Nubie Question

[mbpress01]

This weekend i am planning to use the 15 with an AIO - just don't have the time for polish wax as separate steps (I have 8-10 hrs over two days).

Car is a 2010 Blue Ford Taurus (nice paint but super dirty and water etched and swirled). I definitely need some guidance. I realize this is not a full correction and maybe not even a partial correction so I am looking for moderate to good results. (I am recently converted to Zanio but willing to try anything that works).

Also, will do excellent surface prep - one excellent thing about these forums is that anyone who does this as a profession or hobby knows now that surface prep is super critical. Plan to wash, clay, wash again dry and onto AIO. Will not IronX as i have never done and just don't have the time. Interior tires will be done quickly. Glass will be polished though.

Anyway, a few questions:

a) which pad to use - i have the Rupes pads of course - i have 2 whites and 2 yellows. No idea on which to use and whether two is enough.
b) pad cleaning - I have read about changing pads on each panel but is that advised, and how do you quick clean them after you finish a panel
c) Speed on the 15 - spread at 3 and polish at 5 - no clue
d) Hand speed - every video and Mike's book show a "quick spread" and a slow arm pass. Is that right for a rupes
e) Finally, how many passes - since this is a hobby and i am looking for moderate/good results, is it 3 horizontal and 3 vertical - again no idea.


As everyone can see, never used a Rupes before and I botched paint using a old Porter Cable from like 10 yrs ago on another car. Any thoughts comments would be appreciated and thx in advance.

[mwoolfso]

This weekend i am planning to use the 15 with an AIO - just don't have the time for polish wax as separate steps (I have 8-10 hrs over two days).

Car is a 2010 Blue Ford Taurus (nice paint but super dirty and water etched and swirled). I definitely need some guidance. I realize this is not a full correction and maybe not even a partial correction so I am looking for moderate to good results. (I am recently converted to Zanio but willing to try anything that works).

Also, will do excellent surface prep - one excellent thing about these forums is that anyone who does this as a profession or hobby knows now that surface prep is super critical. Plan to wash, clay, wash again dry and onto AIO. Will not IronX as i have never done and just don't have the time. Interior tires will be done quickly. Glass will be polished though.

Anyway, a few questions:

a) which pad to use - i have the Rupes pads of course - i have 2 whites and 2 yellows. No idea on which to use and whether two is enough. Try some test spots; tape out a few areas of the hood and play with combinations, inspect and choose the combination that makes sense to you. You are probably at bare minimum in terms of quantities at this point. You can make it work though. The AIO will likely get you 80-90% correction and it will be noticeably better. You are correct in that you don't have enough time to get the vehicle to 100%.

b) pad cleaning - I have read about changing pads on each panel but is that advised, and how do you quick clean them after you finish a panel The forums have "cleaning pads on-the-fly" posts so do some searching and you will see. I just did a google search and found this....

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...m-pad-fly.html

c) Speed on the 15 - spread at 3 and polish at 5 - no clue Polish at one of the 2 highest speeds; spread at any low speed that makes sense to you or dab the pad at a few places in your section with the unit off.

d) Hand speed - every video and Mike's book show a "quick spread" and a slow arm pass. Is that right for a rupes Yes. I have a flex 3401, never used a Rupes so as you perform your test spot you are going to lock-in your arm speed and # of passes as well.

e) Finally, how many passes - since this is a hobby and i am looking for moderate/good results, is it 3 horizontal and 3 vertical - again no idea.

As everyone can see, never used a Rupes before and I botched paint using a old Porter Cable from like 10 yrs ago on another car. Any thoughts comments would be appreciated and thx in advance. If you are not 100% confident then go to a local junkyard and get a Ford panel, then go to town and practice before you do the deed on your vehicle. I got a panel for $25 3 years ago. I used it once and never went back. It was well worth it; cheap insurance.

....

[Mike Phillips]

This weekend i am planning to use the 15 with an AIO -

This is key to your project, you're talking about using an AIO also called a one-step Cleaner/Wax to a neglected medium color car.

Anyway, a few questions:

a) which pad to use - i have the Rupes pads of course - i have 2 whites and 2 yellows. No idea on which to use and whether two is enough.

Here's an article I wrote before leaving for Italy last week, take a read-through, some good tips...

How to choose a one-step cleaner/wax

Like this part,

Your goal
When doing a one-step, your goal is to use the least aggressive cleaner/wax possible to get the job done because even when using high quality products, pads, tools and techniques, there’s always the risk of leaving micro-marring in the paint.



