Clear coat

[nine]

How many times can you heavy cut a clear coat before you burn through it?

Sorry if you hate this question...I am just curious so I can wrap my brain around how thick it is

Can anyone make a guess....say you correct with m105 3 times a year doing a "normal" amount of passes. Followed by m105 each time.

Thanks

[idriveblackcars]

Depends on vehicle, paint, pads, pressure etc.

I'm sure if you used a Flex with a microfiber cutting pad and M105 3 times a year you would thin the clear pretty quick. Hard to say how many years it would take.

Only way to get a true answer is to buy a paint depth gauge

[Bobby B.]

Get yourself a paint thickness gauge. Every vehicle is different. Clear coat is about as thick as a "Post-it Note". Why would you need to use a heavy cut compound like #105 three times a year? Once you remove the defects in the paint the key is to properly maintain the paint surface. Maybe use a light polish once a year and seal the paint.

[nine]

Thanks for reply....i figured with so many variables it is hard to give a precise answer.

Say it was a detailer using a Griots polisher using an orange pad for m105 then white pad m105 on a medium paint

[nine]

I'm really just curious

I'm not a detailer...I just recently dropped $600 on products just to do my personal cars only....for fun....get some alone time : )

[FrankS]

Factory clear coat is thin, on average about 2 mils. As Bobby B mentioned, a "Post-it Note" is about 3 mils thin, so factory clear is thinner than that.

Most car manufacturers recommend removing no more than 0.5 mils. Mike Phillips has an article about that somewhere.

Removing more than 0.5 mils will compromise the clear coat and will be more susceptible to clear coat failure sooner.

I would only heavy cut a factory clear only one time during its life span and then lightly polish once a year as needed.

[nine]

Wow ok good info FrankS.

So you reckon one time m105 takes <.5 mil but more than 2.5 because you don't want to do it twice

Does anyone have a guess how many mils a polish like m105 takes of clear coat? .1 mil??? Less??

I apologize if I irritate anyone with me trying to pinpoint something that can't be pinpointed exactly.

[nine]

I meant more than .25
In last post I typed 2.5

[nine]

So 6 times with heavy cut would most likely burn through....

Anyone willing to give a guess on how many times something like m205 would take to burn through all clear coat

[FUNX650]

So 6 times with heavy cut would
most likely burn through....

Don't forget about the times when
it has been reported that a burn
through has occurred the very first
time a heavy cut was used.



Anyone willing to give a guess on how
many times something like m205 would
take to burn through all clearcoat
Not me...Too many variables. That,
along with the value I place on each
vehicle's paint system, are way too
important of factors for me to make
guesses about.

Let me suggest to always go with:
"the least aggressive", for each and
every phase of detailing vehicles.
Less stress that way.



Bob

[PaulMys]

Wow ok good info FrankS.

So you reckon one time m105 takes <.5 mil but more than 2.5 because you don't want to do it twice

Does anyone have a guess how many mils a polish like m105 takes of clear coat? .1 mil??? Less??

I apologize if I irritate anyone with me trying to pinpoint something that can't be pinpointed exactly.

Like the guys have stated above, way too many different types of paint systems to answer your question in an exact manner. Some clear coats are very soft, some extremely hard, and every level in between.

Also, not just the product (M105 as you mentioned) goes into the equation. Are you using the 105 with a PC and orange pad? Or a FLEX with a MF heavy-cutting pad? Big difference in power/cutting ability.

Also, don't apologize for asking questions here on AGO. That's what we are here for, and we all had to start somewhere. (Starting here is a great choice.) :xyxthumbs:

[Crispy]

Get a test piece from a junker, the same make and model as you have and experiment.

Part of the joy of learning is experimenting.

Some junkers will let you have the part for next to nothing if you take it off yourself.