POLL - What's the number one most important factor when it comes to polishing paint?

[Dr Oldz]

Just saw this was an old thread. Oops

[Mike Phillips]

Just saw this was an old thread. Oops

Just to comment...


No such thing as an old thread.


If the information is good. If the topic is compelling - then the age of the thread is a non-issue. I personally have articles that are over 10 years old and older and the information shared in the article is just as accurate today as when I wrote it.


Here's an article I wrote approximately, one month after coming to Autogeek from Meguiar's on the topic of how to use a simple dual action polisher. The information in this article is just as accurate today as when I wrote it.


Step-by-Step How-To use the Porter Cable 7424XP


Recently we had Justin Labato here for demo of Buff and Shine pads at out Cars & Coffee car show. During his demo he demonstrated most of the techniques I shared in this article 8 years ago. The paint he worked on started out all swirled-out and when he was done it looked perfect.


Justin demonstrating how to use a simple DA polisher





Here's an article I wrote on MeguiarsOnline.com back in 2004, that's 13 years ago, and the information it shares is still just as accurate today as when I wrote it. The tools, pads and products have changed but the techniques are the same techniques a person would use today with the same style of polisher.

Using the G-100 to remove swirls with the Professional Line



So for everyone and anyone ever reading this thread or any thread into the future... there's no such thing as an old thread if the information is accurate, on topic and most important... helpful.

[Mike Phillips]

Easy...

I voted---Abrasive Technology!

Do I get a prize??? Grin...

Tom

The prize is the consistent "good" results you get every time you do exterior paint polishing and use products that use great abrasive technology.

Just turning out high quality results and never having to do a step over a second time is a reward or prize.

[Calendyr]

Definately paint. The type of paint, it's condition and thickness will make you decide what tool, product and technique to use.

[Derrick]

Technique takes into account all of the other choices. You adjust technique to properly use whatever you have at your disposal. You may not get optimal results but you may be able to greatly improve the look of vehicle while using the other inferior choices. Just give me meg 82 and I'm good.

Wow! I answered my own question. Abrasive technology.

[Mike Phillips]

***My bad***


When I originally created this, I should have worded it differently and how I actually meant.

What I meant was,

IF you didn't have any control over the car/paint, tool, pad or the product...

Then what would be the most important factor.


I'm sure some of you will stick by your original answer.


The mistake I made by not wording this poll how I intended was that you wouldn't get to choose your compound or polish. Most people "figured" they could use what they know and already like. But that was kind of my point. Sure there's some great products on the market but there's also some caveman products on the market and all the technique in the world won't make some products work.


So maybe when I get back from the Labor Day weekend I'll start a new poll and word it differently.

[kkritsilas]

You answered correctly the first time.

It is your technique (knowlegebackground/experience ( that has allowed yo to have the confidence that you do in choosing Meguiar's 82. I am assuming that you get goid/great results with it, which is why you are choising it. However, you are getting the good/great results with it because you are using the right pads/polisher/arm speed/ppad speed with it.

If somebody gave tou a bottke of Meguiar's #82, with no polisher or pads, woukd you get tge sane results? If omebody gave you tge same Megiar's #82, and a grinder with a minimum operating apeed of 7000 RPM, would you get the same results?

[Derrick]

You answered correctly the first time.

It is your technique (knowlegebackground/experience ( that has allowed yo to have the confidence that you do in choosing Meguiar's 82. I am assuming that you get goid/great results with it, which is why you are choising it. However, you are getting the good/great results with it because you are using the right pads/polisher/arm speed/ppad speed with it.

If somebody gave tou a bottke of Meguiar's #82, with no polisher or pads, woukd you get tge sane results? If omebody gave you tge same Megiar's #82, and a grinder with a minimum operating apeed of 7000 RPM, would you get the same results?

Mike,
Taught me how to polish paint by hand over 10 years ago on a cold and rainy day in Dallas. So yes, I could do it by hand... with a grinder? No way! LOL

[Mike Phillips]

Mike,

Taught me how to polish paint by hand over 10 years ago on a cold and rainy day in Dallas. So yes, I could do it by hand... with a grinder?

No way!

LOL

Using a grinder would be foolish but fools do exist.



I'm so glad you mentioned you attended that first Meguair's Roadshow Car Detailing Class



Car Detailing History

Half my forum or Facebook work is simply remember where everthing's at so I can share it. Remind people of the past...

I started this concept of a "roadshow detailing class" back in 2006 when I worked at Meguiar's. The first class I organized via a discussion forum was a class in Dallas, Texas.


Meguiar's Roadshow Goes To Dallas, Texas This Weekend!


Here's the first picture in that thread, seated right up front, just to the left of the projector is Scott Hair aka ScottWax.


Where are you Derrick?

image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...llasClass1.jpg

Read more at http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...OHKAHxwAfsc.99


Here's me showing how to use a Swirl Finder light 11 years ago


Without the Swirl Finder, the finish looked pretty good in the dimly lit warehouse, but with the aid of the Swirl Finder it was easy to see the clear coat finish was filled with hundreds of thousands of swirls

image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...rlsLocated.jpg

Read more at http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...rOHyHH7ZFV2.99


A few more pics from that class...

Before claying, we quickly recapped the benefits of claying the finish using detailing clay.

