Recommendation on stronger Scratch Remover for PC

[Byk]

Hi guys,



Well, I set out to polish the BMW X5, and am having a tough job using Poor Boys SSR2.5 - It works, but seems like this is gonna take days. Took me about 3 hours to do the hood and it's still not perfect. I'm working with the PC and 4" orange pads for now.



I need a suggestion for something with more bite to use with the PC especially to spot-remove deeper scratches. Something that I can get OTC like Meguiars, Mothers, 3M (I can get some 3M products at NAPA).



I would also would be interested in other products for next time I'll do an online order - how is SSR3? I'm actually waiting for a shipment from AG - wish I new then that SSR2.5 won't cut it - no pun intended



But for now an OTC product will have to do. :hairpull

 

[Accumulator]

Byk- I'd use Meguiar's M105 or their Ultimate Compound. You should be able to find those OTC.



Next time you order, get some little LC PFW pads and a suitable backing plate (if you have to buy the 3.5" ones). Those cut a lot better than the orange foam IME.

 

[Byk]

Byk- I'd use Meguiar's M105 or their Ultimate Compound. You should be able to find those OTC.



Next time you order, get some little LC PFW pads and a suitable backing plate (if you have to buy the 3.5" ones). Those cut a lot better than the orange foam IME.

Thanks for the tip Accumulator,



I have a 3.5 backing plate (currently working with 4" orange pads for cutting)



Couldn't find anything decent OTC so I ended doing the job with SSR2.5 and some Meguiars #2 that I had left over. For the future I'll definitely order some M105.



What are PFW pads? Wool pads? The smallest I found on Autogeek are 6.5"

 

[Darkstar752]

Thanks for the tip Accumulator,



I have a 3.5 backing plate (currently working with 4" orange pads for cutting)



Couldn't find anything decent OTC so I ended doing the job with SSR2.5 and some Meguiars #2 that I had left over. For the future I'll definitely order some M105.



What are PFW pads? Wool pads? The smallest I found on Autogeek are 6.5"

Purple Foamed Wool. Phil on Detailer's domain has them in 3.5. If not Auto Detailing Solutions definitely has them.

 

[Envious Eric]

105/5.5" orange pads via PC speed 6 = pure bliss!! you will have to follow up with two more steps to remove the hazing on a BMW though...

 

[Byk]

105/5.5" orange pads via PC speed 6 = pure bliss!! you will have to follow up with two more steps to remove the hazing on a BMW though...

Good stuff! I already have 5.5" orange pads - now just need M105



I ended this crazy detail weekend - lots of work on an X5 - much bigger then the acura :faint: but it's looking good. I will definitely need something stronger for next time as SSR 2.5 was way too weak for this paint job. I pretty much destroyed both my orange 4" pads - well, one is still usable but not in great shape. Also my hands are still vibrating - argh - I wish I had a Flex.

 

[Byk]

Purple Foamed Wool. Phil on Detailer's domain has them in 3.5. If not Auto Detailing Solutions definitely has them.

Thanks Darkstar752 - I'll definitely have to check these out. Do these work better / faster than the orange pads?

 

[jswhitley]

105/5.5" orange pads via PC speed 6 = pure bliss!! you will have to follow up with two more steps to remove the hazing on a BMW though...

ive been thinking about 105, and have a black sapphire bmw, wat other 2 steps do u reccomend?

 

[Byk]

ive been thinking about 105, and have a black sapphire bmw, wat other 2 steps do u reccomend?

I would guess SSR2 then SSR1. You can try going directly to SSR1 or some other final polish.

 

[Toysrme]

Diamond Cut on a Lake Country 41-015, 4" ply 100% Twisted Wool

You are not likely to find anything off the shelf more aggressive than this with a DACP. You can take down 320-600grit wet-sanding marks with some time. (still not as fast as a rotary, but it WILL get you there)



If you swirled it deeply with wool use diamond cut on an aggressive yellow pad. If not, follow with DACP on an aggressive yellow pad. Then glaze with whatever you want.



No joke, you will find nothing off the shelf more aggressive. M105 is a couple steps behind Diamond Cut.







If you need more aggressive than this, I suggest grabbing a spent yellow pad and hot-gluing some wet sand paper on it (or investing in a high quality random orbit palm sander - assuming you have no access to shop air for air tools)

 

[Accumulator]

..Do [3.5" PFW pads] work better / faster than the orange pads?

Usually, and they often finish out better too. But it's funny...sometimes I seem to get *better* correction via the 4" orange foam :nixweiss



I suspect it's a matter of technique. I probably get more aggressive with the foam because wool *seems* like it oughta get more respect...even though the wool doesn't heat up nearly the way foam does and is probably safer overall.



Note that IME PFW pads wear out very fast; I'd sure get a few of them.

