Need advice about blocking/sealing

mrennie

Promoted Users
Hello,

I've been blocking my car for what seems like forever, and think I may be done (I hope!).

Did metal work, epoxy over bare metal, filler work, epoxy, block sanding with 180 until I hit filler or metal, then epoxy, then 2K.

Blocked 2K with 180 with guide coat until straight, then 320 with guide coat, then 400 with guide coat.

While blocking with 400 and guide coat, all panels have areas where I cut through the 2K to epoxy, but not to filler. Several panels have a few very small areas where 400 cut through to bare metal just as all guide coat was gone.

I have sprayed w&g remover on panels and they look straight in the light.

Will be using single stage paint in solid red. Since it is still winter here, I wont be painting until at least June.

Questions:

-if I am happy with how straight the body is, should I spray one coat of sealer then go to paint, or should I spray a coat of unreduced epoxy over the entire body to get it in one uniform shade and block again?

-if I can go straight to sealer, is it OK to leave cover on car, then uncover in a few months and clean the dust off the 400 grit surface with W&G remover, then seal and paint? Or would I have to scuff all surfaces again due to sitting?

Thanks

Michael
 

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It will need to be scuffed again after sitting that long. If I were you, I would spray 1 coat of unreduced epoxy on it now, then when ready to paint sand it with 400 and seal with epoxy before paint. If everything looks good when you spray the epoxy, really no need to block again, just sand out the texture with a soft pad.
 
Thanks for the reply.

If I shoot unreduced epoxy now, will it adhere properly where I broke through to bare metal with 400 grit, or should I rought up the metal areas with something coarser? Want to make sure the epoxy does not lift due to metal being too smooth.
 
If you are striving for perfection, then seal it now with epoxy to protect it. This will allow you to "see" the condition it is really in as Texasking pointed out.

When the time to paint comes, sand/scuff the epoxy and shoot two more coats of build primer. Guide coat and block it one more time, it should look perfect at this point. I usually guide coat one more time and wet sand with 600 grit to be sure every square inch is ready for paint.

Shoot a sealer coat, checking for perfection and then after the required flash time shoot your color.
 
If you are striving for perfection, then seal it now with epoxy to protect it. This will allow you to "see" the condition it is really in as Texasking pointed out.

When the time to paint comes, sand/scuff the epoxy and shoot two more coats of build primer. Guide coat and block it one more time, it should look perfect at this point. I usually guide coat one more time and wet sand with 600 grit to be sure every square inch is ready for paint.

Shoot a sealer coat, checking for perfection and then after the required flash time shoot your color.

Thanks. When you do it the way you are suggesting, applying 2 more coats and blocking again prior to paint, are you starting back at 180 when blocking or starting with something finer like 320 or 400?

As far as perfection, I have found that "perfection is the true pursuit of unhappiness". While I am absolutely sick of priming and sanding I am not ready to say "screw it, it's good enough". I just want to do the best I can, and not make any unnecessary mistakes.

Thanks again.
 
Thanks for the reply.

If I shoot unreduced epoxy now, will it adhere properly where I broke through to bare metal with 400 grit, or should I rought up the metal areas with something coarser? Want to make sure the epoxy does not lift due to metal being too smooth.

I always sand any bare metal areas with 80 grit before spraying any more primer. Best adhesion with epoxy is accomplished with 80 grit for bare metal.
 
Thanks. When you do it the way you are suggesting, applying 2 more coats and blocking again prior to paint, are you starting back at 180 when blocking or starting with something finer like 320 or 400?

As far as perfection, I have found that "perfection is the true pursuit of unhappiness". While I am absolutely sick of priming and sanding I am not ready to say "screw it, it's good enough". I just want to do the best I can, and not make any unnecessary mistakes.

Thanks again.

At this point 220 or 320 will remove the guide coat fairly quickly and level any bumpy spots.
 
Well, I bit the bullet and put 2 coats of epoxy on it, and will put it away until June, then will block one more time, then seal and paint. Looks pretty good when all one colour. Making progress at a snail's pace!
 

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Looks really nice:)

Thanks...and good call on more epoxy and blocksanding...now that it is shiny if I look in certain light I can just make out the transition from 2K to epoxy in a few areas that I thought were good. I would have been bummed to have found that in paint!!!
 
Thanks...and good call on more epoxy and blocksanding...now that it is shiny if I look in certain light I can just make out the transition from 2K to epoxy in a few areas that I thought were good. I would have been bummed to have found that in paint!!!
I have had those same type of areas show slightly, also. Good news is, even with epoxy mixed as a sealer, I have never had them show back up in the final paint job. The epoxy actually seals, like no other product.
 
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