Need some help with white paint.

[TOFAST4U2C]

I need some advice with white single stage paint. I will try not to drag this out but here are the facts so you can try to help. Two months back my 2005 white Toyota Camry had some badly neglected paint to the point of chalky. I did a major paint correction with a 3 part Mothers professional system and a Makita rotary with some no name house brand foam pads. No clay since it was so bad, course pad to cut with the HD machine compound and light cut pad with the machine glaze, then hand glaze, a wash then Collinite 845 by hand. Huge improvement and I was actually very happy.

Then I found this forum searching for some help with technique and more info. I am now trying to refine my technique as it was somewhat flawed (rookie mistakes). In the direct sunlight you can see swirls marks as well as some DA haze in places. Now that I know what a good detail job should really look as I see all of you do, I am trying to attain it too.

I went over the car a second time with some 3M HD machine compound using the PC DA 5 ½ Lake Country Hydrotech orange with very little pressure then followed up with 3M machine polish on LCH white pads with better results but still not happy. The 3M polish made a nice change but again in the direct sun it revealed still seeing swirls and haze. Not as bad but still there. Could the 3M be compound be designed to only work with a rotary? I only have outside in the shade to work on this project so it’s not easy. I know it must be me as I make 6 section passes but always light pressure. I move one small section at a time and once the pads are primed I use very little product. I have the PC set at 6 as pressure on 5 stops the pad from spinning for me. I am trying to be consistent with the process but until the sun hits it I can’t tell if my test spot is perfect. The hood roof and rear deck lid all look fine so it’s the vertical panels that seem to be my biggest problem.

After a month of seeing those swirls and haze I tried some Maguire’s 205 mirror glaze on a white pad after a wash on one door. I don’t want to take off all the paint so I didn’t try the 105 first. Better but still no joy. Is white really that hard of a paint? What should I be doing at this point?
Here are a couple of photos but I have not been able to capture any of the swirl’s just some nice reflections.

[wukin]

Here is the article from Mike, which is about single stage white paint.
The Lesson White Paint Teaches Us

[TOFAST4U2C]

Well being one not to accept mediocrity I went back at 2 panels with M105 on an orange pad. Made a noticeable difference in getting rid of all the DA haze. Almost took my pin stripe off it was cutting so well. Taped that stripe off and went back at it. Need to learn the M105 as it was dusting and the backing plate was getting hot at 6 on the PC. 5 just seems to stop so easy so I was at 5 ½ if that’s really possible. 5 ½ sounded like 6 to me.
Went over it again with M205 on a white pad and again an improvement. It took a few days for the sun made an appearance so I had to wait to see the results on the vertical panels. The brinkman light was showing positive things but sunlight was what I was waiting for. Today in the sun the only thing that looks bad is a lot of tiny dots. Fewer swirls but lots of pin head size random dots if that makes sense. I can’t feel them with the bag test.
Any thoughts on what to try next? M105 on a less cutting pad and follow with 205 again?

[Nicholas@Autowerx]

Originally Posted by TOFAST4U2C

5 just seems to stop so easy so I was at 5 ½ if that’s really possible. 5 ½ sounded like 6 to me.

5.5 on the PCXP is a myth. IMO you get 5 or 6. The 5.5 notch is basically where 6 kicks in. Which is weird because there is def a 2.5, 3.5, 4.5...