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Menzerna Heavy Cut Compound 400 Question
I recently purchased Menzerna Heavy Cut Compound 400 and seeing there were no product instructions on the bottle I took a look their YouTube channel and found a video titled "Menzerna | Heavy Cut Compound 400 (EN)".
The application process starts out normal, grab a heavy cutting pad, apply a moderate amount of the product, polish away and then something interesting. Towards the end of the working cycle they say you change your pad to what looks like a polishing pad. No additional product is applied. Can this be why it's said to finish down so well? Do any of you use it like this? How do you know when it's time to change to the polishing pad? Perhaps when it becomes transparent?
Thoughts?
Thanks,
Paul
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Super Member
Re: Menzerna Heavy Cut Compound 400 Question
Never used it that way but one recommendation is do not go above speed 4 on your polisher with FG400 - higher speeds can result in dusting and is not needed.
2018 Ford F150 - Ruby Red Metallic
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Junior Member
Re: Menzerna Heavy Cut Compound 400 Question
I have used it many times and it works well. I have never heard of changing pads but this does sound interesting. The abrasive particles diminish or break down from friction while you use it which is why it will finish out well.
If you are looking for a one step and do not plan to follow with their 3800 or some other fine polish, give it a shot. Your question about when to change the pad is a good one. I would say depending on the speed and pressure you are using, try to watch carefully and determine when the abrasives begin to break down and start to dust and then switch the pad.
I believe the standard practice is to use a medium cut polishing foam pad, do about 4 passes at a higher speed with moderate pressure then slow the machine down and do 2-3 passes with light pressure.
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Re: Menzerna Heavy Cut Compound 400 Question
This technique or method is being more and more used over here in the EU. It depends on the polisher and how aggressive it is to break down the abrasives in it. I shared this method with Justin at Final Inspection Auto Detailing to use with 3D One. And I saw it on a domestic detailing company Youtube channel when they showed up their new compound. The thought is to when the abrasives has done the heavy cutting you switch pad or have another polisher with a less aggressive polishing pad on it and you switch to this. And with compounds like the Menzerna HC400 and 3D One you can be able to finishing it off LSP ready on medium to hard paints this way and also getting a higher cut from an one step polishing. You need to be testing it out when it's time for the switch to the polishing/finishing pad. With HC400 I would test to do this after the pass you see it clears up. That's useally a tell when the big cluster of the abrasive has broken down. With slow armspeed it may be only after one pass with a longthrow polisher up to 2 passes. On a free spinning DA polisher with 8mm you may need 2-3 passes before you see this with slow armspeed. Then it's a couple of extra passes when you have changed the polisher/pad to finishing it off. So it's mostly used when you are able to do an one step polish. As if you need a second step you useally has more cut when you start with that combo than when you switch pads when you use only one polish. This can be used with any abrasive technology and any polish or compound. It's not something that's of a benefit to do every time you are useing the HC400.
It's pretty much like any other non deminishing abrasive compound. And it's very high amount of the abrasives in it and great lubrication from it. So not much of it is needed to apply on the pad. Then it's much of the paint you are going to correcting. Some paints with a lot of oxidation can need a drop or two extra than you useally has. A drop extra when you start with a fresh pad. If you don't use a very aggressive pad so you cut a lot of clearcoat off it should dust so much. And if it's dusting a lot when you have polished a couple of sections you have too much of product on the pad and reduce it. But it's hard to say exactly how much of the product is the right as so much variables comes to play. If it dries on the paint you have either used to little of product or overworked it with too much of passes per sections. I useally start with 1 less pea sized drop than the pad size is. So a 5" 4 drops and a 6" 5 drops and then adjust from there. Next section from I started a drop less. Then it depends on the size of the section I polishing which amount I use on the pad. Maybe it's a little complicated and you can use an easier method. But when you get used to it it's gets easier to do and you hardly think about it. So test your way through and see what works for you and adjust from there if needed.
Not the heaviest cutting compound but man do it finishing awesome for being a light cutting compound. Follow it up with the SF3500 and you have a great combo. That you adjust with the pads cut and finishing ability from them with these polishes. I know that the SF3500 has a higher price than the SF3800. But it's a reason for that and it's a higher quality abrasive in the SF3500. That can handle a wider range of cut and finishing than the SF3800. The SF3500 easier getting the haze/micro marring from the HC400 so you can use a less aggressive finishing pad to get it off.
