How to Sand and Polish After Car Paint Repair?
2 Answers
Use oil stone bars, wool wheels, sandpaper, etc., mainly for manual operation. For special parts such as rotating surfaces, auxiliary tools like turntables can be employed. Chemical polishing involves the preferential dissolution of microscopically raised parts of the material in a chemical medium compared to the concave parts, resulting in a smooth surface. By selectively dissolving the tiny raised parts of the material surface, the surface becomes smooth. Place the workpiece into a grinding suspension and together into an ultrasonic field, relying on the oscillation of the ultrasound to grind and polish the workpiece surface with the grinding material. Fluid polishing uses high-speed flowing liquid and the abrasive particles it carries to scour the workpiece surface to achieve polishing. Common methods include abrasive jet machining, etc.
Polishing after car touch-up painting is a skilled task, and I've done it several times. You need to be patient. After the touch-up paint has completely dried, first clean the surface. Then start sanding—use 2000-grit fine sandpaper with water to wet-sand the edge areas, gently smoothing the transition between the touch-up paint and the original paint. Don't press too hard during wet sanding, or you may create deep scratches or damage the paint. After sanding, thoroughly clean off any dust. Next comes polishing—attach a soft foam pad or wool pad to a polisher and apply a medium-cut polishing compound. Polish evenly, keeping the speed between 1000 and 1500 RPM; too high a speed can generate heat and cause damage. Finally, apply a thin layer of car wax to protect the new paint and enhance its shine. The entire process takes at least half an hour—don't rush it, or you may end up with color mismatches or air bubbles. It's best to do this on a warm, dry day for optimal results. For regular maintenance, don't forget to wax periodically to keep your car's paint looking bright and fresh.
