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Is there such thing as perfect?
Posted by Jerry Slater
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Is there such thing as perfect? July 09, 2005 02:56AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 137 |
<HTML>Up until recently I've been very pleased with the results I'm getting from my wheeling techniques. But now I'm looking for perfection and just can't seem to get there. Maybe if I describe my wheeling techniques someone can tell me why I am still getting light spider web scratches in the finish when I'm done. Granted, the car must be in full sunlight to see the scratches. My neighbor just had his car painted, brought it over and showed me the paint. I must say, the paint was flawless! No spiderwebs! Full sun!
1. Wash entire vehicle
2. Using a wool pad with Maguirs fine cut compound (or medium if fine isn't
cutting it) I wheel the section or entire car at 1750 rpms.
3. I use two terry cloth towels to rub off all the dry residue.
4. I switch to my polishing pad and apply the Maguirs Swirl Remover at
half the speed I used with the wool cutting pad.
5. Using two terry cloth towels, I again remove all the residue.
6. Depending on the car and the color I may or may not apply Maguirs
Machine Glaze.
7. Again, remove all residue
8. Apply wax with orbital.
9. Remove all residue with terry cloth towels
I'm wondering where the weak link is?
--In the polish?
--In the terry cloth? (I wash my towels in laundry detergent, dry them in dryer without adding fabric softner. Then immediately into a plastic air tight container for storage) Them come out soft. Maybe not soft enough?
--In the polishing pad? (I've used brand new ones right from the plastic bag they are sealed and still can see spiderwebs in the paint)
Please help. I need to improve.</HTML>
jer
Charlotte Auto Detailing
Charlotte, MI
517-749-5484
1. Wash entire vehicle
2. Using a wool pad with Maguirs fine cut compound (or medium if fine isn't
cutting it) I wheel the section or entire car at 1750 rpms.
3. I use two terry cloth towels to rub off all the dry residue.
4. I switch to my polishing pad and apply the Maguirs Swirl Remover at
half the speed I used with the wool cutting pad.
5. Using two terry cloth towels, I again remove all the residue.
6. Depending on the car and the color I may or may not apply Maguirs
Machine Glaze.
7. Again, remove all residue
8. Apply wax with orbital.
9. Remove all residue with terry cloth towels
I'm wondering where the weak link is?
--In the polish?
--In the terry cloth? (I wash my towels in laundry detergent, dry them in dryer without adding fabric softner. Then immediately into a plastic air tight container for storage) Them come out soft. Maybe not soft enough?
--In the polishing pad? (I've used brand new ones right from the plastic bag they are sealed and still can see spiderwebs in the paint)
Please help. I need to improve.</HTML>
jer
Charlotte Auto Detailing
Charlotte, MI
517-749-5484
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Re: Is there such thing as perfect? July 09, 2005 03:41AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 466 |
<HTML>Well why on earth are you using a wool pad?
If it's a new car then about as drastic as you should get is a polishing pad with a MILD polish. You are working on a very thin plastic film and the wool pads and the heavy cleaners are most likely doing more damage then they are correcting. Also slow down the rpm's. 1200 to 1500 should be just fine.
Terry towels could also be introducing marring.
Here is an extreme example of when you would need to use a cutting pad.
<img src="[img155.echo.cx]; alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" />
If I remember correctly I did not need to use a wool pad on these swirls but rather an orange power pad and Opt Compound followed by 2 diff foam finishing pads.
<img src="[img155.echo.cx]; alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" />
So lose the wool pads and try first using the LEAST abrasive pad/product combo first!
Anthony</HTML>
Details, Details, Details....It's all in the details!
www.UltimateReflections.NET
If it's a new car then about as drastic as you should get is a polishing pad with a MILD polish. You are working on a very thin plastic film and the wool pads and the heavy cleaners are most likely doing more damage then they are correcting. Also slow down the rpm's. 1200 to 1500 should be just fine.
Terry towels could also be introducing marring.
Here is an extreme example of when you would need to use a cutting pad.
<img src="[img155.echo.cx]; alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" />
![img155.echo.cx](http://img155.echo.cx/img155/4504/angleswrls2fb.jpg"){kind=link}
If I remember correctly I did not need to use a wool pad on these swirls but rather an orange power pad and Opt Compound followed by 2 diff foam finishing pads.
<img src="[img155.echo.cx]; alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" />
![img155.echo.cx](http://img155.echo.cx/img155/8359/aftr8xt.jpg"){kind=link}
So lose the wool pads and try first using the LEAST abrasive pad/product combo first!
Anthony</HTML>
Details, Details, Details....It's all in the details!
www.UltimateReflections.NET
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Re: Is there such thing as perfect? July 09, 2005 03:52AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 137 |
<HTML>Hi Anthony, I apprecaite the reply.
Of course I don't use a wool pad all the time, only on extreme cases. I always start with the least abrasive pads/compounds and work to the heavier stuff if needed. I can get most paint right to the edge of perfection, but some, (black) when in the sun still show tiny, tiny scratches. This is what I'm looking to eliminate. Will microfiber towels eliminate this? Thanks</HTML>
jer
Charlotte Auto Detailing
Charlotte, MI
517-749-5484
Of course I don't use a wool pad all the time, only on extreme cases. I always start with the least abrasive pads/compounds and work to the heavier stuff if needed. I can get most paint right to the edge of perfection, but some, (black) when in the sun still show tiny, tiny scratches. This is what I'm looking to eliminate. Will microfiber towels eliminate this? Thanks</HTML>
jer
Charlotte Auto Detailing
Charlotte, MI
517-749-5484
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Re: Is there such thing as perfect? July 09, 2005 02:17PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 141 |
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Re: Is there such thing as perfect? July 09, 2005 03:07PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 894 |
<HTML>Jerry,
To fix your problem when using a wool pad, you need a more abrasive product to use in between the wool pad stage and the swirl removal stage.
