Sonax Perfect Finish + Griots 15mm DA

[noorth]

Hi folks, just arrived home today and going to be trying SPF with my new griots 15mm DA. I only used a DA once so far in my life.

So has of now i will be starting with the yellow griots polishing pad on my bumper. If i'm not happy i will be using the orange pad.

1. How many section passes are people using with sonax?

i read on one site its a quick working product and 45 seconds is a good number to work a section. They never mentioned the section size but i assume 2x2ft.

2. What about hand pressure?

I read on one site using moderate pressure for the first 2 passes and then following up with light pressure for 2 passes.

3. There's a 2 mth old collinite 845 on the paint has well - i will only be doing the trunk and the hood today.

Any tips to fully prepare the paint for LSP? I have a number of chemicals on hand like carpro eraser.

4. Off topic -in a week i will be putting a car cover on my car, outside for close to 3 mths.

Any tips?

Thanks!
Detailing is addictive!

[SWETM]

Little hard to say as it depends on the armspeed too on how many passes per sections you do. Generally speaking 3-5 passes if you have an armspeed of 1"/second. Also have a look at the polish as you polishing. When the polish clears up you have broke it down. And the next pass is the last.

When you polishing with a DA polisher you just guide the polisher with holding it with like a firmly hand shake. If too much pressure is applyied you will notice the polisher bogs down or stalling easier on you. You can mostly hear this when you have got some time behind the polisher. The easiest way is to mark the backing plate so you see how it rotates. You can try to get the polisher to have less pressure on the last pass and almost lift it a little. But it's gets more heavier to work that way and you will be fine with just guiding it. It's more when you use a rotary polisher you have different pressures on it. And Sonax Perfect Finish is made for being used with a rotary polisher. But has been getting awesome results on a DA polisher too.

Sonax Perfect Finish is a little oily so a panel prep wipe product like Eraser is a benefit to wipe down the paint after the polishing. Since you have it I would use it. If wanting a squeeqe clean paint and if you have a wax and grease remover it will be a little more effective than a panel prep wipe product that's IPA based as Eraser. PF is on the edge to be able to wipe clean with a product like Eraser. Sometimes if you have very oily polishes like PF or M205 you may need a double wipe down if preping for a coating. Since you are going to be useing 845 you will be fine with 1 wipe down with Eraser I think.

I'm not so fond of useing a car cover if stored outside. If your only option would be to have it under a tree or something it could benefit with a car cover. Otherwise the risk of marring is high when the wind get a hold of the car cover. If it's not a very great fit from the car cover. I would trust that the 845 would be enough protection during 3 months sitting outside. Just my opinion though.

/ Tony

[noorth]

Little hard to say as it depends on the armspeed too on how many passes per sections you do. Generally speaking 3-5 passes if you have an armspeed of 1"/second. Also have a look at the polish as you polishing. When the polish clears up you have broke it down. And the next pass is the last.

When you polishing with a DA polisher you just guide the polisher with holding it with like a firmly hand shake. If too much pressure is applyied you will notice the polisher bogs down or stalling easier on you. You can mostly hear this when you have got some time behind the polisher. The easiest way is to mark the backing plate so you see how it rotates. You can try to get the polisher to have less pressure on the last pass and almost lift it a little. But it's gets more heavier to work that way and you will be fine with just guiding it. It's more when you use a rotary polisher you have different pressures on it. And Sonax Perfect Finish is made for being used with a rotary polisher. But has been getting awesome results on a DA polisher too.

Sonax Perfect Finish is a little oily so a panel prep wipe product like Eraser is a benefit to wipe down the paint after the polishing. Since you have it I would use it. If wanting a squeeqe clean paint and if you have a wax and grease remover it will be a little more effective than a panel prep wipe product that's IPA based as Eraser. PF is on the edge to be able to wipe clean with a product like Eraser. Sometimes if you have very oily polishes like PF or M205 you may need a double wipe down if preping for a coating. Since you are going to be useing 845 you will be fine with 1 wipe down with Eraser I think.

