Can you REALLY remove swirls?

[clarks2ndwind]

OK... so I've got all the proven products and my car does look REALLY good after first trying PBSSR2 and 1... then bought 2.5 and orange pads to cut better. Now, like I said my car looks great, BUT today I'm looking at it in the bright sun and I see SWIRLS!!! Not bad, but they are STILL THERE! I've used the UDM to cut with SSR2.5, polished with SSR1, sealed with EX, and put the Nattys wax (2 coats). Beautiful shine on my Orient Blue Metallic paint. But there are still swirls.... for lack of better term... am I peeing up a rope? Will I ever completly get rid of the swirls or is this just a dream?!? You all know what you are doing.... I'm a beginner (only worked on 4 cars now...). My family and neighbors think I've lost my mind and I practically worship this car.... boy is it fun to drive though... so will I ever get my dream of a swirl free car? :help:

 

[dr_detail]

Pictures would help

As for the swirl removal maybe a little picture help is in order... here is a picture of "swirls"

These are caused by a buffer (aka: Rotary). They will need to be removed by a buffer. Anything else, will only fill, hide, or mask. Filling them with a glaze, wax, whatever will hide them for some time. As long as the product is there and being re-applied it continues to mask what's underneath. Buffing takes lots of hands on practice -- you cannot read a book and know how to do-it -- it's like pleasing a member of the opposite sex (or your own aka: don't ask don't tell) -- rarely, if ever does one do-it right the first time!!


Here is a picture of marring, towel scratching, or what ever so many people call them (these are not swirls!)...

These are a standard by-product of towels, washing, drying, lack of proper maintience, etc. When they get this bad, good chances are that they will need to be buffed out.

Marring is just like the one above yet there are verry few -- on a freshly detailed vehicle run you fingers on the surface as if to fell but apply some pressure -- then check in the sun. THE MARKS LEFT ARE NOT SWIRLS. They are micro scratches.

Sory for some ranting here but this is an area that our whole industry (detailing) keeps consumers confused more than the diffrence between waxes, glazes, polishes, and sealers.

One will always have some of the latter, period end of story -- swirls, however can be removed -- keep practicing and you will probably get it. Don't be discouraged though if you don't -- not all of us can paint like Michangeo or play guitar like Jimmy Hendrix. Even with decades of practice there is an art form to using a buffer -- wax, polish, glaze is the colors, paint is the canvas, and the pads are the brushes.

hope this helps

 

[Poorboy]

Pictures would help

swirls, however can be removed -- keep practicing and you will probably get it. Don't be discouraged though if you don't -- not all of us can paint like Michangeo or play guitar like Jimmy Hendrix. Even with decades of practice there is an art form to using a buffer -- wax, polish, glaze is the colors, paint is the canvas, and the pads are the brushes.

hope this helps

this is so true ...so many people call me and tell me about the machine, the pads, & the products they just bought and expect that a few times over their car and all the paint problems will be totally gone... even though they might have all the right tools, unfortunately it takes time and experience to use the tool to their maximum capability. Don't give up, the job gets easier and the results improve with each and every time you practice

 

[CharlesW]

There is no question that most of us have incorrectly adopted the term "swirls" for most of the paint blemishes we have.
I try to use the terms marring or blemishes, but still sometimes end up using swirl even though I know it is not technically correct. It's kind of become a catch-all term that people use and recognize. That doesn't make it right, though.
Good luck on educating them/me.

Another term that is used is "removing" paint flaws and many people don't understand that what we usually do is level the paint around the swirls, marring, blemishes, micro scratches, rather then remove them.
While I try to have a nice paint finish, I don't get too carried away with trying to remove all the flaws because I don't want to remove any more of my paint than necessary.
Even when I do feel it is necessary to work on those flaws, I usually spot polish just the bad areas with a more abrasive product and then use a less abrasive cleaner/prep for the majority of the vehicle.
It is unlikely to be a problem for most people, but since I may have a vehicle for anywhere from 6 weeks to 20 years, I try to plan ahead for the possibility of the 20 years.

Great comparison pictures, dr_detail. It really shows what you are referring to. :bigups

Charles