The secret to successfully doing one-steps
The secret to using a one-step cleaner/ wax without micro-marring the paint is to use the softest foam pad you can get away with. When I say,

Use the softest foam pad you can get away with….


This means you need to do some testing with both your cleaner/wax and some soft foam polishing or waxing pads and test to see if your softest pad will leave behind a clear, shiny finish without micro-marring or hazing the paint. This means you need to have a selection of soft pads in your pad collection.

And read Post #3 for sure.

b) pad cleaning - I have read about changing pads on each panel but is that advised, and how do you quick clean them after you finish a panel

Use the clean your pad on the fly technique and this should be done with a clean terry cloth towel. I read some blog a couple of weeks ago where someone was sharing the information in my article and they wrote to use a microfiber towel and microfiber towels will work but in my opinion and experience you want to use clean terry cloth because the fibers are more STOUT and this aids in clean the face of the pad versus the LIMP fibers of a microfiber towel.

Plus cotton absorbs really well, that's why you dry yourself off with a cotton terry cloth towel when you get out of the shower or a pool. In the same way, a cotton towel will help to absorb excess liquid that will build-up inside the foam.

Here's my article, the original information which I wrote. When I share info from someone else I give them credit.

How to clean your foam pad on the fly

c) Speed on the 15 - spread at 3 and polish at 5 - no clue

When using a one-step cleaner/wax to undo damage to neglected paint you treat the cleaner/wax like you would if you were using a compound or polish. That is medium to high speeds, you want to work the product against the paint.

d) Hand speed - every video and Mike's book show a "quick spread" and a slow arm pass. Is that right for a RUPES

It's "Arm Speed" when using a polisher and "Hand Speed" when working by hand.

When using a one-step cleaner/wax to undo damage to neglected paint you treat the cleaner/wax like you would if you were using a compound or polish. That is medium to high speeds, you want to work the product against the paint.

So after spreading the product out using a slow speed bring your speed up to the 5-6 speed setting and use a slow overlapping crosshatch pattern. Don't buff to a dry buff. You want a wet film of product on the paint behind your path of travel. See my article here,


Wet Buffing Technique

e) Finally, how many passes - since this is a hobby and i am looking for moderate/good results, is it 3 horizontal and 3 vertical - again no idea.

6-8 section passes should do the job. Kind of depends on how back the paint is and how aggressive or NON-aggressive your cleaner/wax is.

Again, see this article for some tips....

How to choose a one-step cleaner/wax

[Mike Phillips]

This weekend i am planning to use the 15 with an AIO -

Well how did it go?

[mbpress01]

Thanks for the question.

Overall result was not great (there is a lot more to this than people think). I started with a full wash, then clayed (i didn't dry before i clayed as I have read that it doesn't matter), then rewashed/dry, and started the process (after wheel/tires were done of course). Used the AIO and the rupes 15. Excellent machine but i had serious problems keeping the pad flat on the vertical panels and I am just not good at using it. Was disappointed. I used fast arm speed for the spreading and then a few section passes with slow arm speed at a 5 speed setting.

The hood came out pretty good but I had real problems with the roof and just need to understand how to reach to the longer panels (i have a two step ladder but reaching over and using one hand i almost had the rupes fly out of my hand). The vertical panels were also really difficult. The rupes is excellent but I don't have good technique, hence, product sprayed all over the place, ruined the pad and got frustrated by the end; basically i gave up and just started to hand polish on the verticals and front grill. Glad I am going to class end September.

Funny thing is car came out looking pretty good to the untrained eye but to my eye it looked terrible. Total time was 6 hours not including wash/dry. Definitely was rushing at the end.

I am probably putting machine away for a while and will most likely resolve to an aching back and hand polishing. My new black lexus is in very good shape but has a decent amount of swirls that I think I can remove by hand. Also will get the rupes polishes instead as i think you need to use their system to be effective.

Oh well.

[Mike Phillips]

Glad I am going to class end September.

Looking forward to having you here.

Funny thing is car came out looking pretty good to the untrained eye but to my eye it looked terrible.

Thank you so much for the follow-up, really appreciate it. And don't worry about any of the issues you run into while detailing your car for the first time... we all went through similar experiences as we all started out in the same place and that's knowing nothing.


Remember... practice makes perfect....