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I have a little experience but just dont want to take chances need steps and grit of paper.
Thanks
Lee

 
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1500 grit and take ur time make sure u have a lot of water on the spot u are doing. A trick i learned was to spray the part another color over the clear so when u sand it. It comes out smooth. Get a small stick like a ruler and wrap it around that. Any question pm me

 
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I started with 2000 grit using alot of water what im doing I just removed some graphics off my car and tried everything to get the residue off. Its just a little nerve racking after what you wet sanded dries that milky white color.
Is 2000 grit ok and can i stay at 2000 I even taped over the contour lines so i would not acidently sand the paint off and should you sand in straight line or does it matter.

Thanks for your help I owe you one
Lee

 
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Just so you know this might be moved and shouldve been posted in the detailing section. So when you say residue, do you mean the left over adhesive? If thats it then there are a LOT easier and safer ways to remove it than wet sanding.

 
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I tried posting this in the detailing section but would not let me. anyway lets hear your easier ways.Not trying to be an a*# but i have been working on this a couple of days now and used every citrus safe product there is and nothing is taking the residue off the car left by the reflective graphics and im using a microfiber towel.

Thanks

 
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Make sure to add a little bit of soap to your water

1500 is too fine to get it off, at first I would start with 800 then go finer

after you get done it is going to look horrible dont worry a little buffing she will be as good as new

 
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Thanks man

 
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You didn't answer my question. Is it just adhesive that is left over or is it something else? If its adhesive have you tried things like a bug and tar remover, or goo-b-gone?

 
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man i work at a sign/print shop and we install and remove vinyl graphics all the time, we use this stuff called orange peel and it works great, even used it on my on car. Did you finish wet sanding allready? how does it look. will wet sanding talk all the swirls out off the finish?

 
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Wet sanding, if done properly on a paint job with a sufficient clear coat, can look great. The key is in the grit of paper you use and the buffing afterwards. It does remove paint defects like swirls and cloudiness, but as an amateur you are taking a risk.

 
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Man sorry i havnt responded in awhile been wet sanding and its the residue left over after the graphics have been taken off .Never use silver reflective i have never had so much problems with any other type of graphics.And i will tell you i have tried goobgone spray and gell and it would not even remove any of it,The best stuff i have found is called max strength automotive wipe away from autozone blows googone away.Sanding is finished getting ready to buff will update with pics.
Thanks for all your help and concerns
Lee

 
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Bringing this thread back from the dead.... where can I find all these super fine grit sand papers for wet sanding? I checked autozone and couldnt find any. Im a noob at wet sanding.

 
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home depot. lowes....ebay.

 
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regular auto stores... they sell the 3M sand paper

 
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hmmmmm I checked home depot and the finest grit was 800. I was looking for 2000. I guess I will check out lowes.

 
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after 2000 sandpaper, next up is a rubbing compound (turtle wax has it), followed finally by scratchx to remove even finer scratches and restore luster and shine.

 
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^^ actaully, I have up to 3,000 grit sandpaper. =)

Lowes probably wont have it... I think GI joes has it, but not a very big selection, and its really expensive.

Hit up ebay, its like 20 bucks for 15 or 20 big sheets. I got mine from a seller that made a variety pack. I can try and dig their name up if you want.

Also... I use "quick detailer" for lube. Water never really worked that great for me. Always sand in one direction, perferably the way air would flow over the car. And start out with a lower girt (like 1,000) and then work your way up to the finer girts, like 2,000 or 3,000.

Gearbox is right though, the higher you get, your basically getting into the "liquid sandpapers," look out for how agressive the cut is.

 
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i don't know where you get 3000 grit, but i've heard rumors that it is out. where can you buy it?

i get my 2000 grit at AUTO ZONE. normal hardware stores like Home Depot or Lowes usually do not carry such high grit. to cut fastest, sand in a hatching motion (perhaps diagonal one way, diagonally another way). switch sandpaper frequently as it dulls after 10-15 minutes. use lots of water and keep the surface wet. ALWAYS wrap the sandpaper around a thin flexible steel or plastic. something to the stiffness of a metal ruler or thinner for flat areas and some plastic like 1/16 inch PETG for radiused areas. a wet rag so you can wipe off the sanded clearcoat comes handy to keep track of progress so you don't sand through. pay attention to what you are doing at all times and use the hand you have most control with. respraying is a bitch.

after you can no longer see and pits or valleys, you have reach polishing stage. if you do, you might want to switch back to a lower grit or keep sanding. any RUBBING COMPOUND should do, but at school, we swear by 3M and Meguiars products. you can try to polish it out by hand, but for a full size car that would take weeks. use an orbital buffer, but use it carefully. after rubbing compound you can switch to a finer liquid, such as Meguiars MIRROR GLAZE. NU-FINISH also works. i've never used SCRATCH-X, but they pretty much all do the same thing.

then you should be ready for WAX and POLISH.

this technique is used by professional car modelers and is used to remove the "orange peel" from a fresh clear coat surface for a mirror-like Class AA finish. it does not address the issue of removing adhesive residue.

 
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keep it wet
use some type of lube add soap
not too hard/be gentle
dont stay in same spot too long