[123 away]

i kno this may be a silly question but should u color sand after the base coat(s) to me it seems obvious after you get that mirror finish to lock it all in place with a glossy clear coat then wet sand the clear for and even glossier job any help will be greatly appreciated thankyou

[Randy Ferguson]

NO!!
If you sand the base coat, you will need to re-coat it with a couple more coats of base before clearing. The sand-scratches will not go away when you add the clear. If you have dirt nibs you want to get rid of, you can sand those and just re-coat that area. Make sure you tack it good before applying the clear though, as the overspray will show up as a color difference.
When I have to sand out a dirt nib, or any other imperfection in the base, I will use PPG DX320 final wash solvent on a lint free cloth and a piece of 1200 grit wet/dry sandpaper. Wipe the area to be sanded the wetted cloth and this will allow you to sand it without 'pulling' the base. If you try it dry, it will ball up on the paper and cause prblems to the base coat worse than the dirt nib. The DX 320 acts as a lubricant, just as if you sere using soapy water, 'cept the DX 320 works better and dries faster. Use a dry lint free cloth to dry it immediately after sanding. Tack it, re-coat, allow flash, tack again and spray clear.

Randy

[123 away]

thank you thank you and once again thank you i appreciate it very much another little question i would like to ask is how many coats of clear i should add if i know i will be color-sanding just to be on the safe side

[MARTINSR]

What brand paint are you using, and is hardener added to the base? That makes a big difference on if you should sand it or not. Some brands specifically say DO NOT SAND. You can "lightly sand dirt nibs" but they specifically do not want the base sanded flat.


That being said, honesly, you really shouldn't have to sand it flat anyway. The base should be nice and flat when applied. You can sand the clear and buff it to perfection afterward.

[Randy Ferguson]

123,

There are a couple ways you can go about it, depending on how good you really want it.

You can apply three coats and have enough material to sand and buff, and you'll get by just fine.

Or, you can apply two coats, let it stand a couple days, sand with 600-1000 grit, apply three flow coats, sand and buff as required. Over reducing the clear for the flow coats by about 4 ounces per mixed quart will allow it to lay glass smooth. You'll have very little buffing to do!

Randy