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  1. #1
    Super Member nick19's Avatar
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    New Users & PC 7424 Users Must Read!

    I have decided to write on a topic I know a lot about; Detailing. I have been using the PC for a little over 2 years, and I have worked with several detailers in town, and two body shops. I did this to simply to gain experience and knowledge. I also attended a class taught by Mike Phillips at Meguiars. For those of you who don't know Mike, he is a world re-nound detailer. We learned everything from wet-sanding, to polishing, to rotary use, to chemical based discussions. Meanwhile, this was all hands-on. We all got to try a little bit of everything.

    Now I have done this full-time during the last year, and started my second business (5-Star Auto Detailing) in my young career (I originally co-owned a landscaping business with a good friend) and because I'm still young (19, almost 20), my parents are moving and I am going along. So things have slowed down for me, and I'm just picking and choosing the work I do now.

    Alright, without further a-do, I will get on topic.


    I will be discussing two main topics; 5-Step Paint Care Cycle, and PC 7424 polishing.



    1. Washing
    2. Cleaning/Prepping
    3. Polishing
    4. Protection
    5. Maintaining



    The 5-step paint care cycle outlines the 5 basic but important procedures and the accompanying products that enable you to restore and maintain a show car shine on your car's finish.

    Below is a chart with the step, product and procedure.






    Washing removes loose surface dirt and loose contaminants that have not yet bonded to the surface. It is also important to find a good wash mitt and a Grit Guard The Grit GuardRed, Black, Yellow, Orange, Blue








    Surface Prep includes both paint cleaning (not to be confused with the washing step), and claying the finish (with a clay bar).

    Paint Cleaners:

    This includes highly specialized Compounds and Paint Cleaners, which utilize both microscopic and macroscopic diminishing abrasive technology. But when you don't need such an aggressive cleaner like a compound, use Pinnacle's Paintwork Cleansing Lotion!

    "A surface won't go clear until it comes clean"



    Clay Bars:

    Clay bar technology evolved as a natural reaction to the need that arose for a way to safely remove bonded contaminants from clear coat paints without resorting to traditional rubbing or polishing compounds and the resulting scratches caused by the sharp, hard abrasive typically used in these formulas.

    Clay bars are non-abrasive bars of synthetic clay called Polyclay. They are somewhat like a high-tech version of Play-Doh. They work in three easy steps:

    1) - First you mold the clay bar into a pancake-looking flat wafer.
    2) - Second you lubricate the finish with a spray lubricant like Pinnacle Clay Lubricant.
    3) - Third you then rub the clay bar back and forth across the paint. (somewhat like a bar of soap against your arm)








    "Cleaner Polishes" or Polishes:

    These are the polishes that do the correcting when repairing your paint.

    "To make smooth and glossy by friction."

    Polishes like Pinnacle's XMT line, are used from compounding (severe swirls) to light polishing (adding gloss to a polished surfaced). Pinnacle's XMT is a complete line, including the most intense compound, to the lightest polish.

    Polishes/Compounds like XMT's #4 are used for severe swirls and oxidation. It is recommended that this product be used as a "last resort" product. XMT #4 is a true polishing compound with a high concentration of heavy grade abrasives. Concentrated abrasives increase the compound’s cutting power with minimal increase in compound haze. XMT Heavy Duty Swirl Remover eliminates your vehicle’s worst flaws to begin to restore the depth of color and gloss to even the most neglected paint finishes.

    Polishes like XMT's #1 are used for ultra-light polishing. You don’t want to do any unnecessary compounding to remove the lightest paint flaws. This is where XMT #1 comes into play. The sheer number and minute size of the abrasive particles blend away fine flaws in the clear coat without leaving any trace of surface marring or haze.

    Glazes and Finishing Polishes
    :
    These are the polishes or now more commonly known as glazes, that add depth, gloss, reflectiveness and nurture the newly polished paint. Simply put, it's almost like applying Aloe after getting a sun tan.

    XMT Carnabua Finishing Glaze is a sophisticated blend of gentle cleaners and rich carnauba wax. A glaze is unlike a finishing polish in the fact that glazes do not contain abrasives. They may contain cleaners, like this one, but primarily they serve as a moisturizer for the paint. Try Pinnacle XMT Carnauba Finishing Glaze as the finale of your compounding process or, if your paint is already in great shape, use it after washing.



    Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish
    removes the haze and restores the gloss to perfection. It sloughs off the micro-thin outermost layer of dull, dead paint – the paint often left after using a swirl remover – and moisturizes the remaining paint, leaving it intensely shiny and smooth. The abrasives are designed to gradually break down as you polish. In this sense, the polish is self-refining. The abrasives polish away light imperfections and then melt into the shine-enhancing lotion.

    The oils Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish uses are also important in maintaining the original condition of the paint by filling in the naturally occurring microscopic pores and surface imperfections thus preventing detrimental substances and elements as simple as water, or worse, acid-rain, from entering into these pores and microscopic surface imperfections thus causing oxidation and chemical etching. These oils act to replace the original resins as they wear away through natural processes.







    Paint protection products (waxes like Pinnacle Souveran), whether they are based on natural ingredients or synthetic ingredients (sealants like Wolfgang's Deep Gloss Sealant) provide a protective film, or sacrificial barrier against Mother Nature and other detrimental or corrosive substances. Without this sacrificial barrier, your finish is susceptible to attack at any time, as harmful or corrosive substances come into direct contact with the surface.

    Besides acting as sacrificial barriers to protect the underlying surface, Pinnacle's Souveran paste wax will also increase the visual appearance of a finish. Pinnacle waxes and Wolfgang Sealants will not only provide better protection than the competition, but will also:
    • Increase optical clarity and distinction of image
    • Enhance and increase the reflective characteristics of medium to dark color finishes
    • Add shine and slickness
    • Create wet-looking gloss
    • Provide the most UV protection available
    • Offer water sheeting action, or water beading action (depending on the wax or sealant)


    Remember, waxes, synthetic or otherwise, are meant to be Sacrificial Barriers with the intended purpose sealing the surface, while blocking those things that would attack your paint, from coming into direct contact with the paint.










    Maintenance products, like Pinnacle's Souveran Liquid Spray Wax, and Pinnacle Crystal Mist, allow you quickly clean your car and restore that just waxed look in just a matter of minutes... practically anywhere.


    Pinnacle's Souveran Liquid Spray Wax quickly and easily boosts your already existing wax protection while turning your finish dramatically darker and increasing shine and gloss.

    Pinnacle's Crystal Mist removes fresh contaminants before they have a chance to bond or etch into the surface.



    This concludes the first part of this "NEW Users Guide". Stay tuned for the second part about using the PC 7424.






    20 year olds rule!


    "For each step-back, there is an equally or greater come-back..."



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  2. #2
    Super Member nick19's Avatar
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    You ordered a PC 7424, but now what? How do you use it properly?

    In this topic, I will show you how to use your new PC 7424.




    First wash the car thoroughly. Pay special attention to loosening and removing any dirt particles from cracks and crevices to prevent these dirt particles from being introduced onto the surface during the polishing process.

    If you feel any tiny little bumps still attached to the finish after washing, proceed to clay the paint to safely remove these contaminants. After claying each panel, wipe the panel down with a quick detailer to remove any residue.

    Using Painters Tape, tape-off any plastic trim or components that you don't not want to get product onto and also tape-off any edges, high points or areas with known thin paint.



    It's virtually impossible to be so good with a machine to avoid the problem 100% on each car you work on so the next best thing is to be pro-active in your approach and by this I mean to tape-off any trim or other surfaces that you don't want to get residue on.



    You will need to tape off a lot more area, I was just showing what it should look like.

    And to view your progress, you can apply a peice of blue painters tape on the paint.






    Applying polishes and compounds with the PC 7424

    • Speed Setting - 5.0-6.0
    • Arm Speed - Slow Arm Speed
    • Pressure - 10 to 20 pounds of pressure on the head of the polisher
    • Work Area - Work a small area at a time, about 1 foot square
    • Overlapping motions - Overlap each pass by 50%, move the polisher using different patterns
    • Time - Work the product until the diminishing abrasives have broken down, but you haven't gone completely to a dry buff.
    • Amount of product - Don't overuse product, use enough to lay down a film in the area you are working
    This is the amount of product you want to use. Some products you can use less than this.







    The below diagram represents swirls and scratches evenly distributed throughout your car's finish from a horizontal point of view.




