Optimum Polish is Optimum...

M

MorBid

New member
I wanted to get some before and after pics but I don't have a Digital Camera and didn't want to deal with the dropping film off, tonite I wanted to polish panels.



I got ahold of Anthony about some issues I was having w/Hi-Temps stuff and he reccommended the Optimum Polish.



So after washing, claying, and Prep-Sol I went to work on this hood that was giving me swirl fits.



I used the product w/my Dewalt Rotary (849) and let me say that I've never seen a polish you can work for days. This stuff does not dust. I used a Quarter sized drop w/a 6.5 inch pad and made crazy passes. Pad and panel still wet. Wipes off very easily w/MF towels.



I used Optimum's Black Lambs will first @ 1400 RPMS. Followed by their Blue pad at the same speed.



The Lambs wool was used for just enough passes to replace the big swirls and scratches with finer ones. The polish works well with the lambs wool as it did not dull or haze the surface like I usually get.



I used the blue (medium cut) pad to take out the finer swirls from the lambs wool pad and to bring up the gloss, and you do get some gloss let me say that.



I finished up with a White finishing pad @ 1000 RPMS to ensure that I had no halograms or buffer swirls although I can say by the time I was done with the medium cut pad the panel looked like I had applied my LSP.



I got a sample of the Optimum Spray wax with my order so I used that to seal up the panel and then closed up the garage up for the night.



Tomorrow when the "Judge" rises we'll see what's what. But I can already tell that the swirl probelms I was struggling with before are gone.



If your looking to try something new or are just starting out, I would reccommend adding this to your arsenal.
 
Thanks for the write up. As I have been sayin for awhile now I'm placin my order with some optimum soon and after hearing this i cant wait to order it.
 
Dude call David, he's excellent and easy to work with and his prices are not insane.



I used 3M products when I was finishing the car I had restored then jumped to Hi-Temp when I got my Audi last fall as I thought the 3M stuff wasn't making it on the German paint and was too abrasive (really dulling the paint).



I could not believe that I was able to work this polish for so long without it drying or dusting. I even put the machine down a couple of times (for a few minutes) to do a wipe down and when I picked it up again I was able to do some more polishing without adding more product.



Even when I "spur" the pad with a brush no dust.
 
To set the rotary down for a few minutes and pick it back up to start again without using more polish is awesom and amazing. I'm just liking this product the more I hear about it. Make sure to tell us what the "Judge" says tomorrow.
 
Ohh I will, I just wish I had gotten some before and after shots. I'll have to do another panel put I think my hood was the worse.



Yeah why this stuff stays wet is beyond me, but because of that and the relatively low RPMS (1400 maximum cutting speed and 1000 to for light cutting and swirl removal) you can really work a panel to perfection.
 
Are you just learning to use a rotary are are you experienced? The only reason I ask is that I'm getting this polish to help improve my rotary skills because of it's working time and all the other good thing I've been hearing about it.
 
Well I wouldn't say I'm a professional, but when I started doing auto body work 4 years ago there was no such thing as a PC. So the only way I could buff out the paint I just shot was with a Rotary.



To really be good at it you need to do it every day but once you get the hang of it it's all good.



I would reccommend this polish for someone starting out with a rotary because you don't need alot heat to get it to perfom optimumly (no pun intended)



Also without the dusting and with the long work time you can focus on your technique of handling the machine while getting great results.
 
Hey Morbid, glad to see that so far, all has worked out well.



If you notice any halograms they will be very faint and a pass or two with your PC, or other orbital, should take care of them.



You can also work the Opt Polish in semi-sun, even though I have used it in full Texas sun on a black Porsche hood with the engine running :waxing: with no problems I wouldn't recommend repeating that feat, BUT it did not dry out nor cake up. So if you need to buff it in the sun so you can see your results in real-time :xyxthumbs



Take care,

Anthony
 
I really like Optimum polish, however, I have had some issues using it on really warm paint. It starts to haze up, and then is really difficult to remove. This happened while using a wool blend pad and the metabo.
 
series1:



No probelm man, what's knowledge if it's not shared. Good luck and feel free to ask anymore questions.



Tony:



Dude you rule, David was a pleasure to deal with and as you can see from the post, those swirls I was struggling with are for the most part gone. Had one hiccup.



When I tired to follow the lambs wool with the Orange LC VC it didn't seem to cut as well as that blue pad so I switched back. I may not have worked it long enough though.



It's raining tonite but am hoping for sun tommorrow. I went out to the garage and shut the lights off and used my big Mag lite (read like the big ones cops carry) and shined it one the panel I just finished and the adjacent panels. You can see the difference (read where the mars are and are not)



It's been 90+ for the last 3 weeks up here with 85 to 90% humdity. I have a co-worker who we hired from San Antonio and he says this is normal down there.



If I need to thanks for letting me know I can work a panel in the sun and heat with this polish, as it beats pulling the car in and out of the garage to check my work when I want to see what the Halogens don't. Although I'm not one for doing any work on my panels (even washing) in the sun.



Also thanks for all your help.
 
Anthony Orosco said:
Hey Morbid, glad to see that so far, all has worked out well.



If you notice any halograms they will be very faint and a pass or two with your PC, or other orbital, should take care of them.



