Rupes 21 with Mothers Professional Compound

[SL%%]

Hi noob here and hopefully am posting this on the right forum.

I have a pre-owned silver Volvo S40 and used that as our training car in terms on how to detail a car. We're planning to open a detailing business hence the training with Mothers. The training was good but not quite satisfied with the buffing part.

What we have right now are the ff:

Rupes 21
Lake country CCS yellow pads
Mothers Professional Step 1-2-3
Flex Swirl finder Light (coming soon)

We really don't have much of variety here in the Philippines and mostly use Mother's, Meguiar's and 3M

My questions:

1.) silver is a very tricky color and at first I thought we did a great job but come find out at night, under a street light, on a certain angle and if you look really close, I still see some scratches. Thing is I don't know the paint history of the car and apparently at training, we found out that there are some parts that were re-sprayed.

Here's the thing, I've done multiple passes via "S" pattern both horizontal and vertical alternating in each passes and still see scratches. Used it on speed 5, 3 and 1, all compounding and yet, seems like it is still there.

One of two things is playing on my head, either the previous owner had it overspayed with new clear coat without removing the old scratches hence its underneath OR am doing it all wrong...

Did it on 1/2 of the trunk

2.) how can you distinguish above surface scratch and below surface scratch.

3.) the compound labeling states to use the product between 1,000 - 1,750 rpm... as for Rupes, it didn't really indicate as to what rpm it turns on certain speed or I missed it. Any Rupes user here?

4.) is a 2,000 grit wet sanding paper a good alternative for claying specially for a noob like me? Our trainer showed us how and its faster than claying specially for heavy removal of contamination.

5.) is the California duster a safe tool to remove dust?

6.) what's a good temporal swirl finder light as am waiting for the items to arrive from US?

7.) how do you wash your microfiber towels?

8.) any good tip or trick on stubborn grime?

9.) what are the basic must-have tools for newbies like me?

Thank you very much for bearing with me... Really really appreciate all your insight and help... God bless all your wonderful hearts...


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[forrest@mothers]

Our Professional products are not numbered 1-2-3, but our consumer Ultimate Wax System is. Exactly what are the product names you have to work with?

The Lake County yellow pad is a cutting pad which would be suitable for a compound.

There is no sandpaper grit which is a suitable replacement for claying.

[SL%%]

forrest, I apologize for calling it the 1-2-3 as that's the way how I remembered it. These are what I have for correcting, polishing and finishing :) I do have other products from Mark-V which are for degreasing, all-purpose cleaning, wheel brite etc.

Yes indeed, it is the ultimate wax system but Mothers here pretty kind of changed the step 1 from Pure Polish to Professional Rubbing Compound...

Step 1 - 81138 - professional rubbing compound (gal)

Step 2 - 08102 - Micro Polishing Glaze (gal)

Step 3 - 05752 - Pure Brazilian Carnauba Wax (gal)

"There is no sandpaper grit which is a suitable replacement for claying." - so wet sanding with 2000 grit is not a good idea you mean?

Thanks so much forrest and please bear with me as am new with all these :)


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[forrest@mothers]

Compound with a yellow pad is fine, but with a darker color vehicle you'll need to follow it with Foam Pad Polish and a Lake Country pad. You may not have visible hazing on a silver vehicle.

Wet sanding with 2,000 may or may not be a good idea. That depends on the finish. However, I can state with certainty wet sanding with ANY grit of paper is NOT a replacement for claying.

If the vehicle owner had additional clear sprayed over existing scratches, no amount of compounding or polishing is going to remove scratches under the top clear.

[SL%%]

forrest, thanks so much for the advice and just wanted to clear up on something, you said on darker color cars, we need to follow up the compounding with Foam Pad Polish right? what kind of pad do I use in doing this? should it be a polishing pad like the pink or white CCS pads from Lake Country?

After doing the Foam Pad Polish, do we go on step 2 Micro Polishing Glaze?

Thanks


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[forrest@mothers]

Yes, sorry. The Foam Pad Polish should be used with a polishing pad like the Lake Country white pad.

After Foam Pad Polish you can use Step 2 Micro Polishing Glaze - by hand or with a soft (black) pad. The glaze may not make a dramatic difference on silver - it's most noticeable on a dark color.

[SL%%]

Thanks thanks so much forrest :) really appreciate this info :)


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[SL%%]

btw forrest, on the Foam Pad Polish, how many passes should I do? same strokes as like compounding?


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[The Guz]

Same technique as compounding will be good.

[SL%%]

Thanks, The Guz :)


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[hernandez.art13]

btw forrest, on the Foam Pad Polish, how many passes should I do? same strokes as like compounding?


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I would also like to add (correct me if I'm wrong anyone)

I am still not sure who does SMAT and who does DAT, but I like to ease of the pressure on pretty much everything I do when polishing paint (of course after the correction has been accomplished) and slow down the speed

Finer and Finer is key

[Kitoy22]

Try slowing your arm speed, make sure that pad is flat on the paint and the pad is rotating to get optimum results. And aside from mothers and 3m, meguiars, sonax and scholl are also present in our country. We have a lot of polish and compounds to choose from.