Help applying UPGP

bcwang · 11-03-07, 10:28

I tried out UPGP today but seem to have some trouble with application. It's on a white car and I can't really see where I'm applying it. I don't know if I'm using too much or too little. Sometimes right after I spray some I can see some dark areas like there is a film but they pretty much stop with just a tiny bit of wiping. The pad goes from slick to feeling to like I'm rubbing it a dry MF on clean paint. I had to use like 10 pumps (sample sprayer) to cover the roof? Are there any tips to getting good even coverage when you can't see the product? From what it looks like, I'm more concerned that I didn't get enough product on to protect as even with the dark streaks that I could see on some parts (pretty uneven), within a few minutes there were none to be found.

I'm assuming the 2 pump to prime the pad and one pump every so often is for the regular sprayer. Does anyone know how much you have to use when using the sample sprayer? It probably sprays a much smaller amount

Also, how do you tell when you need to add more product to the pad when you can't really see anything getting applied to the paint? Hopefully it'll be a lot easier to do on a red car.

Thanks.

ps - anyone know if UPPP needs to be shaken well before use?

Bigpikle · 11-04-07, 01:04

you didnt mention what prep you did, as this may well have some impact on what you experience. UPPP, ideally after claying, will prepare the surface nicely so the MF just glides over the paint.

You used MUCH TOO MUCH stuff! 10 sprays does my entire SUV.... You literally have to have faith that it is covering. I first used this on silver and had the same issue as you couldnt see where you were going at all.

Firstly, 2 pumps to prime the pad and then do a small panel like a wing/fender. Then simply force yourself to do 1 pump per panel and maybe 2 if you have any big panels like a roof etc - but you must stick to this. When I finally did use this on a very dark grey car I realised just how far this stuff spreads - and even after getting the hang of it i was still applying too much product with some smears being visible the next day. The MF pad even feels dry but it is still spreading product....

Secondly, plan on doing 2 layers and on the second layer do the car the other way around eg start on a different panel and work around it in a different routine. I find this guarantees coverage as any bits you may have slightly under applied the first time will get a layer on the second layer. I also found a 3rd layer REALLY improves the wet finish and will further help coverage.

I think you just need to really get the idea that thin layers are MUCH better than using too much, as this wont look good and will need buffing with the QD to get the patches out. The sprays for the sample spray count the same as for the bottle - just keep it close to the pad so the mist stays on the pad and doesnt get blown away. This is a 'less is more' product.

Try washing the car thoroughly and maybe giving it a QD with the Ultima stuff and trying again as above. i think you will be happy you tried...

Good luck.

bcwang · 11-04-07, 09:09

My prep was clay, uppp, then upgp. If I applied too much I should see streaks but after a minute all streaks I did see at first were gone. So those streaks are probably more like the oily film you're supposed to see and then it dried.

The sample bottle can really spray as much as the regular sprayer? It doesn't seem like it would.

If you can't see what you're applying, how do you know that you're applying anything at all? By feel I could tell the first few seconds of wiping were different from later because the dry microfiber on paint feeling would appear. I gotta try this on my red car and see what happens, hopefully it'll be much more visible. But I gotta do a second layer on the white car today to get more gloss and hopefully do a better job in getting full coverage.

Bigpikle · 11-04-07, 03:23

The spray from the sample bottles is about to become the spray on the full size botles, as it has proven to work better.

You can just about see the film if you get the light right. i can just see a film if I look carefully in certain lights on the silver. The result is obvious as about 2 mins after you apply it the feel of the paint changes completely. It becomes the slickest feeling paint surface imaginable. FAR slicker than even a freshly machined panel feels, so you know it got something on it

My cars had an incredible gloss after just one coat - hope it goes well, as it really is a superb sealant that stands out from the crowd IMHO.

bcwang · 11-05-07, 01:16

Well, two coats later and 24 hours of curing for each coat, it doesn't feel that slick. Is this a sign of mis-application? I mean it's kinda slick, but not super slippery like I expected. It seems less slick than 476s which I applied on a different panel.

I'll let the morning dew burn off and feel it again, maybe that bit of moisture changes the feel.

JayC · 11-05-07, 02:20

It takes a day or two for the slickness to kick in.. give it a little time.

I did my wife's SUV and she asked me "What did you put on it? The rear hatch keeps slipping out of my hand when I try to close it."

bcwang · 11-05-07, 07:01

Just got done with a red car. What a world of difference in being able to see what you're doing. Now I can see where I'm applying it and it makes things so much easier. Kinda sucks that a few spots had some sort of sap land on it while applying and I was too afraid to touch it. I guess I have to wait until tomorrow and QD that off and apply a second coat.

Two questions though

1. When do you add more to the applicator? I notice that it starts to get harder to spread easily, like it takes multiple passes with different pressure to the same area to wet it all. Is that still enough to keep using or should the applicator be resprayed when it takes a lot of rubbing to wet the paint? Or should it only be resprayed when you can't get any more to spread at all onto the paint?

2. Is Mothers Showtime an ok QD to use between coats? I don't want there to be some ingredient in showtime which causes the UPGP to not bond as well.

Thanks

bcwang · 11-07-07, 03:40

Wow, the red car came out really slick, not so much on the white car though. I wonder if I mis-applied it on the white car, either not enough or so thick it didn't cure before the evening dew took over and wiped it out.

For my second coat, I just decided to spritz water and use an MF to take off a light layer of dust instead of letting any chemicals get in the way. Showtime talks about shine enhancers and stuff so that leads me to believe it'll leave behind some coating that may make UPGP not have as good a bond.

SHICKS · 11-07-07, 05:47

My suspicion is that you way way way over applied. I just did a 4th layer on my 4Runner tonight with about 8-10 sprays from the sample kit. I did over apply one layer and found quite a bit of streaking which may not be slick. I did an ONR wash before my layer tonight and it was super slick.

I prime the pad with two sprays, then maybe one spray per two panels. Less is more in this case.

Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcwang

Well, two coats later and 24 hours of curing for each coat, it doesn't feel that slick. Is this a sign of mis-application? I mean it's kinda slick, but not super slippery like I expected. It seems less slick than 476s which I applied on a different panel.

I'll let the morning dew burn off and feel it again, maybe that bit of moisture changes the feel.