You can also work the Opt Polish in semi-sun, even though I have used it in full Texas sun on a black Porsche hood with the engine running :waxing: with no problems I wouldn't recommend repeating that feat, BUT it did not dry out nor cake up. So if you need to buff it in the sun so you can see your results in real-time :xyxthumbs



Take care,

Anthony
Click to expand...



I can back up the statement about OCP working in sunlight, but I

would not want to do it again if I don't have to (Texas is hot or sure,

but New York is like working in a steambath sometimes).
 
I've been using Optimum with the PC using both the Meguiars cutting and polishing pads. Long working time and I got no hazing even with the burgandy pad. I used Optimum with a polishing pad on the Phantom I detail to remove some water spots from sprinklers and it took them out pretty quickly. I could leave the PC on 5 for almost all the polishing, just a few areas with some scratches and heavier spots required bumping it up to 6. It also finished off extremely well. I was holding a light over the paint (working in a warehouse) and you could clearly read the markings on the bulb holding the light more than 2 feet above the hood. I could not detect any marring of any kind. :)
 
Hmmm, that's good to know as I have one of those burgandy pads and stopped using it cause of the hazing I was getting.
 
Did a final inspection this morning before going to work this morning and here is my report.



Swirls - the original swirls were gone, but I did not get all the swirls from the lambs wool pad out on one on side of the hood (front end by the HID's). That side of the garage is tight so it's hard to hit the panel from the front and sides.



Buffer Swirls/Halogramming - Was very slight, noticeable to the trained eye. Will modify my techique and use the Med Cut pad or equivalent @ 1000 RPMS or (dare I say it) use my PC for finishing.



Gloss and Apperance - Astounding. Granted I'm working on a less than year old car but the depth and reflection was staggering.



Final Words.



For the first time in months of testing am I able to pull the car out into the sun after working under the halogens in the garage and not be totally pissed off as the panel looked like I never did any work.



A true professional can get optimum results no matter what products/pads s/he uses. For that reason I'm not going to blame ne1 but myself for my previous sub par (IMHO) results.



Having said that, with the same amount of time (or a little bit less) and the same tools I was able to get more closer to where I wanted to be than b4.



I'll let that statement speak for itself.
 
Scottwax said:
I've been using Optimum with the PC using both the Meguiars cutting and polishing pads. Long working time and I got no hazing even with the burgandy pad.
Click to expand...



Yesterday was the first time I used Optimum on a dark blue Yukon. I wasn't pleased with the results using a Meguiars poishing pad (not the polish's fault, I had some moderate defects to remove) so I switched to a Meguiars burgandy cutting pad and DID NOT notice any hazing left behind, checked with a light and the sun (when it was out) Shocked the hell out of me, those burgandy pads are pretty darn stiff.
 
I just spent most of last evening and this morning working with a sample of Optimum polish. I needed a mar-free as possible finish to beta test another product.

This is absolutely the best multi-functional polish I ever used. Period!!!!

Very easy to use, paint friendly, completely minor blemish eliminating, low but some dusting product, very high gloss producing product with just using a PC and polishing pads.

This product eliminates blemishes that in the past required me to use rotary and several grades of abrasives polish to achieve the final finish that Optimum produces on its own. Target a blemish and work the product until it literally disappears. This is all accomplished without ever dulling the surface or creating a fear about CC damage.



I tested this product on a very good black finish that had only blemishes (small) that I would not touch with heavier polishes because of the co-lateral damage to the surround finish when attempting to fix these problems. I faced no such problem with Optimum.

Optimum is not a quick fix polish, but one that must be worked to accomplish the perfect end result. Optimum make-up is such that working the product is easy. Very slow drying and the residual remaining after blemish repair wipes off easily and developes a bright, clear, reflective, deep, wet and glossy surface. :woohoo:



To state that this is a miracle polish would be an understatement.

To state that this is the best polish out on the market would be arrogant.

To state that this will be my “go-to� blemish eliminating polish for all vehicles I detail (brand new to older well maintained) is absolutely true (PC, Rotary and pad selection will of course vary).



I must eat crow because when I read TOL's description of this Optimum polish I simply laughed. The claims were much too high for one polish to achieve. Nevertheless, many here at Autopia have raved about this polish. So earlier in this thread I asked if someone would like a sample trade. My curiosity was stimulated and I needed to know if this miracle polish was really this good.

It is!!!



I will continue to test but I am sold on Optimum polish on my black CC GM paint. :waxing:



I want to thank everyone that responsed on this thread. Your valued comments stimulated my appetite to try something new. :xyxthumbs I guess an "old dog" can be taught a few new tricks. ;)



I must especially extend my thanks to Shawn (Sullybob) and Mike ( NYV6Coupe) for their generosity and willingness to perform a trade in order that I could sample this polish. Guys, I really appreciated your time and efforts. These exchanges were very wonderful experiences. I hope your new "toys" bring you as much satisfaction in discovering another product addition to achieving the "Perfect Shine". :2thumbs:
 
blkZ28Conv:



Glad to see you were able to give OCP a try (and even more so that you like the results).



I'm heading out today to test my sample of the Compond Dave sent me.
 
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