Spring Detail
- Thread starter Swift101
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It looks really, really good - Spring has sprung!
What pads were you using, and how many?
How well did the Ultimate Compound finish? I would usually expect to see at least 1 finishing step after Ultimate Compound, or else you may be leaving some haze (that the wax is covering up).
How well did the Ultimate Compound finish? I would usually expect to see at least 1 finishing step after Ultimate Compound, or else you may be leaving some haze (that the wax is covering up).
I used a Meguiar's 6.5-Inch yellow soft buff foam polishing pad to apply the Ultimate Compound. I did get the purple/red cutting pad as well but was too afraid to use it.
I did apply Meguiar's ultimate polish to the hood only after I applied UC. I didn't see much of a difference so I just sealed the car with ultimate liquid wax using a finishing pad.
I had about 30 microfiber towels, after I applied the UC I quickly wiped it off and inspected every panel meticulously. I got a lot of scratches out but I'm going to use the cutting pad next time around to get better results.
I did apply Meguiar's ultimate polish to the hood only after I applied UC. I didn't see much of a difference so I just sealed the car with ultimate liquid wax using a finishing pad.
I had about 30 microfiber towels, after I applied the UC I quickly wiped it off and inspected every panel meticulously. I got a lot of scratches out but I'm going to use the cutting pad next time around to get better results.
Originally Posted By: Swift101
I used a Meguiar's 6.5-Inch yellow soft buff foam polishing pad to apply the Ultimate Compound. I did get the purple/red cutting pad as well but was too afraid to use it.
I did apply Meguiar's ultimate polish to the hood only after I applied UC. I didn't see much of a difference so I just sealed the car with ultimate liquid wax using a finishing pad.
I had about 30 microfiber towels, after I applied the UC I quickly wiped it off and inspected every panel meticulously. I got a lot of scratches out but I'm going to use the cutting pad next time around to get better results.
I hope you don't plan on compounding again anytime soon, I myself would only compound once every 4-5 years on a daily driver that sits outside 24/7. On such a new car you probably shouldn't be compounding anyways. Ultimate Polish and a DA would likely have gotten most of what should be on there without removing as much material as Ultimate Compound.
I will say that unless you're going for show car perfection under the pickiest of lighting conditions, it's entirely reasonable to go from Ultimate Compound to wax, especially Ultimate Wax applied by machine which has enough minor correcting ability to take care of what Ultimate Compound leaves behind if the Ultimate Compound was used with a fine polishing or finishing pad. This is especially true for metallic grays and silvers which don't show polishing haze nearly as clearly as darker colors or non-metallics.
Ultimate Compound leaves a very very good finish but like I say be careful with the compounding. Just because it does leave such a good finish doesn't mean it's not taking off a lot of material. People are so used to thinking strong compounds can't finish well that anything that finishes as well as Ultimate Compound must be fine to use regularly, it's not. It's a true compound and will take off wet sanding haze quite easily which means it is thinning the paint a bit when applying it by machine.
I will applaud Critic for being willing to learn advanced polishing techniques but recommending two-step polishing to essentially a new car is a bit much. Pulling out the big guns when they're not necessary is getting to be a more and more dangerous game to play with modern car finishes getting thinner and thinner.
I used a Meguiar's 6.5-Inch yellow soft buff foam polishing pad to apply the Ultimate Compound. I did get the purple/red cutting pad as well but was too afraid to use it.
I did apply Meguiar's ultimate polish to the hood only after I applied UC. I didn't see much of a difference so I just sealed the car with ultimate liquid wax using a finishing pad.
I had about 30 microfiber towels, after I applied the UC I quickly wiped it off and inspected every panel meticulously. I got a lot of scratches out but I'm going to use the cutting pad next time around to get better results.
I hope you don't plan on compounding again anytime soon, I myself would only compound once every 4-5 years on a daily driver that sits outside 24/7. On such a new car you probably shouldn't be compounding anyways. Ultimate Polish and a DA would likely have gotten most of what should be on there without removing as much material as Ultimate Compound.