I'm not so fond of useing a car cover if stored outside. If your only option would be to have it under a tree or something it could benefit with a car cover. Otherwise the risk of marring is high when the wind get a hold of the car cover. If it's not a very great fit from the car cover. I would trust that the 845 would be enough protection during 3 months sitting outside. Just my opinion though.

/ Tony

Thanks Tony, the polish will actually become clear..great info.

I have my pads marked and i didnt know you shouldn't use a lot of pressure on a DA!

Thanks!

[Paul A.]

Tony said everything I can think of regarding SPF. I don't exert a great deal of pressure when using most products but let SPF almost glide with just machine weight for the last couple of passes.

[noorth]

Tony said everything I can think of regarding SPF. I don't exert a great deal of pressure when using most products but let SPF almost glide with just machine weight for the last couple of passes.

I was just wondering if you need to iron-x a surface before using a polish on an existing collinite 845 layer thats only about 2 mths old and holding up fine?

[SWETM]

Did you do a decon wash or polishing before the 845 application?

If you have not done it I would test an iron remover on a little area behind a wheel. And if you get a color changing it's good to be doing a larger area. That's a benefit with an IronX product that you see if you have ferrous iron on the paint as it changes color. If it's not color changing it's not necessary to do.

If you don't get it to clear up. You have used to much product. Also a benefit with most diminishing polishes that they clears up as it breaks down. The downside is that it needs to be worked through. As with non-diminishing polishes you can sometimes just do a pass or 2 and done.

[noorth]

Did you do a decon wash or polishing before the 845 application?

If you have not done it I would test an iron remover on a little area behind a wheel. And if you get a color changing it's good to be doing a larger area. That's a benefit with an IronX product that you see if you have ferrous iron on the paint as it changes color. If it's not color changing it's not necessary to do.

If you don't get it to clear up. You have used to much product. Also a benefit with most diminishing polishes that they clears up as it breaks down. The downside is that it needs to be worked through. As with non-diminishing polishes you can sometimes just do a pass or 2 and done.

I seen on a youtube vid that perfect finish has both non-diminishing and diminishing, he said thats why its so expensive.

Anyhow, thanks again Tony.

[Mike Phillips]

I was just wondering if you need to iron-x a surface before using a polish on an existing collinite 845 layer thats only about 2 mths old and holding up fine?




I wouldn't.

If you had a quality paint coating on the paint then I would but with a traditional wax type product I'd hold off on using an iron remover until you're to the point you're also ready to do at least one machine polishing process and sort of start the process over again.


Same goes for claying or clay towels and mitts. I won't use these things unless I'm already planning on doing at least one machine polishing step.


:)

[noorth]

I wouldn't.

If you had a quality paint coating on the paint then I would but with a traditional wax type product I'd hold off on using an iron remover until you're to the point you're also ready to do at least one machine polishing process and sort of start the process over again.


Same goes for claying or clay towels and mitts. I won't use these things unless I'm already planning on doing at least one machine polishing step.


:)

yeah say no to clay unless you have a good machine.

[Paul A.]

I agree with holding off both Iron X and claying until you're ready to machine again.

[noorth]

I have another question folks.

I often read about soft paints - i have a Blue Streak Metallic special edition 2016 toyota camry, would that be considered soft paint?

[SWETM]

Useally asian car brands is on the softer side of the hardness of the clearcoat. What I know Toyota paints are not the worst of them and just on the edge on soft paint to medium. This can vary though from paint to paint. So test spot is where you find out and maybe go with a less aggressive combo that you useally start with.

The benefit is that Sonax Perfect Finish is very good on even the finicky sticky soft paints. A well liked combo is with the Rupes Yellow Foam Pad. It has a firm build but is soft still and this is a benefit on softer paints with the firmness of the pads. Too soft build up of the pad can make it hard to get good results on very soft paints. Also if you need to be cutting a little extra the PF on a more coarse grade pad actually have some good cutting and especially on the softer side of hardness of the clearcoat. So you can both cut with one combo and finishing with another combo of pads and PF

[Paul A.]

I agree with Tony. I have done both cutting and then polishing with SPF simply by changing pads.