Taking the plunge, buying a HUGE kit! Need you guys to look over it before purchase

[Buckskincolt]

Which would you recommend between the Optimum Hyper Compound/ Polish combo and the WG Duo 3.0 for another newbie to machine polishing?

That's a tough one, a lot depends on your paint. The Optimums are more aggressive and have more correction capability but the WG are so easy to use and finish awesome. I really don't think you can go wrong with either unless you have really hard paint, then for sure the Optimums. The regular optimum polishes are great too, the sprays are a little easier to use IMO.

Hey thanks for the tip on the flat pads, AG Customer Service guy had to check but gave me the OK after. Whole process took only a minute, so pretty happy with the customer service

Funny story, after the polisher kit the AG Cust. Serv. guy said "and what's next?" He ended up saying that line like 10 times because of all the things I ordered lmao!

So go ahead and point people to that kit, the CCS can easily be exchanged for flats.

And I will be posting details asap! I'm going to work on my friend's beat up car first, and maybe then my brother's ford, and then finally to my car. That way I can dial in my technique before I hit my paint. I will be sure to post all the details!

Quick question on the Optimum Hyper Compound and Polish, since they don't really dust, will I have to tape stuff off? I thought the whole point of tape was to stop dust in small crevices and such.

Good to know about changing the pads! AG customer service is really reasonable for stuff like that!

No you need to tape, the tape isn't to keep the dust out its to keep the wet polish out, the wet polish will also stain the plastic trim and you can scuff it with the polisher. So you want to tape. If you do splatter some polish where it isn't supposed to be wipe it off immediately before It dries. I keep some IPa close by for that very thing. Taping and covering is time well spent!

[Ironman]

Hey Ironman,

There are a few reasons I'm not doing something like what you have posted above:

1) 6.5 inch pads are notoriously bad on a PC. Almost everyone recommends 5.5 to get effective results in a manageable amount of time

2) If you only use Orange pads, it is my understanding that when looking closely, you will still see micromarring. You need other colors that allow you to polish to remove that marring.

3) Some of the products I am buying are not for correction, but rather for prep, such as the Detailer's speedy prep towel, which is essentially clay.

4) Opticoat 2.0 is permanent whereas the paint sealant is not.

5) I have no problem using wolfgang or optimum or meguiar's. I just want to use what is most effective with the least drawbacks. Right now, after researching optimum I'm heading that way instead of megs, but if I research Wolfgang and it is easier/more effective I might go that route.

Thanks for your thoughts!

I do agree with you that I'm spending too much money... 485 dollars in the cart right now :/

1) My friend used the LC CCS 6.5 Inch pads on a 5" backing plate and he obtained amazing results

2) All he used was the Orange 6.5 CCS pads and his finish looks really good

3) N/A

4) Why go permanent if your buying all these cool products?

5) Forums are great for learning and can you comment on why 6.5 inch pads are not as good as smaller pads? Just wondering for my own learning purposes.

Good luck with you order!!!!

[ihaveacamaro]

That's a tough one, a lot depends on your paint. The Optimums are more aggressive and have more correction capability but the WG are so easy to use and finish awesome. I really don't think you can go wrong with either unless you have really hard paint, then for sure the Optimums. The regular optimum polishes are great too, the sprays are a little easier to use IMO.



Good to know about changing the pads! AG customer service is really reasonable for stuff like that!

No you need to tape, the tape isn't to keep the dust out its to keep the wet polish out, the wet polish will also stain the plastic trim and you can scuff it with the polisher. So you want to tape. If you do splatter some polish where it isn't supposed to be wipe it off immediately before It dries. I keep some IPa close by for that very thing. Taping and covering is time well spent!

Thanks, I'll be sure to tape up

Any other advice for a newbie?

1) My friend used the LC CCS 6.5 Inch pads on a 5" backing plate and he obtained amazing results

2) All he used was the Orange 6.5 CCS pads and his finish looks really good

3) N/A

4) Why go permanent if your buying all these cool products?

5) Forums are great for learning and can you comment on why 6.5 inch pads are not as good as smaller pads? Just wondering for my own learning purposes.

Good luck with you order!!!!

1) That's good, hopefully I get good results too. I can't wait to make my car look like a mirror!

2) I believe I have read Mike Phillips as well as other reputable names saying that you will always follow up a cutting pad (orange) with a polishing pad.

4) Well all these cool products are to get my paint looking perfect. Why would I want a product that keeps it perfect for only a month or two, instead of years? I don't want to spend 2 hours every month putting sealant on my car, when I can spend 2 hours putting Opticoat on the car and never have to do it again. I understand that some people LOVE polishing, and I'm sure I will too, but I just don't have the time to do that every month.

5) The reason is that the PC can utilize a finite amount of power. Bigger pad = less spin. Smaller pad = more spin. A 4 inch pad will spin faster than a 5 inch which will spin faster than a 6 inch. More spin = more cut = more correcting ability. That is why the 5 inch pad is a perfect balance between being big enough, but still spinning fast enough.

Scientific proof:

PC has a certain amount of power that has to be used to spin a certain area of pad. For example, say the PC has 1 hp motor (not sure about this, but it doesn't matter, as it's a constant variable).

If you are spinning a 6.5 inch pad, you are spinning ~ 36 inches squared of pad. Also the pad is heavier. This means that there would be 1 hp/36 inches squared of pad or 0.027 hp/inch squared of pad.

Now if you have a 5.5 inch pad, you have approximately ~21 inches squared of pad. So you will get 1 hp/21 inches squared of pad or 0.047 hp/inch squared of pad. Compare this to the 0.027 for the 6.5 inch pad.

The more hp/inch squared of pad, the more spin on the pad. The more spin, the more cut.

Following this reasoning, the 4 inch pad will spin the fastest, but it's smaller than the 5.5 inch pad, so it doesn't cover auto "real estate" as quickly.

[ihaveacamaro]

just got an email that something I ordered is on back order Guess I'll have to wait.

[kevin39208]

[QUOTE=Buckskincolt;727476]That's a tough one, a lot depends on your paint. The Optimums are more aggressive and have more correction capability but the WG are so easy to use and finish awesome. I really don't think you can go wrong with either unless you have really hard paint, then for sure the Optimums. The regular optimum polishes are great too, the sprays are a little easier to use IMO.



My car is '12 Mazda3, Dark Blue. Has the usual dealership swirls and water etchings. I'm probably gonna go with the WG Duo. Should I start out with Orange flat pad (with the 7424XP)?