Finish looking cloudy after polishing 2012 corvette

[Matt97GT]

I don't have pics at the moment so I apologize up front.

I washed, decon with iron cut, clay'd....

I took out a couple of rock scratches with griot 3" polisher using green uber pad and meguiars dual action cleaner/polish.

I then switched to a flex with 5" green uber pad and sonax 3/6. I was doing roughly 2'x2' sections at a time. 2 section passes on speed setting 3, then 4 passes on setting 6. Buffed with green uber microfiber towel.

Followed with hand applied sonax carnauba. This was only to hood, bumper, and front fenders. Only had time to do front half of car so far.

In the garage and first thing in the morning I thought it looked great. Certainly felt great to the touch. However tonight in a mall parking lot I was underneath one of the light poles and the finish looked cloudy/milky and I could still see lots of tiny scratches and swirls. It actually looked more swirled than the rest of the car which wasn't touched.

What would be a possible cause? Too aggressive a pad? Is an additional product required after 3/6? I have meguiars speed glaze in my collection if that would do.

I'll try to post a pic tomorrow.

[Znig22]

We need pics please. It sounds kinda like the polishing stage wasn't finished down correctly, or no polishing step was completed.

[swanicyouth]

Not to be an "I told you so", but a lesson I learned a while ago: never evaluate paint correction / a test spot in the garage.

You have to look in the sun (especially on dark colors), or you are just rolling the dice. What looks awesome in the garage can look not so awesome in the sun.

You need to use a finishing polish on a finishing pad.

[Matt97GT]

Is 3/6 not suitable as a finish?

[swanicyouth]

Is 3/6 not suitable as a finish?

I dunno. I never used it. But the fact you said it looked cloudy and how you describe it sounds to me like it needs a following up with a finishing polish on a finishing pad. You can't say one polish will work - even though it should work.

So, it's time to try something else.

But, first you have to figure out if the scratches you see are caused by micro-marring from the polish or the original scratches weren't removed. Once you figure that out - you will know what's up.

Also, it could be technique related as well.

It's time to try something else.

Sometimes just trying another polish / pad combo fixes everything. Even though it doesn't make sense - sometimes it just works that way.

[tuscarora dave]

What would be a possible cause?


I was doing roughly 2'x2' sections at a time.

This is too large of a working area for such hard clear. Shrink your work area down to 12" x 12" sections.


2 section passes on speed setting 3, then 4 passes on setting 6.

With your product selection, you'll need to do way more section passes than this and forget about speed setting 3. Keep in on 6 and work your passes with a very very slow arm speed, working in the 12" x 12" work section. Do about 10 complete section passes and check your progress.

Corvette paint is like diamond hard so it's going to Take quite some time. You may need a heavier cutting compound too.

Get those photos up when you can

[Tato]

It's difficult without pics, but I believe I know exactly what you're talking about.

I believe this polish is not performing in combination with your pad of choice on the paint you're working on.

What I mean is, sometimes, our 'killer' combination that are famous worldwide and always works, will not work.

You said that are still seeing swirls and scratches, maybe even worst. That may be because you're dealing with the same I've passed through, you're trying to be 'too gentle' (nothing wrong with that!), and the only thing you achieve is hazing the paint without truly removing defects you're willing to.

My recommendations: Lake Country White Flat Polishing Pad, paired with Meguiar's Ultimate Compound (UC).

I'm pretty sure you'll be able to solve this hazing you're facing and even finish down better with this more 'aggressive' combination than with the finer approach you're trying to do.

If you need help using UC, please, don't hesitate asking. Mainly, you prime the pad and use very small quantity afterwards. Speed 5 or 6 (start with 5). You can use firm and constant pressure during polishing cycle, but you can play with pressure on last 2 passes and reduce down a bit when product starts disappearing.

UC is cheap, easy to find, and saved me every time I was struggling on black paint like you're relating. Doing a finishing polish stage in the case I had the problem you're relating was only hazing, so generally I'd do the UC on a white polishing pad and follow with LSP.

Hope this helps,

Kind Regards.

[umana2482]

Not to be an "I told you so", but a lesson I learned a while ago: never evaluate paint correction / a test spot in the garage.

You have to look in the sun (especially on dark colors), or you are just rolling the dice. What looks awesome in the garage can look not so awesome in the sun.

You need to use a finishing polish on a finishing pad.

I agree.

Last week I did a brand new black Lexus rx 350 in the customers garage. Inside the finish looked awesome but when I took the car outside I had the same problem. Lots of micro marring. After I cleaned the Lexus of all dust I took it back in the garage and finished with a B&S black finishing pad with Menzerna SF4500. That eliminated all the micro marring.

Sent from my HTC One using AG Online

[tuscarora dave]

Have a look through this epic thread on Corvette paint correction. This guy had no Idea what he was getting into when he started but stuck with it through to the end.

There is a lot to learn by reading through this.

This is by far my favorite thread on this site.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/wet-sanding-cutting-buffing/56926-first-shot-fixing-black-vette.html

[Matt97GT]

tried this morning in parking garage with flash. you can sorta see the pinkish color and a couple marks in the right side of the photo

http://i61.tinypic.com/24o3rbt.jpg

[Mike Phillips]

I then switched to a flex with 5" green uber pad and sonax 3/6.

I was doing roughly 2'x2' sections at a time.

2 section passes on speed setting 3,

then 4 passes on setting 6.