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Re: Menzerna Heavy Cut Compound 400 Question
Originally Posted by
SWETM
This technique or method is being more and more used over here in the EU. It depends on the polisher and how aggressive it is to break down the abrasives in it. I shared this method with Justin at Final Inspection Auto Detailing to use with 3D One. And I saw it on a domestic detailing company Youtube channel when they showed up their new compound. The thought is to when the abrasives has done the heavy cutting you switch pad or have another polisher with a less aggressive polishing pad on it and you switch to this. And with compounds like the Menzerna HC400 and 3D One you can be able to finishing it off LSP ready on medium to hard paints this way and also getting a higher cut from an one step polishing. You need to be testing it out when it's time for the switch to the polishing/finishing pad. With HC400 I would test to do this after the pass you see it clears up. That's useally a tell when the big cluster of the abrasive has broken down. With slow armspeed it may be only after one pass with a longthrow polisher up to 2 passes. On a free spinning DA polisher with 8mm you may need 2-3 passes before you see this with slow armspeed. Then it's a couple of extra passes when you have changed the polisher/pad to finishing it off. So it's mostly used when you are able to do an one step polish. As if you need a second step you useally has more cut when you start with that combo than when you switch pads when you use only one polish. This can be used with any abrasive technology and any polish or compound. It's not something that's of a benefit to do every time you are useing the HC400.
It's pretty much like any other non deminishing abrasive compound. And it's very high amount of the abrasives in it and great lubrication from it. So not much of it is needed to apply on the pad. Then it's much of the paint you are going to correcting. Some paints with a lot of oxidation can need a drop or two extra than you useally has. A drop extra when you start with a fresh pad. If you don't use a very aggressive pad so you cut a lot of clearcoat off it should dust so much. And if it's dusting a lot when you have polished a couple of sections you have too much of product on the pad and reduce it. But it's hard to say exactly how much of the product is the right as so much variables comes to play. If it dries on the paint you have either used to little of product or overworked it with too much of passes per sections. I useally start with 1 less pea sized drop than the pad size is. So a 5" 4 drops and a 6" 5 drops and then adjust from there. Next section from I started a drop less. Then it depends on the size of the section I polishing which amount I use on the pad. Maybe it's a little complicated and you can use an easier method. But when you get used to it it's gets easier to do and you hardly think about it. So test your way through and see what works for you and adjust from there if needed.
Not the heaviest cutting compound but man do it finishing awesome for being a light cutting compound. Follow it up with the SF3500 and you have a great combo. That you adjust with the pads cut and finishing ability from them with these polishes. I know that the SF3500 has a higher price than the SF3800. But it's a reason for that and it's a higher quality abrasive in the SF3500. That can handle a wider range of cut and finishing than the SF3800. The SF3500 easier getting the haze/micro marring from the HC400 so you can use a less aggressive finishing pad to get it off.
Thanks Swetm for the very detailed and helpful reply!
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SWETM thanked for this post
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Super Member
Re: Menzerna Heavy Cut Compound 400 Question
Just finished a Q50, Graphite Shadow (metallic grey) with Menz 400 with a yellow Rupes polishing pad (used 5 pads), one step. Came out LSP ready, sorry can't upload pictures for some reason.
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Super Member
Re: Menzerna Heavy Cut Compound 400 Question
Originally Posted by
lane5515
Never used it that way but one recommendation is do not go above speed 4 on your polisher with FG400 - higher speeds can result in dusting and is not needed.
I run my polishers wide open with FG400, no dusting issues.
2013 Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track Edition
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2019 Nissan Rogue SL
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Super Member
Re: Menzerna Heavy Cut Compound 400 Question
Originally Posted by
paulgyro
I recently purchased Menzerna Heavy Cut Compound 400 and seeing there were no product instructions on the bottle I took a look their YouTube channel and found a video titled "Menzerna | Heavy Cut Compound 400 (EN)".
The application process starts out normal, grab a heavy cutting pad, apply a moderate amount of the product, polish away and then something interesting. Towards the end of the working cycle they say you change your pad to what looks like a polishing pad. No additional product is applied. Can this be why it's said to finish down so well? Do any of you use it like this? How do you know when it's time to change to the polishing pad? Perhaps when it becomes transparent?
Thoughts?
Thanks,
Paul
Check out this post I did using FG400.
Note post #5
2015 Black Porsche Cayenne Correction with FG400 and Polish Angel Master Sealant
2013 Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track Edition
2015 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 2016 Pearl White Nissan Altima SR
2019 Nissan Rogue SL
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Super Member
Re: Menzerna Heavy Cut Compound 400 Question
Originally Posted by
custmsprty
Amazing results on that black Porsche. As a matter of fact that's what made me do the Q50 with 400, one step and I'm glad I did.
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Re: Menzerna Heavy Cut Compound 400 Question
Originally Posted by
custmsprty
Thanks for sharing this. Very helpful. It seems like you like living on the edge with running your polisher wide open, using non recommend pads with this polish and using a washing machine with steam to clean pads. But your amazing results speak for themselves don't then?
I'll be doing a black BMW X2 with MF pads so I hope to get similar results as you.
One thing I didn't see in your write up was how many section passes you did and at what arm speed?
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