There is no 2000 grit paper around here

I am ready to begin polishing my rattle can paint job. Got to smooth out the clear coat.

I checked 5 stores around my neighborhood, and they don't even carry 2000 grit wet/dry.

They do have 1500 grit though.

Should I wait 'til I can find some finer grit paper?, or should I go ahead and just use the 1500?

If I do use 1500, will it still allow me to get the finish I am after?
Will it just mean that I will have to use more buffing compound and more elbow grease?
I have stated that short-cuts are for chumps, should I absolutely wait until I find the finer grit paper?

Can I get away with using the 1500?

del

I usually finish off with 2000, but if I couldn't find any I wouldn't hesitate to stop at 1500. It'll just take a bit more effort in the polishing stage.

Where are you located anyway? In Canada you can usually pick up 2000 at Canadian Tire, NAPA, etc. Not sure if they are located in your area. If not, are there any stores around that supply the auto painters in your area?

I checked the 2 NAPA and 2 Schucks Auto Parts Stores, and 1 Fred Meyer Store here in Bothell WA (a suberb 25 miles north of Downtown Seattle). It is just rural enough here, that there is not the selection that you would get in the more metropolitan areas of Seattle.

Oh well, life has been worse.:lol:

I buy mine in the automotive department at Wal-Mart.

There is a Wal-Mart up the hill here. Thank you Lance. You know how impetuous I can be with these projects. I shall wait 'til I get my hands on some of that 2000.

That was an excellent article on rattle can paint. Unfortunately for me it advocates and necessitates the use of Laquer base paint, and I gone and done used Enamel.

The article taught me the phrase interlaminar discontinuity for which I am very happy to know. Apparently, if anything is to go wrong with the job for lack of skill, Enamel is the harder of the two to use. Had I known that I might have chosen Laquer instead of Enamel. Oh well.

I am painting my Aluminum wheels Gloss black right now. Man that end nut was a pain in the ass to get off of the front axle. I even swore at it!!:lol:

Try an automotive paint store like sherwin williams, PPG, dupont, ect

Damn, Wal-Mart was the key. Never been in one before.

Now I know where to go if I ever want to see a 300 lb. woman beat her kids again.

Sandpaper, awesome. There it was and they had plenty.

Plus I felt right at home with everyone else being in shop working, dirty clothes as well. The two cop cars in the front lot spoke to me as well.

Damn, Wal-Mart was the key. Never been in one before

NEVER?! Really?

Qdude,

You are too funny! You should be on the Leno Show! My first visit to Wal Mart was like......"I have never seen so many people wearing NASCAR jackets before"

Waiting to find 2000 was a good choice. For people away from big city stores, any automotive body supply store will have it.

Qdude wrote:

Now I know where to go if I ever want to see a 300 lb. woman beat her kids again.

Hilarious, thanks for the laugh Qdude :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Stopped at the paint supply store yesteday and now I see Meguiar's offers 2500 and 3000 grit paper. Has anybody tried these yet? :woohoo: