Help!

[sdguy55]

I will start this off by saying if this is in the wrong section I am sorry.

I just started a mobile detailing business and have a customer with a 07 or 08 tahoe. I came over tonight to do a test section on the vehicle to see how much work it was gonna take to correct her paint and much to my disatisfaction I could not get it to fully correct. Bear with me as I could not get the sun to cooperate so all my shots had to be taken from afar.
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/07/b40f9dfdacefd7e1ae2307e48cd80689.jpg
Before picture.
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/07/bd9459256a1e9d4153974c8632d3cc73.jpg
After
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/07/c9b6559feceecac80bd2e38015552b4f.jpg
Better after shot. You can see on the right hand part of the hood where I didn't do anything just cleaned it off for a comparison shot.

My tools are as follows
Porter cable 7424
Lake County CCS orange pad
Poor boys SSR3

Should I step up in pad to a CCS yellow? And would this warrant enough damage to step up to Poorboys Master Cut compound?

[Setec Astronomy]

Well, a couple of things...what did the customer think about the level of correction you achieved? There aren't a whole lot of customers who are going to want to pay a lot of money to go from 80% to 99% correction.

On the flip side, I just counted on the new Autopia chart that there are about 20 compounds listed with more cut than SSR3. As far as pad, yes you could go to a yellow pad, or a microfiber pad. Also, you're going to get more correction from a different machine, such as a long-throw or forced-rotation, or even just a more powerful machine such as a GG 6".

So my short answer is yes, you could change your products/equipment to get greater correction (if you feel you can do that safely on this vehicle without removing too much paint), but you also have to evaluate whether this is what you are trying to do business-wise both from your standpoint and the customer's standpoint.

We as car owners frequently have a different perspective than customers do.

[Jaretr1]

Machine isnt the problem. Product and technique could be. A more aggressive compound and a more aggressive pad would be the obvious least expensive first choice. A more powerful machine you do not need. Like Mike Phillips says, if he cant correct something using a PC, then he needs a rotary!

However, not all defects are completely removable with compounding. It simply might not be possible to get 100% perfection. GM paint is also extremely hard from my experience. Getting 80-85% might be the best that can be achieved short of wet sanding.

Try using alternate compounds and pads and see which gives you the best results. However, I do not advise dropping money on a Rupes or BOSS simply for this job to improve your results only 5-10%.

[sdguy55]

Thank you for the responses!

Yes actually the customer was just fine with the level of correction I achieved but I have a new personal vehicle that will require some pretty serious correction so it would be nice to know for future reference.

I will have to check out that chart!

And would microfiber be the way to go for a cutting pad or would foam still be my best option?


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[Mike Phillips]

From the picture it looks like you're using 6.5" pads?

In the future, get a 5" backing plate and 5.5" thin foam pads and you'll get a LOT more pad rotation using your Porter Cable and thus better results faster.

See my article here, there's tons of info on the page more than just the picture of a marker making a mark on a backing plate.


Video: Mark your backing plate to make it easy to see pad rotation (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-car-garage-how-videos/49489-video-mark-your-backing-plate-make-easy-see-pad-rotation.html)



:xyxthumbs:

[Setec Astronomy]

I will have to check out that chart!

UPDATED 5/2015: Autopia Polish Comparison Chart (http://www.autopia.org/forums/paint-correction-and-gloss-enhancement/181138-updated-5-2015-autopia-polish-comparison-chart.html)


And would microfiber be the way to go for a cutting pad or would foam still be my best option?

I think most people doing heavy correction today with a DA are using microfiber pads. If you are using a forced-rotation or direct machine (Flex 3401 or rotary) many people also use wool for compounding.

[Setec Astronomy]

From the picture it looks like you're using 6.5" pads?

In the future, get a 5" backing plate and 5.5" thin foam pads and you'll get a LOT more pad rotation using your Porter Cable and thus better results faster.

Well spotted and of course very correct!

sdguy, you might want to invest in one (or all) of Mike's books, towards the bottom of this page: Auto Detailing Facts, auto detailing Tips, How to detailing Guides, how to polish, how to wax, DIY detailing, do it yourself guides (http://www.autogeek.net/detailingtips.html)

[sdguy55]

From the picture it looks like you're using 6.5" pads?

In the future, get a 5" backing plate and 5.5" thin foam pads and you'll get a LOT more pad rotation using your Porter Cable and thus better results faster.

See my article here, there's tons of info on the page more than just the picture of a marker making a mark on a backing plate.


Video: Mark your backing plate to make it easy to see pad rotation (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-car-garage-how-videos/49489-video-mark-your-backing-plate-make-easy-see-pad-rotation.html)



:xyxthumbs:
No I have a 5" backing plate and 5.5" pads. Are the lake County CCS pads low profile?

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[dlc95]

No I have a 5" backing plate and 5.5" pads. Are the lake County CCS pads low profile?

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The 5.5" ccs are low profile, 7/8".

[conman1395]

No I have a 5" backing plate and 5.5" pads. Are the lake County CCS pads low profile?

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Depends on where you buy them from.

Also, whether you're going to correct the paint or not, I wouldn't be resting all that stuff on the hood.

[expdetailing]

Were you running at speed six with at least 15 lbs of down force and moving the PC slow enough working the polish long enough? If so, then try additional items such as a compound with more cut (Meg's ultimate cut if you need it quickly because it is available OTC) and aquire some microfiber cutting pads. I think the MF pads make a huge difference for the PC.

[sdguy55]

Were you running at speed six with at least 15 lbs of down force and moving the PC slow enough working the polish long enough? If so, then try additional items such as a compound with more cut (Meg's ultimate cut if you need it quickly because it is available OTC) and aquire some microfiber cutting pads. I think the MF pads make a huge difference for the PC.
I would easily say I was putting 15 lbs of downforce on and yes on setting 6. This is usually how I do it.
1) Prime pad with 4-5 dots of product
2) apply pad to surface 'dotting' a 2x2 area
3) spread on setting 2
4) then sometimes I'll bump it up to 4 to spread a little more
5) setting 6 with downforce. With this stuff I was making vertical and horizontal passes and made at least 6 passes.

Out of everything I do I wonder if I'm not working it long enough. And that's the part I get pretty frustrated with. I go until the product to me seems like it's producing a haze. It wipes off very easily. I wouldn't be above taking a video and posting it up to make sure I am doing it correctly. I am just trying to do this as best I can.