CGs Optical Polish Advice

[ThomasonCarCare]

Hello fellow detailers! I am new to the polishing scene and I was wondering if there is a first step process for using these products. I will be polishing my wifes black 2009 VW Rabbit soon (for practice) and she has swirls, oxidation, and minor scratches.

I do not plan on offering services to remove RIDS so I am only interested in the three mentioned above. I have the following products:

Orange pad
Green pad
White pad
Black pad
Blue pad

V34 hybrid polish
v36 cutting polish
v32 final polish
Blacklight glaze/sealant
and every wax they carry up to "Black"

I am just looking for some advise on where to start or if I need to buy additional polishes (it can be a non CG product)

Thank you for your help!

P.S. Mike I read your thread about branding your name, it has really helped my business get off the ground. Thank you for all you do for this community!

[AutoHeed]

welcome!

i have been using CG polishes quite often on soft, medium and hard paint. my suggestion is to do a test spot. no theory will beat practice. find Mike's article about doing a test spot. A little bit correction on the polishes line:
V32 is extreme compound
V34 is compound/polish
V36 is cutting polish
V38 is finishing polish

i will assume you have LC's pad and you will do a one step correction. so we are on the same page now.

if you are using a rotary, you might wanna start with:
- white polishing pad + V36 or V38. if that doesn't work out,
- orange cutting pad + V36

if you are using a DA, you might wanna start with:
- orange cutting pad + V34

you can always finish up with softer pad and finishing polish. CG polishes are lubricated graciously, so for rotary buffer=longer working time, for DA=work it long enough and they can be finished well enough (LSP ready) for a one step so it doesn't need second step. but you have to find your own working combo. good luck!

[ThomasonCarCare]

I will be using a Porter Cable 7424XP. So if I am reading correctly I can use V34 and can go straight to the LSP.

If I use V36, would I need to go to V38 or can I skip straight to Blacklight (since Blacklight has some mild abrasives) then LSP?


welcome!

i have been using CG polishes quite often on soft, medium and hard paint. my suggestion is to do a test spot. no theory will beat practice. find Mike's article about doing a test spot. A little bit correction on the polishes line:
V32 is extreme compound
V34 is compound/polish
V36 is cutting polish
V38 is finishing polish

i will assume you have LC's pad and you will do a one step correction. so we are on the same page now.

if you are using a rotary, you might wanna start with:
- white polishing pad + V36 or V38. if that doesn't work out,
- orange cutting pad + V36

if you are using a DA, you might wanna start with:
- orange cutting pad + V34

you can always finish up with softer pad and finishing polish. CG polishes are lubricated graciously, so for rotary buffer=longer working time, for DA=work it long enough and they can be finished well enough (LSP ready) for a one step so it doesn't need second step. but you have to find your own working combo. good luck!

[runrun411]

Wow, it's funny you guys started this thread. I just started using V36 on my grey Honda Accord. I was using a white CG pad and it seems like I gotta go deeper so I'm going to go to an orange pad on speed 5 (earlier I was on speed 4). I'll keep you posted.

[ThomasonCarCare]

Can you post a pic of the starting condition? I would like to see what you are using and compare it to my Rabbit when I get to it.


Wow, it's funny you guys started this thread. I just started using V36 on my grey Honda Accord. I was using a white CG pad and it seems like I gotta go deeper so I'm going to go to an orange pad on speed 5 (earlier I was on speed 4). I'll keep you posted.

[AutoHeed]

I will be using a Porter Cable 7424XP. So if I am reading correctly I can use V34 and can go straight to the LSP.

If I use V36, would I need to go to V38 or can I skip straight to Blacklight (since Blacklight has some mild abrasives) then LSP?

you can try, but if you are gonna use Black Light, dont use it as a finishing polish. use it solely either as an AIO or a sealant. you will get maximum result that way.

[ThomasonCarCare]

So do you use any Glaze after polishing or do you skip straight to LSP?

[AutoHeed]

So do you use any Glaze after polishing or do you skip straight to LSP?

I rarely use any glaze and usually go straight to LSP. IMHO waxes do a similar job as glaze.