Help! Noob Polishing black Frontier w/ PC

180drft · 10-18-07, 08:30

So last week I polished my black 2k Frontier for the first time with my PC. Well the paint came out way clearer and mirror like, however I only managed to remove the majority of the water spots and the oxidation. My truck is full of micromarring and fine to moderate scratches which I want to remove before I wax my truck. Alot of the scratches I can feel with my finger nails so im wondering if its possible to get these out with the PC. So basically Im looking for some tips and different products, if necessary, I can use to achieve better results on the paint defects. I appreciate any constructive feedback given. Also keep in mind that im not looking for perfection, I just want to remove the big stuff like the scratches. These are the steps I took and the products I used to polish my truck:

1. Washed truck w/ dish soap
2. Used Clay magic to clay bar the whole truck
3. Used Megs [edit] #83 w/ Megs 6.5 in. cutting pad and wiped off residue w/ microfiber towel
4. Used Megs# 9 w/ 6.5 in. green polishing pad and wiped off residue w/ microfiber towel

Here are a couple bits of important info you guys should also know:

1. This is also my first time using the PC
2. I Used about a nickel sized amount of polish on every 2' x 2' section
3. I Ran the PC at speed 5 when polishing
4. I used a Megs 5 inch backing plate
5. The green pad I used was a generic one b/c the store didnt have a Megs Polishing pad

Here are some pics of how my hood turned out and some pics of the paint correction I need to do on my truck.

180drft · 10-23-07, 03:33

Anybody!!!! Am I doing something wrong? Do you guys recommend any other products that would make a significant difference? Should I use a smaller pad? Should I use a less aggressive pad with the DACP? Any input or comment will be appreciated. The reason I'm asking is because I want to order some stuff from autogeek and want to order it all at once. And I want to get my truck fully detailed Asap. thanks

Ralliart16 · 10-23-07, 03:37

try a more aggressive compound. Megs #82 is pretty weak. Step up to 83 at least.

You won't be able to get rid of the scratches you can feel with your nail, but you can sure make them less noticeable

180drft · 10-23-07, 04:03

Oh sorry, I am using Megs #83, I made a typo. Thanks for the tip though

imageautodetail · 10-23-07, 04:18

a PC or DA in general can sometimes only do so much, A rotary has much better correcting abilities at a faster rate

180drft · 10-23-07, 04:55

Would a smaller pad w/ the DACP be more effective? So if I cant remove some of the scratches with a DA, what would be a good way to hide them. Would Megs # 80 do the trick?

mr.ikon · 10-23-07, 07:51

You said that a lot of the scratches can be felt with the fingernail? That might be a problem. If its that deep, correction would pretty hard even for a pc. Wetsanding is an option. I did this myself and it worked wonders. But its a real long process.

180drft · 10-23-07, 09:19

Ok, so the scratches that I can feel with my fingernail, either wont come out or will be very difficult to remove by wetsanding and by using a pc. I will do some research on wetsanding then, but do you guys think that the 2 pad/polish combo I'm using will be sufficient enough for the scratches that can be removed? Like I mentioned before I wanna order some stuff online, so what other pads would you guys recommend for my polishing needs? Also whats recommended for hiding imperfections?

Eliot Ness · 10-23-07, 10:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by 180drft

Would a smaller pad w/ the DACP be more effective? So if I cant remove some of the scratches with a DA, what would be a good way to hide them. Would Megs # 80 do the trick?

A smaller pad will definitely help. I'd get some 4" orange light cutting pads and a 3.5" backing plate. You might want to consider a 4" yellow cutting pad, but I'd start out with an orange. Be careful with the 4" pads, it is possible to cut through your clear with them if you use too much pressure and/or dwell in one spot too long.

For hiding them I'd try a glaze like RMG or 3M's IHG topped with a heavy wax like Collinite 476. The 885 I linked to is the same wax as 476, it's just in a different tin (Collinite has verified they are identical). I've used the RMG and Collinite before and both are good products. I haven't used the 3M IHG, but Bob at Danase says it fills better than anything else he has tried.

artikxscout · 10-23-07, 11:07

You know, I had the same problem when I started off. Really try to press down on the PC on Speed six, to a point where the backing plate lies beneath the top of the pad, and move it SLOWLY! That's the key, I used to move it too fast when using a PC, but you really need to add pressure and slow down your movement. Try counting 1.5 seconds for every little move you make. Hold...1...move a little...2....3...move a little... etc.

Also, 83 leaves micro marring on black cars so make sure you have at least 80 with a polishing pad.

180drft · 10-24-07, 03:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by artikxscout

You know, I had the same problem when I started off. Really try to press down on the PC on Speed six, to a point where the backing plate lies beneath the top of the pad, and move it SLOWLY! That's the key, I used to move it too fast when using a PC, but you really need to add pressure and slow down your movement. Try counting 1.5 seconds for every little move you make. Hold...1...move a little...2....3...move a little... etc.

Also, 83 leaves micro marring on black cars so make sure you have at least 80 with a polishing pad.

Well when I polished my truck and used the PC on speed 6 the velcro came off my Megs backing plate because it got too hot. Im probably going to get an LC backing plate though and try it again.