Persistent Scratches

[AndrewBall]

Ok, so right off the bat let me say im not talking about scratches that i can damp sand away. Ive done that with fantastic results.

What i am on about in this thread is the little surface scratches(cobb webs mainly but all forms) that i feel should go away after i use 105 and a rotary and then follow up with either 205 on a white or orange on my PC or on my 3m polishing pad for my rotary. they just dont seem to go away. they dont seem deep enough to warrant sanding. i see pictures all over this forum of guys removing the exact scratches im talking about with just their DA. im going, my DA doesnt seem to get rid of them. sure some are gone and the paint looks alot better but i havent seem to get the scratch free surface yet short of sanding.

ive watched videos read tutorials figuring i was doing something wrong. but my technique seems spot on with what i have seen.

Could it be luck of the draw on the cars i worked on and their clear coat is just really tough? or that these scratches are deeper then i think.

im just at my wits end, i dont feel like i should have to sand an entire car with 2000 or higher to get rid of these cobb webs.

is there something that i might be doing wrong? or like i said might they just be worse then i think?

[bill57]

If they catch your finger nail, they are worse than you think. Otherwise, the M105 with an orange pad should work. Maybe step down to Ultimate Compound and work it longer.
Let's see what Mike says.

[Y2KSVT]

I'm in the same boat. I was able to remove all of the regular swirl marks in my car, as well as my wife's car, but for some reason, any little scratches that don't appear to be any deper than a swirl mark, just won't come out. I tried M105 and an orange pad with my PCXP, but nothing. My finger nail doesn't catch on them, so I'm left second guessing myself as well. They're both daily drivers so I decided to call it "good enough" and moved on with sealants and waxes, but being detail oriented, it still bugs the heck out of me to see those little imperfections on an otherwise stunning car.

Mark

[longdx]

I'm in the same boat. I was able to remove all of the regular swirl marks in my car, as well as my wife's car, but for some reason, any little scratches that don't appear to be any deper than a swirl mark, just won't come out. I tried M105 and an orange pad with my PCXP, but nothing. My finger nail doesn't catch on them, so I'm left second guessing myself as well. They're both daily drivers so I decided to call it "good enough" and moved on with sealants and waxes, but being detail oriented, it still bugs the heck out of me to see those little imperfections on an otherwise stunning car.

Mark

I have the same problem with a former rental vehicle. I think the constant automated washes took its toll on the paint. I have used UC/Swirl X and PB's PwS. The products removed the vast majority of imperfections, however for an uber-observant OCD quasi-detail oriented mind like me, it does bother me. Still it is a daily driver , so I grin and bear it

[AndrewBall]

well today i tried a few new methods and i had pretty good results. I think my problem is a combination of the clear coat being very tough on some cars (some manufacturers use more hardener then others) and some of the little scratches that make the cobb web effect being a little deeper then i had though. they aren't deep enough to feel. only to see, and only can be seen under the correct light.

I found i just needed to add a little more water or quick detail to my pad before compounding to extend the products working time. This allowed me to do a few more passes and even with my DA i got great results.

my combinations were as follows

Combo #1 - Yielded quickest scratch removal, most if not all scratches gone. but needed alot of follow up. Heavy buffing with a rotary. so this process took a WHILE. The 3M pad has alot of cutting ability but i do not like their design, they sling a lot of product. especially if i prime the pad with something.

- DP Rinseless wash and gloss mixed as Clay Lube/ Quick Detail for pad primer.
- Vector Rotary Buffer with 3M Compounding Pad
- Meguiars 105
- Followed up with 205 on 3M Polishing pad
- Then Machine glaze on PC7424XP w/ green pad
- then p21s hand application

Combo #2 - This is the one I will use in the future. I did this whole process with my DA, now i spent more time working the product but I didnt start sweating either. The DA is 1,000x's easier to use not only for avoiding the dangers of a rotary but for just ease of application of the product. you can literally move it around with one hand if you have to. Such a breeze. I only recently got my PC7424XP and I love it. I know if I find myself with more work, ill be buying my self a flex and letting my assistant (my younger brother) use the PC.

- Quick Detail/Clay lube on pad.
- Porter Cable 7424XP DA Polisher
- Orange Light cutting pad w/ 105(would have used a yellow but dont have one :( )
- White pad with 205
- Green Pad with machine glaze
- p21s hand application


These worked great for me, i just needed to work the paint a little longer. I will try it on one of the vehicles i had some problems with (mainly my own! :( ) and see if i get the same results.

[Y2KSVT]

Nice follow-up. Right now I'm pretty satisfied with my car, but I may tackle some of those scratches again next spring, after the winter takes another toll on the paint. I'll try working those scratches a little longer to see if I can't get them out, using your #2 method.

Mark

[Mike Phillips]

Remember, when you're trying to dial-in a process or doing any kind of testing where you're going to be inspecting before and after results, a simple tape-line using painter's tape will enable you to more clearly see if you're making progress or going backwards, or staying the same...

Simple Tape Line
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/796/medium/TapeLine02.jpg



:)

[AndrewBall]

Remember, when you're trying to dial-in a process or doing any kind of testing where you're going to be inspecting before and after results, a simple tape-line using painter's tape will enable you to more clearly see if you're making progress or going backwards, or staying the same...

Simple Tape Line
TapeLine02.jpg



:)

Good Point Mike.

When i did a few test areas yesterday i taped of three sections on the car that were similar in need of correction. I covered surrounding area with microfibers and went to work. Sadly my lighting conditions weren't too conducive to getting pictures of the corrected areas but there was a major difference.