PC help

Well I got my Sonus SFX polisher kit, and have been using it on my own car. A 96 explorer limited with the pearl metallic paint. A long with the sonus polisher kit I got pb's ssr3 through ssr1. The next day that I got all the stuff I ordered I tried the buffer out on the hood, came out ok but not to my standards. So I quite for the night and put a coat of upp on it and wow did the metallic pop. Two days later I tried again this time I worked on the drivers side of the truck. I started with ssr2.5 on the yellow pad, with speed 5 and moved the buffer very slowly. I did ssr2.5 and then followed with ssr2 2 or 3 times on the whole drivers side. Paint feels nice and smooth and the relfection is alot better compared to the rest of the truck. I'm still not happy with it though. I dont want to use all my products right away, it seems like I have used a lot already. Here my technic:

Use SSR2.5 and SSR2 with two different yellow pads.

1.) Put ring of ssr around pad

2.) blot pad against panel 2 times.

3.)Start buffer on speed 3 and then turn to speed 5

4.)Buff on speed 5 moving very very slowly applying just enough pressure so the pc makes the first straining noise,or very little straining noise.

*When buffing a panel the product seems to dispear, its still there but you have to wipe your finger through it, or look at a certain angle to know its there.

5.)Buff until product somewhat dispears.



Maybe I am doing something wrong. I probably am. How does my technic look, any suggestions?How much product should I use to do a whole fender, or door etc?

Any input anyone?



Tried the hood again this time with the technic above, but should ssr1 on white pad, on half the hood. SSR1 made the paint shiner and the relfection and deep better, but it also made swirls clearer to see. Even on the other side of the hood if you look closely you can still see swirls. Why is this?
 
jar2187 said:
Well I got my Sonus SFX polisher kit, and have been using it on my own car. A 96 explorer limited with the pearl metallic paint. A long with the sonus polisher kit I got pb's ssr3 through ssr1. The next day that I got all the stuff I ordered I tried the buffer out on the hood, came out ok but not to my standards. So I quite for the night and put a coat of upp on it and wow did the metallic pop. Two days later I tried again this time I worked on the drivers side of the truck. I started with ssr2.5 on the yellow pad, with speed 5 and moved the buffer very slowly. I did ssr2.5 and then followed with ssr2 2 or 3 times on the whole drivers side. Paint feels nice and smooth and the relfection is alot better compared to the rest of the truck. I'm still not happy with it though. I dont want to use all my products right away, it seems like I have used a lot already. Here my technic:

Use SSR2.5 and SSR2 with two different yellow pads.

1.) Put ring of ssr around pad

2.) blot pad against panel 2 times.

3.)Start buffer on speed 3 and then turn to speed 5

4.)Buff on speed 5 moving very very slowly applying just enough pressure so the pc makes the first straining noise,or very little straining noise.

*When buffing a panel the product seems to dispear, its still there but you have to wipe your finger through it, or look at a certain angle to know its there.

5.)Buff until product somewhat dispears.

Maybe I am doing something wrong. I probably am. How does my technic look, any suggestions?How much product should I use to do a whole fender, or door etc?

Any input anyone?

I would start buffing on speed 6 to be honest and not worry about starting on 3 and going to 5.

As for blotting against the panel twice, I never keep track of how many times I blot it. Hell, sometimes I just smear it all over and go to town.

If the Pc is making a straining noise something is wrong. I would say you are pushing WAY too hard to make the PC strain. Waiting for a machine to strain to know if it is good or not is a bad technique and super bad for the machine in my opinion.
 
Your technique is ok, but I'd try less product. If you've used a lot already you might be using too much. I've done maybe 10 or so cars, some twice with my bottle of SSR2.5 and it's not even half empty. You don't need much at all. The product should disappear after 2-3 minutes of buffing a 2x2 area with the right amount. It will dust and you'll hardly even see it until you wipe it away. Another thing is you mentioned you're doing an entire panel at a time? Maybe try using less product and doing a smaller area. It will take longer but you may end up with better results. You said you're moving slowly, so that's good.



The pressue thing is hard to judge. I apply enough pressure that the pad still spins at full speed, but just barely. If I apply any more pressure it would slow down, make sense?



Could it be that the paint is in bad enough shape that 2.5 isn't cutting it? Maybe take a picture?
 
That color is really going to be more difficult to learn on.



It sounds like you are using too much product. On a clean pad, i put a ring of polish on it, and spread it into the pad with my finger. After this initial loading of the pad, i only need around a nickle size drop per 2x2 area.



If you are pressing the pc hard enough to see less rotation, then you are doing ok. After a couple minutes though, back off on the pressure and let the polish buff out any hazing, as much as possible.



The yellow SFX pad is moderatly aggressive i believe, so you may need to use SSR 2.5 or 2 on a white pad a couple times.



Are you seeing swirls or little half round marks? If you still have swirls, then start on an untouched 2x2 area, and try SSR 2.5 /w yellow pad, and step down to a white pad, and look the area over.



Try to figure out the correct combination of PC pressure, movement, pad selections, and polish on a single 2x2 area before you move onto another area.



If you get a 2x2 area to you liking, and your process was something like SSR2.5-yellow pad X1, and SSR 2.5-white pad X2, SSR 2- white pad X2, SSR 1-white pad X2, then you should do SSR 2.5 x2 or 3, and SSR 2.5 white pad X1, SSR 1 white pad X1 or 2.



This is pretty much how i do it. Using a PC isnt fast, so dont worry if you are thinking you have to be doing something wrong because you are still on a door.



I can spend 4 hours or more on a hood, or 25 minutes, depends...
 
Heres an update. I got a 2x2 area to the point were I am pretty happy with it, but.... I used SSR2.5 on a yellow pad, then went to ssr2.5 on a white pad, and used ssr1 on the blue pad. The area looks very good. My only complaint is that the reflection isnt very clear. Maybe I am expecting to much from the paint. What would improve the reflection and the depth?

Heres a list of what products I have, from this list what would you start with first on a panel and in what order would you finish?

-SSR3

-SSR2.5

-SSR2

-SSR1

-SFX PADS

-YELLOW

-WHITE

-BLUE



I tired the blue pad with ssr1, is that what it is supposed to be used for?

Also what ssr's should be used with what pads?

Thanks for the help!
 
Could you take a picture in the sun of the area you have to your liking? It might just be that you're asking too much of your paint - it could be orange peel that you're seeing now. Oh, and SSR1 should probably be used on a polishing pad (not sure which color that is for you, probably white).
 
I am going to try to see if I can get the camera working, everytime you turn it on it drains the battery. Well I just finished washing it for the first time since I last used the buffer. The reflection on the drivers side has increased greatly. Dont know how that is possible. The sun was shining on the passengers side of the truck maybe thats why.
 
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