Primer Sanding Tip

[DanStokes]

Using the Eastwood roll-on primer system, I was faced with sanding the epoxy primer. Even after waiting the specified 4 days for it to cure it still loves to clog sandpaper. Note of caution: If you sand with clogged paper it'll leave nasty little groves in the primer which ultimately will show up in the final paint. I tried several methods to clean it out including tapping it out on my pants leg, swatting it with a paint stirring stick, and anything else I could think of. Turns out that there's a fairly simple solution - wire brush. It works really well and returns the sandpaper to usefulness.


Clogged paper:





Cleaning process (I used the wire brush flat to the sandpaper but ran out of hands to take the pic):





Clean sandpaper:

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

Okay, so when you get ready to sand the primer on the whatever project, I just have to keep a wire brush on hand for you… I can do that!

[Loren]

Using a wire brush, slapping and/or scrubbing, to de-clog sandpaper goes 'way back. With some fillers you'd spend as much time doing that as sanding. Otherwise you'd needlessly spend a great deal of money on sandpaper.

[anotheridiot]

40 years of expecting that every paint job costs 200 in sandpaper here.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Not all sandpaper is created equal, Harbor Freight sandpaper is less equal then everyone else.... I used to buy the cheapest stuff, but found that there's a huge difference between papers... I generally buy from TCP Global.

Also, not to diss Eastwood but ... well....

[studemax]

Some sandpapers include a stearate to reduce such clogging. It's a dry lubricant meant to keep the sandpaper cleaner and extending the life of the sandpaper.

[Loren]

Is that what they do? Makes sense. Last time I bought cheap (HF) sandpaper I was throwing my money away 'cause it dulled/clogged instantly (wet sanding #600).

[DanStokes]

Is that what they do? Makes sense. Last time I bought cheap (HF) sandpaper I was throwing my money away 'cause it dulled/clogged instantly (wet sanding #600).

We have a HF almost literally around the corner. The current crop of HF sandpaper if branded "Baure" and seems to be fairly decent. Not as good as 3M but at about 1/3rd the price I'm using it mostly because it's SO easy to run up there. We have a son who is an exec at 3M in St. Paul but they don't carry abrasives in the company store, darn it.

[SuperBuickGuy]

We have a HF almost literally around the corner. The current crop of HF sandpaper if branded "Baure" and seems to be fairly decent. Not as good as 3M but at about 1/3rd the price I'm using it mostly because it's SO easy to run up there. We have a son who is an exec at 3M in St. Paul but they don't carry abrasives in the company store, darn it.

I'll remind you of the problem with Harbor Freight. I bought a dual action cut and buff machine from them.... returned it 8 times and, after I returned the last for a refund, bought a Makita that you see in my pictures. 8 times. an hour to go there and back. One machine didn't turn on, another lasted 15 minutes the rest 2 hours or less.... I get saving money but you aren't going to get more time. Maybe trade in your son for one who does have an abrasives account?

but, again, I'll shrill for TCP Global - order it right there on your computer at home.... even more convenient than HF.....

but before I go. I HAD to have some more 600 grit wet/dry for my Blazer. Tonight, you will see me going backward and color sanding with good paper on the Blazer because of the scratches the HF stuff put into the clear.... honestly, I don't have enough time to save money at HF.

Now, if I could just follow my own advice and avoid Maaco...

[Loren]

We're always making it tough on Dan for being an HF fan... Actually there are plenty of things I buy there, just you have to be realistic. I forgot when I used their sandpaper to put some dish soap in the water used for wet-sanding, I wonder if it would have helped. 3M paper dulls as fast as anything but the grit seems more uniform and that is an important thing with the finer numbers.

A sort-of story; in my growing up I had a great friend, we had many good times and adventures, travelling, camping, building (and wrecking) cars, racing in the canyons, getting in trouble. However, he had some bad habits that eventually ended our friendship around age 40, one was petty thieving. I later heard he got a job at the Harbor Freight headquarters in Camarillo CA and I've always wondered what his garage became like, probably literally stacked with HF tools never paid for, and probably not used as he never made much progress on his stuff alone. If he thinks I miss him due to all the free tools I could have gotten; no, I don't.

[DanStokes]

We're always making it tough on Dan for being an HF fan... Actually there are plenty of things I buy there, just you have to be realistic. I forgot when I used their sandpaper to put some dish soap in the water used for wet-sanding, I wonder if it would have helped. 3M paper dulls as fast as anything but the grit seems more uniform and that is an important thing with the finer numbers.

A sort-of story; in my growing up I had a great friend, we had many good times and adventures, travelling, camping, building (and wrecking) cars, racing in the canyons, getting in trouble. However, he had some bad habits that eventually ended our friendship around age 40, one was petty thieving. I later heard he got a job at the Harbor Freight headquarters in Camarillo CA and I've always wondered what his garage became like, probably literally stacked with HF tools never paid for, and probably not used as he never made much progress on his stuff alone. If he thinks I miss him due to all the free tools I could have gotten; no, I don't.

I hate it when friends disappoint. A really close friend turned into an alcoholic and he'd call me when he was drunk. I'd loved to talk to him but I have no interest in talking to booze. I had to let him go.

[anotheridiot]

I'll remind you of the problem with Harbor Freight. I bought a dual action cut and buff machine from them.... returned it 8 times and, after I returned the last for a refund, bought a Makita that you see in my pictures. 8 times. an hour to go there and back. One machine didn't turn on, another lasted 15 minutes the rest 2 hours or less.... I get saving money but you aren't going to get more time. Maybe trade in your son for one who does have an abrasives account?

but, again, I'll shrill for TCP Global - order it right there on your computer at home.... even more convenient than HF.....

but before I go. I HAD to have some more 600 grit wet/dry for my Blazer. Tonight, you will see me going backward and color sanding with good paper on the Blazer because of the scratches the HF stuff put into the clear.... honestly, I don't have enough time to save money at HF.

Now, if I could just follow my own advice and avoid Maaco...

had the same problem. Actually got to the point of taking a tool back in before the year was up and replacing it, but I really dont like testing the karma police.

[SuperBuickGuy]

had the same problem. Actually got to the point of taking a tool back in before the year was up and replacing it, but I really dont like testing the karma police.

I've gotten to the point where I tell people I can't afford cheap tools.

[DanStokes]

Another primer sanding tip:

I don't know if you guys know about these but I can't live without 'em - meet the taco. The only ones I've ever met are sized for 6" DA paper and seem to fit in all kinds of awkward places such as this tight curve as shown. Available at any auto paint supply.

Best taco tip - heat the paper with a heat gun (I suppose a hair dryer might work) before removing the old paper. I've gone thru a lot fewer tacos since I started doing this. Before I started heating the paper I'd pull the soft rubber off the taco with the paper/adhesive.