Isnt fine cut compound and swirl remover almost the same abrasive level in the meguars line??? Sounds like your causing pad swirls and the swirl remover isnt abrasive enough to get rid of the pad swirls. Try your fine cut cleaner again with a foam pad.
Next time, instead of using a wool pad, try a more abrasive compound with a foam cutting pad, then follow with less abrasive compounds with less abrasive foam pads. I usually never need a wool pad unless its a single stage BC or a neglected gelcoat surface. If you insist on needing a wool pad for clear coats, try the yellow poly/wool blend pads, they are not as harsh as the old school wool.
Ive been happy with the menzerna products, so happy I even used them on my car after wetsanding, even though I have other products to get rid of. Ive been having a blast painting my crappy car! Hope this helps in some way.
Dan Draper
DRAPERSAUTOIMAGERY.com</HTML>
To fix your problem when using a wool pad, you need a more abrasive product to use in between the wool pad stage and the swirl removal stage.
Isnt fine cut compound and swirl remover almost the same abrasive level in the meguars line??? Sounds like your causing pad swirls and the swirl remover isnt abrasive enough to get rid of the pad swirls. Try your fine cut cleaner again with a foam pad.
Next time, instead of using a wool pad, try a more abrasive compound with a foam cutting pad, then follow with less abrasive compounds with less abrasive foam pads. I usually never need a wool pad unless its a single stage BC or a neglected gelcoat surface. If you insist on needing a wool pad for clear coats, try the yellow poly/wool blend pads, they are not as harsh as the old school wool.
Ive been happy with the menzerna products, so happy I even used them on my car after wetsanding, even though I have other products to get rid of. Ive been having a blast painting my crappy car! Hope this helps in some way.
Dan Draper
DRAPERSAUTOIMAGERY.com</HTML>
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Re: Is there such thing as perfect? July 11, 2005 02:09AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 137 |
<HTML>Thanks everyone for the replies. I think I will try the micro glaze that Keith mentioned because these are very fine scratches, not swirls that the foam pad left behind after using the swirl remover and the machine glaze. I'll try getting some pics to show everyone what I'm trying to describe here. I only see these in black or very dark colors in FULL sunlight.</HTML>
jer
Charlotte Auto Detailing
Charlotte, MI
517-749-5484
jer
Charlotte Auto Detailing
Charlotte, MI
517-749-5484
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KEITH BOYER July 12, 2005 02:29AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 137 |
<HTML>My hat is off to you Keith. I never knew there was a microglaze. That was exactly the thing I was looking for. I stopped at my local Car Quest store today and they happened to have a bottle at their warehouse. They shipped it in within a few hours. The brand name on this is 3M. I was very anxious to try it on black. The formula is very thin. I put too much on the pad at first and had some sling at first. After I caught the hang of it, it went very smoothly. I couldn't beleive it. Almost like new.
Keith, your a lifesaver! Thanks man!</HTML>
jer
Charlotte Auto Detailing
Charlotte, MI
517-749-5484
Keith, your a lifesaver! Thanks man!</HTML>
jer
Charlotte Auto Detailing
Charlotte, MI
517-749-5484
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Re: KEITH BOYER July 12, 2005 03:26AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 466 |
<HTML>Jerry,
Glad to hear you got an answer to your problem.
Now what you need to do is take some alcohol on the area you just used the glaze on and wipe it down. Most likely you have just hidden or filled the marring and not removed it. If that's your purpose then great, if not just make sure you are aware that after 1 or 2 washes all that marring will show up again.
In the pictures I posted up in this thread I was able to remove, not cover, those swirls with the right choice of pads and product. The finer the pad and product the fewer the swirls.
Good luck,
Anthony</HTML>
Details, Details, Details....It's all in the details!
www.UltimateReflections.NET
Glad to hear you got an answer to your problem.
Now what you need to do is take some alcohol on the area you just used the glaze on and wipe it down. Most likely you have just hidden or filled the marring and not removed it. If that's your purpose then great, if not just make sure you are aware that after 1 or 2 washes all that marring will show up again.
In the pictures I posted up in this thread I was able to remove, not cover, those swirls with the right choice of pads and product. The finer the pad and product the fewer the swirls.
Good luck,
Anthony</HTML>
Details, Details, Details....It's all in the details!
www.UltimateReflections.NET
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Re: KEITH BOYER July 12, 2005 03:48AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 137 |
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Re: KEITH BOYER July 12, 2005 04:38PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 24 |
<HTML>The next step is to keep it that way. Do things like ditching the terries altogether and using only high quality microfibers including waffle weave ones while drying,multiple mitts while washing, etc., etc.</HTML>
Nothing is good enough.There is always a way to make it better; a way which we must all strive to learn. ---Sir Henry Royce
Nothing is good enough.There is always a way to make it better; a way which we must all strive to learn. ---Sir Henry Royce
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Re: KEITH BOYER July 12, 2005 05:45PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 1,838 |
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