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ously sand the dent, you may create a cupped surface.
When you are satisfied with the sanding job and you have finished sanding
with your finest grit, raise the grain by dampening the wood with a wet rag.
When the wood has dried and you are ready to apply the finish, resand
lightly to take off the wood fibers raised by the water. Vac and tack the sur-
faces and immediately apply the first coat of finish before the wood gets
dirty.
WOOD: Some important characteristics of wood
Hard grain and soft grain
Wood has hard grain and soft grain. Hard grain is typically the product of sum-
mer growth and soft grain the product of spring. All sanders will remove more
soft grain than hard grain and since the random orbit sander is more aggres-
sive, it will remove it that much more quickly. Extended sanding on a piece of
fir for example, will produce a noticeably uneven finish. This is a good reason
to correct flaws before sanding.
POLISHING
When polishing, only a LOW speed setting should be used (settings 2–3).
Wash your car before power polishing it. Washing will remove loose dirt,
scum, road salt, etc. which could act as an abrasive and damage the paint.
Loose dirt, etc. will also clog the polishing pad and you will have to clean it
more often.
Start polishing with the roof, move to the hood, the fenders, the doors, etc.
in this way, the slight dust that may be thrown off into the air by the revolving
pad will not fall on completed sections, and the power cord will not be
dragged over completed portions. When the car has been completely pol-
ished, an additional high luster may be obtained if a few drops of water are
sprinkled on the surface and gone over quickly with the sander/polisher or a
clean dry cloth. (If a cloth is used, it is not necessary to rub—merely wipe.)
Spread a light coat of a good grade of polish, with a soft clean cloth or brush,
over a small area and apply the sander/polisher before the polish dries.
Without turning tool “ON,” grasp the tool and pick it up. Keep the tool away
from your body and turn the switch “ON.” Make sure you have a firm grip on
the handle and can operate the tool freely without forced effort or unneces-
sary pressure. When starting to polish, it is all right to have the polishing pad
resting squarely on the surface, but as the scum and film begin to work
loose, start tilting the tool so that the dry outer section of the polishing pad
comes in contact with the surface. If hazy spots still remain, apply a little
more polish and work out these spots. THE POLISHER AND PAD MUST BE
KEPT IN CONSTANT MOTION. THEY SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO
REMAIN IN ONE SPOT. TO DO SO COULD DAMAGE THE PAINT.
A polishing pad will become discolored with use because it has picked up
“dead” pigment from the car surface. Excess dirt on the pad can often be
removed by lightly touching the pad to an edge of the car bumper while pad
is rotating. (The edge of a work bench or garage door will serve the same
purpose). When the pad becomes very dirty, remove it from the tool and
wash it in a warm water detergent solution. The pad can then be air dried.
Polishing Tips
These instructions and suggestions will help familiarize you in the general
operation of POWER POLISHING. You will develop your own techniques
which will make the job easier and faster as you learn power polishing.
Proper practice is essential to successful use of your sander/polisher.
You should use utmost care when power polishing around or over sharp
objects and contours of a car body. It is very important to use the correct
pressure with constant motion while polishing various sections of an auto-
mobile body. For example, light pressure should be applied when polishing
over sharp raised edges of body panels, or over edges of the rain gutter
along the top.
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