I'm not familiar with the green uber pads? Is the pad covering all of the 5.5" factory Flex backing plate? Not that it matters but either it doesn't fit as in the backing plate extends out further than the pad or it's a real close fit.

Sonax Nano Polish is an amazing polish that finishes out exceedingly well on everything I've "touched" with it.

So my guess is the problem lies with the pad and the forced rotation action of the Flex, that is the two of these factors.

If you're running the 5.5" factor Flex backing plate spend the money to get a Lake Country 6.5" Black Hybrid pad or Black Flat pad and then re-polish just a section of the hazed area to make sure this combination is working.

If it's working then buff out the entire car. If not, let us know.

Also, did you clean your pad often?

The Sonax Nano Polish is a very high quality product in my opinion and experience no matter which tool it's used with. So to me, the problem has to be somewhere else.

Is this the factory paint?


:)

[Mike Phillips]

Check this out... the below is just a small portion of the entire write-up, the portion showing the Nano Polish. This was a Rotary Buffer ONLY detail.

1987 Corvette Show Car Makeover - SONAX Showcase (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/pictures-autogeek-s-car-week/58623-1987-corvette-show-car-makeover-sonax-showcase.html)




SONAX Show Car Detail - 1987 All Original Corvette

SONAX Show Car Detail - 1987 All Original...




Machine Jewelling
Next we switched over to Lake Country Gold Jewelling Pads and machine applied the SONAX Nano Polish, for this everyone stayed around the 600 to 800 RPM Range and re-polished each square inch using only light pressure while cleaning our pads often.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0281.jpg



Forrest really liked the results from this step...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0291.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0301.jpg




Bunch of how-to information and process pictures left out....


Here's how you want your 2012 Corvette to look...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0391.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0401.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0411.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0421.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0431.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0441.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0451.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0461.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0471.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0481.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0491.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0501.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0511.jpg


Here's the products behind the wet-paint look...
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0521.jpg


And here's the A-Team that made the magic happen...
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1663/1987_Corvette_Show_Car_Makeover_0531.jpg

[Mike Phillips]

Here's another thread where we used the Sonax Nano Polish with all kinds of tool, heck it was a free for all....


1955 Chevy & 1947 Buick Slantback - Show Car Makeover! - Pictures & Videos (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/pictures-autogeek-s-car-week/66328-1955-chevy-1947-buick-slantback-show-car-makeover-pictures-videos.html)




1955 Chevy & 1947 Buick + Sonax + Dodo Juice + Perfection!






Check out the rich..." target="_blank">Check out the rich...



http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1854/1955_Chevy_1947_Buick_019.jpg


:xyxthumbs:

[Matt97GT]

I'm not familiar with the green uber pads? Is the pad covering all of the 5.5" factory Flex backing plate? Not that it matters but either it doesn't fit as in the backing plate extends out further than the pad or it's a real close fit.

Sonax Nano Polish is an amazing polish that finishes out exceedingly well on everything I've "touched" with it.

So my guess is the problem lies with the pad and the forced rotation action of the Flex, that is the two of these factors.

If you're running the 5.5" factor Flex backing plate spend the money to get a Lake Country 6.5" Black Hybrid pad or Black Flat pad and then re-polish just a section of the hazed area to make sure this combination is working.

If it's working then buff out the entire car. If not, let us know.

Also, did you clean your pad often?

The Sonax Nano Polish is a very high quality product in my opinion and experience no matter which tool it's used with. So to me, the problem has to be somewhere else.

Is this the factory paint?


:)

i have the 5.5" backing plate and a 4 3/8" backing plate. I was using the 5.5" plate and the 5.5" pad was basically flush with it.

I bought the uber pads from another site.
Uber Green Pad 5.5 inch polish pad (http://www.detailersdomain.com/Uber-Green-Pad-55-inch-polish-pad_p_224.html)

green is listed as "polish 60ppi"

i also have an uber black which is listed as "glaze/wax/sealant 80ppi"


I just stocked up with a big order from autogeek though and I do have a lake country ccs orange pad and a white pad.

As for cleaning the pad, I did not during the job. I just use hot soapy water and a tooth brush after the job was done and rinsed/rung it out and let dry.


It's factory paint. I never had the time to do a full new car prep so it's pretty much just been washed, clay'd and top'd with mequiars tech wax and sonax paste carnuaba.


Thanks!

[Mike Phillips]

green is listed as "polish 60ppi"



That should be soft enough to work with the Sonax Nano Polish and finish out clear.






i also have an uber black which is listed as "glaze/wax/sealant 80ppi"



I would make sure this pad is clean and then place a tape-line down on a horizontal panel that has the hazing or micro-marring and buff on just one side of the tape-line and then inspect.

This type of troubleshooting will tell you real fast if the softer foam pad is working, (removing the defects and leaving a more clear and flatter surface), or not.





As for cleaning the pad, I did not during the job.



This is probably the problem because ANYTIME you're abrading the paint surface you have two things building up on the face of your buffing pad,



Spent product - That is used-up product

Removed paint - If you're abrading the paint has to go somewhere and some of it builds up as gunk on the face of your pad.



See my article here,

Why it's important to clean your pads often... (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/28755-why-s-important-clean-your-pads-often.html)






I just use hot soapy water and a tooth brush after the job was done and rinsed/rung it out and let dry.



That's what you need to do after the job but during the job it would help to run the bristles of that tooth brush over the face of the polisher. Not with the polisher on. With the polisher off, just run the brush over the face of the pad and peel off any gunk.



:)