Swirl Marks - 3M Perfect it Paste Rubbing Compound

paul e said:




But I would disagree with the speed.



When people use an expensive Rotary with a wool or a foam pad, the ideal speed for car finishing work is in the 1000 to 1500 range...So, why would it be any different when using your method?
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The difference is the pad diameter. The speed of the wool relative to the paint on a 5" pad spinning at 2500 rpm is the same as a 9" pad on a 'real' buffer turning at 1400 rpm, or a 10" at

1250.



See my edit in my first post above-

I was mistaken about the drill speed- My drill was running at 850 rpm. No wonder so much is made of warning about the hazards of wool pads- I was cutting quick at only less than half the recommended wool/paint speed.
 
Wow, so many suggestions. What I have learned so far. Go with the least aggressive product first. I think I will start with the 3M Swirl Remover and leave the Fine Cut Rubbing compound in the box for now. I will use the yellow or white polishing pad? (Not sure please advise) Someone suggested to follow the 3M SMR procedure with AIO and then Pin Souv Wax. I might try this first and see what the results look like. If the results are unacceptable (swirls still looking back at me on a bright sunny day) I will step up to a more aggressive product like the 3M Finesse It II or the Meg Dual Action Cleaner that AlBoston recommended in his article. I wish there was one recipe that was guaranteed to work. Wool is out of the question. I am a novice and do not want to make matters worse and it just seems like wool can do some damage if used incorrectly. Hopefully this works and if it does not, there are always professionals in my area (NY Detailer) who can tackle the problem. I just want to try it myself first.:sosad Keep the advice coming. It is much appreciated. The pads have yet to arrive, so there is still time for more confusion.
 
The difference is the pad diameter. The speed of the wool relative to the paint on a 5" pad spinning at 2500 rpm is the same as a 9" pad on a 'real' buffer turning at 1400 rpm, or a 10" at 1250.
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Ok Clint, point well taken! I hadnt considered that. But what size pad does a typical Makita or Dewalt buffer have? I was under the impression that most of the better rotaries had pads about 7" in diameter...Many of them have velcro backing plates which accept the same pads we use on our PCs! .Its those machines which Ive usually seen pros recommend being used between 1000 and 1500 rpms...One wrote me back that 1100 rpms was tops to use for those machines for best combination of safety and effectiveness. So, that would be equivalent to a drill at approximately just 1500 rpms!



You know, I have a Skill variable drill that goes from 0 to 2250 rpms..Id never really considered using this for scratches, but I happen to have one of those 5" rubber drill plates used for backing either sanding disks, or tie-on wool pads, and I think this variable drill might be just the ticket for attacking scratches...Ive always found my rotary polisher to be a little too large and unwieldy for my type of scratch work...My scratches tend to occur randomly and are very localized...They lend themselves to a more 'surgical' approach, which I think the drill would be perfect for. While scour a whole large area with a big powerful rotary, when what youre really after is so localized?!



Good suggestion :bounce
 
You are very correct to fear the wool and especially wool with compound on it. If you've never practiced on a tractor, mailbox of some other non-critical surface, a car is no place to learn with a tool that can munch paint so quickly.



On the other hand, that's why they work so well when you know what you're doing- because the wool is removing alot of stuff..



You can get a pro to buff just the major things out, and you can take it from there, removing the haze left by the compound or whatever from the pro buff job. Plus you can see how it's done so you will have some experience having seen it done right.



Oh and on using the drill with a puff- it makes me feel better using the drill I have with the handle sticking out the side, so I can control better in case the thing decides to try to get away..
 
Hey Clint, you know how many drills come with those rubber backing plates you chuck up with a disk or a pad tied on? Do you know anywhere we can buy similar sized plates but covered in velcro, so we can use our 6" foam pads with it? I guess as an option, if we can buy those rubber plates separately, Ive seen velcro sheets for sale that are sticky on one side...I guess we could cut these to size and make our own backing plates..What do you think?
 
I think you can get a little kit meant for porter cable orbital sanders that has a round velcro sheet that is sticky on one side or comes with glue to stick to the pad of the round sander.

I saw a kit like that at lowes I think near the sanders..

you could put one of those on the backing plate and be in biddness.. I think the brand is norton?



did a google search- check out all this stuff!mother load of pad/plates etc. to adapt pads to whatever
 
did a google search- check out all this stuff
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Oh, man, you aint kiddin! Look at all that stuff:cool: Thanks a ton. I really like using a variable drill for this...Like I said, its a more surgical approach for fixing limited damage.
 
If I need additional pads for PC, can I get them an Pep boys or Strauss? Do I need to order them from CMA?
 
My pep boys didn't have any and I don't even know what a strauss is- but in the yellow pages under auto body paint and supplies distributers or words to that effect, there should be at least one such place near you that will carry the 3m and meguires pads.
 
Do you have to use a rotary PC to get rid of swirls ot can you use hand application? This may be a stupid question but I'm a newbie to detailing.:bounce
 
IKABOB,



I believe you can (DavidB thinks this can be accomplished) but I have yet to accomplish this with 3M SMR by hand. Therefore, I have purchased the PC and posed the question for the best PC Recipe for swirls. My guess is a PC will accomplish the task much quicker then by hand. I guess I will find out. Good luck with your quest.
 
Ikabob said:
Do you have to use a rotary PC to get rid of swirls or can you use hand application? This may be a stupid question but I'm a newbie to detailing.:bounce
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A rotary and PC will be much quicker at removing swirls, but you definitely can remove swirls by hand also. Use either 3M's FI-2 or PI Fine Cut RC followed by a mild polish (PPCL, GEPC, KAIO, SMR etc.).
 
Is 3M Finesse it II less agressive than 3M Perfect it II fine Cut Rubbing Compound. Use yellow CMA pad with these products first and than use 3m SMR with white polish pad. Follow with ??? wax or another step???
 
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