Sealer and Sealer plus wax before and afters

[HFDFyreFytr]

Hey, I posted my first polishing job a week ago on my black silverado and was thinking it did not look as black as it was before. Well, it was suggested that I add a wax on top of it, so I did. Here is the before and after. I tried to match the time of day, same panel, hell, I even had my same work clothes on. Every setting on the camera is the same. tried to get close to the time of day, but I really don't know when it was....

Before:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-OL7Mk_BtJ3I/ToDZMavUW0I/AAAAAAAAABU/rvpXPWLODKg/s800/IMG_0899.jpg

After:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nS6vHu-muzA/ToDZSEHX4gI/AAAAAAAAAB8/p4I-Dpx38fQ/s800/IMG_0912.jpg

So, what do you think? Can you tell a difference? Which one looks better?

[dannythekid]

Bottom looks better, you can see the white in your shirt more, but I also think it looks like it was a little more sunny. It does look like theres a little more "smoothness" to the paint too.

[HFDFyreFytr]

The more I look at these pictures, the more I think I need to try again on the afters. The grass looks different, the sky by the "A" pillar looks very different, the interior through my window looks different. Maybe the angle of the sun was different and changed everything... This might be impossible to duplicate. I am going to try and do the same pic every hour and see if I can match one up but after that, I give up...

I still think the waxed looks much better in person. The sealer was a durability thing. I have a full wood shop in my garage, so I park outside and at work it is outside all day. My poor baby never gets covered...

[DaHen]

The "After" picture looks better. I was judging the tree behind you that is shown in the reflextion next to the car door handle.

[BobbyG]

Honestly?

The lower shot looks clearer and deeper then the top photo. The color is richer and black deeper too...:props:

[PPLd]

I appreciate your contribution on the topic "layering" or "topping".
it is indeed hard to tell the 1% difference from a LSP.
The reason that the lower pic appears to be richer in color is because of the sun. Sunlight has a Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 100 and will make sunny day photos to be more vivid/contrasty than those taken in overcast days.

I have a small suggestion:
1. wash, clay, polish a panel as good as you can do.
2. seal the entire panel to be tested with your favourite sealant.
3. put a tape line at the middle of the panel
4. do not do anything to left side, while right side to be topped with your carnauba wax.

as you remove the tape line, you show a clear cut line between regions with only sealant (which was on your left side AND the thin line covered by tape) and region topped with wax.

in fact I planned to do a similar test last week but some how i have to delay that until the coming (1 Oct) weekend.

[TLMitchell]

Kinda hard to see a relative difference in pics... the bottom reflections look crisper but I think that's due to the pic coming out better as the letters on the door are crisper too.

What wax did you end up topping with? Anything with a Turtle on the label? :D Did the wax do anything to mute the washing marring you were seeing?

No excuses on the clothes...none of us change our clothes. We're too busy shining things to be concerned with wardrobe. :buffing:

TL

[HFDFyreFytr]

I appreciate your contribution on the topic "layering" or "topping".
I have a small suggestion:
1. wash, clay, polish a panel as good as you can do.
2. seal the entire panel to be tested with your favourite sealant.
3. put a tape line at the middle of the panel
4. do not do anything to left side, while right side to be topped with your carnauba wax.

as you remove the tape line, you show a clear cut line between regions with only sealant (which was on your left side AND the thin line covered by tape) and region topped with wax.

in fact I planned to do a similar test last week but some how i have to delay that until the coming (1 Oct) weekend.

I will do that with the hood. I have not done the hood yet as I was saving it for last so I could improve my technique along the way and save the best for last. I did a 2x2 sectoin tonight before someone stopped by and I stopped working on it. Will drive my other truck to work tomorrow and work on this one again Wednesday....Tape line and all.


Kinda hard to see a relative difference in pics... the bottom reflections look crisper but I think that's due to the pic coming out better as the letters on the door are crisper too.

What wax did you end up topping with? Anything with a Turtle on the label? :D Did the wax do anything to mute the washing marring you were seeing?

No excuses on the clothes...none of us change our clothes. We're too busy shining things to be concerned with wardrobe. :buffing:

TL
No turtle on the box. It was Pete's 53 from Chem Guys. From what I understand, it is a pretty good wax. My experience, it applied pretty easy, but did not come off easy at all. I had to work to get it off. I applied it as the sun was going down...half after dark and took it off a little over an hour after I finished applying it.

Yeah, the clothes are work clothes. Too old to give a damn what I look like most of the time... :)

PS, why did you think it was Turtle wax? Or did I miss something?

[TLMitchell]

No turtle on the box. It was Pete's 53 from Chem Guys. From what I understand, it is a pretty good wax.

PS, why did you think it was Turtle wax? Or did I miss something?

Just being an incorrigable wise guy. :D

TL

[KneeDragr]

The bottom clearly looks better but how much of that is the sunlight and how much is the wax is kinda hard to say. Really the only good way to compare is a 50/50 shot under the same light.

My personal opinion is its hard to distinguish many lighting subtleties in digital photos on a computer monitor. Its easier in person, especially when you can walk around and see hot the colors and reflections change from slightly different perspectives. Even then what is 'better' is often subjective and difficult to rank.

[IID]

The top picture shows an overcast(clouds),while the bottom picture shows clear skies.
Maybe the bottom picture appears better(crisper)because of that?

[yakky]

The top picture shows an overcast(clouds),while the bottom picture shows clear skies.
Maybe the bottom picture appears better(crisper)because of that?

Agree, looks like different conditions. Pull it into a garage and use the same lighting. After having used 60+ different LSPs, I have never seen that much of a difference in person (on properly polished paint), nevermind in a picture.

[HFDFyreFytr]

Agree, looks like different conditions. Pull it into a garage and use the same lighting. After having used 60+ different LSPs, I have never seen that much of a difference in person (on properly polished paint), nevermind in a picture.

Yeah, problem is I don't have anything but the outdoor before. That is why I was trying to match that one.

As far as the sky, if you look at the A-pillar between the mirror, you will see that there is just a cloud in the sky, not an overcast day. The blue is just that different.

Too much energy wasted trying to duplicate the conditions. To me, it does look a whole lot better in person. The depth, and wettness of the paint really came out with the wax, but not the sealant alone. The paint looked blacker in person as well. In the end, I think the only thing that matters is if we like it, and I do....

[yakky]

Next time do half and half. You'll see the car in various lights and conditions and be able to compare more easily.

[FUNX650]

In the end, I think the only thing that matters is if we like it, and I do....

That's exactly right!:dblthumb2:

I feel the same way...if that's what the the other person in we (RE: Wife) says so, that is. :laughing:

Bob