Sanding to Bare Metal, HELP!

AirJose · Post by **AirJose** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 11:20 am

I took about 4 coats of old paint after stripping the paint w/aircraft paint stripper. Now I have a red primer? under bare metal and then covered w/a gray tough primer hard to remove. I used 36 grit to sand, now I am going to 120 grit, going to bare metal.
Am I ok, or I still need to go down like 220 grit before I put the etch primer?
I am planning PPG etch primer with a respirator, since the last time I sprayed this etch primer with a small mask primer, my lungs felt weird, and it was only a 5 foot panel. Then I will apply a small coat of epoxy primer before going to the painter.
Am I doing the right thing? Need advise, any imput will be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Jose

BUILDER · Post by **BUILDER** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 2:25 pm

I usually sand a panel to bare metal with 80 grit d/a after using aircraft stripper. Then apply my etching primer, wetsand with 320 grit, ( just to rough it up) then apply your urethane or epoxy primer.

bugsterkafer · Post by **bugsterkafer** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 3:42 pm

You'll be fine even over 40 or 60 grit-paper-sanding marks, don't worry about that

AirJose · Post by **AirJose** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 7:49 pm

Thanks guys. I will re-sand and clean the bare metal tomorrow and then apply that nasty PPG etch primer.

perrib · Post by **perrib** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:27 pm

The more grind marks you put in the metal the more primer surfacer you will waste unless you are using epoxy primer for the first coat. I use a sripping pad with 80 grit at low rpm to get to the original primer followed by 120 or 150.