Trim do you need to cover?

[Changeling]

I thought I asked this question, but I could have made a mistake. I searched but couldn`t find it !



When you use 3M 05937, or any polish for that matter do you have to cover up/mask the trim and window edges, etc, with some kind of tape (what)? The question would also apply to using Klasse AIO/SG, do you tape?



Changeling

[firegate]

I would tape trim when using a polish to avoid having the buffer pad make contact with it. Don`t worry about taping for AIO/SG.

[Brian_Brice]

you still dont want aio or sg on your trim whatsoever. be careful not to get any on it.

[firegate]

you still dont want aio or sg on your trim whatsoever. be careful not to get any on it.



AIO has never stained trim in my experience. I generally apply it to everything, including trim, windows, etc.

[Changeling]

AIO has never stained trim in my experience. I generally apply it to everything, including trim, windows, etc.





Thanks for the reply. What type of tape do you suggest, a name or something would be really great. The trim I am referring to is some kind of foam/plastic on the finders of the Tacoma ! My mower threw a rock and chipped out a piece about the size an "Almond" (nut) if that helps. It`s sort of a frosted/black for lack of a better description.



Thanks, Changeling

[Changeling]

Thanks for the reply. What type of tape do you suggest, a name or something would be really great. The trim I am referring to is some kind of foam/plastic on the finders of the Tacoma ! My mower threw a rock and chipped out a piece about the size an "Almond" (nut) if that helps. It`s sort of a frosted/black for lack of a better description.



Thanks, Changeling



I didn`t mean you to think I was only concerned with th "Chip", the trim is my main concern, thanks.



Changeling

[Eliot Ness]

Thanks for the reply. What type of tape do you suggest, a name or something would be really great.........The 3M Scotch Blue Painters Tape works very well and you can pick it up at Wal-Mart, a hardware store, or a paint store. Below is a link that shows what it looks like:



Painters` Tape - 3M Scotch Safe Release (http://www.westernwooddoctor.com/3mpainterstape.htm)

[SVR]

AIO and SG are great on most trim. The hard stuff especially

3M blue tape is what I use and I mask trim, badges, panel gaps and handles

Easier to do that than spend ages getting the residue out

[imported_Spartacus]

One of the benefits of aio is that it doesn`t leave residue on trim, neither does Klasse glaze.

[Accumulator]

I`m another who uses the Klasse twins on plastic trim, been doing it for years. I do employ a W-O-W-O method though, which I don`t otherwise use as a general rule.



Lots of trim pieces are easy enough to avoid without taping (especially if you do the adjacent paint by hand), but taping is a good better-safe-than-sorry approach. If you get polish on the trim after all, wipe it off thoroughly before it dries (I use a MF with either QD- Meg`s #34, or solvent on it).



Either the green or blue 3M tape will work fine, but avoid the cheap generic blue tape (some brands have left awful residue that was a royal PIA to remove). Stick (oops, pun..) with the genuine 3M stuff.

[Changeling]

I`m another who uses the Klasse twins on plastic trim, been doing it for years. I do employ a W-O-W-O method though, which I don`t otherwise use as a general rule.



Lots of trim pieces are easy enough to avoid without taping (especially if you do the adjacent paint by hand), but taping is a good better-safe-than-sorry approach. If you get polish on the trim after all, wipe it off thoroughly before it dries (I use a MF with either QD- Meg`s #34, or solvent on it).



Either the green or blue 3M tape will work fine, but avoid the cheap generic blue tape (some brands have left awful residue that was a royal PIA to remove). Stick (oops, pun..) with the genuine 3M stuff.



I`ll use the tape on this stuff because it is not plastic trim. The fender wells are outlined in a black foam type material that has a "Very" thin coating of black. I also intend to do as Little as possible by hand, I probably wouldn`t last 10 minutes doing that.



What about between body panels (the gap). Ho do you keep the polish/AIO/SG/wax, whatever from getting in there and leaving a white mess? This has happened to me before.





Thanks to all, Changeling.

[Accumulator]

What about between body panels (the gap). Ho do you keep the polish/AIO/SG/wax, whatever from getting in there and leaving a white mess? This has happened to me before..



If you expect to be going *very* heavy on the product (maybe planning to do numerous passes) you can tape the seam over and then go back and do that area with a little more care (and a lot less product); I`ve done that a few times. But generally I try to *not* use excessive amounts of product and I find that with the correct amount I don`t get too much in those areas. But if in doubt, tape stuff off and then go back and address it carefully (maybe even with a little of the dreaded by-hand work ;) ).