I will say that unless you're going for show car perfection under the pickiest of lighting conditions, it's entirely reasonable to go from Ultimate Compound to wax, especially Ultimate Wax applied by machine which has enough minor correcting ability to take care of what Ultimate Compound leaves behind if the Ultimate Compound was used with a fine polishing or finishing pad. This is especially true for metallic grays and silvers which don't show polishing haze nearly as clearly as darker colors or non-metallics.
Ultimate Compound leaves a very very good finish but like I say be careful with the compounding. Just because it does leave such a good finish doesn't mean it's not taking off a lot of material. People are so used to thinking strong compounds can't finish well that anything that finishes as well as Ultimate Compound must be fine to use regularly, it's not. It's a true compound and will take off wet sanding haze quite easily which means it is thinning the paint a bit when applying it by machine.
I will applaud Critic for being willing to learn advanced polishing techniques but recommending two-step polishing to essentially a new car is a bit much. Pulling out the big guns when they're not necessary is getting to be a more and more dangerous game to play with modern car finishes getting thinner and thinner.
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Originally Posted By: Swift101
I used a Meguiar's 6.5-Inch yellow soft buff foam polishing pad to apply the Ultimate Compound. I did get the purple/red cutting pad as well but was too afraid to use it.
I did apply Meguiar's ultimate polish to the hood only after I applied UC. I didn't see much of a difference so I just sealed the car with ultimate liquid wax using a finishing pad.
I had about 30 microfiber towels, after I applied the UC I quickly wiped it off and inspected every panel meticulously. I got a lot of scratches out but I'm going to use the cutting pad next time around to get better results.
The Meguiars Ultimate Compound and Ultimate Polish products are a bit oil-heavy, so the true results may not be shown until after the oils have been removed. Depending on how oily the product is, it can take more than one isopropyl alcohol wipedown before the true finish is revealed.
With that said, the yellow soft buff 2.0 pads from Meguiars are not aggressive. The ones that I have can pass for finishing pads. When paired with ultimate compound, I can see this being a decent one-step combo for some paint finishes. So if the paint is not very soft, then this combo may finish adequately for a lot of people. Good job.
You did not mention you used, but for a Sonata, I would expect to use 3-4 pads. Paint residue will negatively impact both the cutting and finishing abilities, so it is important to stop and clean the pad often. I usually blow out the pad with shop air (or clean with a brush) after each 1'x1' section, and I wash out or replace the pad after every other panel.
Originally Posted By: qwertydude
I hope you don't plan on compounding again anytime soon, I myself would only compound once every 4-5 years on a daily driver that sits outside 24/7. On such a new car you probably shouldn't be compounding anyways. Ultimate Polish and a DA would likely have gotten most of what should be on there without removing as much material as Ultimate Compound.
I will say that unless you're going for show car perfection under the pickiest of lighting conditions, it's entirely reasonable to go from Ultimate Compound to wax, especially Ultimate Wax applied by machine which has enough minor correcting ability to take care of what Ultimate Compound leaves behind if the Ultimate Compound was used with a fine polishing or finishing pad. This is especially true for metallic grays and silvers which don't show polishing haze nearly as clearly as darker colors or non-metallics.
Ultimate Compound leaves a very very good finish but like I say be careful with the compounding. Just because it does leave such a good finish doesn't mean it's not taking off a lot of material. People are so used to thinking strong compounds can't finish well that anything that finishes as well as Ultimate Compound must be fine to use regularly, it's not. It's a true compound and will take off wet sanding haze quite easily which means it is thinning the paint a bit when applying it by machine.
I will applaud Critic for being willing to learn advanced polishing techniques but recommending two-step polishing to essentially a new car is a bit much. Pulling out the big guns when they're not necessary is getting to be a more and more dangerous game to play with modern car finishes getting thinner and thinner.
