Methods for applying Ultrafina

S

Striker

Active member
Hey guys,



I'm about to do my black Trans Am in the near future and was gonna give Ultrafina a shot seeing as how my friend used it and highly recommends it as well as some of long timers on here.



I plan on doing menz IP-FP-Ultrafina. The ultrafina will be applied via Makita Rotary and the supplied blue 3M pad. What I need to know is if there's a preferred method to applying this 3M product.



Thank you for responding!
 
You could always get away with a LC black pad as well.



The preferred method is as listed 1000-1800 then back down to 1000.



I personally have used 1000-1500-1000 with no negative effects and otherwise nothing to note different.
 
From my understanding the ultrafina has NO cut in it, correct? It's mainly used to finish off any light marring the other polish has left behind.
 
UF does have some cut, just not very much. Following UF with an ISO wipedown will assure you that it's not filling or hiding defects. With an LC Blue/Black/Red or 3M blue waffle @ the suggested 1000-1800-1000 you should see great results.
 
Striker said:
Hey guys,







I plan on doing menz IP-FP-Ultrafina.
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Ultrafina has more cut than FP does so your order doesn't make sense IMO. I would go IP than either UF or FP but no need for both. If you insist on the three step I would do the UF before FP.
 
Anthony A said:
Ultrafina has more cut than FP does so your order doesn't make sense IMO. I would go IP than either UF or FP but no need for both. If you insist on the three step I would do the UF before FP.
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I wasn't aware of this, I thought that I should use UF as a last step polish. I was initially gonna go with Menz IP/FP and call it a day but someone recommended the UF as a last step polish.
 
Anthony A said:
Ultrafina has more cut than FP does so your order doesn't make sense IMO. I would go IP than either UF or FP but no need for both. If you insist on the three step I would do the UF before FP.
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I found UF to have slightly less cut...





I would agree that there is no need for both though. :bigups



IP, 106ff, (UF or FP) makes more sense to me.
 
I guess I'll save the money than! For what it's worth guys, my car isn't in bad shape at all. It does have some minor marring in it (lil lines on the paint) That I wanna correct and bring back to near perfect shape!
 
Not sure if you have purchased your Ultrafina yet, but...



Unless you have extremely soft paint, you should consider using PO85RD instead. Ultrafina is very expensive, and is known to work extremely well on softer surfaces where PO85RD may leave slight marring. If you think that PO85RD will finish well on your Grandam, just get that instead.



Another drawback is that Ultrafina doesn't have enough cut to remove some of the marring caused by other polishes on harder paint, whereas PO85RD is extremely fine, but still able to work effectively on harder paints.
 
I've found that 3M Ultrafina is a very reliable final rotary polish. However, you do need to use a polish in between the compounding step and UF since it is only for removing *light* holograms and marring. When used properly, spread out at 1000 rpms, worked in with enough pressure to lightly compress the pad at 1800 rpms using slow, 50% overlapping passes with enough product to lightly splatter the adjacent panels (wipes off easily), then back down to 1000 rpms using light pressure, you are left with a swirl free finish with excellent depth.
 
The 3M guys told me that UltraFina is loaded with strong fillers. As a test use a wool pad with compound and try removing the buffer halos with UF and a finishing foam. Really work the product good (i.e. speed variables + pressure > refine) and I bet the halos will be gone. Don't seal the paint for a few weeks/month and I bet after washing it a few time you will slowly see some die back.
 
David Fermani said:
The 3M guys told me that UltraFina is loaded with strong fillers. As a test use a wool pad with compound and try removing the buffer halos with UF and a finishing foam. Really work the product good (i.e. speed variables + pressure > refine) and I bet the halos will be gone. Don't seal the paint for a few weeks/month and I bet after washing it a few time you will slowly see some die back.
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Last polished my own car via rotary in August and finished with UF. Still zero holograms. Noticed the same with customer's cars (like the black LS460 and blue SC430 I posted recently, been more than a year since I used a rotary on them).



Your suggested "test" isn't the proper way to use Ultrafina. It isn't designed to remove compounding swirls. Even 3M says you need to use a swirl remover after compounding and before UF.
 
I totally understand that Scott and I would/have never instructed anyone go from wool/compound to UF under proper workflows. The car you polished in August probably wasn't done this way right?



This "test" is offered is to show a product *can* fill. UF is designed to be used after a medium polish where very faint halos *might* be present. Basically, it's intended for light corection/refinement, but when used above those parameter it has the ability/likehood of concealing. Adding LSP on top of it will just prolong the concealing. This is what the 3M guys have told me.
 
David Fermani said:
I totally understand that Scott and I would/have never instructed anyone go from wool/compound to UF under proper workflows. The car you polished in August probably wasn't done this way right?



This "test" is offered is to show a product *can* fill. UF is designed to be used after a medium polish where very faint halos *might* be present. Basically, it's intended for light corection/refinement, but when used above those parameter it has the ability/likehood of concealing. Adding LSP on top of it will just prolong the concealing. This is what the 3M guys have told me.
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Ah, I see.



Used as directed, UF does an amazing job. :)
 
Whenever I do a rotary compound job with a wool pad, I use something like PO203S or M205 in between Ultrafina.



Is the heavy filling properties of UF a desirable trait designed by 3M? Or is it just a caveat of the product?



I recall Ultrafina passing my hologram test after the IPA wipe down. I hope it wasn't filling too drastically!!!
 
All I currently have in my small arsenal is Menz IP and FP as far as paint polishers are considered. My firebird as mentioned before is far from having terrible paint (for what it's worth) I just figured I should ask on here before making any sort of purchases.



So....is Menzerna Final Polish a good last step polish before I go ahead and apply the Zaino?
 
Striker said:
All I currently have in my small arsenal is Menz IP and FP as far as paint polishers are considered. My firebird as mentioned before is far from having terrible paint (for what it's worth) I just figured I should ask on here before making any sort of purchases.



So....is Menzerna Final Polish a good last step polish before I go ahead and apply the Zaino?
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Worked properly, with the proper pads, you should be fine.
 
salty said:
Worked properly, with the proper pads, you should be fine.
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I am applying final polish with my charcoal 3M pad that's going on my makitary rotary. For those hard to reach places, I've got a PC with a 4" white pad.
 
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