imported_Dave KG
12-30-2006, 01:29 PM
Bryan and I took a trip down to Dunblane today for a mini detailing demo session for BM-Stu, who is looking to get a PC, so we decided to let him see the tool in action.
Stu owns a rather nice mid-blue BMW E46 coupe, that was showing traditional swirls - nothing too severe here, just a lot of light marring, some medium swilrs and some much deeper scratches that would require thorough compounding to remove.
Here`s the paintwork before hand:
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/8819/abeforeqq4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
As is good practice for all details, regardless of the car or any pre-conceived ideas about paint hardness, we started off with a light abrasive to test out exactly what the paint on this car would require. We choose the bonnet to do our demonstration on.
So, we opted to start off with Menzerna PO85RD Final Finish on a Meguiars W8006 polishing pad by PC. The polish was spread over a small area, or about 18" square at speed 1:
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/913/bspreadfx8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The polish was then worked in:
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/5994/cworkingul5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
speed 5 for three or four passes. Slow passes with medium pressure, and then at speed 6 for about five slow passes. When the polish is fully worked, the residue is clear - I tried to photograph this but photographing a clear film isn`t easy! :lol:
http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/2360/dworkedrg3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The residue should just look like a clear oil on the paintwork. This was then buffed off. Now, the PO85RD, Menzerna`s lightest polish removed all of the minor marring on this paint, and about 50% of the swirls... just goes to show what a light polish can achieve even on harder finishes. What remained was the deeper swilrs and the very deep scratches on the finish. So we stepped up through the ranks and got to Menzerna Intensive Polish PO85RD3.01 on a Meguiars W7006 cutting pad to fully remove all the marring and swirls. However, the deeper scratches still remained in the finish and would require compounding with Power Gloss but we opted against this and decided to go for 95% correction and leave the majority of the clearcoat intact...
The finish after IP followed by FF:
http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/8325/ecomp1qw2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
and a 50/50 shot. Much of the work here was done by Stu himself once Bryan had demonstrated the PC:
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/9159/f1212tg3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
On the other half of the bonnet, I demonstrated the rotary polisher also... Using Menzerna PO85RD3.01, spread at 600rpm, two passes at 1200rpm and then eight to ten passes at 1500rpm and then two passes at 900rpm to refine the finish. The residue was clear, like an oily film on the paint, and at this stage the polish is worked:
http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/339/gworkedrotarycv0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
This was followed by Menzerna PO85RD Final Finish, to yeild the following results:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/439/hrotarycompye1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
More of the deeper scratches were also removed by rotary, but some amrks would stil require compounding to fully remove.
With the bonnet machine polished, next up was glazes - and we tried three different ones on the bonnet to see what finish Stu liked (and we liked) best... I have tried to photogrpah this, but found it hard to photograph but here`s the results (all glazes applied by hand):
Chemical Guys PG Pure Finishing Hand Glaze
New product to me, and I`ve been itching to try it out! Easy to apply, a cinch to remove, and the results:
Before:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/2438/ipgbeforeio6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
After:
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/1298/izpgafterxj4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Meguiars #7 Show Car Glaze
An old favourite for me, the results:
Before:
http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/1453/j7beforeye4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
After:
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/3040/jz7afternz9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Clearkote Combo
Vanilla Moose Wax Hnad Glaze, followed by Red Moose Machine Glaze. The results:
Before:
http://img446.imageshack.us/img446/1129/kckbeforeul9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
After:
http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/7818/kzckbeforecx4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
In summary here, in the flesh all glazes made a noticeable difference to the finish... the most noticeable for me though, in terms of wettness of the finish was the Chemical Guys PG. Stu also picked this out as the finish he liked best, and the product is very easy to use also.
To end the day, we applied a wax to the finish to seal in the glazes... We decided to use Collinite476S and Collinite 915 side by side on this bonnet, using the centre section where #7 was applied as a gauge to look for a difference in the finish. My thoughts: well, I was very hard pressed to see a difference between the 476 and the 915, on top of #7 at least. They were both easy to use, both gave a nice finish and will doubtless both give excellent durability...
