Getting my car into show car shape

[Skimmer0220]

Well the more I look at it it seems like my car needs to be cut better it's a nice paint job but it's got somewhat of a haze to it the only thing is from the painting forum they all say to use a foam pad instead of a wool pad should I just go with the foam and to more aggressive then green like my orange? Or should I splurge on a wool pad(I'm trying to keep my costs down for now) but im going to be waiting till a nice deal to get the megs products

Let me know what you guys think


Sent from space through a satellite

[Skimmer0220]

Early morning bump since I posted late


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[Mike.Phillips@Autogeek]

Originally Posted by Skimmer0220

Fender

Yep, that looks cloudy to me...

Originally Posted by Skimmer0220

I also just purchased a couple pads to replace the ones I have (there's gouges from cleaning them with a screw driver)

I call that the Caveman Technique. I've done it, most guys have but it's much better to get a REAL Spur like this,

Lake Country Wool Pad Spur







And if you're cleaning foam pads, then get a pad conditioning brush, they last a long time and work a lot better than a toothbrush...

Foam Pad Conditioning Brush

Originally Posted by Skimmer0220

and planing on going with the full Meg's system I'm think I'm not going to need the 105 since the car was already cut let me know what you guys think

Get the M105 and then on that fender in the picture above, place a tape-line down the middle of it and then clean your wool pad REALLY WELL and then buff just on one side of the tape-line with the M105 and then wipe off the residue and take a before and after picture.

Originally Posted by Skimmer0220

Well the more I look at it it seems like my car needs to be cut better it's a nice paint job but it's got somewhat of a haze to it the only thing is from the painting forum they all say to use a foam pad instead of a wool pad

That's good advice. A foam pad will always finish out nicer because the individual fibers of a wool cutting pad each put their own CUT into the paint and that's what causes the haze. The haze is simply millions of scratches. (Did anyone on the painting forum explain that part?)

Originally Posted by Skimmer0220

should I just go with the foam and to more aggressive then green like my orange? Or should I splurge on a wool pad(I'm trying to keep my costs down for now) but im going to be waiting till a nice deal to get the megs products

Let me know what you guys think

Here's what "I" think and what I already posted...

Get the M105 for your compound and use with a wool pad to remove all the sanding marks.

Get the M205 for your second step polish and use this with a foam "polishing" pad, not a cutting pad.

Then get the Menzerna SF 4500 and a soft finishing pad and re-buff till it looks like liquid glass.

Thin if 30 days have gone by seal the paint with your favorite wax, sealant or coating.

[Mike.Phillips@Autogeek]

I outline the complete sanding and buffing process here,

Damp-Sanding Tools, Tips and Techniques by Mike Phillips



You can scroll down till you get to this picture and then start reading,

Originally Posted by Mike Phillips

Continued...

After sanding, the paint was put through a series of machine polishing steps to remove the sanding marks and restore a show car shine...


Compounding - Makita 9207 Rotary Buffer, Flex 3403 Lightweight Rotary Buffer, M105, W-5000 Double Sided Wool Cutting Pad, W-7204 4" Inch Foam Cutting Pads.

You want your car to look like this when you're done...

Originally Posted by Mike Phillips

After carefully wiping off M21 by hand using clean, soft microfiber towels



A few beauty shots outside...







Note the chrome trim around the side marker lights is still missing...







Note on the front fender the chrome trim for the side marker is still missing...

You can do it!

[Skimmer0220]

that is one heck of a shine!! and what I'm after and won't stop till I get it haha

so a couple things first the guys on the painting forums suggested foam pads and to stay away from the wool pads but I just ordered a wool pad and spur, also along with it I ordered a couple of foam pads to finish out the polish with a brush (like I said before my other pads have some nice gouges in them)

also I was reading up on some of the rotary techniques like the 10 and 10 to pick up the product and worked like a charm!

I'll probly get my first chance to start this in a couple of weeks and I'll be giving updates for sure

oh one more thing I also bought some of the hand applicators for the tight spots because I bought the 6.5" pads

[Mike.Phillips@Autogeek]

Originally Posted by Skimmer0220

the guys on the painting forums suggested foam pads and to stay away from the wool pads

They are right as it relates to finishing out. For your last machine steps use foam.

For cutting out sanding marks it's perfectly acceptable as well as faster and cooler to use wool pads.

You can use foam cutting pads for removing sanding marks but you'll tend to take longer, work harder at remove 100% of the scratches and generate more heat and thus more risk for burning or twisting the paint.

There are exceptions to the rule like if you finish out using something like #3000, #4000 or #5000 like I do in the below video, then you can quickly and easily remove sanding marks using a foam pad and even a polish but I don't remember what grit you said you did your last sanding step with.

Video: Wow! 3M #5000 Grit Polishing I mean Sanding Discs!

#3000 & #5000 Grit Wetsanding Marks Removed
with a DA Polisher

#5000 Grit Wetsanding..." target="_blank">#5000 Grit Wetsanding...

You can always test any combination you want, the important thing is to dial in a system that works for you on your car's paint so you only have to do this once.

[Skimmer0220]

I don't think I said what I did last but it was finished with 2000 grit and man do I wish I had found this site before I started wet sanding and polishing

[crrdvr6]

Deleware and a VW. Good old H20.

[Skimmer0220]

Originally Posted by crrdvr6

Deleware and a VW. Good old H20.

Exactly what I'm getting her ready for


Sent from space through a satellite

[crrdvr6]

Originally Posted by Skimmer0220

Exactly what I'm getting her ready for


Sent from space through a satellite

Delaware, wow my spelling sucks.
I bring down a waterless wash and window cleaner when I go. The salt from the sea water will find its way all over the car.