PC Use help.

D

drdetail

New member
I got my Pc in today and couldnt wait to use it so i set to work immediately. I also boght some menzerna polishes, the IP and FP. But for some reason, i could get the stuff to powder up and when i took the car into the sunlight the swirls hadnt been touched. So i reverted back to the #9 i used by hand with the Pc and got the swirls by about 70-80 percent. But im curious to know why the menzerna just didnt work period, with all the praise its gotten it obviously some noob mistake with the PC, but what mistake is the question.
 
May be a stupid question, but what pad were you using? If you were trying to use the white pads that the PC came with, it pretty ineffective against swirls.



If you don't have any other pads, may I suggest you pick up the CMA pads. Great pads IMHO!
 
I used the orange power pad from cma with menzernas intensive polish, and the white one with the final polish, and i used the white one , after washing it, with the #9 and it worked much better then the menzerna.
 
I haven't used Menzerna, but my impression is that some polishes haze, some powder, etc. Have you searched for "Menzerna" to see what tips folks have? :nixweiss



Golly, you must have been seriously bummed by this experience. But I know you'll get some good info here!
 
Yeah they say it hazes, but thats what the final polsihe is for, to buff it to a mirror shine, bummed, to say the least, i was real pumped about gettin my ride swirl free tonight. i gave it 4 tries with the menzerna. The final polish was one of the hardest ive ever had to buff of.
 
Menzerna does work well, but since it's water based, it has a learning curve for those not used to polishes like that. Mez does not have oils to my knowledge, so that's why it's difficult to remove. Oils make it easy to remove polish residue and make the finish look glossy. That's why it has to be worked until almost dry. It's OK, but for faster results, I'd try the following.



If you have a fair amount of swirls, you can use DACP and I follow with 3M P-III MG then Mez/FP or Megs #3 as a final glaze to really bring up the shine. I finish with a grey finish pad so all "cutting" is done by the product, not the pad once everything is out. There are so many finish glazes and it all depends if you are going to wax or sealant the finish. If waxing, stay with the 3M line and finish with 3M P-III FG, which is a finish glaze that has carnuba in it. Looks very nice after polished out with a finish pad! See what others use. If you go to the sealants, you need to remove oils after polishing.



Just don't wipe the Mez too hard, or you'll put scratches back on! Just use a damp MF towel, or water spray to assist.



Here's what my SC430 looks like after all the hard work:Deanski SC430



This was done mostly with the 3M PIII-MG and a white pad as it was not too bad in the swirl department. Just removed all the ones the "Swirl Mark and Scratch Application Department" did at the dealership when I took delivery. Next time, I'll request to leave it alone!



Once you get the hang of the PC, you'll be fine! Don't rush! Too many people new to the PC think this will be quick, which it can be once more experienced, but first time usage, schedule enough uninterrupted time so you can get the feel of it, how it works/reacts with polishes and how it reacts to your finish. Best way if you have access to a garage, get a halogen work light and shine it on the finish. Notice all the defects? Then start with the PC, wipe and get the light again. Defects starting to go away? Great, keep going and keep checking. This way, you get more confident with it and see how well it's working. If nothing improves, time for more agressive product and or pad. Just check again and you'll do well!



Have a nice day!



Regards,

Deanski
 
I was showing a friend how to use the PC on their car and he was having a tough time of it. He was rather impatient and nervous every time the PC was running so I said oops I forgot the earplugs...handed him two foam plugs and voila he was much better with the noise reduced. I have worked in a shop/idustrial background littered with noise but some are just not accustomed to levels of noise while they work.



Just a thought.
 
Lost Pup said:
I was showing afried how to use the PC on their car and he was having a tough time of it. He was rather impatient and nervous every time the PC was running so I said oops I forgot the earplugs...handed him two foam plugs and voila he was much better with the noise reduced. I have worked in a shop/idustrial background littered with noise but some are just not accustomed to levels of noise while they work.



Just a thought.
Click to expand...



I must admit that I just got my PC this week (haven't used it on the cars yet) and was playing around with it when I got it and I was very surprised by the amount of noise that it made. I guess I always assumed it was much quieter than it is. My wife even asked me if I was really going to use it on our cars. I can see how the noise intimidates.
 
The noise just means it's working! :D



Unless the product is getting too dry, don't be afraid to work it longer. The PC is nice and forgiving to use despite the racket it makes. :up
 
You are playing with "big" boy toys now. Noice is the sound of power. Most weekend buffers are less than 1 amp. The PC is 3+.amps. :bounce





Like the noise from a coffee can racer's exhaust pipe... done let the sound frighten you.

It is extremely hard for a powerful orbital buffer (PC) to harm your paint if you use the correct polishing solution progression. ;)





Read 4DSC's excellent article on PC usage. http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14421
 
The noise wasnt a problem for me, not even that loud, i was worried about wrloking the product to long, and i couldnt really tell if the menzerna was dry enough or not.
 
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