1st time with pc 2day. HELP!

[drastic_detail]

Ok so I atemted to correct my paint today. My process was, optimum compound with a orange 5.5 followed by m205 with a white 5.5. Only got about 20% correction. I used firm pressure and moved the pc slow but still nothing! I thought for sure the OC would have taken care of everything, it did very little and left buffer trails (which 205 took care of nicely)I'm lost! I spent all day polishing only to have an outcome that could have been done by hand. What did I do wrong? The car is a 2005 Lincoln ls (dark charcol) maybe a hard cc? I have OP, OC, XMT2 and M205 if this helps. Do I need 4 in pads? PFW? I just want my car swril free! Please help!

[Emile]

Start with Optimum Polish and an Orange Pad. Work in 2x2 areas and make sure you keep working the area until the product is fully kicked. After doing the whole car like this, go to Optimum Polish and White Pads to remove any hazing and micro-marring caused by polishing with the Orange Pad. If you are getting buffer trails, it is usually because you did not work the product in long enough. Polishing takes a looong time.

You shouldn't be needing to use Optimum Compound. If you want, instead of Opt Polish and Orange, you can do your first step with M205 and Orange Pads, and then finish with Opt polish and White Pads.

[drastic_detail]

Start with Optimum Polish and an Orange Pad. Work in 2x2 areas and make sure you keep working the area until the product is fully kicked. After doing the whole car like this, go to Optimum Polish and White Pads to remove any hazing and micro-marring caused by polishing with the Orange Pad. If you are getting buffer trails, it is usually because you did not work the product in long enough. Polishing takes a looong time.

You shouldn't be needing to use Optimum Compound. If you want, instead of Opt Polish and Orange, you can do your first step with M205 and Orange Pads, and then finish with Opt polish and White Pads.

You really think that will work? I figured if The OC didn't do anything why would anything else I have? I never realized how long and hard polishing your car is! I spent 12 hours on my car today! And I didn't even do everything I wanted too. Hey Emily, don't think I haven't forgot about the zaino you sent me. Ill PM you a list of what I got to offer!

[bunyz06rabbitt]

It may be time to step up to a rotary. The PC is even gentler than a Flex and I got similar results with mine today. You clearly already know what you are doing.

[Superdutytd]

I can remove swirls like crazy with M105 and 4" white pads. Finishes amazing for a polish that strong.

[Dsoto87]

Even though optimum calls it a compound its quite mild for one. I would think of it more as a heavy polish than a compound.

In general ford paint is usually pretty hard. You need something more aggressive. Invest in some m105. It really brings out the power of the pc,

Btw, why did you do your whole car only to realize that you only got 20 correction?

The most important thing to learn is the power of a test spot. If you would have tried out your process on a small 18x18 test spot you would have seen it wasn't working and saved yourself 11 hours.

Get your technique and process down on a test spot THEN proceed on the rest of the car.

[Lasthope05]

Also a little tip or technique to use is to grab a sharpie and mark a spot o n the back of the pad and as your polishing you will know if you are using too much pressure since the the mark will be a reference to how much the pad is spinning and if your bogging it down or not.

[Superdutytd]

Also a little tip or technique to use is to grab a sharpie and mark a spot o n the back of the pad and as your polishing you will know if you are using too much pressure since the the mark will be a reference to how much the pad is spinning and if your bogging it down or not.

:iagree::whs::cheers: