AIO or 1 step vs Hard Paint

[TMQ]

What do you guys do if your AIO falls short of cutting on hard paint?

I find myself having to resort to compounding to achieve desired finish on large cars. I end up doing 3 steps at the end!

I only want to go around a car one time---

I have: Speed, McKee's 360, Blackfire One Step, Sonax paint cleaner probably couple others.
I have all the full Rupes system if all fails.

Thinking I'll knock it out one time only to find Aio's fails me on hard paint crabs me out big time!

Tom

What I do not have is microfiber pads and D151.
Thinking I probably should have at least a medium cut AIO like D151 to get me out of trouble????

[Desertnate]

I'm assuming you tried different pad combinations with the AIO and you're still not getting the desired results?

I own a black VW which is some of the hardest paint around, from what I understand. I find using a light compound on a polishing pad or a polish on a compounding pad seemed to work great for a one-step process that finished out LSP ready. My weapons of choice used to be the Blackfire SRC duo, but they are no longer available. From what I've been able to tell the polish was similar to Menz 3500 or Wolfgang Finishing Glaze, and the compound was only a bit more aggressive than Wolfgang Swirl Remover or Menz 2500.

If the AIO isn't cutting it, I think the only way forward would be a two-step, polish/wax job.

[rangerbay]

Have you tried Griots Boss fast cutting compound? Cuts like crazy, and finishes out quite nicely. Use a heavy cut pad, and finish with a polishing pad. Still one step, but first passes with heavy pad, last passes with polishing pad. I guess you'd call that a one step, 2 pad method!

Bill

[ChrisT]

You don’t do a test panel/area first?

[Eldorado2k]

Try Megs D166, preferably w/Megs Burgundy foam cutting discs. Not only will it have more cutting power than what you've tried so far, but those pads work neat [meaning they don’t splatter] and finish down lsp ready in most cases + you'll still be laying down protection in 1 step. [the longer you allow it to haze the better the protection]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180110/9a1d0d2a88c6f04efea8259187b2c5e4.jpg

[JCDetails]

Depends if we’re talking true AIO or a one step. Obviously two very different things.

My suggestion, jescar compound. Seriously. Use with an orange LC thinpro. Finishes incredibly well, almost a true one step.

Only other one step I can think of for this problem would be Rupes UHS.


If you need a true AIO, maybe try speed or D166 on a mf pad and see where that gets you.

Sent from my iPhone using AGOnline

[WaxMaster1]

a great "one step" would be Sonax 04 -06 EX. Great correction and finishes out great. Then LSP.

[WillSports3]

I would add an agreement to WaxMaster. Sonax 04-06 or 05-05 are great one step levelling fluids.

[dlc95]

One step polish procedure, I have come to love Menzerna PF2500 on Tangerine Lake Country Hydrotech pads, and Rupes Quarz on either green or yellow foam pads, or their UHS system.

With cleaner waxes, I don't go into the situation promising a lot of correction. I market that package to people who just want "improved" paint that feels slick, and has some sort of wax protection.

I keep going back to the white Lake Country flat or CCS polishing pads with Meguiar's M66, or Duragloss 501. They both do a fantastic job of cleaning up the paint, giving great gloss, and a nice, slick finish. The DG501 is the more resilient of the two. I also use these with black Buff and Shine Grip Pads, which don't cut as well as the polishing foam.

I've done some limited testing with the Crimson Hydrotech, and the red URO-Cell Matt gave me. These feel on par with the white pads in terms of functionality.

[mwoywod]

So you don't have to buy another product try using the Blackfire One-step with megs or LC microfiber cutting pads. It's one of the best 1-step products I've used. It's impressive how well it works great on both hard and soft paints and even when using microfiber pads, very little product is needed.

D166 will leave some haze on even the hardest paints when paired with microfiber but it cuts more than any other AIO on the market. You might give it a shot if you decide to buy another product. I used it with a microfiber pad on the hood of my truck and I got a little over a month of durability with it which was disappointing since it's supposed to be extremely durable. Didn't like using it at all with foam but I still need to take Eldo's advice and use it with the meg's burgundy pads.

[DaveT435]

a great "one step" would be Sonax 04 -06 EX. Great correction and finishes out great. Then LSP.

This!!

I know the 04-06 will give you the cut you want and finish great. I don't use AIO's though, so a different approach with the AIO would be worth a try before buying anything else.

[TMQ]

Thank you, thank you to all of you that posted above! I needed that.

You have given me a lot to stew over. (I just filed this thread under my personal collection of "go to" info for future ref!!!!)

I do need to get some micro-fiber pads to round out my arsenal of pads.

Simply put---It got too cold (8 degrees with high winds)(note: I did not work outside, just that I was not in mood due to extreme cold!!), car was super trashed with salt and very poor overall care, not thinking over the problem at hand, and I got lazy and overconfident, thinking I could take short cuts. All this is a recipe for failure and panic attacks! Grin.

