Proof (I think) showing Beads=Protection

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xtahoex

New member
ok, Since I felt as though the beads meant the paint was protected and so did some others, while others felt that it wasn't a great way to judge protection, I decided to do a test. This morning I went out and stripped all wax from the drivers side portion of my hood using 50/50 IPA mix. I cleaned it twice, sprayed it with water, and took these pictures.



This shows the whole hood I think you can clearly see the diference in the right side which I stripped this morning.

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Protected Side

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Stripped Side

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Close up of the protected side

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Close up of the stripped side, same area of hood as above just opposite side

automobiles050-1.jpg




So I think this shows that the NXT was still protecting (at least to some degree) after 3 1/2 months, what do yall think?
 
Is that a Dakota? The car we bought for my daughter had NXT applied last November 05, we purchased it in early September 06. My uncle who applied it uses the wash wax method, no clay, polish, or paint cleaner. The car was garage kept and rarely driven until we bought it and now sits outside 24/7. I noticed the NXT degrading week by week but is still there to some degree. In my opinion a good OTC product with great depth and reflection.
 
Thats proof enough for me.

You can clearly see the nice tight beads on the protected side and the unprotected side still has beads BUT they are not tight, uniform, circular or stand tall.
 
I have never noticed tight, uniform, cicrular, tall standing beads after just polishing.

Some polishes do seem to have protective qualitys in them though, so keep that in mind also.
 
Even if polish does cause beading that isn't the case here because this paint wasn't polished prior to the application of NXT.
 
What I'm saying is that any sort of 'slickness' on the paint will probably result in nice surface beading. You could smear your hood with olive oil and water would bead on it.



Similarly, paint that has at one time been protected by a LSP will continue to bead even after the protection is gone. At least that's what I think.



Kind of like paint that has been properly cared for (not necessarily protected) will probably bead over dingy, oxidized paint that has never seen a wash.
 
Wow, so you proved in one experiment both that NXT does have durability and also that when it sheets rather than beads it's gone? That's what I'm getting out of it. I'll have to go back and read the definition of "sheeting" that was put forward in that M21 thread.
 
I've never quite figured out the beading/sheeting stuff. NXT beads very well when it rains or you spritz it with water but sheets when you blast it full force with a hose, where #16 for example, still beads but those beads race across the surface. I wonder if that is what Meguiars means by sheeting vs beading?
 
Oh boy...this is turning into one of those threads already. Scott, if good beading doesn't mean it's well protected, and some others argue that "sheeting" doesn't mean it's well protected, then what are we left with as an indicator? I believe that some have also argued that slickness is not an indicator as to whether the paint is protected, only that it's not slick anymore, which leaves us with the "squeak" test? I think we should all just AW/OCW/Z8 after every wash and forget this discussion. :chuckle:
 
Setec Astronomy said:
I'll have to go back and read the definition of "sheeting" that was put forward in that M21 thread.
Click to expand...



I would have to say the sheeting effect M21 has is when the rain is falling you can see the beads of water sliding down the surface of my vehicle or even after the rain for that matter. When parked next to other cars that have obviously been waxed their car continues to just bead but I see no water sheeting down the sides. I hope this makes sense to everybody...
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Oh boy...this is turning into one of those threads already. Scott, if good beading doesn't mean it's well protected, and some others argue that "sheeting" doesn't mean it's well protected, then what are we left with as an indicator? I believe that some have also argued that slickness is not an indicator as to whether the paint is protected, only that it's not slick anymore, which leaves us with the "squeak" test? I think we should all just AW/OCW/Z8 after every wash and forget this discussion. :chuckle:
Click to expand...



Beading indicates surface tension, so that doesn't *prove* protection. FWIW, I have found that carnaubas may not bead as long as sealants but seem to protect better against bird bombs.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
I think we should all just AW/OCW/Z8 after every wash and forget this discussion. :chuckle:
Click to expand...



I second that motion!!! AW after every wash = indefinite protection. End of story.
 
All I was trying to prove is that something was on the paint. I assume that it was NXT because that was all I had used. Obviously before I used the IPA something was different about that paint. I am not saying the protection was good or bad, just that something was still left from the NXT. I only showed this because I hear so many people saying NXT doesn't last and felt it was getting an unfair showing. Scottwax, you are actually one of the few people I have heard say that NXT does have good durability and that is one of the main reasons I bought it .



Truzoom- I don't understand your statement about paint that at one time had an LSP on it continues to bead when the LSP is gone. The reason I don't is that when I used the IPA mix and therefore removed whatever was left of the NXT it did not bead. So in other words the paint that did at one time have an LSP did not continue to bead when it was gone. Please correct me if I don't understand what you are saying.



I really want to understand all of this I am nut just trying to start a war, so let's please not turn it into that. Thanks again for all the great input.



Maybe I'll just start waxing every weekend to make sure, hahaha yeah right...
 
I was just pointing out that beading alone doesn't ensure protection but you are right, it does show that something was still on the paint causing surface tension. I guess I wasn't too clear on that.



What I look for is how the product beads with the first couple of washes and then see what changes there are to the beading. When there is a noticable change, it is reasonable to assume the wax or sealant isn't holding up as well. What you can't always assume is to what degree the product is still protecting the paint as the beading changes.
 
oh boy - im not going to even bother . . . hey XTAHOEX - if that was my car (obviously we cant tell in the posted pic if there is a flawless finish on that paint) i would be happy with the beading. IMO - if you know how long it has been since you last applied an LSP on your car, and have a conscious mind of what elements and or debris the finish has been exposed to, those two varibles are good indicators along with how your paint feels after a wash and some QD -
 
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