Why do I find optimum so NOT agressive?

Z

zimmerDN

New member
It seems like it takes forever to take any kind of swirl marks out and I am pretty sure I am doing everything properly. This is the most agressive polish I have in my collection right now and I use it with my DAS orange pad. I tried to tack swirl marks on 2 cars before they both took upwards of 12 passes on each section (very very slow passes) before I got most of them out.



Is your experience the same?
 
I have no experience with DAS pads so I can't tell if a more aggressive pad would help. What speed and amount of pressure are you using?



With a polishing pad, Optimum Polish is similar to SSR2 or Meguiars Speed Glaze. With a Meguiars cutting pad (burgandy), it is similar to DACP or SSR2.5 but finishes down better.
 
Well, I learned something this weekend about the PC...turn it up to 6 and use WAY more pressure than you think you had to, if you want to remove defects. I had this thing in my head about "using the weight of the machine", but pressure worked, and is kind of affirmed by this thread on MOL that I found after:PC thread with bathroom scale, and Mike Phillips won't even take the PC to 6 because he uses one of those crummy Meguiar's backing plates!
 
zimmer,



You are using too much product. It just skating on the surface on its polishing oils, greatly diminishing its cutting power.
 
Well, Optimum is really not a great PC polish, IMHO. Via rotary it'll take out some serious damage, but IMHO SSR2.5 is a vastly better choice via pc. Optimum is an excellent finishing polish/hologram remover via DA, but I don't find it useful for much else.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Mike Phillips won't even take the PC to 6 because he uses one of those crummy Meguiar's backing plates!
Click to expand...



Apparently they have improved them because the new one I have is holding up well. Besides, my Meguiars distributor says he'll replace it if I have problems with it.
 
themightytimmah said:
Well, Optimum is really not a great PC polish, IMHO. Via rotary it'll take out some serious damage, but IMHO SSR2.5 is a vastly better choice via pc. Optimum is an excellent finishing polish/hologram remover via DA, but I don't find it useful for much else.
Click to expand...





I don't know about that. I have both the Optimum polishes and the SSR line and use them with a PC. I have to give the edge to Optimum. For me OP is like using SSR 2.5 for aggressiveness but polishes out more like SSR 1 with zero dusting. Optimum polish is very PC friedly with a long work time. If you don't work it long enough it won't remove marring as well.
 
themightytimmah said:
Well, Optimum is really not a great PC polish, IMHO. Via rotary it'll take out some serious damage, but IMHO SSR2.5 is a vastly better choice via pc. Optimum is an excellent finishing polish/hologram remover via DA, but I don't find it useful for much else.
Click to expand...

Agreed - I bought Optimum off the back off the all the hype I've heard about it and have to say I prefer SSR2.5 and/or #80/#83 - it takes far too long to break down via PC (yes a long work time is good, but I don't want to be stood there for hours!) and I don't think the results are that great either. Am yet to try with a rotary though.



Ben
 
Maybe your not using the right product for your particular needs. Optimum compound may suit you better......So before you denounce the product, take it a step ahead.....
 
OCP does take longer to flash than SSR2.5, so it can be a bear to use with the PC if you're not willing to spend a little more time on the car. However, given the dust that other polishes tend to create I find I would much rather spend 2-4 minutes extra per panel than have a car covered in dust when I'm done. In terms of abrasiveness I find them to be almost identical with cutting pads (medium to heavy cut, not light). The other thing that a couple posters have mentioned is OCP on a medium cut pad will finish out very nicely. You could move right to an LSP. Other polishes tend to haze, and require an extra step before LSP.



So ya, if I was in a hurry I'd use SSR2.5 and try my best to keep it from dusting. Otherwise I'm going for the OCP. You should give OCC a try. I posted in another thread last night that I find I'm using that more than OCP just because of the added aggressiveness and the way it finishes down similar to OCP.
 
Anyone unhappy with that Optimum want me to take it off their hands just send the PM's and we can work something out. I'll even trade ya some SSR 2.5!
 
I had to use a bit of pressure and very slow passes of a 1x1 area with a cutting pad but I got all the swrils and scratches out with one pass over the entire car. I could not do that with the FP or any other polish I have used with the PC.
 
zippymbr said:
I had to use a bit of pressure and very slow passes of a 1x1 area with a cutting pad but I got all the swrils and scratches out with one pass over the entire car. I could not do that with the FP or any other polish I have used with the PC.
Click to expand...



I haven't had much experience with OCP but I find that I don't really like it. I get much better results with Menzerna IP. The finish from OCP just wasn't as glossy as I'm used to from using Menzerna. If someone wants my 32oz of OCP let me know. :) Used maybe 4oz from it or so.
 
SpoiledMan said:
Frizzle, how much you want for it?
Click to expand...



Come by and get it from me for $10 :) take it! take it! get it away from me!!! (damn it's been a long morning) I'm in Costa Mesa. I've got 1/2 a bottle of 3M Imperial Hand Glaze and 3M SMW for dark too if you want. But also have Menzerna. You should come by and see what you want. FMJ isn't shipping to CA anymore but I've got quite a bit.
 
It might be the DAS pad as well. I found that the pad designated for "removing swirls" as the packaging said it more like a finishing pad, in that it had VERY LITTLE bite at all... :nono I much prefer the Autogeek pads....but still need to try the Propels.
 
Hey folks....



Remember that OCP was designed first around the use of a rotary, second orbital. The OCC is, I am told, much more orbital friendly than the OCP.



Yet when used with a rotary and the right pads OCP will do some amazing stuff.



It is not for everyone and not everyone is going to rave about it, some will hate the stuff in fact, but that's perfectly fine as, already noted here, there will always be someone willing to buy or trade for the unused portion. Not only with Optimum products but with just about any product.



Anthony
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top