Sanding the plastics

[rdx4me]

Getting ready to repaint the front fender and all the front plastics on my sons Busa and I have some questions.

I've read quite a few threads about other members work but these pieces are not originals and the paint is pretty rough!

They were on the bike when I bought it off a buddy of mine (long story) and he used rattle-can and just sprayed them a horrible shade of blue.

I guess something that he thought was close enough for a trip to the Salt Flats...

The plastics themselves appear to be in very good condition, no tears or deep scratches. Just very bad (horrible) spray paint job on his part.

My question is should I use a DA sander to get all this as smooth as possible or stick to hand sanding?

I've read some input that the original base is a great primer & I shouldn't take it all the way down. Just get it smooth and get rid of that awful blue spray can stuff he put on there?

I think I can see maroon or reddish looking paint in some places from the original color.

But I'm going to redo these parts in gloss black. Just to keep it simple and keep the expense down. Between myself and some guys from work I think we can manage.

This isn't going to be show bike by any means but bringing a bike back to life is always worth it!

 

[Aquaman]

I been painting for years. Watersand it with 320 Dont us a DA

 

[Abi]

I use a 5" DA on them all the time. If your plastics were in great shape it wouldn't be bad to just hand sand. A DA speeds up rash removal. Just remember not to be to aggressive or you'll get flat spots.

 

[sweet tea man]

I prefer to sand by hand along the hard lines of the plastics and use a da on the bigger parts. Put one of those contour pads(they make the sand paper form to the contour.....not really sure what they are called) on your DA with some 320 and be done. I use 3m's Hookit II sand paper.

Prime, sand with 400, seal, base and clear.

 

[74madvette]

hand sand it with 320, hit it with your primer, then hit it with 400. take your time, your painting it black.. dont know what paint your using, but you wont need a sealer with the black....
here is a tank I did not to long ago..

 

[sweet tea man]

solid colors will cover 400 grit scratches no problem. metallics are a different story.
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[74madvette]

the two tone tank is metalics... not a problem, lower quality paints will just take more for coverage... these tanks shown here are the same paint used on the two tone, so you can see there is alot of metalic in them.. 400 is fine, it dont hurt to go 600 if you like... these 2 tanks were just cleared..

 

[Aquaman]

I love paint fumes...

 

[redkat05]

i've been thinkin of goin with a dark smokey grey with some red kandy over it.
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[Busa_70461]

i've been thinkin of goin with a dark smokey grey with some red kandy over it.
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I was just on the phone with a friend of mine who has a body and paint shop about the same colors.

 

[sweet tea man]

i understand that it will cover. but for a guy who is asking how to prep something, he's probably going to be laying into it pretty good. for someone who has no experience, i would suggest 600 for a final sand and not 400.

i have trained a number of people who all start out by sanding way too hard on the panel and makes it harder on me as the painter. sorry, but its just habit for telling people that.

 

[Revolution]

I love paint fumes...