First TIme PC User

[PerfectionDetailing]

Today was the first day I got to use my PC. I have been on the board for a long time but have strictly been doing things by hand. The light swirl marks were starting to build up so I figured I would get a PC. It turned out my GF bought me one for my birthday since I had been talking about it so much.



Anyway I got to use the PC today finally. I used a green propel pad with 1z in the green bottle. I did the hood the front quarter panels and the trunk. I had the hardest time on the hood and dont think my results were great. I feel like I applied a lot of product. I was applying 4 dime sized dots onto the pad and also sprayed it with QD. I was running the PC at 5 and buffed half of the hood. The product ended up caking and I had a hard time wiping it off.



Should I work the product in until it is completely gone? Was I using too much product? Should I get poorboys like everyone else here. I was not applying too much pressure, should I really push down? I seemed to get beeter results on the smaller panels. I think I may have added swirls to the hood rather than removed any.



Let me know what you guys think? Also the car was washed the day before and left in the garage.

 

[Accumulator]

It's hard to say if you used too much product, but generally if you ask the question, the answer is "yes". Be sure to break a big panel like the hood up into smaller sections so you're treating it like a bunch of smaller panels.



Don't work the 1Z PP until it's dry (let alone gone), but *do* work it long enough for the abrasives to break down. That means to work it until it's "almost dry". Some paints require a follow-up with a milder product such as 1Z MP (which I always use after PP).



No real need to bear down on it unless you need to get more aggressive with regard to scratches you're trying to remove.



Be sure to buff off the residue (think of it as wax, because PP does leave a decent coat of wax behind) with a clean, soft, MF towel.



I don't see any reason to change products. A non-Autopian friend of mine uses PP with my PC and gets great results (and if he can do it, anybody can ). It's a good product, you just might need to invest a little time in getting the hang of using both it and the PC.



For the sake of both comparison and limiting the variables, you might try doing a small area with the PP by hand. See how it behaves compared to when you use the PC.

 

[PerfectionDetailing]

I have used 1Z (green polish) by hand but never liked the results. It seemed to leave very small swirls or lines in the paint. I figured it was because the product needed to be applied by machine. I think I used t0o much product on the hood while on the rest of the otehr panels I used much less. Im not happy with 1Z because of the caking mess it makes. Dust goes flying everywhere. Is poorboys like this? or 3M? I hate products that make a dusty mess.



on the trunk and side panel I did work it in abit more and did use less product, I think it was just my learning to use the pc and the product. I did get better results on the other panels. Im not sure If I should have used a more aggresive pad. I have a 3 year old Porsche Boxster that is a garage queen and did not want to go too aggressive on it. Maybe I should try the next step up pad. I tried applying AIO with the pc and I know I used too much I put 4 drops for the hood (and only got through half of it, where by hand it would only take two nickel size drops for the entire panel.

 

[fullvllan]

im also a noob to the pc, but ive been able to get my techique down pat. i also use 1zpp and 1zmp and had problems with the polish caking up, but the cuase is using too much product. i originally put an x of polish on my pad, then tried a smaller x, and finally a small lower case t. the t seems to be the right amount for a 2x2 area. the t is about 3 inches. im very surprised on how little product is needed



when i use 1zpp with a sonus orange pad im able to remove swirls but it does leave some marring, but i am able to remove those when i switch to sonus green pad with 1zmp.



when polishing i spread the polish at speed 3 for about 3-4 passes going left to right then up and down, then set to speed 5 until the polish is thin but still wet, usually 6-7 passes the same way as before... then wipe dry with mf and you should be left with a nice finish.

 

[Accumulator]

I have used 1Z (green polish) by hand but never liked the results. It seemed to leave very small swirls or lines in the paint. I figured it was because the product needed to be applied by machine. I think I used t0o much product on the hood while on the rest of the otehr panels I used much less. Im not happy with 1Z because of the caking mess it makes. Dust goes flying everywhere. Is poorboys like this? or 3M? I hate products that make a dusty mess.



on the trunk and side panel I did work it in abit more and did use less product... I did get better results on the other panels. Im not sure If I should have used a more aggresive pad. I have a 3 year old Porsche Boxster that is a garage queen and did not want to go too aggressive on it. Maybe I should try the next step up pad.

Since it sounds like you're getting micromarring, I don't think a more aggressive pad is the answer. I *think* you just need to work the product longer or follow up with something milder. Perhaps even use something milder for most polishing, and only resort to the 1Z PP for more serious marring.



Hearing about the caking and dusting, I'm now even more convinced that you're using too much product. I've never had significant dusting issues with 1Z PP and I've used it on bigger cars than yours.



I'm a believer in minimizing the variables (and not introducing more, new ones) when you're learning any new process, such as polishing with the PC. So I'd stick with the 1Z PP and consider following it with their Metallic Polish (I prefer the "pro" version in the 1 liter can).