What's causing this? Time to polish/wax?

[Accumulator]

The best is natural sun, but if you can't catch it then your fluorescents or a spotlight like the Brinkmann LED or Xenon units will work.

I can hardly *ever* see any flaws under fluorescents, only "texture" issues and/or really severe scratches. Funny though, white is one color where I sometimes *can* see stuff under fluorescents :nixweiss



No advice for me on taking the pix though, I've never done anything much with digital imagine and/or documenting details. Never ever posted any pix here at all!

 

[Scooter2525]

I took some in the sun light but I'm not sure how well they turned out. I suppose I could photoshop in some swirls and then polishing them out!



I found the UP did as I expected. It removed some light swirls, took off some light water stains and made the finish oh so smooooooth! While detailing, I found some deeper scratches (not through the clear coat) that I would probably be able to get out with UC, or maybe the microfiber correction system when I get it next week. After putting two layers of GC carnauba plus on, it looks great!



Being a noob at this, I have some questions on the process.



How long should a light correction (using the Clay/UP/Wax) take for a roof on a pilot? I estimate it took me a good 4 or so hours to complete it. It was 95% "perfect" so I know I could go in and fix those few scratches, but I decided to hit them another time.



How much pressure should I put on my G110v2 for the UP and then for the wax? I used speed 3 for the UP and 2 for the wax.



Lastly, on the Pilot, the roof has support channels that are approx 1 in wide. Whats the best process for what I was doing to get good results? Roll over them? Hit the sides at an angle? The pads I have are the 7" pads.



Thanks for all your help guys!

 

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I found the UP did as I expected. It removed some light swirls, took off some light water stains and made the finish oh so smooooooth! While detailing, I found some deeper scratches (not through the clear coat) that I would probably be able to get out with UC, or maybe the microfiber correction system when I get it next week. After putting two layers of GC carnauba plus on, it looks great!

Good, glad to hear that! I wouldn't be in any big hurry to get more aggressive in a attempt to get those deep scratches better.



Being a noob at this, I have some questions on the process.

How long should a light correction (using the Clay/UP/Wax) take for a roof on a pilot? I estimate it took me a good 4 or so hours to complete it. It was 95% "perfect" so I know I could go in and fix those few scratches, but I decided to hit them another time.

I'm probably the wrong guy to comment here since I seem to take forever to do this stuff compared to others, but that sounds OK to me. It gets quicker the more you do it, between your increased experience helping to streamline the process and trying different products/approaches that might be more time-efficient. But I wouldn't worry too long abou the "how long" unless it's taking *so* long that it's a genuine issue (hey, people do have lives to live...).

How much pressure should I put on my G110v2 for the UP and then for the wax? I used speed 3 for the UP and 2 for the wax.

Noting that I don't use that machine or that polish...I lean on my polishers fairly hard when doing significant correction, lightening up for final polishing. I do almost all my polishing (with larger pads) at top speed unless I have a good reason to turn it down maybe one notch. But I sure do it all at the upper two speeds.



For waxing, virtually no pressure, just enough to get it "into the pores of the paint". Note those scare-quotes, my meaning is just that do do want to "work it in" a little bit, but it's sure not the same as polishing. I do my waxing at a higher speed too, but it's not a big deal IMO.

Lastly, on the Pilot, the roof has support channels that are approx 1 in wide. Whats the best process for what I was doing to get good results? Roll over them? Hit the sides at an angle? The pads I have are the 7" pads.

Yikes, didn't realize you were using such big pads! IMO you'd do a lot better (faster, more effective *and* efficient) with smaller pads. Seriously.



But yeah, you can pretty much do what you want with those channels, but note that if you just "go over them" or otherwise force the pad in there, you'll be getting pretty aggressive on the edges of the "raised part" and that's not good. Angling the pad can work well, but again, watch the edges. To be really safe, just don't do too much on those areas and even consider doing it (gulp :nervous: ) by hand.



But really...you need to get some 5-6.5" pads and turn the speed up. That'll make a big difference.

 

[Scooter2525]

But yeah, you can pretty much do what you want with those channels, but note that if you just "go over them" or otherwise force the pad in there, you'll be getting pretty aggressive on the edges of the "raised part" and that's not good. Angling the pad can work well, but again, watch the edges. To be really safe, just don't do too much on those areas and even consider doing it (gulp :nervous: ) by hand.



But really...you need to get some 5-6.5" pads and turn the speed up. That'll make a big difference.

So for discussion sake, why would Meg's sell only the 7" (softbuff 2.0) or even the 6.5 (1.0) and not a variety in 5? My thought, (again, noob here and not discrediting what you are saying) is that their system with the DA machine, pads and "ultimate" series is designed to work well with each other. What good does a 7" application have? Anyways, thanks again for the information. It's helping to give me things to think about while taking on the learning curve of detailing.

 

[umi000]

So for discussion sake, why would Meg's sell only the 7" (softbuff 2.0) or even the 6.5 (1.0) and not a variety in 5? My thought, (again, noob here and not discrediting what you are saying) is that their system with the DA machine, pads and "ultimate" series is designed to work well with each other. What good does a 7" application have? Anyways, thanks again for the information. It's helping to give me things to think about while taking on the learning curve of detailing.

