First run with the PC - are my expectations too high??

C

CroMag

New member
I just finished up using my new PC on a pretty neglected black Tacoma. My process was:



wash

clay

SSR2.5 (orange Wolfgang pad)

SSR1 (white Wolfgang pad)



I haven't applied my lsp yet, because I don't really think it looks ready. The SSRs cleaned it up and added a lot of depth, but under direct sunlight there are a lot of very fine, tight swirls - almost imperceptible, but they're there. They could have been there all along, but it really looks more like I added them with the PC because they are so fine and there are so many.



I guess my question is - what should I expect from this process before I amove on to the lsp? Should the finish be completely swirl free - or will you always see some very fine swirls on black. Is there something more fine than SSR1 that I should follow it with? Any suggestions/experiences would be appreciated.
 
CroMag said:
I just finished up using my new PC on a pretty neglected black Tacoma. My process was:



wash

clay

SSR2.5 (orange Wolfgang pad)

SSR1 (white Wolfgang pad)



I haven't applied my lsp yet, because I don't really think it looks ready. The SSRs cleaned it up and added a lot of depth, but under direct sunlight there are a lot of very fine, tight swirls - almost imperceptible, but they're there. They could have been there all along, but it really looks more like I added them with the PC because they are so fine and there are so many.



I guess my question is - what should I expect from this process before I amove on to the lsp? Should the finish be completely swirl free - or will you always see some very fine swirls on black. Is there something more fine than SSR1 that I should follow it with? Any suggestions/experiences would be appreciated.
Click to expand...



Its your first try, your not going to be able to elminate the swirls on the first try. Contrary to popular belief, there is indeed a learning curve with the PC. I believe you have micro-marring which a final polish should take care of easily.
 
:sigh: I'm taking my turn at the learning curve too. I thought I'd be able to get rid of all the swirls on the first try, and I got rid of quite a few...but I'm still trying to nail down that perfect balance of how fast I should move it and how much pressure to put on it.



How slow do you guys tend to go with the PC and how exactly do I know when to stop working in the polish? Right now I've got XMT #3 and #1, and I just stop whenever it looks like there's no more polish on the paint and it's dusting like a mofo. Am I doing something wrong?
 
I go pretty slowly, 1/2in to 1in per sec if I'm trying to polish out swirls, and apply a moderate amount of pressure. I know the polish is done... more by experience with the polish. If it's dusting pretty badly, you've probably over-worked it. You can usually tell when the polish "flashes over", and then it's about done. I haven't worked with SSR2.5, so I can't give you any specific advice.
 
When it flashes over, you'll be able to tell that you're no longer leaving a material trail as you move the buffer. It will gain a "dry" look, no different that a hazed over lsp.



SSR's have a slightly longer working time than most people expect, and they can turn around and leave micromars if worked too long. However, it is more common that they are not worked long enough.



The XMT line is generally less aggressive and finishes better than the SSR's.



Moving the PC at a rate of 1" per second is a good speed. Modest pressure, just enough to keep the pad settled on the surface, is necessary.



To the original poster: In your steps, you may want to add a pass of 2.5/white pad so that the 1/white will have less work to do in removing the remaining haze left by the 2.5/orange.



Also, don't be scared of using speed 6 on the PC. I've found that the SSR's tend to break down more evenly and better/consistently by upping the speed and working in relatively small areas, i.e. 1/4 section of a hood, or 1/2 a door.



Good luck.
 
Thanks for the link Grouse...it's nice to get a visual about what you're supposed to be looking for.



So yea...I definitely worked it in until it flashed over, and perhaps a little bit longer. I take it that may be a reason why there are still swirls. How long does it usually take you guys to completely polish your car (say a small 4-door)?
 
It might be frustrating, but it's not uncommon for people to find the PC doesn't do what they want as quickly as they want. That's just the downside of its being nice and safe.



CDTGaticaW201 said:
How long does it usually take you guys to completely polish your car (say a small 4-door)?
Click to expand...



Using only the PC, and dealing with considerable marring, I'd expect it to take many hours. It's not unheard of for somebody to spend more than one hour on a single panel and some of us have spent a lot more time than that.



Using the right pads (4" for correction) and the right products (the most aggressive stuff that'll work by PC) can cut the time down considerably. But it still won't go fast, that's why the rotary is held is such high regard ;)
 
How long the PC takes is completely dependent on how hard the clear is. I've found some cars that polish out pretty easily with the PC, so you could do the whole car in 1-2 hours if you had some experience. Other cars, the paint is so hard, it would take forever and a day with the PC. Bottom line, try it and see. Your first couple of times will take longer to- the first time I did real polishing with my PC, it took many many hours, now the time is cut down a lot.
 
I've found that most solid black paint is softer than the same manufacturer's metallics and lighter solid colors so while swirls tend to come out a bit more quickly, you are also more likely to end up with micromarring. You might want to use SSR2 with a polishing pad and follow with SSR1 and see if that helps the appearance.
 
19.jpg




To the left side is what your talking about I believe.
 
evenflow said:
To the left side is what your talking about I believe.
Click to expand...





Yeah, my scratches looked somewhat similar to that, but without the haze. I'm sure it was micromarring because they were so fine. I took the advice given and found that another couple passes with the SSR1/white pad on a little higher speed seemed to help. The NXT took care of the tiny bit that was left, although it was probably through fillers. I guess that's OK, just gives me an exuse to buy more products to try later :chuckle:



The lesson learned for other PC noobs - don't assume one pass will get you to the results you want.
 
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