I'm seeing so many new vehicles with orange peel paint from the factory these days. I can't believe how tacky and unfinished they look, some of the smoothest paint I see on the road are the Keorean cars, don't know what they do different.

Anyhoo, I was wondering is the typical orange peel in the clear coat or in the color? If it's in the clear can it be wet sanded out?

I don't own an orange peel car but was just wondering. What do you pros think?

 

It's actually a little bit in both final coats - clear top coat and color underneath. (The primer is generally electrodeposition and therefore doesn't develop orange peel.)

Can you wet sand it out? Maybe - depending on how thick the paint layer is and how bad the orange peel is. Do you want to? Depending on how bad it is - maybe not.

 

2stroked, thanks this is something that has been bugging me for awhile. Kinda like which came first the chicken or the egg.

As stated in my first post-I don't own one (at least not a bad one) and I aint going to try it. Heck, I'm still learning with my DA and haven't picked up too much speed sliding down the slope towards the rabbit hole called "Detailing" (yet)!!!!!!

 

For the most part, any orange peel in the paint will be "filled in" (for lack of a better term) with the clear coat, making it irrelevant. The orange peel on the surface is what's visible. You can theoretically always wet sand out orange peel as long as you have the material to work with. Problem with factory paint jobs is there usually not very thick; not enough to play around with anyways. There are measurement tools out there to measure the paint thickness, but even this doesn't provide you with the clear thickness. As a general rule, guys take the total thickness and assume the clear to be half of that measurement (half paint/half clear; both of equal thickness.

If I were an amateur sander, there's no way I'd practice on a factory paint job; just not enough material to risk it. You blow through the clear and that's it, no turning back or easy fix.

I agree with you though...current paint jobs suck @$$! I'd be hard pressed to consider a new Ford truck just because of this. They are among the worst I've seen out there. My '02 is leaps and bounds better than any new paint job! I've been behind new F-150's with the orange peel on the tailgate soo bad there was almost no reflection. I personally could not live with it.

 

I can't get the pic to copy from my work computer but see if you can see the black truck I quoted on this page...embarrassing! This is probably the worst orange peel I've ever seen. No way I'd buy this.

http://www.raptorforumz.com/showthre...308#post132308

 

WOW! Are you sure that isn't some kind of new high gloss Rino Liner? I had to avert my eyes, the owner must have a white cane with a red tip on it!!!!!

I work along the coast here in So Cal (Newport, Huntington, Laguna) and I see alot of Benz's with orange peel. The Massarti's (sp?) and such still look pretty good, but I think orange peel is taking over the industry. I'm with you on the new Fords even the white looks terrible most of the time.

Yours looks good though!

 

Unless you know the person you are behind in traffic, and the process & products they use, to say no reflection from orange peel is a guess at best.

Orange peel will impact the reflection of the surface, but lack of any work on the paint surface ( even a flat one ) will also impact the reflection.

The truck in the URL above what has been done for the actual surface prep on that truck ?
- It could be apply synthetic LSP only, which even on flat paint will give a Saran wrap look to the paint.
My Silver 2001 looked like this the only time I used the 1st release of NXT back in the day. It looked so bad I tossed the bottle in the trash, and went back to the paint with a polish to remove what was on there.
My Dark Stone 2006 has about the same amount of Orange peel look to it as my 2001 did, and if I use a Poly Sealant LSP, it magnified the look to it.
Example :
Front Fender polish - PB Natty's Blue - Blackhole - Natty's blue.
Door poly Sealant LSP



Notice how the door looks with Sealant vs the front fender with Carnauba LSP ?
- Also the door seems to only have it in one spot under the window and it looks to fade off. Not the case.

If I used PB Natty's red and PB White diamond on the paint the orange peel almost goes away, and there is a high gloss to the surface, but it looks like it is 1mm deep vs getting a deep look from Natty's blue & blackhole.

Example where what the product(s) is, will give the depth & reflection of a correctly prep'd paint surface a different look.

Reflection is 95% in the prep work.
LSP will add some depth or shine to the paint surface, but if the polished paint with nothing on it does not have the reflection and clarity, no LSP is going to help it.

That picture also does not look in focus to me.
Don't know if it was a point and shoot that was hunting and pecking for a focus object. The door line looks like door guard the picture is so bad.
- It is a good size picture with OK resolution, but it does not magnify to 120% worth anything.
Your reverse picture of that, is 40% the size with ~ the same pixel sizing and at 100% I can clearly make out the end cap to the door guard.

This could have an impact on what you are seeing. Too many what ifs to say what that paint looks like from a single picture.

 

So still wondering, this topic is interesting for me.

On an o/p like yours Sscully, could you scuff the clear that is there, and shoot more clear over the top, then wet sand something like that out?

I know, I know I'm starting to sound like the kid that keeps asking, why.......why.....why, how come?

 

I didn't really catch everything you were saying here; most likely a misunderstanding on my part since you hit on reflection a lot and the topic here is orange peel. However, no amount of surface prep will take away orange peel. That dull, 'orage peel' look is still there on every truck I've ever seen. If there's a great final finish, LSP job done on that paint job, all you're left with is a super deep, glossy, really shiny orange peel...the reflection of the house next door right under your window is a perfect example. You clearly know how to detail; no one is debating that and your truck looks great. And the orange peel is obviouly not your fault nor under your control...but it's there and no LSP is going to fix it.

Absolutely irrelevant what's been done. No matter what the process nor what the product, that photo from that angle will reveal that much orage peel regardless.

I can tell no difference between the door and the fender from this photo. But I do know and understand exactly what you're saying and there may very well be a difference there in person.



No, the door does not appear to have it in only one spot...I see the orage peel throughout. But I also know what I'm looking at/for. Again, not bagging on you or your truck...bagging on Ford here for the paint job which like I mentioned earlier, completely out of anyone's control.

 

You can, but you're getting into a very big job best left to a professional paint shop. Even if the wet sanding/polising is well within your realm of capability, you'd want the whole truck prepped and shot by a compitent shop. Now you're talking about cost and prep work equal to a paint job almost. Not saying it's not worth it, just something to consider.

Like I mentioned above, wet sanding and polishing the factory clear is possible, but probably not for the hobbyist. Factory clear will be thin, guaranteed.

 

Only if the Orange peel is in the clear only.
It could be in the base coat, and trying to fill it in with clear is not going to solve the problem.

 

Thanks Galaxy and SSCULLY, these questions are about what not to attempt as much as anything. I will state again I am not considering attacking any orange peel paint, just learning about the beast.

 

No problem.
There are processes & product that can be used to minimize the appearance of it, and some will amplify the appearance of it.
Wet sanding to correct orange peel on a daily driver is not something that should be done. It is not a 98 point show car, it is a truck.

It can be irritating to some, but it is not something that will make the surface have no reflection. If the surface has no reflection with orange peel, that same owner would also have no reflection with straight paint.
This is not a new problem, my 2001 in YN silver also had it. After 12 years of doing defect removal on it, it looks pretty straight now. The color also helps with minimizing it.

 

In my experience a good scratch and swirl remover and wool bonnet on a DA buffer can work wonders. Basically have to heat up the clear to smooth it out some but its a fine line between sweet looking paint and burn through. My 01 came out perfect when I did it but now have the typical ford roof paint problem. Going in for a full paint job by a good shop. Here is a pic after I removed the door trim.

 

I'm not someone that details my truck often or impulsively cleans it, but orange peel is very annoying and every new car I see at my dealership has it. I agree that Fords have some of the worst. Manufacturers are just cheating out in my opinion. Apparently paint jobs are getting worse, just like the grade of leather (which now feels like vinyl) used