And the car was a 2013 BMW 750LI. Paint was dark blue. The paint was hard and the frickin car was huge!

You gents are godsend! Thanks...

Tom

[SWETM]

Thank you, thank you to all of you that posted above! I needed that.

You have given me a lot to stew over. (I just filed this thread under my personal collection of "go to" info for future ref!!!!)

I do need to get some micro-fiber pads to round out my arsenal of pads.

Simply put---It got too cold (8 degrees with high winds)(note: I did not work outside, just that I was not in mood due to extreme cold!!), car was super trashed with salt and very poor overall care, not thinking over the problem at hand, and I got lazy and overconfident, thinking I could take short cuts. All this is a recipe for failure and panic attacks! Grin.

And the car was a 2013 BMW 750LI. Paint was dark blue. The paint was hard and the frickin car was huge!

You gents are godsend! Thanks...

Tom

Have you tried rupes uhs pad and polish on ceramic clearcoat before? I think that BMW had a ceramic clearcoat? Because I thought that uhs was made for just CCC. And a one step to that also. Just a thought since I have not used uhs.

As for a aio/cleaner wax Blackfire one step seems to be a good cutting one. What I have in mind is Mikes demonstration with wetsanding before and take those out with it.

As for a one step compound with finish ability to a hard clearcoat. Jescar seems to be a developed menzerna fg400 and that is impresive. Sonax perfect finish or ex04-06 with a coarse cutting pad I think would get good results also. Then you have the limitation to not be able to recommend brands that are not sold on AGO. But we have many of those cars with rock hard CC where I live and I have seen some impresive stuff been done to them. One thing that seems to be popular is with DAT compounds is to switch pads midway thrue a set. So you have the cutting with a coarse cutting pad the first 2-3 passes and then switch pads or machine with a polishing finish pad the last passes. It's depends on the finish ability that the cutting pad has if the compound has it from start with. But when they hit the paint with a short haired wool pad on a da and switch over to allrounder polishing foam pad they get impresive cutt and finish on hard clearcoats. Just remember this is often done by pros to show what the compound is capable of or by weekend warriors that helps out friends. For a business point of view maybe the results can vary to much and if you work by the hour it's definitely not worth it. But for a quick correction work on beater dd you can shave down some times.

Carpros clearcut seems to be a compound that cuts fast and well with one set and not so many passes. Maybe that can be an option and to get the haze of use a cleanerwax/aio to finish it with.

All these combos of methods and products is insane lol I think that to work out different products and method that suits different kind of paints and work is importened. Have a setup for it and with as few of combos as possible and then go with that. Then keep your eyes open for products and methods you get sold at and test them out and see if they have a place in your arsenal. But at the same time get it to work for your needs and business with as few as possible. And be honest to your customer what you can do and what you are going to work out to make it doable. Then have your price after that and when you are worked it out adjust it to what you are delivering.

[Paul A.]

I think I'll experiment a bit with Menz HCC 400 and a coarse cut pad at first and then change out to a fine cut pad to finish it off. I like that idea! I have an old BMW beater panel in black. Tack sa mycket for the idea, SWETM.

I have had a few really hard paints lately and have used Menz 400 as a 1 step cut/polish. That product continues to amaze me with the finish it leaves on harder paint.

On some jobs I've cut with Menz 400 or Megs UC and then finished with a cleaner wax/sealant. That, to me, is effectively a 2 stepper. When I do that I still wipe down with Eraser after working 400 and prior to working the cleaner wax/sealant. I don't rely on cleaner wax/sealants for much cut on those jobs that need to be cut down more aggressively.

Tommie, I will admit to being impressed with some of the cutting properties of both HD Speed and M37 360 with various pads on some paints but after a couple of tests sometimes I need to break out a compound.

I'll admit to never having tried Megs D166 or D151 and I like Eldo's post above.
I will have to test run both of those and evaluate how they cut what I work with occassionally.

[Mike@ShineStruck]

What do you guys do if your AIO falls short of cutting on hard paint?

I find myself having to resort to compounding to achieve desired finish on large cars. I end up doing 3 steps at the end!

I only want to go around a car one time---

I have: Speed, McKee's 360, Blackfire One Step, Sonax paint cleaner probably couple others.
I have all the full Rupes system if all fails.

Thinking I'll knock it out one time only to find Aio's fails me on hard paint crabs me out big time!

Tom

What I do not have is microfiber pads and D151.
Thinking I probably should have at least a medium cut AIO like D151 to get me out of trouble????

Get a compound based AIO I can PM you one as it's not sold here
But also..for an AIO my goal isn't correction...just to strip everything and start fresh(color and gloss enhancement)...w/e correction I end up with if any...I end up with...correction is reserved for a true 1 step/2 step

Can always try MF or foamed wool on hard paint