Sanding/preparing Front Bar For Painting

[abu]

Hey

Just preparing my front bar to be repainted, just had a few quick questions in regards to what grade sandpaper to use to prepare the bar.

The front bar has already painted with a clear coat etc, just wanted to know what would be the best grades of paper sandpaper to use to get it ready to repaint.

I want a really good finish, so if someone could write up the procedure with the grades of paper that would be good.

Dry/wet sand, paper grade etc etc

Thanks,

Abu

Edited November 15, 2007 by abu

[GTS_Retro]

Im not a professional but i have sprayed a few parts and what not in the past.

If the bar currently has good paint and clear coat you could use a 800 wet/dry paper the remove the clear coat or at least create a surface for the primer to grab. Anything courser will leave marks from sanding.

After sanding clean of the dust and oil from hands etc. with prep sol, spray it with a 1k primer "high Fill" that should fill small cracks and sanding marks. Lightly rub any inconsistency back with a dry yellow paper "240 three cut" very light sand all over so it dosnt leave more marks. Clean with prep sol

spray again with 1k primer, you should now have a flawless finish, if you have messed up any of the last coat of primer repeat sanding with the 240. Now it should be ready for you colour coat.

Let the colour coat "flash off" dry for about 10 minutes in between coats, depending on colour it might take 4 coats. Once you have a solid colour coat, let it fully harden over night, then sand with 800 wet paper to remove and texture from spraying and dust, clean with prep sol and spray final coat of colour. Let it dry fully before the clear coats especially if it’s a metallic colour. Clean with prep sol;

Now lay down some clear coats ie 3, again once you are happy let it full dry. Give it a wet sand with 800, clean with prep sol and spray the final clear coat.

This should leave you with one hell of a good final finish; the trick is during any of the process if your not happy with something do it again. Hope it helps

[Craved]

dont need to reprime it if you arent fixing anything, just a wet 400 sand, then a quick wet 800 sand then your ready to clean it and paint it

[GTS_Retro]

Generally there will be hairline crackes in the clear from the bar flexing on curbs/removal etc. depends on the condition of the bar

[abu]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Bar has been repaired as it was cracked, but is a good finish. The section that was repaired is in primer, and the rest of the bar still has the origin paint on it.

The rest of the bar has slight fracture marks as the bar flexed a fair bit when it was damaged.

Will the whole thing require undercoat, or can I take the clear off and paint over it?

Edited November 16, 2007 by abu

[GTS_Retro]

give it a full rub back and do a full undercoat. more preperation now will help, it would suck to spend time and money and have a shit finish!

[Craved]

yeah if its got cracks in it, you need to get rid of them first

[abu]

Yeah cracks are all gone..

Anyways sanded it all back earlier tonight, doing the undercoated tomorrow morning, then will wet/dry sand the undercoat and finish it off with some 2pac and clear.

Will see how it goes tomorrow.

Thanks for the help.