EvDoHo
61807
854
44
Started off by washing the entire panel and taping it off.
Close up of the crappy paint job I'm trying to mend here.
Another close up, covered in orange peel.
After wetsanding, I used megs unigrit 2500 for the entire panel.
After sanding.
After sanding.
After compound and polish. I used a Torq 10fx with m105 and a mf cutting pad for two passes, three in some tougher spots. Finished with m205 on a black hexlogic finishing pad and topped with a layer of CG's jetseal.
Not completely perfect but much much better than what I started with.
Finished product.
All laced back up and good to go!
Before and after of the front end of the fender. I know the lighting changed a good bit during the process, but the car didn't move between taking these two shots, it just wasn't as cloudy when I got done.
Deadmetal42
Was this the factory paint? I've got a better finish, before you sanded, using rattle cans.
NrtUv8er
I would've kept it that matte color you got after wet sanding
dirtydynamo
That's amazing OP! Well done! I've had an orbital polisher in my shopping cart for weeks, I think I will pull the trigger and try this
mshookisin
So hard right now
hintze510
+1 because I wish I could afford an m3
JimySmith
E46 M3 love
myfieldoffucksisbarren
I see no oranges in these photos.
Grandshift
what the fuck was that painted with? a bucket?
bojangle
I read the technical words in the voice of that Australian surfer
weetabixwithcoldmilk
Now the rest
AJerkyMcJerkface
Wow! Skilled work!
TomeBagel
Excellent work man, and thanks for mentioning the products used!
fav605
Did you measure the paint depth or just wing it and pray that whoever sprayed the clear laid it on thick?
TheOneAndOnlyZeke
M5?
theashman69
M3
NoLicense
As a car painter, yikes. While you did a nice job on the polish, it looks like you were sanding through the clearcoat over the edge of the arches. also chipped the paint 4 times when removing the gills with probably a screwdriver and you should have just started over with painting at that point. As a training piece, well done on the polish overall though. It's tricky with black paint.
viking39
Really is that all you have for worries? A bit superficial
dodgethissg
Is that an E46?
anchorpuss
That moment when your sanding work is too good that it looks out of place with the other panels
anchorpuss
and you consider finishing off the whole car and this is where you cry while in a fetal position
RomaFrozenPizzas
What happened to it the first time?
EvDoHo
It was repainted and the shop did a bad job, I didn't trust them to fix it properly so I just paid about half price and fixed it myself.
imyourrealdad
Did you fix the turn signals too?
Carbulo
No he took the lamp out to make his car lighter.
RyanMcFlyin
but do you park in three spaces at once and not use your turn signal? That's what I want to know..
nonamejanie
God that's so shiny. I love it.
halfofyouaredumberthantherest
M205 is a solid product. Prefer m101 to m105 though.
GuestLogin
M205 is a finishing polish. M105 is for compounding. Different uses for both products.
whyiseverythingupsidedown
So. much. orange. peel. Excellent job on fixing it up!
suckmyham
Is this a one time thing or will you need to buff and polish later on in the future again?
underscoreneckbeard
Repeat, forever.
endfreq
Fo sho
Moosecock
Orange peel? That looks more like gatorback
TheOlsenTwins
Why do people paint with orange peels? Should we not just decompose them?!
Nize426
I actually looked for orange peels in the pic until I figured it out. lol...
Nize426
I actually looked for orange peels in the pic until I figured it out. lol...
CorgiDewitt
After seeing these I have a question regarding my car. In some places the paint is peeling off, what is the best way to fix that?
GuestLogin
If its peeling, it needs to be repainted. There is no easy way to glue it back on unfortunately.
CorgiDewitt
Oh I know that, I just don't want to pay the money to have it professionally repainted. Was wondering if there was a cheap way?
flippedbits
Do you watch Larry Kosilla on YouTube? His channel is AMMO NYC. Great stuff on his channel and your results look great!
GuestLogin
Larry is my homeboy. Watched all his vids and bought a Rupes 21mm 3 weeks ago. Buffed 3 cars so far. So rewarding.
whiskeyvillage
Had an Audi salesman tell me that the 'orange peel' is normal due to the new hi-tech sealant on their cars. I could not believe it.
CaptainAbraham
Orange Peel is normal. Just not that much.
RandomAbscessMemories
I had heard from somewhere that it was due to the switch to water based paints.
flexistraw
I'll give you a +1. Water based paint makes it worse, but isn't the 'cause' of the issue
phatteh
Problem is, it's considered "normal" these days. But i's high volume, quick drying and poor QC to blame :/
Nowzor
Salesmen will tell you anything to make a sale
whyiseverythingupsidedown
Consumer law in Australia protects us from salespeople pulling that shit. Mention "misleading & deceptive conduct", boom, puckered butthole.
Nowzor
Well that's probably one of the best laws ever
JacobFoxxx
im not even sure that is?
gotwake424
It's the texture in the paint that looks like the surface of an orange
JacobFoxxx
ahh okay. thanks for the explanation
SyDiko
Yeah should be called orange skin really lol
SyDiko
Yeah should be called orange skin really lol
frustratinglyneutral
What causes orange peel?
gotwake424
Surface prepped incorrectly
HelloMyNameIsHuman
Orange peel is normal on most factory new cars. Professional paint shops take the extra steps for a flawless finish.
Unklejrad
Or just you know....painting...doesn't matter how prepped and perfect you are, there will be SOME orange peel
byohzzrd
Paint sagging during curing: bad surface prep, poor quality paint, too much paint per coat, inexperienced sprayer, insufficient curing time.
ImElkay
I'm not sure about the rest of the things, but I've always been told it happens when there isnt ENOUGH clear coat. Which makes more senseIMO
byohzzrd
Yes and no. It's a complex interplay of the base, sealer, primer, color layers, and top coats with multiple causes. Insufficient CC can 1/2
byohzzrd
be one cause. Source: many years of listening to Dad bitch about automotive paint as a quality engineer. So second hand knowledge only. 2/2
Komer
It's just how the paint comes out after spray and because manufacturers don't wet sand their paint work it's how it comes off gun 1/?
Komer
Which gives it that orange peel texture but usually to a much lesser extent due to the conditions they spray the vehicles in and 2/?
Komer
the machinery they use. The orange peel you see in the photo is probably from a cheap repair job. When you see the glass like finishes 3/?
Komer
on show cars and the sort it's from a long process of sanding and respraying the car to get the perfect uniform finish. 4/4