A customer's comment made me re-think my primer sanding routine

Finished a bumper job for a guy, and when he picked it up he said the orange peel looked 'factory, but the texture feels a little different right here' and pointed at a specific spot. I realized I'd been sanding my 2K primer with 400 grit everywhere, but I was rushing the final pass on flat panels. Now I never skip stepping up to 500 grit on the big, flat surfaces before base, even if it feels smooth. Anyone else have a tiny critique that actually stuck with you?

3 comments

3 Comments

vera_johnson99d ago

Had a similar wake-up call on a hood. The light caught a sanding scratch I missed under my booth lights. Now I always check the final sand with a bright work light held at a low angle, even on overcast days. That side light shows every little flaw the overheads hide.

the_wyatt9d ago

My old shop teacher swore by the walk-around method too. The Lee's point about shadows changing is exactly right, you miss stuff from a single spot. That final lap with the light is what separates a good finish from a great one.

the_lee9d ago

Spot on about the side light trick. Just want to add that overcast light can still hide things in my experience. I've been burned by that flat, even glow. My final check is always with a handheld LED work light in a dark corner of the shop. I angle it across the surface like you said, but I also slowly walk it all the way around the piece. Shadows change with the light's position, and a flaw you see from one side can vanish from another.