Need Advice from Optimum Users

Grimm · 10-04-06, 06:14

Well last night I got my replacement backing plate and worked on the hood of my Bonneville. I made two passes with OHC, and then one pass with OP. And just like with my other car, pretty much all the swirls look to be gone, but there are still a lot of scratches. They aren't deep scratches, just a lot of light ones. I was using an orange wolfgang pad, and made about 5-6 varied directions of passes in each spot using moderate pressure. Do you think I need to work it longer, go slower, more applications back to back? I would estimate that I was moving about 5-6 inches per second.

sQuashed · 10-04-06, 06:19

The slower the better. Seriously though, the PC is not a fix all. Some of those scratches might require heat unfortunately.

Grimm · 10-04-06, 06:36

Yeah, I know a few might not come out, but for the most part they are light scratches, the kind you have to be looking close to even see. I'll try slowing down. 5-6 inches per second sounds fast, but I'm going the same speed as the people I've seen in videos. Maybe I'll get the yellow pad to try in the spring as well.

abbeysdad · 10-04-06, 07:34

I'm no expert and just my $.02, but I'm thinking you take the PC up to 6, move slow with OP on a white pad to finish for fine scratches.

AL-53 · 10-04-06, 07:36

try going a inch a second...work the polish longer on a area....5-6 inches a second gives hardly any contact time....over lap your passes also...do up &down passes...side way passes...and horizontal passes....

the longer the contact time the better the correction...also try a polishing pad on your final run with OP...

AL

Setec Astronomy · 10-04-06, 07:50

I had the same problem with my GM paint. You probably will need to bring in the heavy guns. SSR3 on a 4" pad works...but I don't recommend that

. Those Wolfgang pads (I used the yellow) seem really hard, I had slightly better luck with a softer, older CMA yellow pad. If you want to share my misery, there were a few suggestions here, or you might wait for the reformulated OHC, or try some of the Hi-Temp levelers. Be prepared to spend a long time, unless you find an Autopian with a rotary to do it (or learn yourself if you have a beater to practice on).

wannafbody · 10-04-06, 08:00

scratches can be difficult to remove even with a rotary.

Grimm · 10-04-06, 08:11

Thanks for the responses. I think I'm doing everyone correctly (overlapping passes, etc.), but I will try slowing down. I did do the OP with a white pad after the OHC and it looks good, but I'm just left with a lot of long straight scratches. Maybe they are deeper than I think, they just aren't the type of scratch you don't readily notice unless you inspect the paint up close. Hopefully it's just because the hood takes more of a beating. Maybe the rest of the panels will be easier.

Grimm · 10-04-06, 07:46

Well I hit the hood again as well as a fender. I just slowed down the pace and that seemed to make a difference. I'm still not getting everything, but a lot more scratches are coming out than before. Thanks

Scottwax · 10-04-06, 10:46

I was going to say "do what Al said" but you already did it.

You might want to consider doing a couple sections a day and working them until as close to perfect as possible. That way you don't spend 20 hour straight getting it all at once.

Grimm · 10-05-06, 05:36

Yeah, that's my plan. I have an 18 month old to help watch so it limits my time. I don't want to take too long doing it though, so I'm thinking I'll make one pass on all the panels with HC. Then I'll probably go over it again in the spring, and hopefully get more of the scratches that don't get taken out this time.

02ZTSfocus · 10-05-06, 09:27

I would try stepping up to a yellow cutting pad with the OHC. You can get some pretty heavy correction done with that combination, Ive taken scratches that were down through the clear-coat and made them almost invisible with OHC on yellow and some of my BSG.

The only other thing I can think to mention is what everyone else has said, work it in until you think its broken down ... and then continue working it in for at least 1-2 minutes.