Sanding blocks...?

[The Z'eer]

Another necessity I reckon. I have done some research into this, possibly Durablock https://www.desertcart.co.uk/produc...GFobq1KTNsN6NtRHJiZxbD_hPdQ9cGmxoCWnIQAvD_BwE or is there better out there for less? What exactly is really needed, sizes shape of block etc.

Thanks

 

[Munkul]

7-Piece Dura-Block Kit (AF4400, AF4401, AF4402, AF4403, AF44

www.dura-block.com

I bought this Durablock kit when i resprayed my 200sx, which had some accident damage needing filled and flattened. It worked really well The nice thing about durablock is that even the biggest stiffest block has a slight amount of give in it, so you can do long curves in panels extremely easily.
I'd never blocked a car before but I knew how badly cars looked that had amateurs at them with power sanders.
I looked long and hard at the paintwork after I'd finished and it was pretty darn flat and decent.

I've no doubt the professionals do better with other stuff but for an amateur I don't think you could do much better than durablock.

Now I'm not sure how good THAT kit is, as it's missing the fullsize block AF4403. IIRC I used the next one down (AF4400) more, but if its a proper flat panel you'll want the fullsize block.

 

[gaz1]

depends on what your after

free

Long sanding board

Anyone know of a good long sanding board and sand paper

www.mig-welding.co.uk

 

[optima21]

block of wood works for me

 

[keithski122]

All I have is an 18x 2 1/2 inch long block I use with coarse paper to get shape, a 6inch rubber block bought years ago probably from the market and whatever bits of wood I can find for smaller areas. I think its more about how you use them rather than what you use, and not using too fine a paper for shaping.

 

[steveo3002]

yeah a 12/18" and a 6" would cover most situations , like above you need coarse paper to carve it into shape before moving to the next steps ....too many people try and be clever using fine paper but it just rides over the bumps rather than slice them off

 

[The Z'eer]

All I have is an 18x 2 1/2 inch long block I use with coarse paper to get shape, a 6inch rubber block bought years ago probably from the market and whatever bits of wood I can find for smaller areas. I think its more about how you use them rather than what you use, and not using too fine a paper for shaping.

Agreed, the tool seemingly is a smaller part of this process comparitively to the skill of the user.

 

[The Z'eer]

I do appreciate there's a significant price difference between the Dura Block kit and this one https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163583665735?hash=item261658a647:g:7qUAAOSwjR5cgRP3 but if it does the job and suits the requirements why not?

There's this one too https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183898163810?hash=item2ad12f4a62:g:LrIAAOSwCQ5cqxOh both are reasonably priced but what would be the better out of the two?

 

[The Z'eer]

yeah a 12/18" and a 6" would cover most situations , like above you need coarse paper to carve it into shape before moving to the next steps ....too many people try and be clever using fine paper but it just rides over the bumps rather than slice them off

What grit would you suggest to begin to shape the filler and/or body filler? 180 to start with?

 

[The Z'eer]

block of wood works for me

I think something flexible could help with the contours of the panel(s)

 

[The Z'eer]

7-Piece Dura-Block Kit (AF4400, AF4401, AF4402, AF4403, AF44

www.dura-block.com

I bought this Durablock kit when i resprayed my 200sx, which had some accident damage needing filled and flattened. It worked really well The nice thing about durablock is that even the biggest stiffest block has a slight amount of give in it, so you can do long curves in panels extremely easily.
I'd never blocked a car before but I knew how badly cars looked that had amateurs at them with power sanders.
I looked long and hard at the paintwork after I'd finished and it was pretty darn flat and decent.

I've no doubt the professionals do better with other stuff but for an amateur I don't think you could do much better than durablock.

Now I'm not sure how good THAT kit is, as it's missing the fullsize block AF4403. IIRC I used the next one down (AF4400) more, but if its a proper flat panel you'll want the fullsize block.

I shan't be using any power sander to achieve a result, I do appreciate it'll probably take FAR longer but time isn't an object, satisfaction is.

I do like the Dura Block kits but they ain't half expensive in the U.K. nice products though

 

[tflnemesis]

Wouldn't 3d printed blocks work? Should be easy to design any curve you want and for longer boards you can tweak the flexibility.

 

[steveo3002]

What grit would you suggest to begin to shape the filler and/or body filler? 180 to start with?

sanding the body filler for dents 60/80/120/180....might not need all those grades , little dings you could 180 for example

primer...if its rough 120 -180-240-320-400.....depends what its like , might need to 120 and reprime if its ugly , if its a straight panel 320/400

you want to end up finished with 400 ready to paint

 

[The Z'eer]

Wouldn't 3d printed blocks work? Should be easy to design any curve you want and for longer boards you can tweak the flexibility.

That's an idea but I purchased these instead...

