Old Pirate
AMG Classic Car Detailing
After you done using Menzerna, don't forget your IPA wipe down.....:wizard:
Menzerna Power Finish?
- Thread starter Desertfox66
- Start date
ZL1Mark
Allergic to One Product
Yes sir! :sarge
imported_Roadrunner
New member
Why not just use Meguiar's 105/205 combo? Works great with soft paint... and hard paint as well.
ZL1Mark
Allergic to One Product
I, personally can't seem to finish without marring with 205 on soft paint. Hard paint is a different story..
imported_Roadrunner
New member
I hear what you're saying and here's the good news: I think I've figured 205 out, all ya gotta do is follow the directions on the bottle: to the LETTER. This really works well with soft paint.
I was doing a 15 year old, black, daily driver, Mercedes these last couple of days (I'll post a little write up in the Shine section tomorrrow) and thought it would be a good candidate for the 105/205 combo... really thrashed, oxidized, scratched and swirled paint.
I did the initial stage with 105, a wool pad and a rotary then got the Brinkman Zenon light going with the 205/Flex and a white pad. Here's what I noticed.
The directions on the 205 bottle, for using a DA, say, "Two or three passes with moderate pressure followed by 2 passes with light pressure."
Every time I did EXACTLY what the directions said... incredible finish. No hazing, no micromarring just a nice clean finish under the Zenon or Halogen lights.
Each time time I did even ONE more pass, at either stage, with the 205, I got a little haze... not a lot of haze but just enough to notice the difference from when I followed the directions exactly. It was a real eye opener and for me it was a lesson learned. Less is truly more with this stuff.
The bonus is to using this system is an incredible amount of time saved. A lot less time with the polisher running for some great results, I'll take that every time.
I was doing a 15 year old, black, daily driver, Mercedes these last couple of days (I'll post a little write up in the Shine section tomorrrow) and thought it would be a good candidate for the 105/205 combo... really thrashed, oxidized, scratched and swirled paint.
I did the initial stage with 105, a wool pad and a rotary then got the Brinkman Zenon light going with the 205/Flex and a white pad. Here's what I noticed.
The directions on the 205 bottle, for using a DA, say, "Two or three passes with moderate pressure followed by 2 passes with light pressure."
Every time I did EXACTLY what the directions said... incredible finish. No hazing, no micromarring just a nice clean finish under the Zenon or Halogen lights.
Each time time I did even ONE more pass, at either stage, with the 205, I got a little haze... not a lot of haze but just enough to notice the difference from when I followed the directions exactly. It was a real eye opener and for me it was a lesson learned. Less is truly more with this stuff.
The bonus is to using this system is an incredible amount of time saved. A lot less time with the polisher running for some great results, I'll take that every time.
ZL1Mark
Allergic to One Product
:clap:
What do you consider "1 pass" ?
What speed on the DA? Did you spread the polish with a slower speed first?
imported_Roadrunner
New member
One "more" pass, than recommended... ie: if I I did 4 moderate pressure passes instead of the recommended 2 to 3, or if I did 3 light pressure passes, to finish up, instead of the recommended 2... I ended up with a little hazing because I went one pass too many on either step.
The directions, and I'm sorry I forgot to mention this on my last post, call for "speed 4 to 5" with the DA. I used 5 on the Flex for a speed setting.
As far as "spreading the polish"... 105/205 will dry out quick so what I did was apply 2 dime size dots to the pad and "kissed the paint" with the pad to put it on the surface, then set the Flex to 3 and spread the polish... VERY quickly... like "Zim, Zam, Zoom", that fast. Then I bumped up the speed to 5 and went to work.
Pad priming... I didn't do the KBM thing, but I did mist the pad to start with, one time only, with Meguiar's #34 and it was a very light misting. With a new/clean pad I put an "X" of polish on the pad; after that only the two small dots of polish.
I also cleaned the pad after EVERY 2'x2' panel... used a cotton towel for that. I think that's a really important thing to do with 205... keep the pad clean.
Hope that helps 07 'Z... give it try, you'll be amazed what 205 can do.
ZL1Mark
Allergic to One Product
Thanks for the info, much appreciated.
On a side note, I think it's a bit lame that you have to be THAT precise with a polish. I can't fathom that everyone who uses 205 has to do the exact same thing. Just some random thoughts.
imported_Roadrunner
New member
Thanks for the info, much appreciated.
On a side note, I think it's a bit lame that you have to be THAT precise with a polish. I can't fathom that everyone who uses 205 has to do the exact same thing. Just some random thoughts.
You're welcome, thanks.
Actually, think about what we do... DETAILING... details, fine points, every little thing JUST right. Think about this too... seems like a lot of folks, myself included, have had issues with 205. We know 105 is some sort or "miracle" product that even a 3 year old can get good results with... but 205's a bit different. I had a hard time with it for awhile I must admit. Then I decided to give it another shot and I just... quit thinking/experimenting... and I used it like they tell me to do with it on the product label. And guess what... 205 worked perfectly.
It all boils down to not thinking outside the box, or thinking that 205 was like any other polish, and just following directions exactly like they are printed on the product label. Not hard, not lame... at all. Pretty easy actually... the manufacturer of the product has layed it all out for us and all we have to do is follow directions to the letter and the results are excellent. Works for me!:wizard:
ZL1Mark
Allergic to One Product
I highly doubt all polishes need to be followed to the "T" like that. I'd much rather deal with a more forgiving polish. To each their own.
