Learn to Remove Orange Peel for a Show Car Finish via Machine Dry Sanding!

[Mike Phillips]

That has to be nerve-wracking even much more than usual when dealing with someone else’s car. Especially when you are dealing with other newbies who are doing the work… I had been wondering how that works. When looking at the beautiful cars in your videos and photos, I couldn’t imagine how you don’t run into problems with cutting through paint and clearcoat when you have that many people working on the vehicle who are all just learning. Not to mention having layers of unknown mil thickness to begin with…

Yes, it's a challenge but over the last 15-20 years I've had nothing but great results.

I do constantly walk around the cars as the students are working and monitor the action taking place. When I see a potential problem, I stop the action and correct the problem. When I see proper technique, I let the student know they are on target.

We sanded down, buffed out and coated 3 cars in 2 days with plenty of time leftover on Tuesday. (class started Monday). As soon as I can, I'll share pictures. All 3 cars look freaking amazing, and the students were able to learn 3 brands for sanding and 4 different techniques.

No chairs. No sitting. No PowerPoint. LOL


Apologies for the delay in answering, I'm currently in Chicago starting the 4th day of a 5-day class.

5-Day Class - Pro Skills & Business - Chicago IL - April 8th through April 12th


Mike

 

[Mak]

Yes, it's a challenge but over the last 15-20 years I've had nothing but great results.

I do constantly walk around the cars as the students are working and monitor the action taking place. When I see a potential problem, I stop the action and correct the problem. When I see proper technique, I let the student know they are on target.

We sanded down, buffed out and coated 3 cars in 2 days with plenty of time leftover on Tuesday. (class started Monday). As soon as I can, I'll share pictures. All 3 cars look freaking amazing, and the students were able to learn 3 brands for sanding and 4 different techniques.

No chairs. No sitting. No PowerPoint. LOL


Apologies for the delay in answering, I'm currently in Chicago starting the 4th day of a 5-day class.

5-Day Class - Pro Skills & Business - Chicago IL - April 8th through April 12th


Mike

Sound like awesome classes. Definitely could have used the experience prior to this stage of my project.

I eventually did what I feared would happen and burned through on the sharpest most prominent spot on the front of the hood. The most likely area on the whole truck for it to happen, and I was getting tired and careless. Should have stopped for the day… I should have stayed away from the spot altogether but had a significant dry spray type texture on the hood and looked funny with the flats all smooth and the edges with remaining peel…

Had made my final spray either too soon after the previous coat or gone too fast which I did not think was the case. Anyway, I screwed-up with the Trizact 8000 and saw what I had done after wiping away the sanding slurry. Should have replaced the tape I had removed before deciding I needed to make one more set of passes… I’ve got to pick up a new tailgate next month and when I spray it I can probably repair damage.

The hood was a PITA. I thought it looked great after the wool pad and then found the whole surface covered with pigtails, larger rotational radius scratches and even longer random straight scratches I could not explain. Took two more passes with the wool pad and foam polishing to finally get it looking right. After the second set of passes I was about to scream and think I would never get it right. I still have to tape things off and do the leading edge in front of the seam but it should go quick. Working on the rest of the cab today.

 

[Mike Phillips]

I should have stayed away from the spot altogether but had a significant dry spray type texture on the hood and looked funny with the flats all smooth and the edges with remaining peel…

That's the downside to the technique I use and teach, The Rule of Thumb. It's a trade-off for perfection or almost perfection.


I admire the fact that you tackle this type of complicated project. Hats off to you.



Mike

 

[opie]

Excellent info you have given mike.

To Mak, dont be scared about a rotary. I was too when i first started with mine. Like mike says it just takes time behind the machine.

One simple think i did and still do because i am still learning, is i will feel the panel for generated heat as im compounding. Good litrle tactic to use to verify wiether you are to agressive and or to slow.

Mike is the guy to learn from for sure.

 

[Mak]

Excellent info you have given mike.

To Mak, dont be scared about a rotary. I was too when i first started with mine. Like mike says it just takes time behind the machine.

One simple think i did and still do because i am still learning, is i will feel the panel for generated heat as im compounding. Good litrle tactic to use to verify wiether you are to agressive and or to slow.

Mike is the guy to learn from for sure.

Now that I have some rookie experience with the rotary I’m no longer afraid of it.. actually haven’t had any problems burning through with it... My problems have been being careless and too aggressive with my abrasive paper steps. I stupidly thought the extra layers I have sprayed along that leading edge would be forgiving of my technique but that was not the case.

Just part of the learning curve I guess since this is my first ever doing a cut and buff on a new paint job. Oh well, if I’m unable to blend in and get a repair that I can’t see then I will just tape-off and respray that entire leading edge. Since it has the seam there it would make for an easy re-spray when I do the tailgate which is the only remaining thing left for me to spray.

At least it‘s less likely that I have any more burn through aside from the few spots I have on the front of the hood. That was the areas with the most likely problems due to the edges and shapes where I had to sand and because I had too much orange peel or a dry-spray looking result.