Other ideas- if you can get to the back sides of the panels in question you can sometimes tape them from the back (the product build up will only be on the tape and between the panels, not down in there where it`s a pain to get to). Stuff small rags (or even newspapers) in areas like between the trailing edge of the front fender and the leading edge of the front doors (inside the front of the doorjamb).



With AIO and *especially* SG, you should be using so little product that this simply won`t be an issue. With the SG, note that I use less than an ounce to do my minivan, such a thin application that if I miss buffing off any spots I`ll hardly notice it, so you`d never see any that gets into an inaccessible spot.

[Changeling]

If you expect to be going *very* heavy on the product (maybe planning to do numerous passes) you can tape the seam over and then go back and do that area with a little more care (and a lot less product); I`ve done that a few times. But generally I try to *not* use excessive amounts of product and I find that with the correct amount I don`t get too much in those areas. But if in doubt, tape stuff off and then go back and address it carefully (maybe even with a little of the dreaded by-hand work ;) ).



Other ideas- if you can get to the back sides of the panels in question you can sometimes tape them from the back (the product build up will only be on the tape and between the panels, not down in there where it`s a pain to get to). Stuff small rags (or even newspapers) in areas like between the trailing edge of the front fender and the leading edge of the front doors (inside the front of the doorjamb).



"With AIO and *especially* SG, you should be using so little product that this simply won`t be an issue. With the SG, note that I use less than an ounce to do my minivan, such a thin application that if I miss buffing off any spots I`ll hardly notice it, so you`d never see any that gets into an inaccessible spot."



This puts a lot of worry to rest. It appears that doing a "panel" is going to teach me a world of things, I just hate surprises, that is why all the explicit questions. It seems to all come back to preparation!



Now lets suppose I really screw up, and I`m faced with a worst case scenario of polishing compound/wax/whatever packed in the body panel gaps and stuck under trim/whatever!

How do I proceed to straighten out my negligent mess.



Changeling

[Accumulator]

Now lets suppose I really screw up, and I`m faced with a worst case scenario of polishing compound/wax/whatever packed in the body panel gaps and stuck under trim/whatever!

How do I proceed to straighten out my negligent mess.





Heh heh, I`m tempted to say something smart-aleck like "that`s like asking `how do I clean my fingernails after I soak my hands in a can of housepaint?` " `cause I`m pretty confident that you won`t mess up that badly (and if you do the excess product might not be the worst of your troubles). But OK ;)



Excess SG isn`t an issue. Breathe on it to fog the surface with your breath (condensation) and buff it off. If necessary (i.e., if it`s really thick) use some QD on your MF.



AIO- dunno, I`ve never let an excessively heavy application dry. I generally buff AIO off before it`s completely dry, but when it has been dry it still buffed right off, no problems. You could try the QD here, too.



IMO the real problems could come from the polishes.



If you let the polish dry on some plastic trim and get white staining you`ll have to really *scrub* it with a solvent and something like a brush. This will be hard to do without marring the adjacent paint. Products made to remove dried wax from such surfaces would come in handy. Cleaning the trim with AIO *might* provide a simple solution, but don`t bank on it.



If you get goofy-excess product in a gap/under trim I`d use a plush MF saturated with Meguiar`s #34 Final Inspection QD to remove it. You might have to be inventive to figure out a way to get at the problem. You *might* be able to wash it off with a heavy shampoo mix, but I`ve never tried it with those products. I"ve always been able to clean up any OOPSes with plenty of #34 to soften it and the MF (or a toothpick or something) to mechanically loosen it.



To be honest, this isn`t a problem I can recall ever having encountered, at least not to any significant degree. Having *that* much product on the pads just isn`t something that one oughta do. Armed with that knowledge, and paying close attention to what you`re doing and what`s going on, it won`t be an issue for you either. Since this stuff isn`t *literally* fool-proof, just don`t be foolish and you`ll be OK (hence I suspect you`re gonna be OK :D ).



Check/cleand and dry your pads from time to time and watch that there isn`t too much product on them. Think about how the pads move and how product could get into places where you don`t want it. In short, just do plenty of high-grade thinking and pay attention to what you`re doing and what`s going on.



Maybe tape off that first panel you do so you don`t have to worry about any more than the actual polishing of the paint for the first hour or so.

[Changeling]

You have an excellent way of writing, it is probably a lot better than you realize. I really believe you should write and publish a book on the subject. Give it some serious thought, after all you have probably already written it you just have to put all these post answers together!!



I understand exactly what you are saying, I don`t think at this point I will have any problems that I can`t approach and solve. It sure would be nice to have "your" book handy for reference though!



Changeling