Your current top compounds?

Jescar cutting compound, does everything M101 does but wipes off very easy and absolutely no dust! Next favorite is m101 on a micro pad.
 
If it`s not too wet and the speed is not too high, it is possible to not sling product... :)
That is why I work the product, pad and paint slowly at first to get it all spread and thinned out and start creating a little heat, and then turn the speed up a bit and just press down and work it in... No sling...
Dan F
 
One of the dilemmas about different compounds is having a pad that works with the compound for the type of surface being polished. Would you use the same pad for polishing black hard plastic trim as you would for paint or taillight plastic or rear trunk/deck lid plastic??? Would you use the same pad on soft black paint (like Subaru Black or some BMW Jet black) as you would on a M-B with hard Ceramiclear clear-coat??
I know some of the pad choices are based on doing a test spot and seeing what works; IE trial-and-error. Because there are SOOO many different pad manufacturers and pad types out there for the different types of polishing machine (Rotary vs Long-throw Dual-Action vs Forced Rotation DA vs DA, and a Cyclo Rotary) you have a good many variations to try. That`s what I like (love) about this forum: fellow Autopians willing to share their experiences with the rest of us on what works for them so I so not have to go through this trial-and-error experiment.
 
Stokdgs said:
If it`s not too wet and the speed is not too high, it is possible to not sling product... :)
That is why I work the product, pad and paint slowly at first to get it all spread and thinned out and start creating a little heat, and then turn the speed up a bit and just press down and work it in... No sling...
Dan F
Click to expand...
It`s all in the technique, isn`t it? Who says that (proper) polishing isn`t as skill? Still.. I do NOT like my early version of M105... Needed to be (more) idiot-proof and easier-to-use.... but then I guess it wasn`t designed for the lazy and less-"technically-oriented". `Nuff said by the self-incriminating Captain Obvious.
 
Lonnie- And here I greatly preferred M105 v1.0 over the v2,0!

I just don`t seem to have the severe dust issues that others do, maybe because I don`t let my compounds flash before I buff them off (so yeah...that`s one quick work-time for some products, which I actually like).

My issue with aggressive non-diminishing abrasive products is that they *ALWAYS* leave some degree of micromarring behind. Yeah, others say they finish out OK (Theal and I have talked that to death), but it doesn`t work that way for me. Touch my paint with such stuff under enough pressure to buff it off the paint (even when wet) and it leaves marring. LJust like if I move a pad/MF that has M105 on it across my paint, that leaves artifacts. Might not see the (extremely light) micro-marring under normal conditions, not as obvious as light holgorams, but spend some time/effort and there it is. Not a problem as I always Finish Polish, but still....
 
Accum,
You`re not alone. With my Porsche, I had micromarring even with well-respected polishes that folks here say finish down perfectly. Even a known-good AIO would marr. Menzerna 2500 was my best friend with that car, and it`s not even considered a finishing polish.

Back on topic,
I really like Ultimate Compound for a quick fix.
HD Adapt (learned to get stellar results just before they stopped making it).
Menz 400.
 
I still use Meguiars 105 for a lot of things that I want removed quickly and perfectly.. :) Always will... It is very predictable in use and the result...

I`m thinking if any product is not allowed to work through its own cycle time, it will never produce the results it is capable of, or needed..

It has to work a while - that is why I have been saying for years that you have to help it along with a little moisture until it is almost gone and a very light amount is left; and then, you work carefully, slower speeds, until your pad picks it all up and there is hardly anything left to wipe up, and risk scratching your work..

You have to vary the amount of pressure from heavy(to get the initial correction), to lighter as you complete the cycle time..

I use this same process with all my compounds - Meguiars, Menzerna, Sonax, and Optimum..

I dont have the time - especially when I was Detailing about 6 vehicles a month for years, to experiment with different products on my own vehicles first, because I always had a new job in the garage or shop when the one I just finished was picked up..

This is how I was taught, this is how I saw other Painters do it, this is how I do it all the time...
Work the product slowly and carefully, no sling, not letting it dry out too soon, does not matter if it`s DAT or SMAT..

Keep the pads cleaned off between passes, keep them a little moist, mind how much product you are putting on the pad, and then this is also important - how much are you wiping off with a clean white towel (so you can see what color is coming off), after each pass...

Use a lot of really clean and dried pads, there is no substitute for this that will benefit the work..

I hate having to rub off a lot of product - it`s just counterproductive to me, and it is always risking adding additional damage to the work..