The doors, fenders, and bed sides that remain don‘t have such tough areas to work around or deal with, and I also don’t have the texture problem I did with the hood.

Definitely thankful to have found this site and to be benefiting from Mike’s instructional materials and the time he’s taken to provide the personal feedback.

 

[opie]

I've never met mike, but as big as he is, he has never been the type to not help out the average bear and pass along his wealth of knowledge. Even for the folks who have never paid to take his classes.

I too am grateful. He has helped me tremendously with his years of articles out there ready to be read and watched.

 

[Mak]

Ive never met mike, but as big as he is, he has never been the tyle to not help out the average bear, and pass along his wealth of knowledge. Even for the folks who have never paid to take his classes.

I to am greatful. He has helped me tremendously with his years of articles out there ready to be read and watched

I wish I had run across he and his classes soon enough to have benefited from them with this current project. Even though it’s too late for this near completed restoration, I hope to find a way to get into one of his future classes before I get to final stages of my next car. Will be money well spent.

 

[Mike Phillips]

I've never met mike, but as big as he is, he has never been the type to not help out the average bear and pass along his wealth of knowledge. Even for the folks who have never paid to take his classes.

I too am grateful. He has helped me tremendously with his years of articles out there ready to be read and watched.

Thank you for the kind words. I base how I interact on empathy. I know what it's like when first starting out, there's a lot to learn and so many opinions on how to do everything. I think I shared this aspect in my interview with Dennis Gage a few years ago.

Dennis Gage - a true cool cat.


Mike

 

[Mike Phillips]

For what it's worth... Yancy and I will be sharing tips and techniques for hand wet sanding and using rotary polishers this Wednesday.

Remove Orange Peel from BLACK Paint! - LIVE Detailing Class!

One of the training cars for our upcoming May 3-day detailing class has arrived early and I've taken some pictures to photo-document just how BAD this fresh, custom paint job looks! See more pictures below.

For this class I'll be showing the Harbor Freight Hercules Wet/Dry Sandpapers. We go live at 4:00pm Eastern.

We'll also be using this car next week for our LIVE detailing class as we show how to remove orange peel out of black paint using the Harbor Freight Hercules Sanding Discs with the Bauer 8mm free spinning random orbital polisher as the sander.

Mike

 

[Mak]

Thank you for the kind words. I base how I interact on empathy. I know what it's like when first starting out, there's a lot to learn and so many opinions on how to do everything. I think I shared this aspect in my interview with Dennis Gage a few years ago.

Dennis Gage - a true cool cat.


Mike

Great video. I also (I think) learned a little something more about the detailing world when you mentioned Mckee… I had actually made a purchase from Mckees37 a while back and had never heard of the company until I had been doing some shopping searches and price comparing. Sounds like the guy behind Autogeek moved on with that venture after selling AutoGeek.

 

[Mak]

Wow! That peel looks far worse than what I’ve been dealing with on my first spray job. I’ve got the session on my calendar and will make a point to be back from fishing by then…

 

[Mike Phillips]

Great video. I also (I think) learned a little something more about the detailing world when you mentioned Mckee… I had actually made a purchase from Mckees37 a while back and had never heard of the company until I had been doing some shopping searches and price comparing. Sounds like the guy behind Autogeek moved on with that venture after selling AutoGeek.

Autoeek has completely went downhill since Bob sold the company to Tony George. It hung in there for a while but then Yancy, the videographer left, then I left and then another half dozen key employees left and we all left for the same reason. Toxic work environment.

Like the cliche goes,

It is what it is...


Mike

 

[dbrun]

Before I took Mike’s class, I had only used a rotary on gelcoat. When I first started the rotary was in control. I did learn on my own to handle it better.

Fast forward after I took Mike’s class and now, I look forward to grabbing a rotary. He gives you the confidence and show you these skills to use one.

If you can, I highly recommend his class. This was first car I used with rotary when I came back from his class. Because it’s fiberglass and didn’t know how thick paint was, I didn’t go at it too hard, but the point is he gave the confidence and skills to go for it.

Car wasn't perfect but turned out very well.

 

[Mike Phillips]

Car wasn't perfect but turned out very well.

Looks perfect to me. Nice work. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Mak]

Before I took Mike’s class, I had only used a rotary on gelcoat. When I first started the rotary was in control. I did learn on my own to handle it better.

Fast forward after I took Mike’s class and now, I look forward to grabbing a rotary. He gives you the confidence and show you these skills to use one.

If you can, I highly recommend his class. This was first car I used with rotary when I came back from his class. Because it’s fiberglass and didn’t know how thick paint was, I didn’t go at it too hard, but the point is he gave the confidence and skills to go for it.

Car wasn't perfect but turned out very well.

Looks great. I think I’ve got the courage up to go after my 02 Z06 pretty soon . It’s definitely showing its age after many years as my daily driver.