How to Get a Glass Finish Without Spraying a Glass Finish!

Fantastic video Brian.

If I make a couple suggestions from things I learned trying to chase a true show quality SEMA finish.

I let the clear harden a minimum of two weeks, especially in the south Fl sun and then I would open it up slightly with 800g to just let the rest of the solvents gas out. Most I spoke to in the restoration/show car world would wait a minimum of 2-3 months before fully going at it. Also, only using long hard blocks, no small rubbery soft blocks, I made that mistake for years and didn't know. A lot of the top restoration guys are using long acrylic blocks from body work all the way to polishing. I like Linear blocks because its an acrylic and also has a slight flexion. Kounts Customs, Kindig Designs, Charley Hutton I know to name a few.

Now when you are ready to continue with your 800g, guide coat it with powder, I know it might sound strange to most, but I learnt from them doing this will show your highs and lows in the clear the naked eye will never be able to see. Then when you sanded all that guide coat, use waterborne cleaner between each step and clean your panel from the clear residue and repeat the same process all the way to 2000g all with a long hard block.

Then of course finish it with 3000 grit on the Trizact to make buffing easier.

Seen these guys finishes under a florescent light and it's absolutely next level of flat. The light reflection that bounces off is laser straight across the panel.

Small things I learn from them that make a substantially huge difference in the overall finish.

Also learned from them not to use Ceramic coating until a minimum of a month plus so the paint is fully cured, because if done early, the chemical will trap the remaining solvents gassing out and the clear will start shrinking, costing you more time on your work.

HI! I really appricated your work! Can you make a video about matt clear coat and the proceed? I got a motorcycle to paint with graphite black and matt clear , some few tricks will be appreciate! Tanks in advance!

I have a 2016black f150 . The clear coat scratches so easy it drives me nuts. Would this be a water based paint. I'm afraid to sand and buff it. Because I have no idea how much clear the factory put on it. Also is there a different way to mix and shot water based paint. Would love to know more about it.

I’ve been wanting to get into painting but not ready to start on my car yet so want to take it slow to learn properly on something else. I heard another thing one could practice with is sheet metal idk if that’s accurate or not but if you have any more advice on what one could use to practice on I would appreciate it thank you keep up the great content!

You do not have to go wet sand by hand with 2k then 2k again dry with da that just makes no sense and is wasting time. Maybe if you sand with 1500 then 2000 then 3000 now that makes sense. You can even sand with DA 1500 dry then 3000 and will come out really good. Been doing it this way for years 0 issues. Maybe for a starter the double 2k makes sense. But for pros it just don’t make any sense. Also good to see turbo wax products on your page he makes some great products.

What model is the car

hey! so i painted my bumper(first time) and i got these cloudeness on it, i figured it out that it apeared from cold wind after i opened garage doors, i can fix it without repainting it?

Brilliant work. The car looks like it should be kept in a glass box 😅.

Anyone know what those wheels are plz let me know.

Wow. These cars were the hit when I was a teenager.

Hey Brian just wanted to know how long after you painted did you wet sand and buff?

😍😍😍😍

After all that polishing, you'll see the car owner using a corn broom to sweep the snow off it.

DIY guys should NOT be doing this. unskilled people have no way of knowing how much removal they got. Just don't do it. Personally I would never use a DA past 600 on anything but that is me.

Nice, really nice.

21mm long throw cuts faster then a rotary. Rotary can finish better then a 21mm da.

If your cutters cant remove 2000 grit marring, you need a new conpound supplier.

That car looks amazing!!!

I don't have any air tools but I want to buy an air powered DA sander and the materials you have listed to get my paint looking better. My friend did lay down a phenomenal job but there's some smoothing and dirt nibs to be removed. He laid down 2 coats of clear and I'm thinking to use a paint meter to ensure the 2 coats are fine throughout! Really appreciate your videos.

A MONTH? Id hate to get the bill for this paint job. I couldn't afford the 3000 grit paper, let alone the 8000 grit.

Still looking for someone to paint my 97 LX450.

Sir, you are a master in this area! has down to you!

Hi great video, what pad did you use for final polish please

Beautiful! At what speed did you use the rotary machine?

Got a question... I know you can wet flat and polish orange peel out, after a respray...
BUT... Ive got an old 2010 car, That is looking a little tatty, paint wise. Many micro scratches, from car keys as you open the door etc. also, factory finish has very noticeable orange peel, and i dislike it...
So wondered if its possible to flat sand factory paint with a DA, and then shoot some fresh clear over it?
For new-look shine, and no orange peel?!?!
or can you only do that, On freshly painted cars?

cheers

The video that was a game changer form me was when you introduced me to Kovax dry paper. That stuff is absolutely nuts. How come you dont use it all the time?

You mentioned it could take forever to cut/polish if you were to only use a DA. If you did want to only use a DA, what about following up the 3000 trizact wet, with 8000 trizact wet, would that allow you to do all the cut/polish using only a DA in a more reasonable amount of time?

Whatever works for you. I like a flatter finish than 2000, it leaves too many lumps and waves.

would you do this for single stage black job?

what about wet sand and buff on a single stage paint job?

Brian - I should have have had you paint my 1999 Civic Si! But here I am watching all your videos trying to learn to do this myself.

the front bumpers wrong its for a 01-05

Am I seeing things or was that a Pembroke Pines cop

Great work but my understanding is ceramic coating does not prevent swirls at all that’s why people PPF

I refinished pianos for a few years. Did all my gloss finishes like this. Lots of hand polishing and stuff and it can take months to finish. Its always a beautiful thing to finish the work. Also yes you can use a rotary to get swirl free results. Im old enough to have had to figure it out

So COOL you showed WET SANDING WITH A DA nobody ever shows that, nice job. QUESTION: Brian, does it matter if we use a regular Dewalt/Milwaukee 5in orbital electric sander or is it better to use my Rupes DA polisher, which one will give the best results? thank you, and thanks for your channel. You give details and are more specific than most, we appreciate that.

On that 6" random orbital do you prefer the g9 or g15? Looks like he used several pads- orange, green, and white. Could you have gotten by with only orange for this car? What chemical did you use between polishing stages for wiping?

Any idea what base this was? Looks amazing, may want it for my "gm bright red" repaint

You can use a rotary to finish a car. You just gotta know how to use it and what pads n compounds. This has been shown countless times on other channels

When is the next Give-a-way?

Doesnt going to a DA after doing all that hand block leveling... throw off the block leveling you just did?

Bro thanks wow makes my job easy

I’m doing a motorcycle and I have spots I can’t get a DA into. What do you suggest I do? I know this video is a few months old so this is a long shot but thanks for your time anyhow.

Love your videos, why not flow coat in this case?

How long can we buffing the car after new paint

I agree. If you need to sand and polish 2000 should be the coarsest grit used. Follow with 3000, then cut and polish. These steps will remove about 30 microns of your clearcoat which is already paper thin - typically only 60-80 μm from the factory. If you burn through it you'll have to repaint.

Sandpaper grit size in microns:
1000 = 18.55 μm
1500 = 12.65 μm
2000 = 9.64 μm
2500 = 7.81 μm
3000 = 6.57 μm

"This is no ordinary Honda Civic." LOL

Brian thank you so much this help me out so much after paint cars for over 25 years now able to do my own buff and wax paint correction fixes very appreciated

I watched a couple of videos about cutting clear coat .
They suggested starting with 800 . Im sure glad I found your video . 800 would have created a lot of work .
Thanx Brian

Awesome Project! Thank you for the opportunity!