What is your preferred cut/buff compound for smoothing out orange peel?

[ragtopfury]

This is single stage Acrylic Urethane. Already wet sanded with 1000 and then 2000 grit by hand.

Compound is next. Using a dual action orbital. So yeah, What do you guys like?

 

[413]

Sand out the orange peel, then buff the paint so it shines.

Big jump from 1000 to 2000. Why do you need compound of its truly sanded to 2000?

 

[ragtopfury]

Never done it before and it just doesn't shine after the 2000.

 

[doug 371]

Mothers heavy duty rubbing compound

 

[Dart Frog]

Ok because we're on the subject, what do you guys use for light swirls in clear coat

 

[Professor Fate]

Never done it before and it just doesn't shine after the 2000.

And it won't with just a cutting compound, either. Just like sanding, you take it in steps. 800-1000-1500 wet sand, then cut (I use Meguire's Pro Speed Compound), buff, and polish.

 

[406dart]

Not a professional, but I like the 3m trizact system with their compounds.

 

[Car Nut]

I had good luck with these.

 

[413]

If it is sanded to 2000 why do you need HD rubbing compound? Too harsh?

 

[harrisonm]

OK, here is what I do. I wet sand clear (same concept as single stage Acrylic Urethane) with 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 and then 3000 grit wet sandpapers using a block, NOT your bare hand. I like to use the softer rubber block like the one in the picture. Stay away from sharp edges with the sandpaper. The paint is thinner there, and you can cut through the paint easily there. It's not a bad idea to put some tape on the edges. Jumping from 1000 to 2000 could result in leaving some 1000 grit scratches if you don't sand with the 2000 enough.
Then I buff with the 3M kit. I have been using this buffing kit for many years now. The compound with the white cap is the most aggressive and is used first. You can use a wool buffing pad first, but I have always just used the Foam pads. So the white foam pad goes with the white cap and is used first. After block sanding (with the fairly soft rubber block) up to 3000, polishing with the first stage (white cap and white foam pad), the high shine will appear. Then the second stage (black nozzle and black foam pad) will bring it up to a mirror shine. Then the final stage (Blue cap and blue foam pad) will get rid of the swirl marks. It sounds like a lot of work, but it is WELL worth it. Plus, 3M has provided a perfectly matched 3 step process with the compounds and pads perfectly matched for the 3 stages. I won't use anything else.

 

[Kendog 170]

If you have never buffed before, be Careful! So easy to burn through your edges if you don't know what your doing.

 

[Dartswinger70]

After you burn through, then what?

 

[savoy]

Curse.

 

[jeff alder]

Ok because we're on the subject, what do you guys use for light swirls in clear coat

 

[Kendog 170]

I have a gallon of old school stuff called Black Magic. I don't think it's made anymore. lol

 

[Dartswinger70]

where do you buy the good stuff mentioned here? for example Mcguires ultimate compound is on every street corner but...

 

[Kendog 170]

https://www.amazon.com/Polishing-36...bands-Microfiber/dp/B0B9KQW1NK/?tag=fabo03-20

 

[Kendog 170]

Something like this. There are nicer ones.
https://www.amazon.com/GEVEELIFE-Po...chable-Polishing/dp/B0DT8WN7J7/?tag=fabo03-20

 

[Kendog 170]

More selections
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=meguiars...dpltr-ranker_ci_hl-bn-left_1_27&tag=fabo03-20

 

[MobileCustoms]

I spent many years in the autobody industry and always swore by 3M Products, including their compounds.
That is, until a friend who's still in that profession turned me on to this stuff. It totally blows away anything I've ever used and I've used a bazillion different brands.
It cuts so fat you won't believe it, yet it also polishes/finishes out with a gloss so good you won't believe it.
Skip the others and go straight to this. I promise you will thank me!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0F0PKT?tag=fabo03-20

 

[Kendog 170]

I too was a bodyman for 20 years 25 years ago. lol. I will have to try it.

 

[MobileCustoms]

I too was a bodyman for 20 years 25 years ago. lol. I will have to try it.

Sounds almost exactly like my time frame. LOL. I'm 61 now

 

[1MeanA]

I'm doing a base/clear paint job now. I wet sand 1500 where there is orange peel and then do 2000 all over followed by a 3M 3000 foam pad by hand although I might try an RA. I just upgraded my polish from the old Meguiar's to there 105 heavy cut and then 205 final polish using 5" and 3" foam pads on a rotary polisher. I use a pretty slow speed because it can get aggressive especially with the harder cutting foam pads. I can't say how a single stage paint will take a heavy cutting polish.

 

[1MeanA]

I would be concerned jumping from 1000 to 2000. You may leave 1000 scratches that the 2000 or the cutting compound can’t take out.

 

[harrisonm]

After you burn through, then what?

Either repaint the entire panel, touch up the place with an air brush and blend the clear a bit (hard to do, and can possibly be seen), or just lightly sand the place and then touch up with a brush and some clear. The third process is the easiest, and if done carefully, will look OK.
I use the airbrush technique. First, I wet sand the area I will be painting (to include clear) with 1000 grit. Then I mask off the bad area using the back tape technique to get a soft edge on the color. I usually go about 1/4" past the bad arear with the tape. I thin the color down a bit more than if I was just doing regular painting and do several light coats a few minutes apart. I try to focus the paint on the bad place and stay away from the soft tape edge as much as possible. That gives you the softest edge you will likely get. Don't spray on too much paint. If you are spraying single stage paint, you need enough to cover the blemish and be able to lightly sand the paint with 1500 grit and then 2000. That won't take off too much paint. Then hand buff the area.
If doing base/clear you will pull off the masking tape after spaying the color and then remask (using the soft edge back taping method). I remask about 1" past where I sprayed the color (which was wet sanded with 1000 grit earlier). Then I mix up about 1 ounce of clear and thin it down a bit with reducer so it will flow out nicely. Then I spray about 4 or 5 light coats of clear about five minutes apart. That may sound like not enough time between coats, but the coats are light. Then after about 24 hours, I lightly wet sand with 1500 and polish by hand.