Light Holograms Remain

[Accumulator]

I like the way you`re thinking your way through this and providing good info.

I have been concerned that my drying routine could introduce problems.. I usually pull a WW to draw off most of the water, then pat dry with a second WW. This time, I pat dried with both towels. I just ordered a Griots PFM towel. Maybe that will be better

As long as you get *ALL* the dirt off, I wouldn`t expect the drying to cause issues, BUT...if your water is really nasty then allowing some to evaporate (rather than soaking it up with the Drying Towel) might cause problems. Probably not *these* problems though.

Sometimes the polish and LSP took a but of effort to remove. I don`t know if MF wears out, as some towels are about 5-6 years old, but they`re always cleaned and inspected before use.

Ah, yeah...that sounds like a Big Clue. My Buffing MFs never seem to wear out, but that might just be me. But I do think *something* is haywire if buffing product residue off is a PIA as IMO it oughta be really *REALLY* easy.

I *NEVER* let compounds/polishes dry before I buff `em off unless I have a special reason to (e.g., polishes that leave stuff behind, like AIOs). Buffing off a dry compound can cause that exact problem and maybe a polish can too if the paint`s soft enough.

And I suspect you used too much product. Most people do until they get dialed-in.

I used all Optimum products, so they should "play nice"

Yeah, oughta work that way. Oughta

I am starting to wonder if not keeping the pad clean was an issue. After polishing the hood with one white pad, it was pretty caked up with polish. I`ve since bought a cleaning brush for the pads.

YES!! That could very well be it! I`m an absolute fanatic about keeping pads *reakky* clean (clean them constantly, many times per panel, use a zillion fresh pads).

FWIW, I find the brushes pretty useless (except with a rotary), preferring to clean pads with a towel or compressed air. Or just getting out a clean one.

Yeah...IMO that could be it right there. If you`d a) used less product, b) buffed your abrasives off while still a bit wet, and c) used a stupid-huge number of pads like I do I bet the problem wouldn`t have happened.

[Bill1975]

I`ll have to use less product and change pads or clean them more frequently next time.

Fortunately the holograms aren`t terrible so I can live with it for now. The other good news is I`m eager to try again at some point to see how changes to my routine affect things.

[Accumulator]

Bill1975- That all sounds good to me