SONUS SFX problem

F

Flatfour

New member
I have a sort of sticky problem with Sonus SFX 1-2-3 and the DAS pad kit.

I use this with a rotary polisher (FLEX : http://www.flex-tools.de/en/prod/detail.php?id=182)



I start polishing with SFX 2 (I use SFX 3 only for severe swirls) and as soon as I start polishing, the polish dries out and looks like smeared out bubble gum, wich is difficult to remove.

The only solution is with a MF and water.

There is also a serious amount of white powder and sometimes you really feel that the pad is like "stopped" by the dried out polish.



What do I do wrong here ?

I work between 900-1100 rpm and mist the pad with QD.

I also use the amount as described in the Autopia Guide.

The Green pad is also half worn after just two cars, because of the rubbing with the dried out polish...



Help me...
 
as mentioned in another thread, i had the same problem. Polish dries out extremely quickly.



Solution? use something else!
 
OK, but ordering from the States to Belgium is time and money consuming and I just received this set so I really want to try it.

We have Meguiars here (NXT and other stuff) but the SFX was rated quite good so...
 
I never work in the sun, only shade and the average temp. here is now about 18-25 °C...

Also cloudy wich means that the air is not superdry...

I also discovered that if you keep on polishing, the residu dissapears, but the pad is almost destroyed now...
 
I have the same problem. All 3 SFX polishes are very hard to get off when they dry. It's almost useless trying with a dry MF, but I found that misting the surface (before wiping) works a little better. Is that bad?

Any other suggestions?
 
Ovidiu said:
I have the same problem. All 3 SFX polishes are very hard to get off when they dry. It's almost useless trying with a dry MF, but I found that misting the surface (before wiping) works a little better. Is that bad?

Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...



I had the same problem with SFX 2. If I worked it too long and it dried I had to remove it with some Mothers Showtime QD. I just made sure that I didn't let it dry completely before removing.
 
Have you tried using more polish? I'm still learning how to use my new rotary, used it twice so far, and both times resulted in the exact same experience as you. The difference is, I was using Meg's #83 DACP instead of Sonus. I've heard of a lot of people using rotaries with both the Meg's and the Sonus polishes, so I'm thinking we are doing something wrong here.



After asking many questions, and looking into why my poor experience happened, I think I narrowed it down to two things. One is that I was using the wrong pad for a beginner. I was using 8.5" pads, and that seems to be a :hairpull for most people, even more experienced rotary users, which is why I am going to try it again, except next time I'm using some 6" flat pads instead. The other thing is that I didn't use enough product. The pad pretty much stayed dry, so when I tried to work the little bit of polish I was putting on the pad, it was just soaking it up.



What pads are you using? Did you try to use more product? Did you prime (load) the pad before polishing?



I don't know about Sonus polish specifically, but most polishes will be hard to remove if they aren't broken down correctly. In your case, the gumming (caking) of the polish is what made it so hard to remove.
 
yeah, i sprayed the pad slightlly with QD spay before and afterwards. Yes, i made sure i used plenty of product. I've tried a lot of product, a little product, moderate amount of product... all with the same results.
 
First, I've heard quite a few people say not to use qd to aid in the priming of your pads. Various quick detailers can have adverse effects when combined with certain polishes. I'm not saying this is the problem, but is something to keep in mind. From now on, if you choose to mist anything on your pad, use only plain water.



Second, what type of pads are you using? Like I was saying in the previous post, the size of the pad can have a huge impact on how your polishes act.



Next, what speed are you using? I was just talking with someone about the SFX polishes (old version, the newer version is supposed to be a LOT better), and they said that they also heard of the SFX polishes flashing very quickly if a high speed was used. He seemed to remember the consensus being that 800-1000 RPM was pretty much the sweet spot for SFX polishes.



Last, how hot was the surface you were polishing? It is so hot outside right now, and the rotary builds so much heat on its own without any extra help that these poor polishes don't stand a chance.



Hopefully, after all of this, we can just *maybe* touch on something that will work out for you guys.
 
I am very new to this so keep that in mind when I offer up the following:



I've used Sonus SFX twice now, both times with a PC7424 and Sonus DAS pads. The first time around I used SFX2 with the green pad and didn't get quite the results I was looking for, but was happy that I started easy for my first time. I did not spray the pad before applying the SFX2 and did not have a bad problem with product drying out. I worked in my garage with ambient temperature of about 75 degrees F.



On my next attempt I used SFX1 with the orange DAS pad and I primed the pad with a QD spray. Temp was closer to 90F and man, did that stuff dry up and become a pain to remove. Tons of dust in and around the edge of the trunk and hood. I also worked the product a fair amount longer this time around, used slightly higher speeds, and used a bit less product.



So, was it the heat, the extra work time, the slightly reduced quantity of product used, the priming of the pad, or a combination of all or some? I'm inclined to think I was working it too darn long and will experiment with this in a couple of weeks when I get the chance to work on my other car.
 
Mike-in-Orange,



I see quite a few things you might want to try differently.



First of all, your pad/product combination is a little off. SFX1 is the cutting polish of the set, SFX2 is the light cut/medium polish, and SFX3 is the finest polish/little to no cut which means you should use the proper type of pad that corresponds with each product.



You mentioned using SFX1 with an orange DAS pad, well, that's not a good combo. You used a cutting pad with a non-cutting polish. (EDIT: I apologize for correcting you on this one, you were perfect in using the orange pad with the cutting polish.)