 

[The Z'eer]

sanding the body filler for dents 60/80/120/180....might not need all those grades , little dings you could 180 for example

primer...if its rough 120 -180-240-320-400.....depends what its like , might need to 120 and reprime if its ugly , if its a straight panel 320/400

you want to end up finished with 400 ready to paint

Thanks for the info there Steve, appreciated

 

[MetalMonkey]

I use one of the standard hard rubber blocks for levelling out, and I make my own softer blocks for sanding contours which are just offcuts of reasonably firm foam sheet - made a few different sizes which are handy for tight spaces.

 

[Mannyroad]

That's an idea but I purchased these instead...

View attachment 316488

I bought the long block with the two handles thats in the bottom of the pic. Was somewhat disappointed as it seems much too floppy in the mid section, so pressure isn't even across the length of the block. For me personally, I think the middle section needs stiffening up a bit and then it would be a good block.

 

[charlysays]

I mostly use a black spur 6" hard rubber block and a set of 3 softer foam blocks off ebay, flexi block or something,... and some random bit of flat HD foam from my guitar FX pedal board lol. For any larger areas I used a bit of planed smooth softwood, 3X2" the same length as a standard sheet of oxide paper. That was just for initial levelling of larger filler areas, I didn't use it much. That set you've bought will cover everything tbh. Watch some youtube vids on how to block. Generally you always work at opposing diagonal angles though, never scoot it along in a straight line unless what you're sanding is narrower than the block (hardly ever is) and try to avoid ever just using your fingers as a sanding block, even a bit of that white HD packing foam in a thin layer is much preferable to using no block whatsoever.

Apart from the larger wooden block, where I used 3m green oxide paper at 80 grit for initial levelling I pretty much entirely used mirka autonet 150mm pads on the blocks. They last well and pretty much never clog up. I found I could see occasional sanding marks with 600g so I mostly went to 800 dry before applying direct gloss top coat. However with it being an industrial machinery paint I was using 40% thinner which probably didn't help regards sinkage etc. You may be able to spray isocyanate top coat onto 600g scratches. I did wet sand the first few panels I did when the weather was hotter but started dry sanding when the weather got cooler for fear of trapped moisture and the fact that the panels I was then spraying were on the actual car so the sanding slurry was more of a pain. For panels you can move around I didn't mind wet sanding them outside, then using some bilt hamber surfex HD to degrease and clean down for drying and top coating.

Working through grades whilst simultaneously trying to achieve a level filled surface must be a bit of an art. I prefer to rip it down to where I want, or extremely close with 80 or 120g. Then skim over with filler again to fill the 80g scratches (maybe a glaze would be better here? dinitrol alusoft worked fine for me anyway as a scratch filler) then flat it off with 240 prior to epoxy primer to cover the feather edges to stop sinkage of the top coat.

 

[The Z'eer]

I mostly use a black spur 6" hard rubber block and a set of 3 softer foam blocks off ebay, flexi block or something,... and some random bit of flat HD foam from my guitar FX pedal board lol. For any larger areas I used a bit of planed smooth softwood, 3X2" the same length as a standard sheet of oxide paper. That was just for initial levelling of larger filler areas, I didn't use it much. That set you've bought will cover everything tbh. Watch some youtube vids on how to block. Generally you always work at opposing diagonal angles though, never scoot it along in a straight line unless what you're sanding is narrower than the block (hardly ever is) and try to avoid ever just using your fingers as a sanding block, even a bit of that white HD packing foam in a thin layer is much preferable to using no block whatsoever.

Apart from the larger wooden block, where I used 3m green oxide paper at 80 grit for initial levelling I pretty much entirely used mirka autonet 150mm pads on the blocks. They last well and pretty much never clog up. I found I could see occasional sanding marks with 600g so I mostly went to 800 dry before applying direct gloss top coat. However with it being an industrial machinery paint I was using 40% thinner which probably didn't help regards sinkage etc. You may be able to spray isocyanate top coat onto 600g scratches. I did wet sand the first few panels I did when the weather was hotter but started dry sanding when the weather got cooler for fear of trapped moisture and the fact that the panels I was then spraying were on the actual car so the sanding slurry was more of a pain. For panels you can move around I didn't mind wet sanding them outside, then using some bilt hamber surfex HD to degrease and clean down for drying and top coating.

Working through grades whilst simultaneously trying to achieve a level filled surface must be a bit of an art. I prefer to rip it down to where I want, or extremely close with 80 or 120g. Then skim over with filler again to fill the 80g scratches (maybe a glaze would be better here? dinitrol alusoft worked fine for me anyway as a scratch filler) then flat it off with 240 prior to epoxy primer to cover the feather edges to stop sinkage of the top coat.

Thanks for imparting your knowledge there appreciated. With regards to hand sanding I figured using sandpaper without a block is a definite no, I have been watching a few videos with respect to block sanding and the cross hatch method you mention seems to be widely used. Did you use epoxy mastic on to bare metal, identify the low areas, use filler then sanding through grades to prepare for top coat?