Soften body line after filler

[robking]

Cleaning up quarter panel that has been severely abused over the last 50+ years (I think it spent most of this time in a Walmart parking lot somewhere). One dent was deep, not on the body line but enough to cave it in a little. I pulled the dent back out with welded stud puller, and got it back pretty close before starting filler.

Using the tape method, I actually have a nice crisp line in the filler area (hard to see in pic so I put the tape back above it). Problem is that the original line is fairly soft, not raised just a rounded transition between two fairly flat planes (hope that makes sense). If you run a gloved hand down the panel, you can definitely feel where the sharp edge starts and stops.

Any advice how to soften this crisp edge to match the original gentle radius? Haven't been able to find any good advice how to not muck this up.

Thanks as aways!

 

[MJM]

Sanding sponge 180/220 grit

 

[Chris_Hamilton]

I just use my regular block, whatever block you used to do the panel and crosshatch over the line. Meaning go 45 one direction and come back the other 45 direction. Don't be aggresive, just gently round over going in the two directions (crosshatch). You are only sanding the line, nothing else. Use 180 grit paper to do it. In a tight area like where the tape is, a smaller width block may be neccesary. Tape two paintsticks together to make a decent smaller width block to round over that area if necessary. Check your progress often.

 

[robking]

Sanding sponge 180/220 grit

No way, that's way too simple! Makes perfect sense. I tend to make things harder than they need to be.

That Cuda in your profile pick. Just beautiful. I had a 67 Formula S years ago that I sold because I had no where to work on it. Would give anything to have it today.

Finally got my M/T tires (almost a year on back order) for my 68 coronet over the summer, put them on briefly just to get some motivation.

 

[robking]

I just use my regular block, whatever block you used to do the panel and crosshatch over the line. Meaning go 45 one direction and come back the other 45 direction. Don't be aggresive, just gently round over going in the two directions (crosshatch). You are only sanding the line, nothing else. Use 180 grit paper to do it. Check your progress often.

Thanks Chris, thats what I tried to do along the bottom of the quarters where they turn down, using super light strokes. It looks ok but when you get close it still looks like lots of individual flat cuts. Maybe gently go it with the sponge after the blocking?

 

[Chris_Hamilton]

If you just try to sand it without crosshatching it, there is a large chance of making the line uneven. Only way I've done it is how I described. Crosshatching it is the key. I've never used a sponge. Don't know how you would do it accurately with one.
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[robking]

If you just try to sand it without crosshatching it, there is a large chance of making the line uneven. Only way I've done it is how I described. Crosshatching it is the key. I've never used a sponge. Don't know how you would do it accurately with one.
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Definitely see what you're saying. Would it make sense to block with a finer grit, theory being to take less material per stroke and let you finesse it a little more? I'm betting you've done it so many times you could do it in your sleep.

 

[Chris_Hamilton]

Definitely see what you're saying. Would it make sense to block with a finer grit, theory being to take less material per stroke and let you finesse it a little more? I'm betting you've done it so many times you could do it in your sleep.

What grit are you trying to do it with? 80? If so that is why you are seeing what you are seeing. Try 180. Should work like a charm for you. Key is to crosshatch 45 degrees off the line and come back in the other direction opposite 45 degrees.

 

[Chris_Hamilton]

Remember you are just sanding the peak of the line. Nothing else.

 

[robking]

What grit are you trying to do it with? 80? If so that is why you are seeing what you are seeing. Try 180. Should work like a charm for you. Key is to crosshatch 45 degrees off the line and come back in the other direction opposite 45 degrees.

I was using 180 but to be honest without the car being on a lift its a weird angle to try and work at on the lower quarter. I'll give it a go on this body line as its a much more natural angle to work at. Plus will go REALLY light as I cross hatch it. Will be a few days before I can get back in the garage but will post an update. Thanks again!

 

[crashtech]

80 is really aggressive to soften a body line, it can wreck it in a hurry. 150 is the coarsest grit for this application, imo. Sometimes I'll take body lines all the way out to 320, but it's easy to go to far. The finer the grit, the easier it is to see and feel if it's round enough.