guide coat verses my way

I might have posted this before but anyway I want to share what i do to see if a panel is flat . I just did this on my 40 ford coupe deck lid that I had previously
repaired the area where the handle area was mutilated. What I do is get the filler and primer as smooth and flat as possible
, then sand with 320 grit , followed by a 3m tricut 3000 grit pad ( spel) . The pad is usually used for their buffing system . it is
a six inch foam pad with a 3000 grit surface. I dab a drop or two of water ( or you can try it dry ) and sand away. It will make the primer almost glossy and you can check out your progress . If you still need to flatten just sand right over it add more filler or high build primer or whatever you need . To be honest , I have never used an sort of guide coat, I usually feel to see if it is strait . I have
painted for 30 plus years ( not every day) and have always had good strait
flat panels but this new way I came up with beats anything I have seen . Anyway it works for me . With the proper placement of lights you can get a hint of what the final finish will lk like .

:D

i make my own blocks from white pine. one is 2 board sheets long for qrt panels and such. they really get it flat. interesting idea though.

damned expensive way to check for straightness , that 3M trizack 3000 grit hook it II is 75 bucks for a box of 25 .

But what ever works is good . :)

SprayTech

True , they are pricey,but have used one pad so far to do the deck lid and hood and the pad is still good . Actually , it is an old pad left over from a previous job . I am sure a new pad would go even further .
As a matter of fact , suppose it takes three pads to do an entire car ( nine bucks) vs a can of cheap black spray paint
( two to three bucks ) . 6 bucks more
and I can get a really good glimpse of what the car will look like . I will send some pics this week . Like I said before
I have never used a guide coat in thirty
years and always had good results with
feeling the panel ( which I still do) but I really like this way.

Darin you must be skilled to be able to use a pad on a deck lid and not create lows. I am diabetic and so I don't have good circulation which hurts me when trying to run my hand over and feel for highs/lows. I have to rely on straight edges and tic-tac-toe if the panel isn't a concave or hi-crown. If it is concave or crowned,etc., then as you know shaped blocks of anything similiar works. By the way, does anybody sell sanding blocs that are the same size and same shape of a F-100 pass. door?:LOL:

Thanks, I am sure there are thousands
out there that are more skilled than me
but I am flattered anyway. The 3000
grit pad is only to check the work I have already done with the sanding blocks and so forth . It will buff the primer enough to see if there are any highs or lows . It is not intended to make the panel flat. I also use my hand to feel the panel but I like to see the panel in an almost finished phase as well. Actually I have used various grit ( 80, 220. 320 and 400 sanding disk
on my da sander and have never experienced any problems as far as gouging a low spot . You gotta keep it moving! As far as a sanding
block for your F 100 I got a long flexible
sanding block or longboard ( whatever you want to call it) from eastwood . It is made from a dense foam and as removable rods
that make it contour to your panel . It worked great on my deck lid and I am sure it will work well on your doors .

You can make a cheap guide coat by mixing black paint pigment with Prepsall cleaner and degreaser. Put it in a plastic Coke bottle with a small hole in the center opf the cap. Apply it with a paper towel. Flashes off almost imediately.

I like guide coat its cheap and it helps out a lot.I cant afford to use trizac system like that.But what ever works.I block and block and when i think im all done i block a little more.Like they said just keep moving.

May sound silly Shevy..........but Ive made sand blocks from wood ...and I used a contour gauge (large) to get the exact profile I wanted.........then transferred that to the wood, fine tuned it and now Had a perfect block for a part I needed straight............what do ya think?:confused: :D

All I do is use spray can primer or black spray paint. Cheaper, easier, less time wasted.

I use the same SEM trim black that I use for fenderwells, etc.

My hands find the big stuff, and the guide coat finds the little stuff!

3m dry guide coat works well. does not gum up your paper like spray paint.

Shine did you ever get my email? I tried emailing you back but having problems with errors comming back to my email box....

no, go to my web site and email me thru there.

www.crazyhorserodshop.com

Ok I tried again... Did it through your site... I press, contact shine after I put my message and all in and the screen just flashes that's it... Did it send? If so then I pressed the button like 4 times haha sorry if it sent 4 times.

At my shop, I take some wak and grease remover after block sanding, and spray a thin layer across the panel. This will give it the appearance of a cleared panel. you can check for highs and lows while it is wet and as it dries it just evaporates into the air. This should be much less expensive than your 3000 grit method. plus you might be losing your adhesion if the last scratches you put in the primer are 3000 grit.

I personally use guidecoat, plus this wax and grease remover method. for a couple bucks a can, its worth it.

Check my first post. I only use the 3000
to buff the primer to see if it is flat , not for the final sanding . After I see that the panel is flat.( If it is flat) then I go over this with 400 . If it needs more work than I do
filler or whatever .