In this short video I demonstrate how to use a DA or dual action sander. You'll learn what sanders are the most aggressive to speed up feather edging, the right way to use the tool, and other helpful tips. / @lakesideautobody
A National-Detroit Model "DA"!!! Where does he get those wonderful toys?? lol When I started my autobody journey in 1976, it was because my diesel mechanic cousin gave me a 3M 5 inch red rubber block, a 3M AF11 sanding board, and an old (even in 1976) National-Detroit Model "DA". I was using heavyweight filler, so I learned to shape my filler with the pad locked. I can still rough in mud at extreme speed, but I'm using an old National-Detroit Model EZQ. Thanks for the trip down memory lane, my friend!
You're welcome - that's funny, you know about locking the pad. My sh#t was so old and dusty, I never even knew the thing could lock till one day I decided to give it a nice cleaning. I'm like, "Wow! this thing locks?"
@@LakesideAutobody calling any orbital sander a "DA" is kinda like calling a flux core welder a "mig" welder, or any soft drink a "Coke" National-Detroit invented the "dual-action" sander, referring to the ability to switch between the "actions" of orbital sanding and rotary sanding. I have known a lot of guys who thought the lock was there so you could remove the pad. With the pad locked and 15+ CFM, it is way faster at filler rough-in than mudhogs or air files. Been using it that way since '76
@@karsbkool National Detroit made some absolutely indestructible tools - well designed too. The way their DA jumps around a bit is designed into the tool to eliminate the dust build up on the pad - I forgot how they explain it.... I always thought my DA was way faster and aggressive than lets say another guys Hutchins which was very smooth but not as aggressive :)
@@LakesideAutobody I forgot what they called the pulsing that you're talking about, but I much prefer the smoothness of the EZQ. It's still aggressive, but super stable. I demonstrated to a guy once with my EZQ and his Blue Point DAQ clone I taped the triggers down and turned the speed controls all the way down. With no paper on the pad I plugged in his DAQ, and set it on a tonneau cover of a pickup. I had my right hand on the da, and my left hand about a foot away from the tool on the air hose. I opened the speed lever wide open and took my hand off the tool. The da went apesh#t and flopped over on its side before I could catch it. Same procedure with the EZQ, but when I took my right hand off the tool, I could lead it around with the hose like walking a Cocker Spaniel.
@@LakesideAutobody Hutchins air tools are quality, but I have always considered them to be less versatile painter's tools. No pad lock on the DAs, and the Hustler air file has a too tall body that makes it harder to control than other air files
very good video Jerry-!! I recently saw a video on "directional sanding'- the primer(4) coats was sanded using a 9" block with 240 grit- he used the block,s "narrow dimension" not the" total flat side" as has been done for many years like using the tip of the chain saw instead of using the entire cutting chain- going into a headwind sideways rather then face-first- he "flatted the panel using a guide coat but only sanded in "ONE DIRECTION" EAST TO WEST ACROSS THE DOOR PANEL" TO FLATTEN IT; this was followed up with 320 manual block sanding- and finished with 500-600 on a finish d.a. sander-does the finish sanding with the d.a. REMOVE DEEPER SCRATCHES from "Manual Sanding" or deeper sanding scratches"" sorry yo be a pain but this method would save time and labor overall?? thank you, my friend, Patrick.P
Thanks Patrick - glad you liked the video. I guess the truth is - what ever works best and fastest for you is right. I think too that every job is a bit different so that throws some variables in there too. Also the size compressor you have, what tools you can use with that size compressor, on and on. Always feel free to ask any ?s you have or throw out any opinions for that matter - no big deal. Thanks for always watching Patrick :)
I should probably get one of these, I'd wager the 15$ harbor freight palm sander I've used before can't compare 😂😂 An air file looks handy too, I think I'm gonna need both to get this fiberglass project straight so folks don't get seasick from looking at waves 😄
A National Detroit will last your lifetime and the next guy who gets its lifetime. The inexpensive ones last long too though. Astro Pneumatic makes some cheap air tools but they hold up real well. Same DA I'm using but AP - www.astrotools.com/product/6-daq-random-orbital-sander-with-pad-regular-duty-9-000rpm/
@@LakesideAutobody Awesome man ,thanks for the link! I don't mind buying good stuff because it should last me for my lifetime. And the amount of work this project needs I probably would go thru a few cheap tools.