I think we should open a new thread to discuss the term "compounding." That term has become a buzz word and has become very general with no specific meaning. With that said, I think a more appropriate term for what you are describing is "heavy correction." And Ultimate Compound + a soft finishing pad is hardly "heavy correction."
IMO, an appropriate definition for heavy correction is something like Meguiars M101 and a Microfiber Cutting Disc. I know you've played with M101 some and probably understand what I mean by that -- as M101 is no joke...
I would say that his Ultimate Compound and Polishing Pad combo is probably no different than using a medium polish. Depending on the hardness of the clear coat, the material removed will vary. While it's not my first choice for a "maintenance correction," I would not be too concerned about using this periodically.
Lastly, Ultimate Liquid Wax has no abrasives. If you're seeing any correction or haze removal from Ultimate Liquid Wax, then it is coming from your application media or the machine itself.
I used a Meguiar's 6.5-Inch yellow soft buff foam polishing pad to apply the Ultimate Compound. I did get the purple/red cutting pad as well but was too afraid to use it.
I did apply Meguiar's ultimate polish to the hood only after I applied UC. I didn't see much of a difference so I just sealed the car with ultimate liquid wax using a finishing pad.
I had about 30 microfiber towels, after I applied the UC I quickly wiped it off and inspected every panel meticulously. I got a lot of scratches out but I'm going to use the cutting pad next time around to get better results.
The Meguiars Ultimate Compound and Ultimate Polish products are a bit oil-heavy, so the true results may not be shown until after the oils have been removed. Depending on how oily the product is, it can take more than one isopropyl alcohol wipedown before the true finish is revealed.
With that said, the yellow soft buff 2.0 pads from Meguiars are not aggressive. The ones that I have can pass for finishing pads. When paired with ultimate compound, I can see this being a decent one-step combo for some paint finishes. So if the paint is not very soft, then this combo may finish adequately for a lot of people. Good job.
You did not mention you used, but for a Sonata, I would expect to use 3-4 pads. Paint residue will negatively impact both the cutting and finishing abilities, so it is important to stop and clean the pad often. I usually blow out the pad with shop air (or clean with a brush) after each 1'x1' section, and I wash out or replace the pad after every other panel.
Originally Posted By: qwertydude
I hope you don't plan on compounding again anytime soon, I myself would only compound once every 4-5 years on a daily driver that sits outside 24/7. On such a new car you probably shouldn't be compounding anyways. Ultimate Polish and a DA would likely have gotten most of what should be on there without removing as much material as Ultimate Compound.
I will say that unless you're going for show car perfection under the pickiest of lighting conditions, it's entirely reasonable to go from Ultimate Compound to wax, especially Ultimate Wax applied by machine which has enough minor correcting ability to take care of what Ultimate Compound leaves behind if the Ultimate Compound was used with a fine polishing or finishing pad. This is especially true for metallic grays and silvers which don't show polishing haze nearly as clearly as darker colors or non-metallics.
Ultimate Compound leaves a very very good finish but like I say be careful with the compounding. Just because it does leave such a good finish doesn't mean it's not taking off a lot of material. People are so used to thinking strong compounds can't finish well that anything that finishes as well as Ultimate Compound must be fine to use regularly, it's not. It's a true compound and will take off wet sanding haze quite easily which means it is thinning the paint a bit when applying it by machine.
I will applaud Critic for being willing to learn advanced polishing techniques but recommending two-step polishing to essentially a new car is a bit much. Pulling out the big guns when they're not necessary is getting to be a more and more dangerous game to play with modern car finishes getting thinner and thinner.
I think we should open a new thread to discuss the term "compounding." That term has become a buzz word and has become very general with no specific meaning. With that said, I think a more appropriate term for what you are describing is "heavy correction." And Ultimate Compound + a soft finishing pad is hardly "heavy correction."
IMO, an appropriate definition for heavy correction is something like Meguiars M101 and a Microfiber Cutting Disc. I know you've played with M101 some and probably understand what I mean by that -- as M101 is no joke...