Post some pics!!!!
ancing Dot:imported_Roadrunner
New member
I highly doubt all polishes need to be followed to the "T" like that. I'd much rather deal with a more forgiving polish. To each their own.
Post some pics!!!!
So... following directions is too hard? What's so hard about reading a label and doing what it says to do? "Two to three passes at moderate pressure followed by 2 passes with light pressure." I'm sorry... that's NOT a lot of instruction to follow.
On the off hand, I agree, not all polishes, in fact, most of them are very "forgiving" and are pretty supple... you work 'em like you need to work them and everything turns out well. 205 isn't like that... maybe Meguiar's should put a warning label on the the bottle, lol!
Here's your pics by the way...
The rear trunk deck... the whole thing looked like this. This car has over 200,000 miles on it, never been to anything but the "Swirl-a-Matic" for washing and the owner told me she's never waxed it, except for, "The wax that comes with the car wash" since she bought it 15 years ago.
Post 105/205:
Rear quarter panel...
Pre:
Post:
ZL1Mark
Allergic to One Product
So... following directions is too hard? What's so hard about reading a label and doing what it says to do? "Two to three passes at moderate pressure followed by 2 passes with light pressure." I'm sorry... that's NOT a lot of instruction to follow.
On the off hand, I agree, not all polishes, in fact, most of them are very "forgiving" and are pretty supple... you work 'em like you need to work them and everything turns out well. 205 isn't like that... maybe Meguiar's should put a warning label on the the bottle, lol!
Here's your pics by the way...
The rear trunk deck... the whole thing looked like this. This car has over 200,000 miles on it, never been to anything but the "Swirl-a-Matic" for washing and the owner told me she's never waxed it, except for, "The wax that comes with the car wash" since she bought it 15 years ago.
Post 105/205:
Rear quarter panel...
Pre:
Post:
I followed the directions and it didn't work for me. There's still visible marring under the brinkmann light on black paint. Looks much better, but why no close up/halogen pics after 105/205, IPA wipe down, like you took before you started? That's the real proof.
imported_porta
New member
Powerfinish is the polish I am using on most of my details. Great cut if used with a wool and very nice gloss if used with a dedicated finishing pad. And honestly, many times I cant see a difference in gloss even if I followed up with a finer polish.
Use it with a green foam(LC/american buffing/buff and shine) and work the polish properly. Works on almost all the cars I am polishing. But if the customer are paying you do to a multistep polish, then do it. But for "regular joes" it will be just perfect since they cant see if you have polished the car for 3 or 6 hours.
Use it with a green foam(LC/american buffing/buff and shine) and work the polish properly. Works on almost all the cars I am polishing. But if the customer are paying you do to a multistep polish, then do it. But for "regular joes" it will be just perfect since they cant see if you have polished the car for 3 or 6 hours.
ZL1Mark
Allergic to One Product
Very nice results!Powerfinish is the polish I am using on most of my details. Great cut if used with a wool and very nice gloss if used with a dedicated finishing pad. And honestly, many times I cant see a difference in gloss even if I followed up with a finer polish.
Use it with a green foam(LC/american buffing/buff and shine) and work the polish properly. Works on almost all the cars I am polishing. But if the customer are paying you do to a multistep polish, then do it. But for "regular joes" it will be just perfect since they cant see if you have polished the car for 3 or 6 hours.
You mentioned a green foam pad, yet I see an orange pad in the picture? What kind of polisher did you use?
imported_Roadrunner
New member
I'm sorry 07' I forgot to post that pic, doh!
Here's the post 205 pic... there's a tiny, tiny bit of haze here, see how the light trails off to the left? It looks worse in the pic than it did in the shop. If I did a final jeweling step with this car, the Menzerna 85rd/black pad and a rotary would totally perfect this finish.
Being that this car's a daily driver, with quite a few areas of clearcoat problems and just about a quarter million mile car... that step wasn't requested or needed. The 205 finished down very nicely, at least on this ride. I don't think 205 is ever going to finish down 100%, you'll need to jewel to do that. I think it does finish down nicely, as nice as any Menzerna product and definitely better than Power Finish, maybe not 106FA though... but 205's a lot faster than 106 and I like that.
ZL1Mark
Allergic to One Product
Very nice!!!! :thumbup:I'm sorry 07' I forgot to post that pic, doh!
Here's the post 205 pic... there's a tiny, tiny bit of haze here, see how the light trails off to the left? It looks worse in the pic than it did in the shop. If I did a final jeweling step with this car, the Menzerna 85rd/black pad and a rotary would totally perfect this finish.
Being that this car's a daily driver, with quite a few areas of clearcoat problems and just about a quarter million mile car... that step wasn't requested or needed. The 205 finished down very nicely, at least on this ride. I don't think 205 is ever going to finish down 100%, you'll need to jewel to do that. I think it does finish down nicely, as nice as any Menzerna product and definitely better than Power Finish, maybe not 106FA though... but 205's a lot faster than 106 and I like that.
Is that marring from 105(right side)?
Also, is the pic after an IPA wipe down?
I've just recently learned that an IPA wipe down is very important.imported_Roadrunner
New member
imported_porta
New member
Thanks.
Yes, I did not have any picture of me with a green pad. This is a orange coolshine pad, similar to 3M orange. The polisher was a AEG rotary. But I am nowadays using a Makita.
ZL1Mark
Allergic to One Product
If using Power Finish with an orange pad on black paint, would 85RD have enough cut to remove possible marring from the PF and an orange pad?