander would work well for the job

Why air over electric?

 

[Outlawmws]

Why sanding? An aggressive rubbing compound by hand, unless you plan to repaint...

 

[Pro-Painter]

Are you wanting to strip the hood? Or are you trying to polish the old paint?


If all you want to do is remove the paint, then any sander will work. If you want to save the old paint, you will need a fine finish orbital sander (pneumatic). (And a polisher.) A normal orbital sander wont work because the orbit pattern will leave scratches be too large to polish out. Most orbital sanders have a 5/16" or 3/8" pattern. Fine finish sanders have only a 2.5mm orbital pattern.

Even with a fine finish sander, polishing out orbital marks requires a more aggressive compound and will result in more paint loss. So make sure your clear is thick enough before you atempt to orbit/polish. Polishing will remove just as much as P2000 wet sanding will so keep that in mind as you sand. If the clear has been polished before, or if your paint is very old, you may not have enough clear to polish.

Also, keep in mind that you can not polish single stage metallics. If your car is metallic and when you sand you see color in the paper then you can not polish it back out. You will expose the metallics.

 

[bseant]

Why sanding? An aggressive rubbing compound by hand, unless you plan to repaint...

x2. seems like more work to sand it if it is just oxidation.

 

[HarrisonTX]

I'm sorry I was unclear. I plan to repaint the hood, so I'm trying to remove all the oxidized paint. I needs to get down to the primer, and in some spots, all the way to the metal.

Why pneumatic over electric?

 

[wreckerman5357]

There are some new electric DAs that are pretty good. We had a guy come by the shop and demo one that was great, but it cost $500. Most electric DAs are ****, so get an air powered one. I would go with 6" DA 3/16" orbit for paint removal and feathering, a 3/32" orbit is not agressive enough to do the job quickly.

 

[tyndall]

Why pneumatic over electric?

The dust plays hell with the electric motors. Pneumatic always has clean cool air running through it.

 

[rt dak]

I'm sorry I was unclear. I plan to repaint the hood, so I'm trying to remove all the oxidized paint. I needs to get down to the primer, and in some spots, all the way to the metal.

Why pneumatic over electric?

Sounds like you'd be better off just getting some paint stripper and stripping the hood.

 

[HarrisonTX]

The dust plays hell with the electric motors. Pneumatic always has clean cool air running through it.

There are some new electric DAs that are pretty good. We had a guy come by the shop and demo one that was great, but it cost $500. Most electric DAs are ****, so get an air powered one. I would go with 6" DA 3/16" orbit for paint removal and feathering, a 3/32" orbit is not agressive enough to do the job quickly.

Thanks guys. 3/16'' means what? Size of the shank it takes?

 

[rt dak]

Thanks guys. 3/16'' means what? Size of the shank it takes?

It's the diameter of the orbit.

 

[ZRX61]

The size of the orbit.

 

[bseant]

Why pneumatic over electric?

cause it says "air tools" in your avatar LOL

 

[baubau]

you will need some kind of sander for featheredging more troublesome repair areas...if you have access to a decent air supply and compressor, then go for pneumatic DA....Ingersoll Rand sander is pretty good....it is powerfull, good quality, lacks little bit of control when compared to palm held orbital sanders, but it will do a great job..and it will not eat up lots of air as some cheaper brands..

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004XOSZ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[baubau]

and these are the best air sanders in the world, in my opinion...

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/AirVantage-6...tive_Tools&hash=item5ae49375a5#ht_2738wt_1139

 

[yjWrangler]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004XOT6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I had one of these and I really liked it.

 

[HarrisonTX]

and these are the best air sanders in the world, in my opinion...

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/AirVantage-6...tive_Tools&hash=item5ae49375a5#ht_2738wt_1139

That does look nice.


Now, Who has a pneumatic DA they want to sell me?

 

[Pro-Painter]

That does look nice.


Now, Who has a pneumatic DA they want to sell me?

Look on ebay for a used 3M or dynabrade sander. You can pick one up for under $60.
After using the new 3M orbital's, I will NEVER go back to a dynabrade, and when I first used a dynabrade (many years ago) I said I would never go back to an Ingersoll-rand.

Also, The professional model HF sells for $49.99 is a OK sander for the money.

 

[HarrisonTX]

Look on ebay for a used 3M or dynabrade sander. You can pick one up for under $60.
After using the new 3M orbital's, I will NEVER go back to a dynabrade, and when I first used a dynabrade (many years ago) I said I would never go back to an Ingersoll-rand.

Also, The professional model HF sells for $49.99 is a OK sander for the money.

Thanks. $60 would be about my max to spend. I'm watching a few now. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

 

[GRX]

Sounds like you'd be better off just getting some paint stripper and stripping the hood.

+1.
Klean-Strip "Aircraft Remover" works extremely well. The brush on kind. Be sure to be very VERY careful with it. Chemical gloves, respirator, and common sense required. Will melt your skin.