Rupes Question for Nubie

M

mbpress01

New member
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">This weekend i am planning to use the 15 with an AIO - just don't have the time for polish wax as separate steps (I have 8-10 hrs over two days). 

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Car is a 2010 Blue Ford Taurus (nice paint but super dirty and water etched and swirled). I definitely need some guidance. I realize this is not a full correction and maybe not even a partial correction so I am looking for moderate to good results. (I am recently converted to Zanio but willing to try anything that works).

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Also, will do excellent surface prep - one excellent thing about these forums is that anyone who does this as a profession or hobby knows now that surface prep is super critical. Plan to wash, clay, wash again dry and onto AIO. Will not IronX as i have never done and just don't have the time. Interior tires will be done quickly. Glass will be polished though. 

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Anyway, a few questions:

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">a) which pad to use - i have the Rupes pads of course - i have 2 whites and 2 yellows. No idea on which to use and whether two is enough. 
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">b) pad cleaning - I have read about changing pads on each panel but is that advised, and how do you quick clean them after you finish a panel
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">c) Speed on the 15 - spread at 3 and polish at 5 - no clue
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">d) Hand speed - every video and Mike's book show a "quick spread" and a slow arm pass. Is that right for a rupes
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">e) Finally, how many passes - since this is a hobby and i am looking for moderate/good results, is it 3 horizontal and 3 vertical - again no idea. 


<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">As everyone can see, never used a Rupes before and I botched paint using a old Porter Cable from like 10 yrs ago on another car. Any thoughts comments would be appreciated and thx in advance.
 
C, d, and e look good. Changing pads every panel is a little overkill IMO. I've got a pad brush that I used on the pads frequently (turn on the machine and hold the brush to it for a few seconds) and will use 2 - 3 pads for a vehicle
 
Hate to say this but didn't understand about pad cleaning and got grit on pad - hence swirls galore, holograms, scratches etc.      
 
agree with your points c,d and e. Regarding hand speed, look up Abrasive Isolation by Barry Theal. Highly effective and explains the mechanics behind this superbly.


 


I would think HD Polish on yellow Rupes pads would fit the bill as a single step minor correction. Strikes the balance between cut and finish.


 


You would be ok to spur out your pad after every panel, swap back and forth between your two pads every alternative panel to give them a chance to cool down allowing them to last longer.


 


Good luck!
 
There is no reason you can't do two full steps plus a wax or sealant in 8-10 hours. 


 


ONR wash-30-40 minutes


Clay-30-40 minutes (unless there is extreme contamination)


Compound: Meguiars M100, Optimum Hyper Compound (new version), 3D HD Cut using a Meguiars MF cutting pad or green Rupes foam cutting pad-should take 1.5-2.0 hours


Polish: Optimum Hyper Polish (new version), Rupes Keramik Gloss, 3D HD Polish using an Optimum MF cutting pad or yellow Rupes foam polishing pad-about 45 minutes


Opti-Seal to finish-10 minutes
 
On pad cleaning when using an AIO- Just clean the pad out when it needs it.  With the minimal abrasives in most AIOs the pad won't get as loaded up with cut-off clear or with abrasives, the stuff that needs cleaned off will primarily be "used" AIO and whatever [stuff] is getting cleaned off the paint.  It shouldn't be all that hard to tell when the pad is getting loaded up, but I'd still err on the side of caution and clean it before it obviously needs doing.
 
Some good advice previous to mine...


 


However, I am curious to your AIO product.  Which one?


 


I think the actual AIO product will be a factor concerning the pad cleaning/ changing & your technique.


 


For example... if I am using D151 for a mild cleaning of the paint with some very light swirl removal... I'll change the pad every panel and clean the pad after every section. 


 


If I'm using Optimum's PS/ DG501 for cleaning of the paint without regards to defects... I will change the pad every 2- 3 panels, depending, and clean the pad every other section/ when it is needed.


 


Pad saturation/ contamination is certainly RAPID with AIOs, at least for me... and makes perfect sense considering the various goals and ingredients used in the AIO products to achieve said goals.  


 


 


Best,


-Gabe
 
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