Hi everybody. I am finally getting around to tinting my tail, reverse, and brake lights on my 2005 TS edition. I am ampered up! I am using VHT nightshade.

So, I put on the VHT, then wet sanded with 2000, got it smooth as a baby's a$$, then put a really light coat of clear on, then wet sanded that and applied a medium coat of clear. It's looking pretty good so far. However it is a tad rough. Reeeally vague orange peel.
My question is should I apply a heavy coat of clear on it, and then take a rubbing compound like 3m to it, etc... or should I lightly sand it again and then put a heavy coat of clear on it, followed by compound, wax, sealant etc...

Would a compound like 3m be abrasive enough to smooth it down where I want to be? Sorry, I know it's hard without pictures, but I will see if I can post some up

 

Not real sure what kind of clear you are using but the norm for automotive clear sprayed out of a spray gun is to just put on 2-3 coats medium-wet to wet coats without sanding in between coats. After the clear is dried you could sand with 1500-3000 stepping it out if necessary until the dirt nibs and peel is out of it. Followed up by buffing with some 3M Rubbing Compound and finishing with Swirl Mark Remover.

P.s. i was always taught never to wax fresh clear until at least 6 months, and even up to a year later because the wax doesnt allow the clear to breathe.

 

Thank you very much for you're advice! I am nervous about wet sanding as I don't want to go down to deep. I've gotten this far, I just don't want to mess it up. maybe just a couple passes with the sanding block really light?
I have been reading as much up on it as I can. Thanks again.

 

The trick to wetsanding clear is to stop every so often and squeegee off the panel and check your progress. Once you see the panel is free of orange peel and dirt nibs then you are ready so step up to a finer grit sandpaper. I would start with 1200 grit paper then step to 1500 then 2000 then buff from there.

 

Sounds like good solid advice. I'll just start out real light and keep checking. I wet sanded the reverse lights, and brake lights and I definitely got it smoother. Then followed it with some 3m compound, and then some Optimum polish. The rear lights are sort of big though so I'm sort of stalling.
The thing I just realized though is that when I was wet sanding, while I would look at my progress, I thought the dull spots were because I was going to deep on that part. But that's not the case at all, the shiny spots are lower down than the dull spots, and I need to sand further down to make the whole thing dull.