 

[Toysrme]

ill ditto Accumulator in that PFW doesn't last as long as foam. they're cheap so buy several!



wool wont turn warm like a foam pad will while working, but it will bite into paint.

if you're working pfw enough youll be breaking down enough to leave yourself very light swirl marks that polish out with the next polishing step. that's what DACP+yellow pad is for.

 

[Byk]

...polish out with the next polishing step. that's what DACP+yellow pad is for.

Yellow pad for the next polishing step? I was hoping I can skip to orange + SSR2.5 after the PFW?

 

[Accumulator]

Yellow pad for the next polishing step? I was hoping I can skip to orange + SSR2.5 after the PFW?

I never use yellow cutting pads after PFW but *Meguiar's* yellow polishing pads are a possibility.



I usually wouldn't even need orange after PFW, those two finish out similarly, at least on hard paints.



Plan on the PFW finishing out quite well for a compounding step.



Different people do things differently... note that Toysrme goes to a glaze after DACP/#83 whereas I go to further, milder, polishing steps.

 

[Byk]

I never use yellow cutting pads after PFW but *Meguiar's* yellow polishing pads are a possibility.



I usually wouldn't even need orange after PFW, those two finish out similarly, at least on hard paints.



Plan on the PFW finishing out quite well for a compounding step.



Different people do things differently... note that Toysrme goes to a glaze after DACP/#83 whereas I go to further, milder, polishing steps.

That sounds good. 2 polishing steps + 1 KAIO polishing + LSP is as far as I would want to go.

 

[imported_RyansAutoDetail]

with what you have i would try SSR2.5 with 4 inch yellow heavy cut pad on one pass

then do a second pass with the orange pad still with SSR2.5 ...



then polish and LSP .



but definately if u want faster results the purple foamed wool LC pad and M105 ive heard cut amazingly well and quick



i have all the above but i am still trying to perfect my methods ...

 

[GS4_Fiend]

Have you tried the Mezerna SIP?

 

[Accumulator]

.. . but definately if u want faster results the purple foamed wool LC pad and M105 ive heard cut amazingly well and quick ...

Well, I wouldn't call it "amazingly well and quick" but it's not bad. The current version of M105 is kinda gentle via PFW, at least on medium-hard/hard clear.



I'm using it for the initial work on a car with medium-hard clear right now...I go over a whole panel a few times with Flex/PFW/M105 and then go back and chase down individual RIDS with a different combo...and the PFW/M105 *does* leave plenty of RIDS that need to be dealt with.

 

[Byk]

Have you tried the Mezerna SIP?

Nope, too many choices now... lol. Autopians are truly amazing for giving recommendations... Thanks guys!

Well, I wouldn't call it "amazingly well and quick" but it's not bad. The current version of M105 is kinda gentle via PFW, at least on medium-hard/hard clear.



I'm using it for the initial work on a car with medium-hard clear right now...I go over a whole panel a few times with Flex/PFW/M105 and then go back and chase down individual RIDS with a different combo...and the PFW/M105 *does* leave plenty of RIDS that need to be dealt with.

Accumulator, what combo do you use for 'individual RIDS'?

with what you have i would try SSR2.5 with 4 inch yellow heavy cut pad on one pass

then do a second pass with the orange pad still with SSR2.5 ...



then polish and LSP .



but definately if u want faster results the purple foamed wool LC pad and M105 ive heard cut amazingly well and quick



i have all the above but i am still trying to perfect my methods ...

Well since I don't have a Yellow pad or the PFW I guess I'll go directly for the PFW if it works better.



Thanks for all the suggestions! I will make sure to get M105 + PFW for my next detail and see where it gets me. :goodjob

 

[Accumulator]

Nope, too many choices now... lol. Autopians are truly amazing for giving recommendations...

Heh heh, it can get overwhelming, huh?

.. what combo do you use for 'individual RIDS'?

Depends how severe they are. Leaving the rotary out of this discussion, I'm using M105 with a variety of small pads. 3.5" PFW, 4" Cyclo brand yellow wool, 4" orange. Out of those, I'd suggest the 4" orange, just don't lean on the machine too much, especially if you're tilting it to concentrate its efforts...you could have an "oops!", not that it's all *that* risky to do.



It's easier for me to do small areas with foam as compared to wool. And the yellow wool can leave some pretty nasty marring of its own, and the PFW doesn't seem to like the tilt-to-concentrate all that well.

Well since I don't have a Yellow pad or the PFW I guess I'll go directly for the PFW if it works better.

Yeah, IMO they've almost made the yellow foam obsolete, but there are always some cases where [whatever you want to insert here] will still be the better choice.



Note that experiences differ regarding who well PFW finishes out. But everyone agrees that they wear out *very* fast.