Need help with 3M Compound and Polishing Products No other brands please just 3M

[Kamakaz1961]

I would like to purchase some 3M products and I have no clue about 3M.

I love my Menzerna FG400 and SF4500 but I have heard that 3M has a heavy duty compound that can remove very stubborn scratches with the new hard clearcoats.

So I am asking the 3M guys here on this site what do you guys recommend.

So far I am looking at

3M 39060 Perfect It Rubbing Compound

3M 39061 Perfect It Polishing Compound

I believe these are similar to Menzerna's FG400/SF4000-4500.

If anyone has any other suggestion or addition to what I am looking for please let me know. Additionally, I want ONLY the 3M brand.

I recently used their product and was amazed at their performance. I asked the guy what the product was and he said it was 3M for hard clear coat. Stupid me I lost the paper I wrote stuff on.

The 2 mentioned are my best guess. Any other suggestions from the guys that use 3M would be helpful

[FUNX650]

•IMO:
-The Perfect-It brand is among 3M's
best performing appearance products.
-The two you listed above are outstanding.

•But, lest I forget:
-I also like the longer work times
that 3M's Perfect-It "EX" versions
of their Compounds/Polishes affords.

-And...just to note...IMO:
3M's Perfect-It "EX" Ultrafine Machine
Polish is excellent for "jeweling" paint.


Hope this helps.


Bob

[Kamakaz1961]

•IMO:
-The Perfect-It brand is among 3M's
best performing appearance products.
-The two you listed above are outstanding.

•But, lest I forget:
-I also like the longer work times
that 3M's Perfect-It "EX" versions
of their Compounds/Polishes affords.

-And...just to note...IMO:
3M's Perfect-It "EX" Ultrafine Machine
Polish is excellent for "jeweling" paint.


Hope this helps.


Bob

Thank you Bob as always you are great help! Have an awesome day. I was just looking into the EX products and they seem to be the ones that I want. Again, thanks!

I am looking at

36060 EX Compound
06064 EX Machine Polish
06068 EX Ultra Machine Polish

Thanks a 3rd time!!

[DoubleM]

I have been using the 3M Perfect-It EX Compound and Polish for over 2 years now in my body shop. They are absolutely fantastic and when in doubt, I always rely on them to give me the results I need. However... I have only used these with their intended corresponding rotary buffer pads. I have been able to remove 1000g scratches with the use of a wool pad.

With that fact aside I can tell you the following: The compound does dust and with a wool pad can be very aggressive so be sure to tape your adjacent edges and be very careful around body lines. When using the 3M white foam pad it doesn't dust quite as bad and obviously finishes nicer (I have found that a few mists of water to the pad before using it helps a lot by improving work time, cutting ability, and overall dusting).

I really love the black machine polish. It is aggressive enough to remove fairly moderate scratches and finish down to a very nice high gloss finish. They have recently revised the formula to give the product a longer work time so a little goes a long ways. Be warned, if you use too much of the product and/or heat it up too much it can clump up and stick to the paint which is a bear to remove. The final gloss finish this product gives is something I will leave once wiping off the residue with a QD.

The 3rd step, Ultra-Fine Machine Polish, is like what FUNX said. It is basically a "jeweling" glaze and is something I will only use after working with dark colored cars. This product has a ridiculous work time so you can do most of the car just by making an "X" pattern on the pad. It will not work to a dry finish so you will need to buff with a MF.


I actually recently used this system to do paint correction for a customer who had a small tree fall onto their car causing some pretty deep scratches that I wasn't sure I would be able to get out. However, they did not let me down and once again proved that I could rely on them to get the job done with satisfying results.


I have not yet tried these with a DA Polisher so if that is what you are intending on using these products with one then take my advice with a grain of salt.

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

First off, remember that the Perfect-it line of products are strictly for use with a rotary.

The EX versions are the ones you want. Nothing wrong with the normal Perfect-it line just the EX is the updated versions.

Again, rotary use only.

[RPM_BR]

3M rules the bodyshop segment, I've never seen one without it.
Trizact, rotary and wool comes to my mind.
IPA wipe down will be needed.
I know you asked for only 3M, but since you are also a big Menz fan, have you tried the new 300? It finishes better than the old one, less haze.

[Kamakaz1961]

DoubleM, Thank you so much for this information! You gave excellent information!

Again thanks

[Kamakaz1961]

First off, remember that the Perfect-it line of products are strictly for use with a rotary.

The EX versions are the ones you want. Nothing wrong with the normal Perfect-it line just the EX is the updated versions.

Again, rotary use only.

You are correct. That being said, I did talk to a vendor who specialized in 3M products (late yesterday). I mentioned that the products I was looking into were for rotary machines. He asked me what type of DA that I used and he said it SHOULD work fine with the Flex 3401 as he has heard from many of his customers that it works great with the Flex because of the "forced rotation". He did mention that my PC7424XP would be useless. So I bought the product from him (sorry AGO) as he helped and stayed on the phone with me for about 20 minutes of me asking stupid questions. So I am going to give it a shot and see what the Flex can do.

One note, I let the vendor know that I primarily use Menzerna Compounds and Polishes and he said they were excellent products and has many of his customers use them too. He did mention that the 3M compound product (36060) was not DAT and more "aggressive". So here is basically a breakdown of what I found out.

DoubleM was right too, so thanks again!

The 3M 36060 Perfect IT EX compound was more aggressive than Menzerna FG400 and can remove 1000 to 1200 grit sand paper marks and deep scratches with the newest hard clear coat paints.

The 3m 06064 Perfect IT EX machine polish was more like SF4000/4500 and no other product needed unless you are working on a BLACK Car.

The vendor said these 2 Products would work fine with the Flex 3401 with no issues. He did say that these 2 products would be the most used products. If you have a Black car he suggested going to the next step with 3M 06068 Perfect It UltraFine Machine Polish. This product was designed to be used with a Rotary.

HOWEVER, he did say that with the Flex 3401 should be fine. He did mention that it was more of a "jeweling" Polish (thanks Bob of FUNX650 you were correct as usual). He knows many of his customers use the same DA and have excellent results especially on BLACK cars. The icing on the cake is when he said if it DID NOT work he would refund me my money.

The biggest reason why I am looking into these products is I had a very difficult time correcting my buddies Shelby GT that was recently painted with Stripes instead of vinyl stripes (silver and Black). I actually stopped as I could not even get 1/4 of the results I was looking for. This was with Menzerna FG400!! I called the body shop (I know the guy) and he said it was the newest type of Clearcoat (this one was Sherwin Williams clearcoat) and was able to get a hold of the rep for Sherwin Williams. HE is the one that suggested to use the 3M brand. So this is where I am at. The good thing I can try out these products on my buddies Shelby GT and will let you know the results.

I will not be using wool pads but with foam pads. I will always look for ways to improve my detailing process and I am hoping with this I can go to the next level.

Thank you everyone for your help!

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

CJ, surely let us know how the Perfect-it EX line runs with the 3401!

Thanks for providing the conversation.

[dlc95]

I haven't used any 3M since the 90's, but I'm with Mike@DedicatedPerfection - great topic!!