Need advice on using PC with Optimum products

S

SIK L

New member
I've only used my PC with Optimum products and I've been all around happy with the results. I do have a couple questions/concerns though.



What do you guys feel that the ideal speed setting on the PC is to fully work in either the Compound or Polish?



Also, occasionally I will do a panel and it will appear to look kind of hazy. It will almost make the paint look cloudy sort of, like the paint is temporarily faded. It's hard to explain, but I'm sure it's happened to some of you guys before and I'm wondering why it is caused and how I can prevent it?



Thanks in advance guys!
 
I am no expert but what pads are you using? Is it like a hologram affect happening? It might be that you are not using enough product. Any pic's of what is happening?
 
SIK L said:
I've only used my PC with Optimum products and I've been all around happy with the results. I do have a couple questions/concerns though.



What do you guys feel that the ideal speed setting on the PC is to fully work in either the Compound or Polish?



Also, occasionally I will do a panel and it will appear to look kind of hazy. It will almost make the paint look cloudy sort of, like the paint is temporarily faded. It's hard to explain, but I'm sure it's happened to some of you guys before and I'm wondering why it is caused and how I can prevent it?



Thanks in advance guys!
Click to expand...



I've been using the Optimim Compound and the Polish for a bit now and usually just spread the product around manually with the pad first and then make a couple of passes at4-4.5 to spread it evenly. Once I get it spread out then I work it in with 5.5 to 6. Nice thing about the Optimum products is they will work forever without dusting.
 
94BlkStang said:
I've been using the Optimim Compound and the Polish for a bit now and usually just spread the product around manually with the pad first and then make a couple of passes at4-4.5 to spread it evenly. Once I get it spread out then I work it in with 5.5 to 6. Nice thing about the Optimum products is they will work forever without dusting.
Click to expand...



Are you using a PC? Do you ever notice the effect that I've been getting? Have you had a result like that?



Also, when you use the 5.5-6 speed to fully work the product in, how many times are you going over it? I'm wondering if my hazyness/cloudyness I'm getting is due to not rubbing the product in enough. What do you guys think?
 
inov8ter said:
I am no expert but what pads are you using? Is it like a hologram affect happening? It might be that you are not using enough product. Any pic's of what is happening?
Click to expand...



I'm using Lake County pads from obsessivedetail.com
 
SIK L said:
Are you using a PC? Do you ever notice the effect that I've been getting? Have you had a result like that?



Also, when you use the 5.5-6 speed to fully work the product in, how many times are you going over it? I'm wondering if my hazyness/cloudyness I'm getting is due to not rubbing the product in enough. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...



Yes, I am using a PC and sometimes with the more aggressive products like DACP and an orange pad I will get some marring but it will easily be cleaned up with a white pad and some Optimum Polish or Megs #80. I usually make 2 or 3 slow passes at full speed with moderate pressure and then follow up with with a couple quicker passes with hardly any pressure. After checking my work, I either move on or maybe a couple more passes with more product if I don't think the results are what I want.
 
Hmm, I wonder if OP ever fully breaks down. I started to polish with my new UDM and OP today, and using decent to heavy pressure (not enough to bog the machine at any point, however) I was unable to break it down... at all. I used an LC orange, spread on 4, polished on 6. For over 7 minutes. Slooooooow arm speed between 1-3 inches/second. My arms were ready to fall off when I decided to give up and just buff the residue off. Pretty frustrating in that it didn't get rid of the buffer trails left by the body shop. I used a nickel sized amount on the first panel. Then I tried 3 pea sized drops, then 2, then 1. (although the last panel was smaller than the rest) Still couldn't break it down.

However, the majority of the swirls were gone. Buffer trails were a different story, though.



I guess I'll try some DACP.



Any other advice using OP?
 
I am wondering if this whiteness/hazyness is either caused from not rubbing the product in enough or rubbing it in too much? Can working the product in too much have this effect?
 
tC_Crazy said:
Hmm, I wonder if OP ever fully breaks down. I started to polish with my new UDM and OP today, and using decent to heavy pressure (not enough to bog the machine at any point, however) I was unable to break it down... at all. I used an LC orange, spread on 4, polished on 6. For over 7 minutes. Slooooooow arm speed between 1-3 inches/second. My arms were ready to fall off when I decided to give up and just buff the residue off. Pretty frustrating in that it didn't get rid of the buffer trails left by the body shop. I used a nickel sized amount on the first panel. Then I tried 3 pea sized drops, then 2, then 1. (although the last panel was smaller than the rest) Still couldn't break it down.

However, the majority of the swirls were gone. Buffer trails were a different story, though.



I guess I'll try some DACP.



Any other advice using OP?
Click to expand...



That's most likely due to the hardness of your clear, not OP. I've done some of the higher end Hyundai's where the OP cut throught the swirls like butter. On the other hand I can't get the same effect with OC on my Jeep.
 
Ambrosia said:
That's most likely due to the hardness of your clear, not OP. I've done some of the higher end Hyundai's where the OP cut throught the swirls like butter. On the other hand I can't get the same effect with OC on my Jeep.
Click to expand...



I apologize for seeming like a n00b but can you elaborate on what you just said?



I'm talking about my Lightning by the way as far as getting those results. But it only did it on my hood if I remember correctly...
 
SIK L said:
I apologize for seeming like a n00b but can you elaborate on what you just said?



I'm talking about my Lightning by the way as far as getting those results. But it only did it on my hood if I remember correctly...
Click to expand...



anybody? i want to detail my lightning tomorrow and do it right!
 
So you think that the cloudyness/hazyness is caused by not working the product in well enough? I'm afraid it's caused by working the product in too much...
 
Well.. It's possible, but the thing is that Optimum polishes (the whole line) has a reputation of having such a long work time that it's annoying if you use too much.



After the pad is properly primed, you only need 3 pea sized drops per ~2ft.x2ft. area.
 
Wow well that might explain it. I am probably just using too much product. I'm going to use less product today and see what happens...
 
Remember, OP is not a very aggressive polish. It is more of a finishing polish (unless you are using it with a wool cutting pad). But in my experience, OP and OC for that matter are not your best choices for use with a PC or UDM. They seem to be designed more for use with a rotary which breaks them down much faster. I like the Poorboy's SSR products with DAs like the PC and UDM.
 
Scottwax uses OP and OC a lot (at least he used to) with dual action orbitals, and he seems to have pretty good results. I think as long as you don't use too much, it should work pretty well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top