I think you are definitely on track to working up a great shine. The water layer gives a good indication of how the final result 'should' turn out. That wet black pic is the money shot !

From what I read in the furniture restoration forums, when working with the polyurathane the trick really centers around the 2000 grit wet sanding and then the polishing stage.

Your polishing stage should get you up to the level where there is a reflection. At that point you in theory have gotten the polyurathane finish to its smoothest appearance. When you add the wax, you will reacquire the mirror finish / gloss and depth to the paint job.

It's too bad we can't avoid the polishing stage and go straight to some clear coat of polyurathane. The way polyurathane works, it would be able to blend in and adhere itself to the highly wet sanded paint job. The problem is that the polyurathane clear coat would still end up with the same skin consistency of the last layer of paint prior to it being wet sanded. So that is the reason why you go to the polishing stage to urge a shine out of your last layer of paint. Then the waxing basically provides the seal to all your work and enhances the gloss of the final layer.

I got my fingers crossed for you...

One product that keeps being mentioned in other forums about polishing polyurathane is a 3M product called Finesse-It buffing compound


Generally most of the folks who have discussed this product have had excellent results similar to this snippet of a conversation I'll quote here...

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....the polyurathane paint was wet sanded with 1200 paper to remove all traces of orange peel, pollen, suicidal bugs and other nasties. This was followed by buffing with an electric buffer and 3M Finesse-It buffing compound. The compound quickly restores the gloss of the paint, and as long as enough paint was applied to prevent cutting through to the primer, the finish can be worked until it is mirror smooth.

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And here is the car that he was talking about :







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And just to round off the topic on polishing and buffing up a polyurathane finish, I will include this chap's advice which also tended to reflect a common agreement on getting this type of a finish up to a mirror quality

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I started the wet sand process. I found a local auto body shop supplier with a good selection of 3M wet/dry papers. Using a stiff foam block purchased from the same store as the papers, I began with 1000-grit, liberally spraying the surface with water containing a little bit of dish soap (I used Dawn and it worked fine).

This first grit is the most critical as it flattens the orange peel and gets out the major imperfections. You have to let it dry completely before you can really see what you've got. You're looking for a uniform dull finish. Any areas that show up still shiny mean you haven't knocked them down enough and the finer grits will never touch them. Once you're sure you've got a good 1000-grit base to work from, proceed through 1200, 1500, 2000, and 2500 grits.

Keep the paper wet at all times - you're looking for a kind of milky "slurry" indicating material is both being removed and being carried out from under the paper. If your paper gums up with little globs of material, toss it and get another sheet. I found rubbing with the grain was fine, no need to make circles or figure eights. After finishing the 2000 grit pass, rinse off and let dry. The final step is to buff out the 2000-grit scratches with polishing compound. I used 3M "Perfect-It" and my Porter-Cable worm drive random orbit sander.

Both the rubbing compound and the foam pad that velcro’s to my sander came from the auto body supply store. Dribble some compound onto the surface and start up the sander. It's messy, so count on compound slinging around the area. Polish until the compound dries up, then wipe off any excess. You should see a near-mirror finish. Mine came out better than anything I've ever finished before in fifteen years of what I'll call serious hobbyist woodworking. It was much better than any sprayed or brushed finish. The only thing that might be better is a good French polish, but I personally don't have the time or patience for that. Good luck and one last piece of advice: practice on a test piece to get a feel for the papers - 1000-grit doesn't sound very aggressive, but it will eat your lunch if you don't know when to stop.

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Now... the last bit of info I will toss into this topic is a further blurb about this 3M Finesse-It II Machine Polish

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Smoothes tough swirls, scratches, and imperfections to restore old, neglected paint.

Orbital buffers are the best way to restore dull, damaged paint finishes, but they’re only as good as the product you apply to them. 3M Finesse-It II Machine Polish is an easy, effective, affordable solution to your minor paint imperfections.

3M Finesse-It II Machine Polish is formulated to give the best results when used with a buffer. It’s abrasive enough to smooth the edges of swirls and scratches but gentle enough buff your vehicle to a deep, flawless shine. It’s also effective on light oxidation and water spots. 3M Finesse-It II Machine Polish will restore the smooth, perfect finish your vehicle had when it was new.

For the best results, pour a small amount onto your polishing pad. On a speed you are comfortable with, apply the polish with light to medium pressure. Allow it to dry to a haze and then buff away with a clean buffing pad or microfiber towel if buffing by hand.

Though 3M Finesse-It II Machine Polish will leave a deep shine, it offers no protection. Apply a quality wax or paint sealant to preserve your restored finish. We recommend Pinnacle Souveran Wax or Pinnacle Signature Series II Wax for a warm carnauba finish. If you prefer a paint sealant, try Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant for a dramatic gloss.

Your vehicle will look as perfect as the day you bought it after using 3M Finesse-It II Machine Polish followed by a great wax.

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Hope this info helps

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