Not getting the results i'm looking for...

[Irkie500]

It seems that SSR 1,2 and 3 with black, white and orange pads just are not cutting through the swirls on my car and I don't know why. I still have limited experience with a polisher but I know the basic process in which to follow. After my first session the hood came out ok but no mirror finish like other black cars. While I shouldn't expect that for someone of my experience its a goal I want to achieve. With that said I need to figure out where I am going wrong. Perhaps Im not working in the product long enough? however when is enough? I cut on speed 5, maybe speed 6 will work more effectively?



I'm sorry for the long ranting post but im hoping I can get some guidance from the guru's here. Also my car will be getting prepped for a Watkins glen trip on Saturday for their opening day. I will be working on my car from Friday afternoon until Saturday morning trying to get it as good as possible.



I will try and get some pictures up or maybe even a video of my process and you guys can critique it and help me diagnose my problems. Thank you to anyone who responds, I value the input of anyone on this site as you all have something different to offer.

 

[imported_hockeyplaya13]

Black pads really shouldn't even be in the picture here for correction. Black pads are using more for the final burnishing of the paint with a really fine polish, but if you are still stuck on correction, leave them be. I'd be working primarily with SSR 2 and the orange pads. What size pads are they? If 6.5in, I highly recommend getting the 5.5 in. That's all I use for correcting. Way more effective. Also, definitely up that sucker to speed 6. A PC is much less powerful than you think. Mine never touches 5. It's either on 6 for any polishing, or around 4 for applying LSP's. Also, how much pressure are you applying? You should apply some pressure so that it compresses the pad some and slows the machine down a bit, but not so much that it completely bogs down the machine. And how fast are you moving the machine? Don't go too fast- most recommend 1 inch per second. If SSR2 on orange at a nice pace on speed 6 with a decent amount of pressure won't do it, then I guess your only option left is to move up to SSR 3. But seeing as that's commonly referred to on here as "rocks-in-a-bottle," I'd try to avoid having to use that. I mean it won't burn through your paint, but always try to take off as little paint as possible while achieving the best results. But if that's whatcha gotta do, got for it.



Good luck!

 

[Irkie500]

They are 4 inch pads by recommendation from the forums here. I also know not to use the black for cutting, which is why they only apply wax and some polish for me.



I also took the advice of working in a 1x1 foot area which is fine but I don't know when to stop and wipe it away. Many people refer to the product as hazing over but I don't know what it looks like compared to freshly applied. Could I use the finger wipe test like for wax to know when to stop? or do polishes and compounds work a bit different?

 

[imported_hockeyplaya13]

They are 4 inch pads by recommendation from the forums here. I also know not to use the black for cutting, which is why they only apply wax and some polish for me.



I also took the advice of working in a 1x1 foot area which is fine but I don't know when to stop and wipe it away. Many people refer to the product as hazing over but I don't know what it looks like compared to freshly applied. Could I use the finger wipe test like for wax to know when to stop? or do polishes and compounds work a bit different?

Hmmmm, not getting correction with 4 inch pads? Hmm, I'm not really sure how describe how the polish looks when it's finished being worked. I'd say it's almost dry, but not quite. You never want to keep going once it dries, but it'll definitely be a bit drier than when you start. That's the only way I know how to describe it. I'd say try working it a little longer than you've been working it and see if that helps. As for the finger wipe test, well waxes really dry when they haze over, polishes don't get quite as dry, but they are definitely signifcantly drier than when you first start the machine up.

 

[Accumulator]

They are 4 inch pads by recommendation from the forums here. I also know not to use the black for cutting, which is why they only apply wax and some polish for me.



I also took the advice of working in a 1x1 foot area which is fine..

OK, so far so good, you have the basic approach right.

but I don't know when to stop and wipe it away. Many people refer to the product as hazing over but I don't know what it looks like compared to freshly applied. Could I use the finger wipe test like for wax to know when to stop? or do polishes and compounds work a bit different?

Yeah, abrasive polishes/compounds are different from wax/etc. in that regard. With a few exceptions (that don't apply most of the time), you do *NOT* work an abrasive product until it's dry (not nearly dry enough for the finger-swipe test). Once the oils/etc., "carrying agents" dry out, what's left could micromar the finish if it's wiped off dry, so you generally want to buff off polish residue while it's still a little wet/damp.



Some products turn from opaque to semi-translucent. Meg's #80 is a perfect example. Not sure about what you're using, never tried it.



Try to stop polishing right before the product dries..and get it buffed off before it finishes drying too.



It *could* be that the products you're using just aren't right for your paint. Yeah, I know "Blame the products" is a :nono but it can happen.



Get all the marring out with your aggressive stuff. Then use your medium combo. Use that until things look basically perfect, but maybe not quite what you want. THEN go to the mildest combo, which may well be your finest polish on black pads.



And take some consolation in this- even if it doesn't look quite right (perfect enough) to *you*, others probably won't see it that way; they'll think it looks great.