Damn lights..I thought it looked great?

U

USA88GT

New member
Well I just finished detailing my black 94 Z28 that has only 16K original miles. The car had some swirls and some very minor road rash on the front nose. I spent several hours with my PC and it looked awesome outside and then under my garage lights. That is until the PDR guy (paintless dent removal) pulled out his fluorescent lights. Now the car looks like $hit! Is this normal.
 
Its normal considering you didnt use a good light source to check your progress.

Just do it again :)
 
Fluorescent lights are pretty good but the best light I've got is a handheld portable 200W incandescent bulb.
Paint could look perfect with fluorescent light and even 2x 500W halogens but every tiny swirl is exposed with my handheld.
Nothing beats direct sunlight but it's a little difficult to control.
 
Here was my process:

Wash
clay
wash
3M rubbing compouund for clear coats 39009 (?) with an orange LC pad
SSR 2.5 with an orange LC pad
Pinnacle swirl remover with am LC white pad
Meg#7 with a polishing pad
NXT with a polishing pad

The car looks great outside and under normal lighting. There are no scratches or swirls and I am very very happy. However, when the powerful fluoresent light was within 1 foot of the car the paint looked very hazy and cloudy. Without this light, you can read the back of a label on the bottles of polish? Any idea's?
 
it seems , imo, that you are seeing compounding / polishing haze left from the polishes. some of the only polishes that are fine enough to eliminate this "haze" are FPII and PO85RD.

Keep in mind that the more aggressive pad that you use will leave more micromarring / haze.

I would try to step it down on both the pad and the product.
 
Mad iX said:
Fluorescent lights are pretty good but the best light I've got is a handheld portable 200W incandescent bulb.
Paint could look perfect with fluorescent light and even 2x 500W halogens but every tiny swirl is exposed with my handheld.
Nothing beats direct sunlight but it's a little difficult to control.
Click to expand...

madix...where did u get the 200w incandescents?
 
Don't sweat it soo much . Those powerful lights are like puting your cars paint under a microscope. Hard to get it perfect with a PC .

Tape off sections with blue painters tape for quality control and so you can concetrate on that area .

I would do another pass with 2.5 on 5 or 6 w/cutting pad . take your time and really work it in . Might need 2 apps. Check progress to satisfaction.

then go with your polish on a polishing pad or maybe use a glaze like vanilla Moose to help with swirls and minor scratches ..

Good Luck .
 
I use flourescents cause they are brutal on cars. I check my progress with the sun, or with paint lights. If it looks good outside, and looks good inside, it probably looks good.
 
PEI Detail said:
I use flourescents cause they are brutal on cars. I check my progress with the sun, or with paint lights. If it looks good outside, and looks good inside, it probably looks good.
Click to expand...

by paint lights you mean flourescents or another type ?
 
I would


1) get a halogen to check your work (be careful becuase they get HOT!)
2) get some alchohol and distilled h20
3) get some decent 4" pads for your PC - TOL has a very good backing plate and pads (get both polishing and finishing pads)
4) get some Menzerna FPII
 
PEI Detail said:
I use flourescents cause they are brutal on cars. I check my progress with the sun, or with paint lights. If it looks good outside, and looks good inside, it probably looks good.
Click to expand...

You want brutal? Try sodium vapor lighting like many garages and warehouses use...I did a black Mercury Grand Marquis that looked good in the sunlight, but under those SV lights.... :bawling:
 
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