    When using the PC 7424 Dual Action Polisher to remove defects, (This is different then merely applying a polish or a wax because you're trying to remove paint), you need to use a slow arm speed, overlap you passes by 50% and apply between 10 pounds and 20 pounds of pressure onto the head of the polisher.


    Move the polisher in different directions
    You also want to go in at least two different directions, for example, from where you're standing, side to side, then front to back. You can also move the polisher in a kitty/corner fashion for complete, thorough and uniform cleaning action.



    Only work a small area at a time
    This will vary according to the shape, curve or body line of the panel you are polishing but for example on a large flat panel, you want to stay around a 12" to 18" squared area. The point being, don't try to work to large of an area all at once or you won't remove the defects equally everywhere.

    Overlap your sections
    When you move on to a new section, overlap into the old section for a uniform end results.

    The point of the cleaning step is to remove the defects. Because the PC 7424's polishing action is gentle and therefore safe, it takes time to remove small particles of paint in an effort to remove a defect, so concentrate hard at doing your best work when doing the cleaning step, don't skimp out during the step and try to rush it, your results will reflect that you didn't do a good job the first time.


    This is the CORRECT technique for using your PC 7424 on a flat surface.















    This is the INCORRECT way to use your PC 7424 on a flat surface.








    There is also two videos available FREE of charge to you on the link below. I encourage you to view this videos before taking your new PC 7424 out for a spin!

    Porter Cable 7424 Dual Action Polisher




    These are all just suggestions, or course you can experiment with your car's finish and determine what works best for you.

    Remember, it's not just about breaking down abrasives; it's about removing below surface defects. You remove below surface defects by removing the upper level paint that surrounds them.

    Gliding the dual action polisher over a clear coat finish will not remove paint. Pushing down on the polisher, moving it slowly and the combination of time, your pad choice, chemical and oscillating action, gently and carefully abrade and remove small amounts of paint which levels the finish and thus removes the defects.



    Please, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. We are all here to help one another out.

    (NOTE: I use a Meguiars PC, which is identical to the PC 7424)





    -Nick Lange
    5-Star Auto Detailing
    Last edited by nick19; 03-21-2007 at 09:11 AM.
    20 year olds rule!


    "For each step-back, there is an equally or greater come-back..."



    http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...must-read.html

    http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...s-bluuuur.html

  3. Thanks wooly4228 thanked for this post
  4. #3
    Super Moderator Meghan's Avatar
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    Nick this is an awesome thread, thank you so much for taking the time to put this together.
    You now can see how time consuming these reviews are!!! The graphics are lovely, instructions are very helpful, and your knowledge is appreciated.
    THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!

  5. #4
    Super Member Lone_Star's Avatar
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    Nick great work. This will surely benefit a lot of people.

  6. #5
    Super Member Nica's Avatar
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    Very nice Nick, I sure could have used this about 5 or 6 months ago but it still helps out. I don't really thing it matters weather your new or experienced it's good to know.Very nice write up, very detail and very informative. Thanks for posting it, I think all new members or new to detailing should read this.

  7. #6
    Super Member Jimmie's Avatar
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    That was excellent Nick.
    That took alot of time and effort, and I for one really appreciate it. I got alot out of reading it. It will be a good reference in the future. In fact, it's time to hit "print".
    Thank You Nick...

  8. #7
    Super Member ltoman's Avatar
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    Thank you, Nick!
    You did a great write - up, and I know I appreciate it!
    I am going to print it and share it as well. :-)
    Until now, I did not realize just how much extra product I was using. I am so afraid of dry polishing - but then that is me. I always go to an extreme.
    You rock!!
    Lauren
    ~Lulu~


  9. #8
    Super Member Pats300zx's Avatar
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    Awesome write up...

    Thanks for putting that together. Its one of the more informative guides to PC polishing that I have seen. Nice job.
    Only Z Best Detailing-Automotive Concours Detailing Services
    http://ozbdetailing.com
    https://www.facebook.com/ozbautodetailing

  10. #9
    Super Member Nuke33's Avatar
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    GREAT write up this thing needs to become stickey already, should help anyone getting ready for there first PC detail

  11. #10
    Super Member AL417's Avatar
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    Very Nice Nick! Thank you for taking the time to put this together. I'm sure it will be very helpful to many new 7424 users.
    "Some things are better left unsaid."

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