Micro-Marring on Black

mgm2003

mgm2003

New member
Folks,

I have a black vehicle that feeds my OCD. The finish IMO looks good in the sunlight -very few visiable swirls, cobb webs, scratches. It would be a lie to say there were none visiable on a black vehicle!

When I'm under the fluorescent lights and look very close, or shine a flashlight on the finish I notice a gazillion fine scratches & check marks.

There are other visable paint defects too, but those are due to crappy GM prep, paint & finish work. Sorry, I like GM, but they are lacking in this area.

How do I remove these?

Here's what I've done with no luck:
- DW849 Rotary
- Speed 1300
- Pad: Edge 8" blue (polish pad)
- Products tried: Menzerna Glaze, Menzerna FPII, SSR1, PwC.

I've also done basically the same thing with my PC using a white polishing pad and virtually every polish in my aresonal: Pinnacle, 4*, PB's, Meguires DACP, etc....

Is this something VM can mask?

I'm getting no where with this, and it's driving me crazy!!!
 
You are most likely not working the product in long enough or are not experienced with a rotary. Now, I am not sayign anything bad, I am just saying that you might want to go with a Porter Cable RO polisher is all.
 
No offense taken. Take my word that I am breaking down the products. It's farily quick on the rotary, and takes several minutes via PC.
 
Is it new paint, as in body shop finished?

What type of clothes are you using to remove the polish an wax?
 
It's factory paint. I use MF's from premiumauto & poorboys. I use two buckets for washes with a wool wash mit, wash from the top/down, and WW MF's to dry.
 
mgm2003 said:
It's factory paint. I use MF's from premiumauto & poorboys. I use two buckets for washes with a wool wash mit, wash from the top/down, and WW MF's to dry.
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Well, it sounds as if you do everything right. Have you tried using a PC and see what the results are?
 
I've tried via the PC with no luck. I've used both a white polish pad, and an orange power pad. Usually run the PC between 5-6.

I've stepped up the polish on the PC, and used a host of products: Menzerna IP, Pinnacle Swirl Remover, SSR2.5, DACP. The funny things is, I LOVE these products and have had great luck with them EXCEPT on my truck. It really drives me crazy when I can get someone elses vehicle looking better that my own! Yep, I'm probably venting a bit too much.

Should I try a more aggressive pad on the rotary or a different speed setting?
At 1300rpm, it breaks down the polish pretty quick. I overlap passes, working from the top, down, and then again from the bottom, up, and wipe.

Will a glaze like VM hide these? I'm realistic and don't expect to achieve 100% perfection on a black daily driver.
 
Can you take a picture in the garage of the defects you are seeing under halogen or incandescent light bulbs?
 
Having been down the road of dull paint, shiny paint, no paint once, I thought I had to mention one thing.
With all this polishing, you are most likely removing paint. It is possible to remove too much paint. (Don't ask!:D)

Could your paint blemishes actually be under the clearcoat? I don't think I have ever seen that on OEM paint, but it is not that uncommon on repaints. I drive GM products, but they don't always do things quite the way we would like. Maybe they screwed up the basecoat a little.:dunno

Charles
 
I think you're probably being a little too hard on yourself...you do all the right things and if you have to look that hard then it's probably stuff you have to live with, unless you plan on parking it in a museum. Driving in the rain and on highways will induce micro-marring whether you like it or not along with washing and QDing...there is no cure or escape :lol The only way to get an OEM paint job perfect , is to strip it and get a 20K paint job from a guy who does street rods and show cars...since it's a truck, enjoy it for it is and throw on an extra couple coats of wax to hide them better;) besides I'm sure it looks better than 99% of all the other vehicles on the road:D
 
Poorboy is right especially in the case of a truck, Very extreme polishing, washing and drying measures are "required" for black, often making one coming to grips with valuing good mental health more than a perfect finish ;) :D In fact, even some museum kept show cars have some glaze to hide some "boo boos"
 
Charles, I hear you! I'm afraid that I'm going to push the rotary too far one day and end up with chrome illusion (i.e. - shiny bare metal)!