I would say that his Ultimate Compound and Polishing Pad combo is probably no different than using a medium polish. Depending on the hardness of the clear coat, the material removed will vary. While it's not my first choice for a "maintenance correction," I would not be too concerned about using this periodically.
Lastly, Ultimate Liquid Wax has no abrasives. If you're seeing any correction or haze removal from Ultimate Liquid Wax, then it is coming from your application media or the machine itself.
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Originally Posted By: The Critic
Swift101 said:
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I won't be using UC much, my primary goal was to remove some deep scratches made by the dealers automatic car wash (scratch machine). I forgot to tell them not to wash my car one time and those brushes did some damage.
Would I be able to use Meguiar's SwirlX or just Ultimate polish on a more regular basis? (Once or twice a year?)
Quote:
You did not mention you used, but for a Sonata, I would expect to use 3-4 pads. Paint residue will negatively impact both the cutting and finishing abilities, so it is important to stop and clean the pad often. I usually blow out the pad with shop air (or clean with a brush) after each 1'x1' section, and I wash out or replace the pad after every other panel.
I only used 2 of those polishing pads, next time I'll be sure to use more & clean them, thanks for the tip.
Would I be able to use Meguiar's SwirlX or just Ultimate polish on a more regular basis? (Once or twice a year?)
Quote:
You did not mention you used, but for a Sonata, I would expect to use 3-4 pads. Paint residue will negatively impact both the cutting and finishing abilities, so it is important to stop and clean the pad often. I usually blow out the pad with shop air (or clean with a brush) after each 1'x1' section, and I wash out or replace the pad after every other panel.
I only used 2 of those polishing pads, next time I'll be sure to use more & clean them, thanks for the tip.
I'd say once a year or longer as needed on the Ultimate Polish. Remember the clear coat on the car is likely thinner than the average human hair.
Originally Posted By: Swift101
I won't be using UC much, my primary goal was to remove some deep scratches made by the dealers automatic car wash (scratch machine). I forgot to tell them not to wash my car one time and those brushes did some damage.
Would I be able to use Meguiar's SwirlX or just Ultimate polish on a more regular basis? (Once or twice a year?)
With a finishing pad I would say Ultimate Polish would be safe to use twice a year, once if you want to be more conservative. Ultimate Polish with a DA has enough cut to remove minor defects and really finishes out quite well and is the most gentle of Meguiars polishes that actually have correcting ability and don't just fill like their glazes. Swirl-X is a little more aggressive than Ultimate Polish. Still less than M205 which would probably be as safe to use as Ultimate Polish with the right pad and technique.
Keep in mind these are SMAT abrasives so they do not diminish at all when polishing. They also finish just as well on the first pass as they do on subsequent passes. And also you do not want to overwork these polishes. With traditional polishes the longer you work them the better the resulting finish as the polishes break down. SMAT does not break down and as the lubricant flashes off and the clear coat gets loaded into the pad, the abraded clear coat starts to bind the polishing particles together resulting in marring or hazing, especially on softer paints.
The technique with SMAT abrasives is different. First you prime the pad by running a 2-3 lines across the face and spread it around by hand or by rubbing it against a panel with the machine off, that primes the pad. You then quickly spread it out then work that spread out polish in overlapping rows using an appropriate amount of pressure depending on pad selection. After the first pass you evaluate the amount of correction, even on the first pass you'll achieve the best possible finish, as in you won't get any better than that by working the polish longer. If the defects are not corrected by then, reapply a small amount of polish like 2-3 drops and go for another pass. If this doesn't correct it or possibly a third pass, basically it might be time to switch out to a more aggressive pad/polish combo.
After working a section it's a good idea to clean out the spent polish. You can wash it out and spin up the polisher to fling out the water, but this inevitably leaves some water in the pad which I feel thins out the lubricant in the polish and changes its properties and sometimes you'll find even a small bit of moisture can end up making the polish stick to the paint and not wipe off cleanly and needs some muscling off which could lead to marring. The Meguiars recommended, and my own independent conclusion, came to be that a cotton terry towel like a bath towel pressed against the pad and turning the polisher on absorbs enough spent polish and breaks up dried clumps of polish to continue using the same pad on the car while still leaving the pad properly primed.