Here's what I recommend:

SFX1 = orange or green pad (Always try to use the least aggressive method possible, so try the green first. If that doesn't work, then move to the orange)

SFX2 = orange or green pad (If you use the orange, you would have to follow behind it with the green for a second pass to remove the possible haze from the cutting pad)

SFX3 = green or blue/black (same) pad



Now, to answer you question about what caused SFX1 to be a bear to remove, I'd say that it was the combination of everything you changed. Just going from 75 degrees indoors to 90 degrees outdoors can drastically change your detailing process, let alone taking away product and using a higher speed, all of which can make the same dramatic difference. Your polish didn't stand a chance.



I like to stay on speed 5 for all polishing efforts with an ocassional speed 6 in there. I find speed 6 tears up my pads, and I'm not in a rush, so I stick to 5, and I like to work a polish just until it starts to disappear and dry up. Once you start seeing dust, it's done.



Also, you didn't mention anything about how big of an area you are working at a time. You should only be working a 2x2 area at a time, and should have enough polish on your pad to work that area for a minute or two before drying on you. Since I normally use only one speed, I am taking that factor out of the equation. I also know that I am only working a 2x2 area and know how long I need to work that area, so all that's left as a variable is how much product to use, and this changes with every detail since your surroundings will always be different.



I hope this helps a little.
 
I have used the SFX 2 & 3 a few times.



The 2 dusts, and is sometimes hard to remove, but nothing major. I dont go over speed 5 on the pc, and i prime the pad with my fingers and the polish.



SFX 3 is very nice, and i have had no problems with it at all, again not exceeding speed 5.
 
JDookie said:
Mike-in-Orange,



I see quite a few things you might want to try differently.



.............





I hope this helps a little.
Click to expand...



Actually, it helps a lot, thank you very much. I should point out though that I in erred in my earlier post and did not use the SFX1 with the orange pad, but rather properly with the blue one.



I suppose my work area has been a bit larger than 2x2 so I'll keep an eye on that in future. I figured after the fact that the temp increase was much to blame for my issues, but we're experiencing a pretty strong heat wave here in SoCal at the moment, and my cars MUST continue to look great no matter the weather :chuckle: :chuckle:



Again, I appreciate the feedback. Autopia.org is fast becoming my favorite auto related forum of any kind!!
 
JDookie said:
Next, what speed are you using? I was just talking with someone about the SFX polishes (old version, the newer version is supposed to be a LOT better), and they said that they also heard of the SFX polishes flashing very quickly if a high speed was used. He seemed to remember the consensus being that 800-1000 RPM was pretty much the sweet spot for SFX polishes. .
Click to expand...



Okay, I used the SFX with mothers QD spray.. i don't know if that's a problem or not.. BUT



I'm using SFX pads with the products... you know, the ones they were made for.



As for speed, i followed the instructions on the autopiacarcare and the bottle pretty closely. Speed around 1/2 then moving up to 3/4 as the polish dries (and it does so FAST)



look the instructions:

"By dual-action polisher, apply at ½- to ¾-speed with moderate pad pressure as necessary to achieve results. By rotary buffer, apply at 700-1,000 RPM. Reduce pressure and increase speed as the polish dries. Buff to a haze and wipe off residue with a dry microfiber polishing towel. Repeat until final results are achieved. Lock-in the polished finish with a quality wax or sealant. "



as for temperature, yeah, it was a hot day.. about 90 but in the shade under a canopy on the side of the house. This is a reasonable temperature for a polish to be working in. I mean, as long as it's not ridiculously hot and in the sun.. the polish should be doing it's job. It shouldnt be drying up in 10 seconds, and even if it did (as indicated in the instructions) it shouldn't be so hard to remove.



a dissapointing product.
 
DJ Trackie said:
Okay, I used the SFX with mothers QD spray.. i don't know if that's a problem or not.. BUT



I'm using SFX pads with the products... you know, the ones they were made for.



As for speed, i followed the instructions on the autopiacarcare and the bottle pretty closely. Speed around 1/2 then moving up to 3/4 as the polish dries (and it does so FAST)



look the instructions:

"By dual-action polisher, apply at ½- to ¾-speed with moderate pad pressure as necessary to achieve results. By rotary buffer, apply at 700-1,000 RPM. Reduce pressure and increase speed as the polish dries. Buff to a haze and wipe off residue with a dry microfiber polishing towel. Repeat until final results are achieved. Lock-in the polished finish with a quality wax or sealant. "



as for temperature, yeah, it was a hot day.. about 90 but in the shade under a canopy on the side of the house. This is a reasonable temperature for a polish to be working in. I mean, as long as it's not ridiculously hot and in the sun.. the polish should be doing it's job. It shouldnt be drying up in 10 seconds, and even if it did (as indicated in the instructions) it shouldn't be so hard to remove.



a dissapointing product.
Click to expand...





Sounds like you've made up your mind. :xyxthumbs
 
1100 rpm is the lowest the FLEX can , but that machine is soooooo light compared with others.

It barely weights 2 kg 's..

I do about 1/4 of a hood, that's about 2'-2' like you said...

Now, after polishing several cars, things go better, but the SFX 2 and especially the 3 (final glaze) smears and dry up too fast for me.



Of to the shop for some Meguiars stuff....
 
JDookie said:
First of all, your pad/product combination is a little off. SFX3 is the cutting polish of the set, SFX2 is the light cut/medium polish, and SFX1 is the finest polish/little to no cut which means you should use the proper type of pad that corresponds with each product. You mentioned using SFX1 with an orange DAS pad, well, that's not a good combo. You used a cutting pad with a non-cutting polish.
Click to expand...

Heh heh...I keep getting mixed up as well. :rolleyes:



SFX1 - cutting

SFX2 - swirl remover

SFX3 - final finish



Its difficult because its counter-intuitive to what we're use to with the other brands. :D
 
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