How to create a high gloss finish

[Mike Phillips]

If you're still applying waxes and sealants by hand... get a Griot's 3" Mini Polisher and call it your Wax Machine.

I can't even remember the last time I applied a wax or sealant by hand, the only time I work by hand now is applying coatings and if I could machine apply a coating I would.


There was a whole lot of polishing work performed after using the Nanoskin pads on this paint. Frank aka FrankS actually gave me a hand with the compounding and polishing yesterday and after that we machine waxed the roof and called it a day.

I came in this morning and machine waxed the entire car, including waxing the roof a second time.

I used Pinnacle Black Label Synergy for my LSP and applied it using a Rupes 4" White Foam Finishing pad on the Griot's 3" Mini Polisher on speed setting 3-4.











Time to wipe off the wax....

[TurboToys]

mike, do you ever get a hazy residue of wax when taking it off? i use BF midnight sun when i get itchy to put a wax instead of a sealant, and i use two towels, one to take the wax off, and another to pick up the remaining oils. but it seems like it never really gets all of it and it takes a whole lot of wiping to get it removed.

i've used something like megs final inspection to help remove the residues, but im afraid using it shortly after a wipe on wipe off wax that it will just remove most of the wax i put on, how do you combat this?

[FrankS]

If you're still applying waxes and sealants by hand... get a Griot's 3" Mini Polisher and call it your Wax Machine.

I can't even remember the last time I applied a wax or sealant by hand, the only time I work by hand now is applying coatings and if I could machine apply a coating I would.

...

I used Pinnacle Black Label Synergy for my LSP and applied it using a Rupes 4" White Foam Finishing pad on the Griot's 3" Mini Polisher on speed setting 3-4.

The Griot's 3" Mini Polisher with the Rupes 4" White Foam pad is a great combination for applying wax. The pad is small enough to get into some of the tight spaces and not too small where it would take you longer to apply the wax, such as with a 3" pad. I also like the way the pad is beveled to give you an extra safety cushion so that the backing plate doesn't strike the paint. Definitely faster and easier than waxing by hand .

They just need to make the jars of wax a little bigger so that you can stick the pad inside the jar to coat the pad with wax.

[Kamakaz1961]

Excellent Thread! Thank you for your insight!

[Justin at Final Inspection]

Mike- Great write up! That Griots 3in is great. I use mine all the time, especially with Synergy. I scored my GG 3in at Cars and Coffee tent sale. I use it with the 4in CCS pads.

I highly suggest people pick one up.

[Mike Phillips]

Here's one after shot...







I moved the car into full sun after chemically stripping the paint and captured high resolution before shots of the swirls.

As soon as I get time I'll go through all the pictures and then post a complete thread showing before and after, including the "Sun Shots" showing the final results in full sun.

[Mike Phillips]

mike, do you ever get a hazy residue of wax when taking it off?

Sometimes but it's because I miss a spot....

I talk about this in my how-to book, what I recommend is after wiping the wax or sealant or even a coating off the paint to do two things,

1. Move the car into different lighting or move the car into a different angle in the same lighting.

2. Get a set of fresh eyes to help inspect the paint. Often times after I've spent an entire day looking at the car I'm buffing out it all becomes a big blur... a fresh set of eyes, like a wife, girlfriend, neighbor or your kids can be really helpful at helping you to find any spots you missed so you can wipe the wax off. Kids because they tend to be shorter look at the car from a lower angle and also have great eyesight.


I also tend to let most of my waxes and sealants completely dry before removing even if they're a wipe-on, wipe-off wax.

i use BF midnight sun when i get itchy to put a wax instead of a sealant, and i use two towels, one to take the wax off, and another to pick up the remaining oils. but it seems like it never really gets all of it and it takes a whole lot of wiping to get it removed.

After making your first pass around the car do something else, like clean-up, get a drink, put dressing on the tires, etc. This will give any recently disturbed wax a little flash time to dry. Then re-wipe the entire car using fresh towels and good lighting.

I've used something like megs final inspection to help remove the residues, but Im afraid using it shortly after a wipe on wipe off wax that it will just remove most of the wax i put on, how do you combat this?

I NEVER introduce a liquid to a fresh coat of wax. That's working backwards.

Slow down... get down... as in sit down on your butt so you can look across from the panel you're wiping and look up to the higher portions of the car. I did this when I wiped the wax off the sides and back of this Chrysler this morning.

Doing this kind of work isn't alway glorious....

[Mike Phillips]

mike, do you ever get a hazy residue of wax when taking it off?

i use BF midnight sun when i get itchy to put a wax instead of a sealant, and i use two towels, one to take the wax off, and another to pick up the remaining oils. but it seems like it never really gets all of it and it takes a whole lot of wiping to get it removed.

how do you combat this?

Sometimes you just need to let some time by so any invisible (to the human eye), trace oils/residues can evaporate or fully dry making them easier to wipe off.


Then there's this,


The Final Wipe – Tips for creating a streak-free, show car finish