Ultimate Polish responds quite well to pad changes but depending on the softness of your paint more aggressive pads might leave some hazing so a light polishing or finishing pad and a more aggressive compound like Ultimate Compound might work better as you've no doubt experienced. Just don't make a habit of reaching for the Ultimate Compound on a regular basis. The key here is prevention, minimization and sometimes just learning to live with a few RIDS here and there.
Also the main reason I've made the switch pretty much entirely to SMAT abrasives is this exacting control of the number of passes, and with proper technique guaranteeing a good finish even on the first pass, really puts you in control of how much paint you're ultimately removing. It's more important than ever to watch how much you're polishing.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3326840/The_big_deal_about_thin_paint.
I won't be using UC much, my primary goal was to remove some deep scratches made by the dealers automatic car wash (scratch machine). I forgot to tell them not to wash my car one time and those brushes did some damage.
Would I be able to use Meguiar's SwirlX or just Ultimate polish on a more regular basis? (Once or twice a year?)
With a finishing pad I would say Ultimate Polish would be safe to use twice a year, once if you want to be more conservative. Ultimate Polish with a DA has enough cut to remove minor defects and really finishes out quite well and is the most gentle of Meguiars polishes that actually have correcting ability and don't just fill like their glazes. Swirl-X is a little more aggressive than Ultimate Polish. Still less than M205 which would probably be as safe to use as Ultimate Polish with the right pad and technique.
Keep in mind these are SMAT abrasives so they do not diminish at all when polishing. They also finish just as well on the first pass as they do on subsequent passes. And also you do not want to overwork these polishes. With traditional polishes the longer you work them the better the resulting finish as the polishes break down. SMAT does not break down and as the lubricant flashes off and the clear coat gets loaded into the pad, the abraded clear coat starts to bind the polishing particles together resulting in marring or hazing, especially on softer paints.
The technique with SMAT abrasives is different. First you prime the pad by running a 2-3 lines across the face and spread it around by hand or by rubbing it against a panel with the machine off, that primes the pad. You then quickly spread it out then work that spread out polish in overlapping rows using an appropriate amount of pressure depending on pad selection. After the first pass you evaluate the amount of correction, even on the first pass you'll achieve the best possible finish, as in you won't get any better than that by working the polish longer. If the defects are not corrected by then, reapply a small amount of polish like 2-3 drops and go for another pass. If this doesn't correct it or possibly a third pass, basically it might be time to switch out to a more aggressive pad/polish combo.
After working a section it's a good idea to clean out the spent polish. You can wash it out and spin up the polisher to fling out the water, but this inevitably leaves some water in the pad which I feel thins out the lubricant in the polish and changes its properties and sometimes you'll find even a small bit of moisture can end up making the polish stick to the paint and not wipe off cleanly and needs some muscling off which could lead to marring. The Meguiars recommended, and my own independent conclusion, came to be that a cotton terry towel like a bath towel pressed against the pad and turning the polisher on absorbs enough spent polish and breaks up dried clumps of polish to continue using the same pad on the car while still leaving the pad properly primed.
Ultimate Polish responds quite well to pad changes but depending on the softness of your paint more aggressive pads might leave some hazing so a light polishing or finishing pad and a more aggressive compound like Ultimate Compound might work better as you've no doubt experienced. Just don't make a habit of reaching for the Ultimate Compound on a regular basis. The key here is prevention, minimization and sometimes just learning to live with a few RIDS here and there.
Also the main reason I've made the switch pretty much entirely to SMAT abrasives is this exacting control of the number of passes, and with proper technique guaranteeing a good finish even on the first pass, really puts you in control of how much paint you're ultimately removing. It's more important than ever to watch how much you're polishing.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3326840/The_big_deal_about_thin_paint.
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