guide coat verses my way

[Darin]

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 .

[shine]

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.

[SprayTech]

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

[Darin]

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.

[shevy not heme]

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?

[Darin]

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 .

[Bib_Overalls]

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.

[pbodyman]

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.

[Troglodyte]

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?

[FMXhellraiser]

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

[HOTRODPAINT]

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!

[shine]

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

[FMXhellraiser]

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

[shine]

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

www.crazyhorserodshop.com

[FMXhellraiser]

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.