Need to choose a polish and sealant.
- Thread starter DatacomGuy
- Start date
Accumulator
Well-known member
DatacomGuy said:
Asking *me* that is kinda like asking a builder "how do I build a house?" I really gotta redo my "Accumulator's Non-marring Wash Technique" article (look in the Detailing Articles section).
I just typed in a whole lot of pointers yesterday...if I can find that post I'll copy it over here or give you a link or something but I can't retype it all at present.
EDIT: OK, found it. Here's what I posted to the last Washing Q...
<<BEGIN>>
Some sorta-random thoughts from me too:
- Marring coming back after *five to seven washes*?!? I'd be if they came back after 5-7 MONTHS
- In the absence of a pressure washer, I use a siphon-feed sprayer that hooks up to my air compressor to get the worst of the gritty winter filth off, my version of a pre-wash. But I only do that in the winter and I do let my vehicles get awfully dirty some times (can't tell what color they are!) and that might not be necessary for everybody
- The better (better lubricity, encapsulation) the shampoo I use the less marring I get
- I washed with sponges for years but finally realized I wanted to instill less marring, and yeah...the sponges simply didn't work well for me in this regard no matter what technique I used with them
- That said, IMO it's not so much the wash media as the wash technique
- THAT said, different media lend themselves to different techniques, at least to some extent
- No matter what, I simply have to use a foamgun (output contstantly directed at point of wash medium-to-paint contact) to avoid wash-induced marring. Period
- What works for me is "Dislodge and Flush" where the dirt gets flushed off the panel; if I see much dirt in my rinse bucket (say...after washing a winter-filthy vehicle) then I figure I blew it because this means I was dragging dirty wash media across my paint (all the while until I finally rinsed it out in the rinse bucket) and IMO dirty wash media = marring
- Using the foamgun to provide constant lubrication and flushing, I use a BHB for the initial passes (to get the "big stuff") and then sheepskin or MF mitts (used more aggressively to get the more tenacious roadfilm, which the BHBs are too gentle to get 100%). I might wash a single area four or five times
- I always use mitts this way: I fill them with shampoo mix (either from my wash bucket or the foamgun) and hold them shut at the cuff, then I gently whisk the mitt across the paint while the shampoo seeps out (still spraying with the foamgun). I'll rinse/refill the mitt by the time all the shampoo mix seeps out, maybe sooner if I think it's retained any dirt
- I move my wash media in short, interrupted "jiggling" motions so that the foamgun is more likely to "blast the dirt away" and so that any marring that does happen will be short little scratches, not long, sweeping ones
- I simply *NEVER* move anything across my paint in long sweeping motions for the same reason; if something goes wrong I don't want a six-inch long scratch. Similarly, I usually (OK, not always, I get sloppy ) move my wash/dry media in straight lines as straight scratches are less obvious than circular ones (owning to the more limited viewing angle)
- IF (sometimes a big "if"...) I wash perfectly I can dry with plain WWs (no QD) and not get marring, but the QD is good insurance so I use it anyhow
<<END>>
Guitarist302008
New member
DatacomGuy said:
I think the key here is that you want to reseal before the sealant has a chance to wear off, and then you most likely will not have to clay again. I love the Menzerna + blackfire combo and then if you really want some durability, top it with collinite 915... i'm telling you, the stuff has been really durable for me... but right now i'm just layering blackfire every 24 hours or so until I get to around 5 coats.
Guitarist302008
New member
Just did my hood tonight... Menzerna SIP with Blackfire overtop... not the best pics, but it gives you an idea... it looks nice on while actually.
Accumulator
Well-known member
pwaug said:
The GG is simply the better machine and you can use the same backing plates as for the PC. So if you want to use 5.5" (or 4", or 3", or 6") you can just buy the appropriate backing plate for whatever size pad. I'm just all about buying the best machine and IMO the Griot's is it.
The Griot's orange polishing pad is a nice general-purpose pad and I use them a lot. You'd want something more aggressive for serious correction/hard paint and something milder for final polishing/soft paint, but you could do worse than just using that pad for everything (I even use it for AIOs, and it works fine on both hard clear and my Ford's softer stuff).
