Getting in the corners and around alignment pins

[davidc11291]

Hi all. I was wondering how everyone handles sanding corners that are too small for a 3" disc and sanding around alignment pins. If you're sanding process is 320, 500, 800, 1500, 3000, do you sand the corners and alignment pin area with every grit by hand, or just the last couple of grits?

[Old Blue 66]

Ive had just a handful of cars like that (mostly Fords) and the DA works well if your careful. Ive been able to use it around the pins so far. The only ones that Ive done are F150's and Crown Vics.

As far as corners go, Im sure many will disagree with my method but Ive had no problems thus far.....The only car that Ive done where a DA doesnt just wont get anywhere near the corner is a newer style Camry. Many other will allow you to get close. Heres where is gets hairy, I mask the crap out of the section that is tight and move the DA close in short spurts and get as close to the corner as possible. You will hit the tape, but if you mask it good enough and use short spurts while sanding, you should have no issues.

Heres where the blending comes in. Per your other thread, the part you cant get to, as long as you sand the corner really well with 3000 you should be able to blend it close enough where you would really have to look hard to notice. 95% of the cars that I do are at dealers and they dont care about that little corner. An early 2000's model Jetta is a good example. I guess you can say Im cutting corners?? But I dont like to hand sand and after 150 cars in the last 50 days, I haven't had one single issue.

[candyman]

I agree with old blue: I normally use a 1500 or 2100 for that tight spot. > Tape, Tape , Tape and get close with the orbital or a hand disc sander. once in a great while I may use a 320 or 500 in those tighht spot if the lens is really bad and I cant get close enough.

[Old Blue 66]

I start way out from the corner and move in closer with each different disc. It blends perfect.

[davidc11291]

I start way out from the corner and move in closer with each different disc. It blends perfect.

That sounds like a perfect blending solution.

[pommy]

I start way out from the corner and move in closer with each different disc. It blends perfect.

Only works if that corner ISN'T damaged.

If you really have to get into the corner, edging in and out with extra masking is fast and my most used way.

Really tricky, long and thin bits - done by hand.

If the quality of the original coating is good enough to do it - and you chose to blend a bit further out, use wet sanding to get a better blend.

Cheers,

Pommy