Bill / PB Steve, ok, maybe it's time to seek med's. Prozak may have a new customer.

Until the med's kick in I'll be determined to improve this problem.

I wonder how much time and $$ I'd save if I didn't have any cars around, no products, and just took a taxi. Imagine that!
 
mgm2003 said:
Charles, I hear you! I'm afraid that I'm going to push the rotary too far one day and end up with chrome illusion (i.e. - shiny bare metal)!

Bill / PB Steve, ok, maybe it's time to seek med's. Prozak may have a new customer.

Until the med's kick in I'll be determined to improve this problem.

I wonder how much time and $$ I'd save if I didn't have any cars around, no products, and just took a taxi. Imagine that!
Click to expand...

Since you are my hero and someone I look up to, as well as with the other comments given, take two prozak's and take a taxi.... :) :) :) You done great, quit driving yourself insane. :)
 
Well, in the meantime, I would buy some cutting pads and slightly more abrasive polishes, perhaps staying within the Poorboys and Menzerna would be least complicated, but we can discuss all other alternatives too if you like. As always, try with a slower rpm first, see how you makeout, increase as needed, if that appears to have removed the original defect but this product/pad combo made its own marring , switch down to the lighter polishes and polishing pad you have already.

Now, I hate to be pessimistic, but best to prep you for this possiblity ahead of time: afterwards, you may still have (new) swirls and/or holograms, sometimes that happens when using a rotary, if this occurs, polishing with one of those lighter polishes using the PC is a popular final prep step. And, since you have VM, if you're still not satisified, sure why not cover up whatever you may have missed ( hopefully nothing) just keep in mind , IIRC that contains oil-fillers : a sealant may not bond properly ( others who have use it hopefully will chime in with the specifics) so you would probably want to go staight to a traditional wax.

Good luck. That looks like a big rig you have there! You're going to need A LOT of time!
 
I know exactly what you are talking about. I have those same micro-scratches or marring. I finally said enough is enough, there is a certain point to stop. IMHO you are there. I know you can see them and I can see them on my truck. Guess what no one else can. You know where they are, but know one else does. If you are entering a show, then that would be a different deal. You probably drive your vehicle everyday, and like Steve said that can cause it. My truck is a garage queen, it only gets taken out on the weekends, and usually that is just to put a coat of wax on it. I have a company truck that I drive M-F. So I guess I am saying :drunk and don't worry about it. By the way beer is cheaper then prozak. :hah
 
mgm, I totally agree with Steve (Poorboy) . I also understand since I have the same vehicle. I get way to picky myself about those maring and little mark's . I use product's with filler's to hide the tiny stuff. If I was to use a cutting compound everytime I had those my truck would already be down to bare metal....lol

Mine get's plenty of abuse with daily driving and yes even carwashes , I am not happy with the way it look's , but other folk's rave about how my vehicle look's so mint , clean & flawless. I clean my truck everyday unless it's raining.
The med's will help with that .....lol , don't be so hard on yourself.
 
Here are a few pictures taken last night. The film really doesn't do it justice, because it looks MUCH different in person. No kidding, I about sh** when I run a flashlight on my paint. I'm not just talking about a panel or two, the entire truck is heavily marred -probably some of the worst marring I've ever seen. It's too bad it doesn't show up on the film very well. I'm going to try different lighting tonight to try to capture it a bit better.

Bill, I've tried to correct the problem using a host of pads: yellow heavy cut pads, green medium cut pads, blue & white polish pads, and an orange power pad. I always start with a polish pad, and step up the product aggressiveness. i.e. polish pad with FPII, then move up to IP if it doesn't do the trick. I've used Menzerna IP, FPII, DACP, SSR2.5, PwC, SSR1, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few.....
 
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