Hey thank you...ive been checking out your videos and learning... Long term plan....i want to repaint my 87 ford diesel van camper...with those 80s stripes... It doesn't have to be a perfect job...just dont want the stripes to show... Plan on doing this mostly on my own in small parts/panels of van Any ideas? Thank you...
Yes. For an inexpensive yet nice looking paint job, paintforcars.com has some single stage urethane kits that will do the job. After your main color dries (day or two) you will mask off a stripe or stipes paint a color, mask off or cover that stripe after it's dry, paint the next, etc. Feel free to ask questions if you need :)
@@LakesideAutobody hey thanks a bunch...there are lotsa deeply sun baked stripes....they seem more painted on... I was thinking of sanding them (especially the edges to blend in) then paint? So where are you located? I'm in Denver, dry climate which is nice.
Oh that's beautiful country...grew up in East Palestine Ohio...no one knew where it was until train crash....i worked up in Manistee area for a few weeks back in 1986. Orchard Beach State Park maybe? Did you ever see docs on RU-vid about formation of Great lakes? I think history channel maybe. Amazing....
@@Moment-14 It is nice. A bit cooler than Detroit. I'll have to check out the videos on the great lakes. Ohio is cool too with the river and all - that state is the meaning of mid-west 💪
It's not completely necessary to have two guns. You can have one gun and use it for priming and painting - it's just more convenient to have a designated primer gun. Sometimes your paint gun just doesn't spray primer surfacer that well so then you get a gun with a larger fluid tip like 1.8 or larger. I've found that the 9 dollar Harbor Freight purple gun sprays primer surfacer pretty well. So there could be a primer gun for you. Let me know how it goes for you.
I most certainly will and man your videos is helping me like 90% I think you and appreciate you for that and I’m doing like a small documentary so I have pictures and videos like crazy once I’m done maybe I can get your information to send you some thanks again
@@antimpala1 That would be cool to see - my email is on my home page under the about tab. Look forward to seeing the project. You're welcome BTW and glad they help you.
Same technique by hand. Sorry about the late reply. Basically as long as you are down to a nice fine grit for painting you are good. Like 240-320 on the DA or 320-400 Hand. The reason the DA can get away with the rougher grit is because of the dual action - leaves a smoother finish.
You stated after DA sanding that you prime over 80 grit. Before paint, do you sand the primer any smother? If so, to what grit do you finial sand primer before painting? I appreciate your tutorials. -Carl- Harlan, KY
If the repaired area is large, I'll hit it with 80 grit to knock it down fast and cut through as opposed to finer sand paper that rides over and doesn't really get it straight. That being said, I prime again and either block sand again with 120 or 150 or just finish sand with 220 on a DA. There's a lot of different ways to go about it depending on what kind of job you want but the rule of thumb is to get it down to at least 220 before paint. Super nice paint job you'll be wet sanding it with 400 on up to 600 before paint. Let me know what you goal is and I'll give you the run down on the sand paper grits to use to achieve that - no problem. Jerry
Ok. For the regular layman, You do the repair, sand to 80 grit, then prime. Then finish sand over the repair and the remaining area to the desired grit, prime again, then apply paint? I’m preparing to restore a 90’s model Ranger with my son. We are about 3 months out. Minor body damage. We want to spray the entire truck, and looking for a nice finish. We aren’t looks for auto show quality. We plan to do basecoat/clear coat, to the factory color. Any help or clarification would be appreciated. -Carl- Thank you for the reply...
@Do One With respect. It's fine to wet sand lacquer primer or any primer for that matter. It was done for 50 years in the 20th century before 2K and there were some pretty nice paint jobs being put out in the 50's-2000. Probably if you left it outside for 6 months w/o a way to really dry out, it might start to rust a bit underneath the primer. Then I would sand that old primer off and re-prime. Primer can be wet sanded.
If you are talking about feather edging, that is a great question. I gues the rule of thumb would be the more gradual - the better. You can get away with anything really if you are using a good primer surfacer to fill and block with but it's a good practice to feather it out nice and gradual. I'd say 1/4 to 1/2 exposure is good though like you said. Jerry
