block sanding sucks !

Learned to do this with various lengths of paint stick and a single 24" foam block. On a '62 Lincoln that had been hit by an F-250. Only way to learn body work is by doing they say.....

 

how bad ya want it?

 

Ah yes finger tips worn thin with some bleeding cracks. Finger nails worn down from sanding and hands cramping up. Pants shirt and shoes stained with the gray sludge from wet sanding. Blow your nose and you recognize the color of the car you were working on that day. Maybe the itch of fiberglass or a POR 15 stain on your skin that has to be razor bladed off. A few burns almost healed on your arms. Wife is pissed off because you get a stain or burn hole in everything you wear. Throw in the tiny metal shaving stuck in your finger you just cant dig out. Building hotrods takes a tole on you. Take ibuprophen listen to good rock music and smoke a good cigar from time to time. In the end I think we all just love cars, the shape color and performance. I have said never again after several projects but oh yeah I did another big project. I think its some form of addiction. Dave

 

talk to Dr. Phil

 

teach it to the up-n-comming students... so you don't have to do it ALL by your self


grasshopper wax on wax off ...

 

Sorry just went back and read( like i should have)
don't wanna say the same as all the other xperts ....lol
and so... sorry to hear about your dad...
and you are doing a fine job
this car thing really is a LABOR of love.

 

Oh I'm no stranger to this by any means or stretch.
It hard work and this is one of the things you really do get out what you put in.
Some, maybe most can't tell the difference past shiny.

Its only thanks is the pride and sense of "BAMM ! Nailed it " or maybe some cash if doing it for someone else. Some asshat will lean on it or bounce his hip mounted keys off it. Last one I did; the kid wrinkled it 6 days after I finished it & I did 1/2 of it again.

Knowing all this I still can't do it 1/2 assed even though I know I could get away with it.

^^^ that's another reason block sanding sucks ^^^

 

Block sanding is no problem if you invite enough friends and buy enough beer. By the 3rd or 4th coat though it will take beer and pizza. Keep in mind though, your car is way not the last one you'll be sanding, paybacks ya know.

 

I got my start in this business painting and doing body work. There isn't a single day that I miss it. We used to have "block sanding parties". Not much fun! As much as it all sucks, it can be rewarding. Can't wait to see it finished. Take your time and like a couple others said. When you think you are done, do it one more time. Good luck!

 

Block sanding parties ...
Well when you need to start the party be explaining the difference between flat and smooth or that close isn't acceptable, people start looking for the door. & If you turn em loose, graciously accept the help??? and wind up with a lumpy car who do you blame ? Or do you re do the party effort ?

Today was corners and edges. Small compound curves.
Picture holding the paint stick like a pencil, a 2" x 1" piece of file paper on the end and getting into the corners.

My buddy stopped over and said he's never seen such straight clean & crisp body lines.
That was nice to hear but block sanding still sucks

 

I with ya,,I hate sanding,,but that's one of the most important jobs to preform to achieve a nice paint job. HRP

 

It does suck but as HRP, The Real HRP, says it is the only way to achieve a good job

 

Did I miss what youre working on?

March? The choppers show?

 

I couldn't agree more!
Blocking sucks big time..pretty much because I, like you, can't allow myself to do it half assed. So, it takes a lot of time and tedious work.
To back up my stupidity, i show you this.
The pass quarter on my 32 that i just painted a couple weeks back.
The pic was taken wet, but it's satin paint as you can see in my avatar..still straight enough to be shiny black though..
Why? 'cause i can't do it any other way..hahaha

So, sanding sucks!
or maybe i have have OCD?..hmmmm

Tony

 

It sure is , & that's where all the work is.
The closer you get to the top the more critical sanding becomes.

 

You should try using a paint stick for a block. It makes it even more fun!

 

Me and the paint stick have spent plenty of quality time together.
Take a look a few posts back and see

 

One thing that has made my life easier is the AFS sanding blocks. They are made of a flexible foam but have 3 removable rods to adjust the stiffness depending in the panel shape. The blocking surface is made of a very thin piece of metal to get a firm but flexible surface. I wasn't sure about them when I first saw one but after using them for a while I am a firm believer. I just ordered a few different ones. They are expensive but wow. What a difference.


http://adjustablesander.com/

 

The real Bitch is when you're done, the unknowing will walk up and say, "Wow, the paint looks gorgeous", not knowing what all went on BEFORE any paint was shot.

 

...I'm headed out to block the box on my pickup...blech....

 

The other bitch is; the better job you do, the worse you feel when(not if) something happens to it.

 

Learned allot on this one,had to do it over would have blocked it one more time.Got tired but I am ready to do my 36

 

did one of those yep prime block prime block peimeblock
untill ye dizzy...lol

dem long quarters get to looooooooong
ya know yer in fer some block sanding when
the bucket of (slight soap) is full of blocks and paper of different grit and size

did i say WET SANDING ........

 

Oh Lord!!!!!!you said it

 

I admire you guys. The patience required- let alone the energy- is incredible. I've only ever blocked small areas and that's hard enough.

 

That's how to tell when you "KNOW"you are done,
when the last time was pointless because it was perfect.

 

I tried something new today.
I was working on a small body line that needs to be razor straight but on a slight crown.

.___
.... ]. <<&#8230;
..... \ kind of like this
....... \
......... \ ____

Because of the crown it went from 3/8 to 5/8 back to 3/8.
Paint stick just wasn't getting it like I like it. I even tried sanding to a tape line.

So I grabbed my steel blade out of my combination square. I set the paper back from the edge about 3/32 and that worked perfectly for that detail.

That spray on guide coat by SEM gives me a headache. What else is out there to use?

 

The satisfaction when it's done is worth the effort, trust me I have a 48 panel van I blocked by hand, apart from the roof which I used a d,a on. Don't give up

 

Thats actually a darn good idea.....I just saw one of those at the local grocery store....

but then theres the fact that I may not want to know....

 

everything in a spray bomb gives me a headache, i think it is the propellent . have you tried the powder?