• * Removes above surface bonded contaminants that normal washing won't remove.
  * Enables wax to bond or adhere better to the paint and thus last long and protect longer.
  * Restores smoothness to the finish and this restores and improves gloss for a beautiful finish.
  * Unlike an old-fashioned rubbing or polishing compounds, claying does all of the above without removing paint and without instilling scratches during the process.

image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...ingClaying.jpg



To clay the car we used Meguiar's new Smooth Surfaceâ„¢ Clay Kit as well as the Mild Clay from Meguiar's Professional Line, both of which Wash Solutions carries in stock. Meguiar's new Smooth Surface Clay Kit comes with two individually wrapped clay bars so you can use one clay bar and save the other clay bar until you've completely used up the first clay bar.

Two clay bars in the new Smooth Surface Clay Kit

image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...las2Pieces.jpg



Here two class members try their hands at claying for the first time...

image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...asClayinga.jpg



[b]If you wipe off any leftover residue from the Quik Detailer as you're moving around the car with a microfiber like Meguiar's Supreme Shine Microfiber, the paint will be ready to move on to the next step.

image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...ingAsYouGo.jpg



After claying the car we asked a few people to turn their clay wafers over and show the results of the kind of contaminants being removed from the paint, look at the icky brown gunk that was actually bonded to the clear coat that the detailing clay removed. Often times you eyes cannot see this type of build-up, but the clay bar will remove it and reveal it to your eyes.

image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...DirtyClay3.jpg


image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...sDirtyClay.jpg




Then everyone felt the amazing difference in before & after...

image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...edFinish2a.jpg

Read more at http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...00PkVoOOmuH.99

[Mike Phillips]

Mike,
Taught me how to polish paint by hand over 10 years ago on a cold and rainy day in Dallas.

And here's the pictures showing how to work by hand...


The techniques were about to use can all be found right here in this article, How to remove a defect by hand using ScratchX


When removing swirls, scratches and etchings out of the paint, you want to first apply some ScratchX to your applicator pad.

image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...gScratchX1.jpg


image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...ScratchX1c.jpg



Note that I applied the ScratchX to the outer edge of the applicator pad and not the center.

Here's a quick lesson on how to hold an applicator pad when applying paint cleaners, polishes and waxes. As when you grip the applicator pad, your 4-fingers, (the fingers that will be doing the work), will be placed on the outside edge of the applicator pad on one side and your thumb will be sandwiching the applicator pad between your fingers like this,

image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...Posistion1.jpg



When you turn the pad over, your 4-fingers should be placed around the outer edge of the foam pad but still inside the edge about a half inch or so...

image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...Posistion2.jpg



Because your 4 fingers applying the pressure over the foam are placed around the outer perimeter of the applicator pad, you want to apply your dollop of ScratchX in this area also on the face of the pad. Like this,

image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...Posistion3.jpg



When you're ready to start, the first thing you want to do is spread the ScratchX out over the area you're going to be working on, this acts so simply spread the product-out

image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...gScratchX2.jpg


image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...gScratchX3.jpg



--> After <-- you have spread the product out over the area you're going to work on...
--> Then <--, begin to work the product against the finish.

image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...gScratchX4.jpg


image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...gScratchX5.jpg


image: http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...gScratchX6.jpg



When applying ScratchX with the intended goal of removing swirls and scratches, the idea is to work the microscopic diminishing abrasives against the finish with some force so that you will in essence cause the diminishing abrasives to take little bites out of the paint in an effort to level the upper most surface with the lowest depth of the scratch.

You cannot get results by merely wiping ScratchX on, (gently, like a face cream), as this won't work. ScratchX must be worked against the finish by you putting a little passion behind the pad.

After you have worked the ScratchX against the finish for a 1-3 minutes, depending upon how large or small an area you carve out and how aggressively you're working it, you can stop and wipe any excess residue off the paint because ScratchX does not need to dry before removing it. Often times, if you're working on a darker color paint, the product will start out as an opaque, or whitish color film and after you've effectively worked it against the finish it will turn clear and oily looking, somewhat like baby oil or Vaseline would look if you were to apply it to some paint.


The idea is to work this product against the finish, the diminishing abrasives do their work and after they have done their work and broken down, (now they're no longer working, or abrading the paint, it's now time to remove the product as their is no further benefit to the paint or the process to allow the product to dry.

• 1. Apply
  2. Work against paint
  3. Wipe off
  4. Repeat if necessary

In most cases, in order to remove swirls and scratches, you will need to apply around 3 applications over each section. Sometimes more. In the case this BMW, we removed the swirls after 3 applications and about 99.9% of the Bird Dropping etching with a total of 5 applications.

How many applications of a hand applied product like ScratchX is determined by,

• A) Paint hardness or softness.
  B) The depth of the defect you're trying to remove.
  B) Your skill and ability - Practice makes perfect.

Often times the question of which direction to move your hand comes up either at a class like this or on our forum... we have you're answer right here...

Circles or Straight Lines?


My own personal preferences are to spread the product out using circular motions and the to work the product against the finish using back & forth, or straight-line motions and then finish the area off with some cover passes in circles, so I use a combination of both.

Remember, after each application you will need to remove any left over residue from off the paint before applying fresh ScratchX so you don't dilute, or adulterate the fresh product with the old product.



Good times...