how long to wait to wet sand/ and should I?

[gk45011]

I got all of the base coats laid down on the newly bodyworked tank. It seems to have just a small amount of orange peel on the base. I used a duplicolor paint as per the recommendations of many here.

I will be doing the front fender and the seat in the same color paint and procedure. I will be clearing with Spraymax 2k when it is complete. Should I wet sand the slight peel off of the tank. or wait and only wet sand after the final clear? I was unable to lay any clear after the base at all. How long must I wait to be able to let it gas out properly before a clear coat?

Gary

 

[my-79-750-k]

Wait 2 days, start with 400 grit, then 600, then 1000 then if you really want it to shine like a diamond, hit it with 2000. Wet sand each one, and clean it really good in between each grit. If you wait until after the clear, the orange peel will still be there.

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

You don't have to go that fine with wet sanding between coats. Just use 600 grit. Be very, very careful not to sand too deeply on edges and outside curves. Two days should be long enough for the paint to cure. It can take longer if you have a lot of coats. You can tell if it isn't ready, because the paper will gum up. You can cut down on the cure time by putting the pieces in a car sitting in the sun. You can tell when it's completely dry, because the car will stop smelling of acetone. <G>

I usually do 3-5 coats of clear, wet sand again, then two more coats of clear. If you lay down that last coat of clear wet enough, you should not have to do the wet sanding and compound on the final coat.

 

[gk45011]

Great information thanks guys!

Tank has been riding around in the back of my Jeep Cherokee for the last two days. I'll give it till tomorrow and then start lightly knocking down the orange peel. I am going to wait to do the clear until I have the seat received and mocked up so I can use the 2k on all the parts at once.