Pulling My Hair Out!!!

[Desertnate]

You don't even have to go as expensive as the ScanGrip or Griots Garage rigs.

I found an slightly un-traditional LED work-light set-up on the South American river sight which works great. Before that, I had an inexpensive, basic halogen work light rig that worked really well too...until it caught fire one day.

The only advantage of the LED over the halogen rig is the LED's don't generate nearly as much heat. I think the halogen set actually highlighted swirls more. Heat generation is a mixed bag. In cooler temps hot rigs help heat your garage, but it's miserable of you're working in warmer times of the year.

[Rsurfer]

To the OP, tread lightly when polishing plastics.

[dgage]

To the OP, tread lightly when polishing plastics.

I’m sure Rsurfer understands and has more experience but just for some background, the reasons are two-fold. Plastics need an additive in the paint to be able to flex so the paint isn’t quite as durable/hard/tough. And plastic holds heat and so does foam so make sure your passes aren’t as long as you’d do on metal panels, just so you can let the foam cool down between passes.

[PDC]

I am making some progress! And I am expanding my knowledge base as I go. I have gotten pretty good a correction on modern factory applied scratch resistant clear finishes like you see on BMW and MB cars. Very forgiving. Very difficult to damage. Takes a lot more aggressive pad and product to have any effect at all - and doesn’t require as much ‘finesse’ as softer finishes.

This is an old-school PPG Base/Clear in (of course) Jet Black. Most of the tiny lines I’m seeing under indirect light are from even the softest White Rupes pad and polish (I think their products are geared toward modern scratch resistant finishes). I ended up using the very soft blue Lake County pad - which they say is for glazes and sealants - along with old-school 3M Baby Blue Ultra Fina. It is doing a fantastic job of polishing out ‘most’ of the defects without leaving any haze or marring behind. Oh, and I’m actually using the old reliable Flex 3401, but wayyy down to speed 2/3 range. And with the thick, soft Lake County pad, it is doing a great job.

Finally, I am coming to grips with the fact that as much as I love this car, I did build it to drive it. It is not a ‘show car’ in the true sense of the word. That and very few folks stroll around local cruise nights with their paint inspection LED lights handy. This is a very nice, very well done old-school 2-stage paint job on an old-school hot rod that I’m sure will have all sorts of new rock chips, pock marks, toweling marks, etc by the end of my first cruise season with her.

[Desertnate]

Finally, I am coming to grips with the fact that as much as I love this car, I did build it to drive it. It is not a ‘show car’ in the true sense of the word. That and very few folks stroll around local cruise nights with their paint inspection LED lights handy. This is a very nice, very well done old-school 2-stage paint job on an old-school hot rod that I’m sure will have all sorts of new rock chips, pock marks, toweling marks, etc by the end of my first cruise season with her.

Absolutely! Don't let the car own you. Its beauty comes from it functioning as a car. Drive it a lot and enjoy making memories every time you're behind the wheel.

[PDC]

Here is what I ended up with. FWIW - I started with an Orange Light Cutting Lake Country Pad with Wolfgang Uber Compound and my Flex 3401. The final step was the Flex with a Soft Blue Lake Country Pad with 3M Ultrafina.

[Paul A.]

I've experienced exactly what you described and found Sonax Perfect Finish to be the saviour.

Black LC pad and 2-3 drops and slow, precision passes with my Flex 3401 for maybe 5-8 passes.

Long work time until it just about disappears.

Although, i don't see anything wrong in those pics. Nice work! Looks like a soft blue with that product worked.

[Dan Tran]

I've experienced exactly what you described and found Sonax Perfect Finish to be the saviour.

Black LC pad and 2-3 drops and slow, precision passes with my Flex 3401 for maybe 5-8 passes.

Long work time until it just about disappears.

Although, i don't see anything wrong in those pics. Nice work! Looks like a soft blue with that product worked.

Sonax Perfect Finish is not going away anytime soon for a reason. It does a wonderful job finishing well with everything I have used it on.

[luckydawg]

several sections of SUPER light straight lines - perhaps from color sanding???

I believe thats what you're seeing. So if thats what it is--you've done all you can do

[Rsurfer]

I believe thats what you're seeing. So if thats what it is--you've done all you can do

Why can't he wet sand the clear and then polish?