Years ago, even a decade ago, there were multiple color pads to choose from, then different pad manufacturers came out with more colors that didnt match the other pad colors, so that was kind of pain to deal with..

Then, a few pads were introduced that were capable of doing some really good correction - and - finish down really great - even to LSP level on a Rotary..

I tried them, burned a few up until they corrected their foam design, saw a few through the better glue for the backing so it didnt come off when you washed them, etc...

And they finally started working pretty darn good for my needs and I only have to deal with 3 colors... Amazing... :)

If I ever get compound stuck on the paint for whatever reason, and this is really rare. I will spray it down with the first thing handy - my spray bottle of pad conditioner, and carefully remove that stuff more easily..

And then figure out what went wrong and not do that again, or adapt differently to this part of the panel because the paint there is for whatever reason, acting differently...
Dan F
 
Brewins said:
Sometimes, with soft paint, the polish will finish fine, it`s the towel marring that becomes a PITA.
Click to expand...

Huh, interesting. NONE of the MFs I use on paint will mar in-and-of themselves even on the Jag`s single stage lacquer. If a MF does mar paint/fail CD test, then it never touches my paint.

I feel for Pros who have to work on soft clear, I wouldn`t have it.
 
I have no clue as to the menzerna products. Never used most of them. Used 400 once, didn`t really care for it? The Jescar compound I like because it does not dust whatsoever and easily wipes off, which helps with the marring issue
 
M100
FG400
Rupes Zephir (blue)
Ultimate Compound.

I can usually do everything with the Megs stuff, unless it`s really hot/humid and I`m on soft paint. That`s when I`ll reach for the Menzerna.

On the very rare occasion I`ll use Meguiar`s M02 Fine-Cut Cleaner, which is more like a medium polish.
 
Stokdgs said:
I still use Meguiars 105 for a lot of things that I want removed quickly and perfectly.. :) Always will... It is very predictable in use and the result...

I`m thinking if any product is not allowed to work through its own cycle time, it will never produce the results it is capable of, or needed..

It has to work a while - that is why I have been saying for years that you have to help it along with a little moisture until it is almost gone and a very light amount is left; and then, you work carefully, slower speeds, until your pad picks it all up and there is hardly anything left to wipe up, and risk scratching your work..

You have to vary the amount of pressure from heavy(to get the initial correction), to lighter as you complete the cycle time..

I use this same process with all my compounds - Meguiars, Menzerna, Sonax, and Optimum..

I dont have the time - especially when I was Detailing about 6 vehicles a month for years, to experiment with different products on my own vehicles first, because I always had a new job in the garage or shop when the one I just finished was picked up..

This is how I was taught, this is how I saw other Painters do it, this is how I do it all the time...
Work the product slowly and carefully, no sling, not letting it dry out too soon, does not matter if it`s DAT or SMAT..

Keep the pads cleaned off between passes, keep them a little moist, mind how much product you are putting on the pad, and then this is also important - how much are you wiping off with a clean white towel (so you can see what color is coming off), after each pass...

Use a lot of really clean and dried pads, there is no substitute for this that will benefit the work..

I hate having to rub off a lot of product - it`s just counterproductive to me, and it is always risking adding additional damage to the work..

Years ago, even a decade ago, there were multiple color pads to choose from, then different pad manufacturers came out with more colors that didnt match the other pad colors, so that was kind of pain to deal with..

Then, a few pads were introduced that were capable of doing some really good correction - and - finish down really great - even to LSP level on a Rotary..

I tried them, burned a few up until they corrected their foam design, saw a few through the better glue for the backing so it didnt come off when you washed them, etc...

And they finally started working pretty darn good for my needs and I only have to deal with 3 colors... Amazing... :)

If I ever get compound stuck on the paint for whatever reason, and this is really rare. I will spray it down with the first thing handy - my spray bottle of pad conditioner, and carefully remove that stuff more easily..

And then figure out what went wrong and not do that again, or adapt differently to this part of the panel because the paint there is for whatever reason, acting differently...
Dan F
Click to expand...

Might those pads be the Lake Country Hydrotech?
 
rwright said:
HD Cut(+) is my go to. After spending a lot of time with this product on multiple cars with multiple pads, I have learned how to make it work for just about any situation. Not all but most for my detailing. I have used it to cut Audi paint to a 1 step on a Honda Pilot that was LSP ready.
Click to expand...

you could share how? Thks
 
All of this used to sound like the pads did all the work and I just lubed them with product.
Till I tried BF src compound and saw different levels of cut happening with pressure & length of pass, with same pad. ( good machine too, Boss15 )
Love the variables
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top