The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop What is reasonable time for cut and buff?

Cut = wet sanding with 1000-2000 grit sandpaper to knock down orange peel.
Buff = machine polishing with progressively finer compounds and pads.

I did my own cut and buff; it was really scary taking sandpaper to my gloss black paint, yet surprisingly easy (even though paint had cured for 6 months). If you error on the side of caution (ie always start with finer paper and less aggressive compound, and keep away from edges so you don't sand through) it's a time-consuming but rewarding task that will make a world of difference in your paint job. The benefit to having your painter do it is, of course, if he screws up the repaint is on him.