By p400, do you mean 400 grit sandpaper? If so that's VERY aggressive and I'd recommend working your way up the sandpaper chart, something like 1000 grit, 1500 grit, 2000 grit, then start polishing. SSR 2.5 will not remove much more than 1500 grit wet sanding marks.

M105 is certainly more aggressive than SSR 2.5, but it also takes some practice to master. I'd pass on the rubbing compound myself, but any compounds should use a orange, yellow or purple pad. You want to match the aggressiveness of the product to the aggressiveness of the pad.

Keep us posted on how things turn out.

George

 

hey thnaks ahh im not getting very good turn out ive been doing my hood on my escort ive made a few passes with ssr2.5 orange pad and the swirls are gone and the hood looks nice and shiney but when the sun hits it a certin way you can still see the hairline marks in the paint what do i do. heres some pix to show you what im working with please help i feel like i wasted my money.. correct me if im worng but most all the marks/scratches should be out of the hood then finish with ssr1 white pad right???

the hood looks better then this now
[IMG][/IMG]
this i havent even touched yet any suggestions on geting it clenaed up plz help
[IMG][/IMG]
this is the drivers side door
[IMG][/IMG]
rear trucnk havent done it yet plz tell me how to attack it
[IMG][/IMG]

 

Depending on the condition of the paint, the PC may not be strong enough to remove all of the imperfections. The PC is a safe buffer due to the random orbital motion and doesn't generate the same amount of energy that a dual action or rotary buffer can.

There are so many variables when it comes to polishing as well, mastering the proper technique will yield a night and day difference in your results. Some things that can change your results:

- Work in smaller working areas: I recommend starting with 12" x 12" until you get the results your looking for
- Operate the buffer at speed 5 or 6 when breaking down polishes
- Make between 6 to 8 overlapping passes before shutting the buffer down and wiping off the excess product
- Use around 10 ~ 15 lbs of pressure when working the polish in and lay off on the last couple passes
- Make sure you're using proper lighting to see your imperfections while polishing, a dual 500 watt halogen light stand is a good thing to invest in
- Using smaller pads on a random orbital will yield greater results because your concentrating the energy in a smaller area
- Using different polish and pad combinations

As you can see there's a lot of factors that go into properly polishing and you won't always get the results you are looking for the first time around.

Regarding the other scratches, some of them appear to be through the paint. While you can clean them up a bit and remove some of the white surrounding the scratch, chances are you won't remove them completely without a touch up or respray.

Let me know if there's anything else I can help with.

George

 

Hi George,

Can you explain the difference between the standard LC foam pads & the LC CCS pads, and why you might choose one over the other? Thanks!

 

The short answer, flat pads perform better and is shown by how many high end professionals use flat pads over the CCS (or other slotted version pads).

The gist behind the CCS technology is to store product in the gaps so you can reapply more product simply by pressing down on the pad. This is pretty pointless if you use the proper amount of polish and swap your pad out for a fresh one every few panels (I use between 3 to 5 pads per coat of polish on a mid sized vehicle to give you an idea). Also, some of the parts where the CCS is on the edge can be sharp and at the right angle and speed, can add marring or potentially damage the finish a lot easier than using a flat pad.

Hope this helps.

 

Placed another order, thanks George!!!!

Your products and support are 2nd to none!


Here's just another example of George's products in action compliments of Marcus Cooke Photography.

 

Hi George (and anyone else that can help): After getting my car washed somewhat recently, I noticed a problem spot on my hood.

I know next to nothing about detailing, but I tried my luck using "Meguiar's G1016 Smooth Surface Clay Kit". Unfortunately, it didn't help at all.

Notice it's kind of hard to see from certain angles, but it's pretty bad from other angles:












Someone told me that I'm SOL b/c something has eaten its way past the clear coat. Not sure if it's too hard to tell based on the pics, but what do you guys think?

If my clear coat IS damaged, do I need to have my entire hood repainted in order to fix this?? Or, can you think of less expensive ways to fix it?

 

u have long fingers. haha jk but the clay bar should have gotten it. If it didnt then it might be past the clear coat.

 

looks like old bird poo... i have that same thing on my roof

 

Hey Tim, thanks for sharing and thanks for the support! Car is looking stunning as always, I love looking at the G with a FMIC.

Unfortunately, as others have mentioned, it looks to be through the clear. To me it looks like some sap or bird dropping etchings. If it was still on the surface the clay bar kit should have helped improve it. You can try taking a mild abrasive to the mark and see if that puts a dent in the mark, it may help minimize the imperfection. What does it feel like?

 

+1
Looks like something ate into the clear. Can you feel a small indentation?

 

I ordered Porter Cable 7424XP, but forgot to put 10% off code lol...anyway...have questions...assum that I have a lot of scratches...do I need to use swirl remover (3) first for whole car and do finish polish and sealant???..Is this correct method?..Cuz I am newbiee for detailing...I need to purchase chemical products and accesseries from ur store anyway..Please recommand me pads also...Thanks

 

Hi!
I just put 4 new Michelins on my '04 Coupe & as I was leaving the tire shop the owner advised me not to use any tire dressing on the tires as it causes damage to the sidewall....."checking" was the word he used I believe.

I'm not sure whether this is true....I've used various dressings over the years for that nice shiny look & don't recall seeing any negative effects.....or whether it infringes on the warranty....whether there's a particular kind of dressing I should be using or ??????

Your expert advice will be greatly appreciated.

Be well.

Bill

 

If you just ordered the buffer, it's ok, discount codes don't apply to the PC. Depending on how bad the imperfections are will determine how aggressive you need to go with the polish and pad combo. On softer Infiniti paint, I'd recommend starting with Menzerna Power Finish on green pads. Follow that up with some PO85RD on black pads and you should see a lot of the imperfections removed and lots of gloss and depth in your paint. Make sure you have the proper backing plate for the pads to adhere to as well.

I'd highly recommend reading through our polishing guide. It will walk you through how to properly use your PC 7424XP and give you maximum results.

If there's anything else I can help with, let me know.

Bill great question. Many tire dressings use silicone in them, which is bad for the tires and can dry, brown and crack tires, potentially ruining the life of the tire. These dressings are usually very glossy and have a tendency to sling up onto your paint because they sit on the surface of the tire rather than get absorbed.

What you're looking for is a water based tire dressing. A popular water based dressing is Poorboy's Bold 'n Bright. It gets absorbed into the tire and actually helps nourish the rubber and keep it's flexibility. You can dilute it 1L1 for a very matte, new tire look or apply a couple of thin coats full strength for a nice gloss. The key is to not over apply the product and let it absorb into the rubber.

The other key to getting a uniform look and get the maximum durability out of a water based dressing is to properly prep your tires prior to applying the dressing. Something like Optimum Power Clean is a great option for degreasing tires prior applying a dressing. Spray it on and scrub with a brush to remove previous dressings and road grime and contamination. This is very important when you want the best results.

Hope this helps, let me know if there's anything else I can give you a hand with.

George

 

Thank you very much, George, for that excellent advice. I'll follow it.

Be well. Bill