Because they also have a big market in body shops, as well as detailers who use rotaries - so they make pads geared more towards those applications. Oh, they'll insist that 7" pads work perfectly fine on their DA, and that they get great results in their classes with that combo, but during a training session held by the local Meguiar's distributor over here, the instructor was bogging down his G220v2 (equivalent of the G110v2, just a different voltage) with those huge seven-inch pads, even at top speed, even with cruise control. Notice how, for their MF pads (which are a newer release than their foam pads), the recommend you use the 5" pads on the DA (rather than 6" pads)? And the MF pads are already thinner than their foam pads... :noidea:

 

[Scooter2525]

Just started to sprinkle. Figured I could grab a beading shot.

 

[Accumulator]

So for discussion sake, why would Meg's sell only the 7" (softbuff 2.0) or even the 6.5 (1.0) and not a variety in 5? My thought, (again, noob here and not discrediting what you are saying) is that their system with the DA machine, pads and "ultimate" series is designed to work well with each other. What good does a 7" application have? Anyways, thanks again for the information. It's helping to give me things to think about while taking on the learning curve of detailing.

I enjoy a good discussion of this stuff! And the way Meguiar's markets/pushes some of their offerings is a pet peeve of mine.



Short answer (IMO) is that they do what makes money.



With regard to the pad sizes, I have no idea why they sell those 7" pads for use via DA/RO and/or why they don't offer certain pads in certain sizes. Via rotary, sure 7" pads work fine...but they don't make a bid deal out of the distinction so people might buy that size pad for use via RO and be disappointed.



And yeah, their MF system is good. I haven't used the cutting disk via *their* polisher, but via Griot's the 6.5" one worked great.



IME Meguiar's simply drops the ball from time to time, just like they hit it out of the park now and then too.

 

[Scooter2525]

I enjoy a good discussion of this stuff! And the way Meguiar's markets/pushes some of their offerings is a pet peeve of mine.

Perhaps for an experienced individual such as yourself, I could see that. But for a noob like me, it inspired confidence that I could learn to detail like the a pro. I think their marketing is smart by offering those Thursday night classes and a good amount of videos online to show "how-tos". My guess is with the 7" pads, experienced RO users can get the cut they want, and for guys like me, I won't cut so much to cause permanent damage.



The MF system has a lot of great reviews so I'll be throwing my opinion out when I get a chance to use it.

 

[Accumulator]

..My guess is with the 7" pads, experienced RO users can get the cut they want...

Not in my experience, and believe me I've tried. With the Flex 3401 (forced rotation) they can work sorta-OK, but on a conventional RO machine they're a complete waste of time. The surface area is simply too much, all that friction makes it impossible to apply the needed pressure lest the machine merely "jiggle".



To be honest, I don't even like them for use with glazes/AIOs/waxes/etc. Just the wrong size pad for that type of machine.



As you can tell, I feel kinda strongly about this!

 

[Scooter2525]

Not in my experience, and believe me I've tried. With the Flex 3401 (forced rotation) they can work sorta-OK, but on a conventional RO machine they're a complete waste of time. The surface area is simply too much, all that friction makes it impossible to apply the needed pressure lest the machine merely "jiggle".



To be honest, I don't even like them for use with glazes/AIOs/waxes/etc. Just the wrong size pad for that type of machine.



As you can tell, I feel kinda strongly about this!

I've been reading a fare amount of yours and other posts on machine polishing. It looks like there is a bit of favor towards the GG6. What is your take on a kit like this for a beginner like me, and will those pads work well with existing products I have like UP/UC/UW and the megs MF system?

 

[Accumulator]

. It looks like there is a bit of favor towards the GG6. What is your take on a kit like this for a beginner like me, and will those pads work well with existing products I have like UP/UC/UW and the megs MF system?

Get a different Griot's Garage 6" RO package. Much as I like to support Richard, that kit isn't the best way to go IMO.



See what the kits at Detailers Domain look like, I just saw another thread where everybody thought Phil was putting together a good package.



Those products shouldn't be to "pad finicky" though, just don't get caught up in the "multiple types of finising pads" hype where people think they need a collectdion of black/blue/red/whatever pads.



FWIW though, I *DO* really like the Griot's pads. The orange polishing pad is very different from other "orange pads" and is a nice general purpose one. The red waxing pad is fine and lasts forever. Just don't get that kit...no way would I want you wasting money on that Best of Show wax, for instance. And while the clay is perfectly OK and the SpeedShine is a very good QD for use with waxes..eh, I just don't think that combo pack is what you need.

 

[Scooter2525]

FWIW though, I *DO* really like the Griot's pads. The orange polishing pad is very different from other "orange pads" and is a nice general purpose one. The red waxing pad is fine and lasts forever. Just don't get that kit...no way would I want you wasting money on that Best of Show wax, for instance. And while the clay is perfectly OK and the SpeedShine is a very good QD for use with waxes..eh, I just don't think that combo pack is what you need.

Those kits seem to come with an option of 5 pads. My thought would be to get 2 of the most aggressive, 2 of a moderate/light aggressive and 1 thats a finish.

 

[Accumulator]

scooter2525- That's a good start. With some products (those using non-diminishing abrasives) you'd probably want a lot more than two though.

 

[imported_RZJZA80]

I never really liked the whole "kits" idea simply because what THEY think is a good kit, isn't necessarily what I think is a good kit. Sure, you save money (if you were going to buy those exact products anyway), but to me, buy the polisher and pads/products separately, at least you get exactly what you wanted to begin with.