The red GG waxing pad is nice, but probably not nearly as nice as the Gold LC LSPing pad. Eh, I just use the Griot's when I want to wax with a 3" or 6" pad and it's OK in my book.
"What polish?" is trickier as there are soooo many variables both with regard to the vehicle in question and the user's preferences.
Guitarist302008
New member
Accumulator said:
I've heard a lot of good things about the GG polisher... makes me want to sell my PC and get one... but I doubt i'd get much for it. It's not even the XP model.
DatacomGuy
New member
Guitarist302008 said:
Awesome. Which Menzerna are you using?
What do you think of the PO85RD + PO106FA Nano to finish + BFWD setup?
Accumulator
Well-known member
Guitarist302008 said:
Much as I disparage them, I do find uses for my PSs. I keep one set up for 3" pads and it works OK with those.
Guitarist302008
New member
Yeah, I only use the PC to apply sealants now.. that's it... it's just not good for anything else unless it's with a 4" pad... for me it does just ok with that, but the only reason I even use them is just to fit into small areas.
DatacomGuy
New member
Accumulator said:
Following up on this one. What is your recommendation for darker, new car work?
Accumulator
Well-known member
DatacomGuy said:
I actually think you oughta treat all basecoat/clearcoat cars the same..."clearcoat is clearcoat".
But since I'm kinda off the deep end about this stuff I was trying to be more reasonable and gear my response towards what a "normal person" might be intersted in doing. Things like rust-blooms aren't as awfully obvious on dark colors so IMO most people can skip a full decontamination (using a system like AutoInt's "ABC").
That said, I always wonder why ABC isn't more widely used...I guess it can sound intimidating but it's really just doing a series of three washes, really no big deal.
Eh...I'm not sure I really answered your Q :think:
DatacomGuy
New member
LOL!
So totally safe to stick to PO85RD + PO106FA Nano to finish + BFWD setup; like I plan on using for the other older rides? (or replace nano with CGEZCG)
So totally safe to stick to PO85RD + PO106FA Nano to finish + BFWD setup; like I plan on using for the other older rides? (or replace nano with CGEZCG)
Accumulator
Well-known member
DatacomGuy said:
I can't see any reason *NOT* to use those, unless you need more correction.
I'd probably choose between those two Menzerna products instead of using them both (on the same vehicle) but the PO85RD might be a nice burnishing follow-up to the 106 if (and that's a big "if"
) you want to bother doing that. Watch that the 106 doesn't do a lot of concealing (but it was the 106FF version that did that for me, not the FA stuff).Never used the CGEZCG so :nixweiss
DatacomGuy
New member
Accumulator said:I can't see any reason *NOT* to use those, unless you need more correction.
I'd probably choose between those two Menzerna products instead of using them both (on the same vehicle) but the PO85RD might be a nice burnishing follow-up to the 106 if (and that's a big "if"
Never used the CGEZCG so :nixweiss
If I stuck with just the PO85RD, however, wouldn't I need some sort of finishing step before sealing?
Accumulator
Well-known member
DatacomGuy said:
Unless I'm getting my Menzerna stuff mixed up...and gee, that's possible...the PO85RD is their finest/mildest/most "finishing" polish.
You'd better check into this and make sure I'm not misinforming you
DatacomGuy
New member
Accumulator said:Unless I'm getting my Menzerna stuff mixed up...and gee, that's possible...the PO85RD is their finest/mildest/most "finishing" polish.
You'd better check into this and make sure I'm not misinforming you
Yep, you're right.
Menzerna Polishing Compounds Products, menzerna polishes, menzerna car polish, menzerna nano polish, menzerna final polish, menzerna compound,
PO85RD is a finishing polish.
I should look at the IP or SIP instead then, right? PO83 perhaps?
Sorry, still trying to sort all this out.. :/
Guitarist302008
New member
DatacomGuy said:
SIP is good for 1 step correction with an orange pad, it leaves a nice shiny finish.. you can use a final polish after that with a blue or white pad... I typically use the white pad.