Pressure using PC 7424 and Megs 105

N

NetBoy

New member
Using Megs 105 and LC 5" orange pad for lots of swirls on Jet Black BMW (2008).



I saw a video that said to put enough pressure on the PC so it almost stops spinning. Tried this on one door, speed 5, and it removed 80% of the swirls. I'm happpy with this but I can see faint halograms, same size as the pad.

Is this normal?



Should I use less pressure and/or a different pad ?



What can I use next to remove the stuff left behind?



Thanks
 
I usually start out on speed 3 or 4, light pressure to spread, then I will apply pressure (not to the point that it almost stops spinning, but a significant amount of pressure) while on 6 for a few passes and then I will lighten the pressure and then back off to speed 3 or 4, and have not had any issues with hologramming.
 
I read to put the polisher on a scale and learn to put 20lbs of pressure on it for polishing, but then I saw a video that said to just use the weight of the machine... So I'm stumped. I'm in basically the same boat as the OP, I'm just starting out with my first machine.
 
Passrat said:
I read to put the polisher on a scale and learn to put 20lbs of pressure on it for polishing, but then I saw a video that said to just use the weight of the machine... So I'm stumped. I'm in basically the same boat as the OP, I'm just starting out with my first machine.
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I tried the weight of the PC, very light pressure and didn't get anywhere with the swirls.



I'll try another door tonight.



I tried Pinnacle Swirl remover, Menzerna IP. Megs 105 was the only one that removed most of the swirls. My car only has 10k miles but previous owner drove on dirt roads so lower sides have 10x the swirls as rest of the car.
 
I did my first polishing the other day, just the hood of a 2 y.o. altima that had faint scratches like spiderwebs, very minor swirls and faint holograms from a so called "pro" who did the car once. I used Menzerna micro polish with a CCM white pad with the 20lbs (maybe more) pressure method and worked the polish for like 6-7 minutes each section at 4.5-5. When I was done the holograms and swirls were like 90% gone and only the webs were left easily visible. It was really shiny too. :xyxthumbs



I'm planning on practicing some more and then I'm all set up to Sonus clay, Menzerna IP, Menzerna Micro, then probably Megs #7 and last WDG3.0. But probably not till spring since I have a ton of Klasse SG on the car now.
 
I've never worked on it, but I hear the BMW Jet Black paint uses especially soft clear, so I'm not surprised that M105 hazed it.



If you inspect with the right lighting/conditions, you'll find that M105 micromars most *every* paint, even really hard ones. That's why the made M205 to be used as the subsequent step.



When working by PC, I apply as much pressure as I can without bogging the machine/stopping the rotation...well, maybe not *quite* as much as I can get away with when using 4" pads, but I do apply plenty.



"Let the product do the work; use just the weight of the machine" sounds super, but it just doesn't work for me when I'm trying to do serious correction. No, not even with M105...at least not unless I'm using the Flex on fairly soft paint. *IMO*, a lot of that super-conservative advice is merely CYAing by vendors who don't want people pointing fingers after they botch up their cars by overdoing things.
 
I tried another door panel last night. I had to apply enough pressure where the PC slowed just a little.



I think my problem is I'm using older LC 5 1/2 pads. I just got some new LC 6" pads and they are much firmer than my old pads.



I don't have Megs 205 yet so I used Menzerna FPII on a LC white 5 1/2" pad and that removed most of the hazing/halograms.



Overall I'm happy with the results. A few swirls are visible in direct sunlight but this is much better than before. I have Zaino Z5 Pro and Ps21 to cover up what's left.
 
Inducing light hazes or holograms is normal for M105 and an orange cutting pad. If the job doesn't require an orange pad, you could use a white polishing pad. I haven't worked on the jet black BMW, but my metallic black 335i paint is so hard that M105 and an orange pad was essentially useless. I had to use a wool pad for the job.



From my experience, the LC orange pad could withstand high pressure without bogging down the DA.
 
Draw a line on your BP where you can see it while it spins. For heavy defects the pad should spin CW slowly. Notice that when not on a flat surface the pad will stop spinning very easy. So adjust your pressure.



Also keep the pad very clean, brush it off and then use compressed air to remove the dust from the pad.



Don't forget to prime the entire face of the pad before you start.
 
the_invisible said:
From my experience, the LC orange pad could withstand high pressure without bogging down the DA.
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Doesn't work that way for me, with either of my PCs :nixweiss Perhaps it's a matter of what you/I consider "high pressure".
 
to determine what pressure should be used on a surface with certain polishing combo a scale is needed and a practice panel. Is more of a practice thing than specifying how many pounds of pressure are right or wrong. Different paints systems will constantly bring this to debate.
 
I was just using a PC 7424 with M105 today on my black Range Rover. You have to put as much pressure on it as you possibly can for it to work great.
 
We could beat this issue to death, if we wanted. The hardness of the paint, the amount of pressure used, and the pad itself are all variables, which is why each polishing job is going to be different. Since I mostly detail my own cars, it wasn't too hard to find what worked for me.



But that's the challenge a good professional detailer faces. Just like sports, there is a game plan, and good detailers follow it to success. Bad detailers, even using the same equipment, fail because they don't have the ability to formulate a plan, don't care, or are forced to work quickly.



And, yeah, I can't see using 105 without following with 205, though I suspect some better detailers than I have their secrets.
 
A good deal of pressure is best when dealing with significant swirls. Worse yet are water spots which have etched the paint. I had great success a couple weeks ago on a 2009 A8, with an Orange 5.5" and Opt Cmpd II, about 15lbs of pressure, 3-5 passes at sp 5. Followed that up with Opt Pol II and white 5.5". All of this with a UDM (1st gen). Came out flawless. Again, the beauty of the Optimum is its work time. Even after the abrasives have rolled themselves out, you still have lube for pad cutting.
 
Like most have stated I spread the polish around with light pressure, then heavy and back off at the end. For the heavy pressure, I have a white line painted on my backing plates. Heavy pressure to me means that the backing plate will make a full rotation once or twice a second. That is set at 6 on the speed dial. I generally don't vary the speeds, just the pressure and begin by dabbing the polish from the pad with the machine not running over the area before I begin. Just a newb but hey, works for me!
 
With M105/orange pad or any non-diminishing abrasive polish (M205, M86, ect) there is no need to let up with your pressure at the end. Actually when finishing with M205/black it is imperative that you keep constant pressure to ensure the best finish and results.
 
gmblack3a said:
With M105/orange pad or any non-diminishing abrasive polish (M205, M86, ect) there is no need to let up with your pressure at the end. Actually when finishing with M205/black it is imperative that you keep constant pressure to ensure the best finish and results.
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Those were my findings as well, but I can't help but :think: :confused: that Meguiar's advocates letting up on the pressure :nixweiss



Maybe I give them too much credit, but I don't think they say that just because it sounds like the intuitively obvious thing to do...wonder if Mike Phillips would have anything to say on the subject.



No, no, I'm not about to quit doing/advocating what works for me just because the label says something different :grinno: But I still find it funny...
 
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