Learned a trick about old single stage paint from a guy in Flagstaff

Stopped for coffee before a pickup job and this retired bodyman started talking about wetsanding single stage. He said most guys these days treat it like clear coat and go straight for the buffer, but the trick is hitting it with 1500 dry first and letting the paper get loaded up. Apparently that keeps the heat down and stops the color from smearing. Tried it on a 1978 F150 fender I had in the shop and it cut my polishing time down by almost half. Has anyone else messed around with dry sanding single stage, or am I just late to the party on this one?

2 comments

2 Comments

emma_clark25d ago

The dry paper trick makes sense because it’s basically changing how the paint heats up, and single stage doesn’t have that hard clear layer to protect it from burning. Wet sanding pulls the heat straight into the paint, but a loaded up dry paper acts like a cushion, so the color stays put instead of turning into a smear. Nobody talks about the paper being the real tool there, everyone just blames the buffer or the paint itself.

the_hayden25d ago

Man, that's wild to hear because my buddy who restores old Mopars swore by the same trick for years. He had this beat-up '68 Charger with the original turquoise paint and figured out the dry paper trick by accident after messing up a fender with a wet sand. He said the key was not pressing down at all and letting the paper do the work, just like that Flagstaff guy told you.