What grade of sandpaper?

[Space Cadet]

I've sprayed a piece off the dashboard myself with a rattle-can, the finish is pretty good having sanded the piece itself and then the primer and also in-between each couple of coats all with 1200 wet & dry. My question is how fine would I need to go down to after the final coat to then be able to just use AG SPR to bring the shine back up? Is 1200 is fine enough? Thanks.

 

[MartinR]

2000

 

[Chapster5]

^This. With water and a drop of washing up liquid I found helps greatly, almost shines it without polish.

 

[Space Cadet]

Thanks. Have been using a drop of washing-up-liquid when wet-sanding with the 1200. Obviously the problem with using a rattle-can and also not having a spray-booth is that the paint gets the odd bit of dust in it before it dries, so next time I'm out I'll pick up some 2000 and then polish it back up with the SRP.

 

[clio ph1 Belgium]

Do not use rattle can! I whipe it off with my paint thinner . You can get 2 k rattle cans.!

 

[Space Cadet]

Do not use rattle can! I whipe it off with my paint thinner . You can get 2 k rattle cans.!

Noted but like previously mentioned I've already used a rattle-can and the finish is fine for what I need, once I've polished the odd spec of dust out with 2000 the finish will surprisingly actually be perfect. Its only the old radio/centre air-vent surround in my PH1 track car which was looking a bit scruffy and while I've got the dashboards apart thought I'd spruce it up before it goes back in.

 

[Space Cadet]

Is there any reason why I cant leave the piece without lacquering it? Its a flat non-metallic colour.

 

[Chapster5]

Depends if you want it shiny and to have a deeper sense of colour mate.

 

[Space Cadet]

Thanks. The colour and depth are fine, hopefully with some 2000 tonight the little minute bits will be polished out, I just wondered if for any reason I needed to lacquer it.

 

[Chapster5]

It's added protection mainly but nothing Wax won't give a hand with on protection. It also makes it more shiny especially metalic flaked paints.

 

[Space Cadet]

Thanks. I wont bother then as I like the finish already, it almost looks like its been powder-coated rather than painted.

 

[Chapster5]

No worries, just noticed it only something on your dashboard you should be alright just sticking it on. For some reason I was thinking it was an external part lol was gonna say it will get chipped before you know it.

 

[Space Cadet]

Probably wont ever be touched by anything again other than a quick wipe-over so don’t really need to worry about chipping.

 

[Space Cadet]

Its all finished now, the 2000 grade worked a treat and then buffed it up again with SRP, really pleased with the finish. Thanks again for your help.

 

[Chapster5]

Pics?

 

[Space Cadet]

I knew you'd ask. I'm hopeless at posting photos on this site but will take one at the weekend in the daylight and try and post it up.

 

[Chapster5]

Good man, I use photobucket for posting pics on here.

 

[Simon@SprayShack]

You should dull coat (matt finish , or satin) cover any base coat paint to protect it from fading or rubbing off. You wont have any UV protection as it is, and no solvent barrier, so even if something only mildly solvent could damage the finish or take the colour of the base coat.

If your paint is single stage 1K/2k which doesnt require lacquering then you can ignore this (as effectively it has the lacquer in it already).

 

[Space Cadet]

Thanks but its too late now, will bear in mind if I ever repeat though.