The end result:
http://img446.imageshack.us/img446/6269/lafteriq3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
I had another great day detailing and enjoyed showing Stu the Porter Cable and rotary polisher... Looking forward to seeing the car fully detailed soon! :thumb:
Stu owns a rather nice mid-blue BMW E46 coupe, that was showing traditional swirls - nothing too severe here, just a lot of light marring, some medium swilrs and some much deeper scratches that would require thorough compounding to remove.
Here`s the paintwork before hand:
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/8819/abeforeqq4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
As is good practice for all details, regardless of the car or any pre-conceived ideas about paint hardness, we started off with a light abrasive to test out exactly what the paint on this car would require. We choose the bonnet to do our demonstration on.
So, we opted to start off with Menzerna PO85RD Final Finish on a Meguiars W8006 polishing pad by PC. The polish was spread over a small area, or about 18" square at speed 1:
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/913/bspreadfx8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The polish was then worked in:
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/5994/cworkingul5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
speed 5 for three or four passes. Slow passes with medium pressure, and then at speed 6 for about five slow passes. When the polish is fully worked, the residue is clear - I tried to photograph this but photographing a clear film isn`t easy! :lol:
http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/2360/dworkedrg3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The residue should just look like a clear oil on the paintwork. This was then buffed off. Now, the PO85RD, Menzerna`s lightest polish removed all of the minor marring on this paint, and about 50% of the swirls... just goes to show what a light polish can achieve even on harder finishes. What remained was the deeper swilrs and the very deep scratches on the finish. So we stepped up through the ranks and got to Menzerna Intensive Polish PO85RD3.01 on a Meguiars W7006 cutting pad to fully remove all the marring and swirls. However, the deeper scratches still remained in the finish and would require compounding with Power Gloss but we opted against this and decided to go for 95% correction and leave the majority of the clearcoat intact...
The finish after IP followed by FF:
http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/8325/ecomp1qw2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
and a 50/50 shot. Much of the work here was done by Stu himself once Bryan had demonstrated the PC:
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/9159/f1212tg3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
On the other half of the bonnet, I demonstrated the rotary polisher also... Using Menzerna PO85RD3.01, spread at 600rpm, two passes at 1200rpm and then eight to ten passes at 1500rpm and then two passes at 900rpm to refine the finish. The residue was clear, like an oily film on the paint, and at this stage the polish is worked:
http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/339/gworkedrotarycv0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
This was followed by Menzerna PO85RD Final Finish, to yeild the following results:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/439/hrotarycompye1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
More of the deeper scratches were also removed by rotary, but some amrks would stil require compounding to fully remove.
With the bonnet machine polished, next up was glazes - and we tried three different ones on the bonnet to see what finish Stu liked (and we liked) best... I have tried to photogrpah this, but found it hard to photograph but here`s the results (all glazes applied by hand):
Chemical Guys PG Pure Finishing Hand Glaze
New product to me, and I`ve been itching to try it out! Easy to apply, a cinch to remove, and the results:
Before:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/2438/ipgbeforeio6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
After:
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/1298/izpgafterxj4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Meguiars #7 Show Car Glaze
An old favourite for me, the results:
Before:
http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/1453/j7beforeye4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
After:
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/3040/jz7afternz9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Clearkote Combo
Vanilla Moose Wax Hnad Glaze, followed by Red Moose Machine Glaze. The results:
Before:
http://img446.imageshack.us/img446/1129/kckbeforeul9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
After:
http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/7818/kzckbeforecx4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
In summary here, in the flesh all glazes made a noticeable difference to the finish... the most noticeable for me though, in terms of wettness of the finish was the Chemical Guys PG. Stu also picked this out as the finish he liked best, and the product is very easy to use also.
To end the day, we applied a wax to the finish to seal in the glazes... We decided to use Collinite476S and Collinite 915 side by side on this bonnet, using the centre section where #7 was applied as a gauge to look for a difference in the finish. My thoughts: well, I was very hard pressed to see a difference between the 476 and the 915, on top of #7 at least. They were both easy to use, both gave a nice finish and will doubtless both give excellent durability...
The end result:
http://img446.imageshack.us/img446/6269/lafteriq3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
I had another great day detailing and enjoyed showing Stu the Porter Cable and rotary polisher... Looking forward to seeing the car fully detailed soon! :thumb: