Guy at the parts counter in Toledo said he quit wet sanding bumpers by hand, and it got me thinking about my own setup | Auto Body Repairers - Hub Chatter
Guy at the parts counter in Toledo said he quit wet sanding bumpers by hand, and it got me thinking about my own setup
I was picking up a quart of sealer last Tuesday and the guy behind the counter told me he stopped hand blocking bumpers about 5 years ago. He said he uses a 6 inch DA with 600 grit and finishes with 800 on a soft pad, and his comebacks went from around 3 a month to almost zero. I've been doing it the old way with a block and my arms hate me by Friday, so now I'm wondering if I'm just being stubborn. Has anyone here switched over and regretted it, or did it actually cut your sanding time down like he claims?
600 grit on a 6 inch DA is the part that would worry me more than the switch itself. The guy in Toledo might be getting away with it because of the paper he runs, not the tool. Cheap 600 on a stiff pad can pigtail or dig into a soft bumper cover way worse than a block ever would, and then you're chasing marks through your base coat. I'd grab a couple scrap covers from the bone yard and test your exact combo before you commit, because a DA does cut time way down but it also cuts through everything else fast. Your arms will thank you either way, that part is real.