Wet Sanding.....how much is enough?

[zeerust2000]

I'm finishing a body with black acrylic lacquer.  I've done the colour coats and am wet sanding with 600g.  My question is, do I need to sand so that every little shiny speck is gone? Or just so that the orange peel is gone and the surface is smooth.  I'm afraid I might sand right through to the primer (which I actually did in one small spot).    Cheers....

 

[Cagey]

You're going too fast.

Color coat doesn't need to be sanded much more than 320 grit, if at all, and just enough to take off the peaks of the orange peel. Then you start with clear coats. 2 or 3 coats in, you start again with the 320 to level it out, then more clear coats. After alternating clear coats and leveling for several more passes, then you wait a couple weeks before you start wet sanding with the finer papers.

At this point, you probably should put another coat or two of black on, so you have a good color base before you start clear coating. It'll fix your burn-through as well.

 

[zeerust2000]

Thanks Cagey, that's the kind of advice I need, since this is a first time job for me.  I've read that there is no need to sand between clear coats, but I'm taking it that you'd recommend a light sand every couple of coats.  I'll go that route. 

 

[dmraco]

  IF you follow Cageys advice, this should not be long.    I tend to use 400 rather than 320.  It is a little more forgiving than the 320 if you are not used to the process.  You do not want to sand thru.  You already know the issues that can cause.  It did the process as Cargey describes two or three times depending on how heavy the finish I sprayed is.  I let it cure about ~36 hours before knocking it down.  WET Sand lightly, you do not want to much heat or it will gum the finish.

But to answer your final question, yes...you sand until there are NO shiney spots left.  I usually start final sand with 800 grit, and work my way thru 1000 or 1200 what ever I may have.  Then go to 2000 and 3000 grit.  Then I start to polish.