whats a good hand polishing kit for my black truck?

R

ReaperHWK

New member
I just need to get out some of the swirls. I am using 3M 39009 with just a microfiber towel and that actually cuts enough to get out what I need to do, but I have to work like 2 hours per panel (real time consuming).



I'm looknig for a kit that comes with a pad and some swirl mark remover that would cut my time required to get swirls out down. I'm looking for something that is not to agressive, again 39009 is actually agressive enough.



Someone stated the mcguires kit but they have so many kits I don't know which one to pick.....



Oh yeah, I don't want to spend alot of money, anything under $50??



Thanks!
 
ReaperHWK- Are you absolutely certain that the 39009 is *removing* the marring as opposed to concealing it? That product does a great job of filling but has very, and I mean *VERY*, little cut (I used to use it on soft black ss lacquer and it barely corrected that).



Also, using it with a MF is about the most gentle way you can polish (not a criticism, I do almost all my hand polishing that way). Doing the first passes with cotton and then switching to foam (and maybe to MF for the final go) might speed things along.



Anyhow...



I'd probably try the new Optimum Spray Compound and then follow up with the 39009. The Optimum is a bit less aggressive than stuff like M105 and it's very user-friendly.



With Meguiar's, I'd probably try the Ultimate Compound unless you want to do the "mildest approach first" thing and see if Scratch-X v2.0 does the job.



Oh, and FWIW, I used to always recommend 1z Paint Polish for people working by hand. It's still an OK way to go.
 
Cool.



I just picked up some microfiber applicator pads, and a bottle of mcguires swirl X(all I could find at pep boys).



Is the swirl X any good? I assume thats a little more agressive than 39009?



Also my truck's paint job is only 3 months old, don't want to go crazy with abrasives I think.



Brian
 
ReaperHWK said:
Cool.



I just picked up some microfiber applicator pads, and a bottle of mcguires swirl X(all I could find at pep boys).



Is the swirl X any good? I assume thats a little more agressive than 39009?
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Right, a *little* more cut than the 39009, nothing extreme. It almost certainly won't conceal as well as the 3M, so keep that in mind if it seems like a step backwards. Hey, you can always go over it with the 3M if you just want to get on with things :D



Sometimes it's surprising how "aggressive" (scare quotes intentional, hey...we're not talking about anything drastic by any means) you need to get just to remove really minor imperfections so you just have to see how it goes.

Also my truck's paint job is only 3 months old, don't want to go crazy with abrasives I think.
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That's smart :xyxthumbs Until/unless you can wash without instilling new marring (and !oh man! is that a challenge), then taking off clear all the time is a losing proposition.



See how the Swirl-x works out and keep the 39009 on hand. Keep the truck well-waxed and work on wash technique so you don't instill a lot of new issues.
 
Thanks accumulator, your a wealth of knowledge!



I have to head back to the body shop in a few weeks anyway because I need to get my front bumper fixed (another story, hit a small deer and it cracked the paint). They probably will repaint the entire bumper and charge me a few $100, such is life.



I haven't washed or waxed my truck in 3 MONTHS. This is body shop recomendation because they don't want me to touch the paint to much. In the spring I'm going to go over the whole car with swirlX and/or 39009 and do a mothers 3 stage wax.



Thanks again!
 
Accumulator said:
I'd probably try the new Optimum Spray Compound and then follow up with the 39009. The Optimum is a bit less aggressive than stuff like M105 and it's very user-friendly.
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X2 IMHO. Their spray polish is nice too. You can pick up Meg's M105/205 in 8oz bottles for about $9 each btw.
 
You could use this:

Meguiars Unigrit Professional Hand Pad, hand backup pad, hand polishing pad



with a polishing pad:

Meguiars Soft Buff W-8006 Foam Polishing Pad 6.5"



and see where that gets you...I also second the optimum and 105/205 vote. But honestly, if you're planning on being meticulous about maintaining your vehicle, I'd look into a DA polisher. They're not that expensive, they're easy to use, they'll cut your work time substantially, and they'll give you better results. Also, IMHO, if I were going to be doing that much work to my car, I'd top it with something a lot nicer than mothers...but thats just me.
 
cool. I'll bookmark that stuff in case this stuff I have blows the big one.



I got a cheap polishing pad from pepboys, it has a handle and replaceable microfiber pads.



I only wax my truck once a year, I'm not too meticulous (I've always been happy the way my truck looks after mother's 3-stage). The only reason I want to buff the entire truck out with swirlX and 39009 first is because right now there is ZERO wax on the truck since the truck was repainted 3 months ago. And when I "fixed" the scratch from a plow I put some more swirls in the fresh paint. I just want the paint to be good shape before I wax her up!
 
"Oh, and FWIW, I used to always recommend 1z Paint Polish for people working by hand. It's still an OK way to go."



My good friend Mr. A sees things the same as me; if you want to burnish the paint after PP, follow up with Metallic PolishWax for even more stellar beauty!
 
percynjpn- Howdy stranger :wavey Nice to see you posting!



Yeah, while there are a lot of newer, and truly "better" polishes out there, "better" in one context doesn't always mean it's the overall better choice. I wouldn't say I'm really putting that word in scare-quotes, but it's not some kind of cut-and-dried situation where everybody should use the same stuff.



ReaperHWK- If you're only gonna wax it once a year, I'd give some careful thought to what that wax oughta be. I'd at least step up to Collinite. If nothing else, you oughta have decent protection against bird-bombs lest a nasty one burn right through your clear (not an exaggeration, it happened on my beater-Audi before I got it).
 
Surprised no one has suggested this:



HD UNO + HD exterior duopad.

This is a kit specifically designed for hand polishing. The duo pad has an orange compounding side, plus a blue polishing side. HD uno will cut as much as the pad allows. Lovely combo!





If you are in a hurry, and I mean, as in "you have to get it done right now", I suggest to drive to advance auto parts, get a 5 pack of terry cloth applicators, and *cough cough* grab this:

TWPRC



Yes, I know this second combo suggestion will probably get me banned for "bringing shame to autopia" by suggesting a product from one of the most hated companies around here. Rest assured, however, the stuff is much much better that what you would think, and better than some of our hyped boutique stuff. It has nice cut, very user friendly, works decently fast, no fillers, long work time and doesn't dust. The best part is that finishes very glossy and nice, LSP ready in light colors.

In your case, being the truck black, get its milder twin also to finish after that.



In my previous arsenal, I had Hi temp FC and SC, Megs 83 and 80, Optimum Polish and compound (original formula), mothers powerpolish, and the Sonüs SFX triplets. Prior to getting HD UNO, I was using the "twins" of the hated company the most. They don't cut the most (Hi temp were the champs) but they were overall the more balanced products.







Alex
 
AlexRuiz- If somebody like you didn't risk ridicule by posting about the TW stuff, we wouldn't know when they change it to something OK. That looks a lot different from "TWRC" from back in the day.



(Note that your second link brought up the same stuff for me, but I get the idea...)



I guess I'm less surprised that they have a decent product or six than I am that it took them so long.
 
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