First post..need advice

[blkbb6]

** Update on page 2**





I have been wandering this site for the last month, reading up on techniques,tools and most importantly trying to find a cure to my black paint swirl problems. I have decided to get a PC but need advice as of what swirl removers/polishers ( theres sooo many) would be most suited for a first timer like me. Id rather get rid of them instead of just using some type of filler. The paint is 9 years old, faded, and has been through numerous harsh winters..washed regularly.. but never polished. thanks in advance



















The victim:









http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f72/trueluder/lude1.jpg





The problem:



http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f72/trueluder/lude3.jpg





http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f72/trueluder/lude2.jpg

[sevenrd]

That`s some pretty severe swirlling there. Expect to spend many hours with the PC. :)



Lot`s of good polishes out there to choose from that should tackle those swirls: Menzerna, Optimum, PB`s SSRs, etc.



Personally I`ve been using the Optimum polishes lately with great results, long work times, little to no dusting. If you go the Optimum route, I`d at least get their compound and polish...and if you can also get their hyper compound in case the compound isn`t strong enough.

[joshtpa]

Menzerna makes amazing polishes, as does PBs.

[velobard]

If you want to tackle this with a PC, then get a smaller backing plate and a couple of 4" cutting pads. That will really step up your ability to correct this paint.

[bjackson8]

First off, that is a nice car. Actually for 9 years old and never polished, the paint looks pretty good.



If you`ve never used the PC before, I would recommend the Optimum polishes. They are so easy to use and product fantastic results. The recommendation of 4" pads is also a good one.

[Accumulator]

blkbb6- Welcome to Autopia!



I agree that you`ll probably need 4" pads to correct the serious marring. They really do make the PC behave much more aggressively.



My hands-down choice for people just starting out is the 1Z (Eins Zett= "one `Z` " in German) line of polishes topped with Collinite wax. While I do use (and appreciate) other polishes, including Menzerna, Optimum, etc., the 1Z stuff is *IMO* the best for a beginner.



I`d use the Ultra (or Extra, forget what they call it these days) and then the Paint Polish. Top with Collinite (either 845 liquid or 476S paste) and it`ll be looking very good for a very long time.



I get 1Z stuff from Aloha & Welcome to Our Oasis for All Your Auto Detailing Supplies & Accessories (http://www.pakshak.com/index.html) and Welcome to Exceldetail.com! (http://www.exceldetail.com/) .

[blkbb6]

Alright, thanks a lot for the advice guys!



So i will try the Einszett Extra Paint Cleaner and Paint Polish as mentioned above. I have read that the Collinite 845 is very durable, but does it provide a good lasting gloss on a black paint??



I found a good deal for the PC, eShine Canada: Exterior Care, Buffers and Accesories (http://www.eshine.ca/products.php?cat=28) i will get the 3.5" backing plate as well as the 5" that comes with the kit. Still unsure as of which pad and how many of each color and size i should go with ..do i need the yellow, or is the orange aggressive enough for me? thanks again for the help.

[kleraudio]

i would definitely by a couple of yellow pads, it looks like you *might* need them. you shouldstart out with the orange pad, but you may need to bump it up from looking at those pictures.



speaking of pictures, dont forget to post some when your done!!



Jim

[Accumulator]

So i will try the Einszett Extra Paint Cleaner and Paint Polish as mentioned above. I have read that the Collinite 845 is very durable, but does it provide a good lasting gloss on a black paint??



.. Still unsure as of which pad and how many of each color and size i should go with ..do i need the yellow, or is the orange aggressive enough for me? thanks again for the help.



This might sound like a weird answer, but IMO the 845 will look good enough that if you`re *not* satisfied it won`t be the wax`s fault, it`ll be because the prep didn`t turn out 100%. I wouldn`t be worried about the 845`s looks. It can be a little "bright" for black, but you could always apply a different wax over top of it if you really feel you need a darker/richer look (Meg`s #26 might work well for this but it doesn`t last all that long). FWIW I generally apply the 476S paste over the 845, but that`s just me.



For the pads, get more instead of fewer ;) because [stuff] happens and usually at the worst possible moment. And it can be very handy to not have to stop and clean out/dry pads in the middle of a job.



I`d get some yellow pads even if you only use them for the initial pass(es). That`s gonna be a big job and the last thing I`d worry about is using too aggressive of an approach ;)



I`ll be very interested to hear how things go, so please post back!

[audipower]

The Prelude. My first none Camaro/Chevelle detail. Memories. I suggest highly Menzerna IP. I`ve used most polishes and I stopped with MIP. A couple of weeks ago, and many other times, a Porsche had the same problem. I used MIP on a CCS Tech. Orange pad. I`ve never used the CCS Orange pad on a none german car. For me the CCS pads cut the time in half with twice the results i had with other pads. If not go with the orange pad to see what you get with that. If you see it`s going no where or barely. Then pull out the yellow pad. I would try to get with somebody that has more experience with Honda paints because you don`t want to cut to much then you won`t have no clear coat to shine.

good luck!

[Changeling]

BLKBB6. First of I would like to tell you that I just have a little experience at this point, not even remotely close to the experience the "above" guys have.



After looking at the pictures (close ups) of the swirling on this vehicle I believe it would be wrong for a first time user to tackle a vehicle with this much abrasion in the paint (swirling), unless they had a good coach in the "art" looking over there shoulder!



You won`t hurt anything, but that is an awe full lot of work to expect from a orbital polisher from someone with no experience. There are guys here that could turn that vehicle into a show machine with a PC, but not many beginners are capable.



It might/would pay you to see if there is a respected "Autopian" in your area to come buy and tackle all those abrasion/swirls with a rotary. This would give you a chance to see the mechanics of the ordeal and get first hand advise and expert advise!



With that done, you could tackle the job finishes (Glaze, sealant, wax, whatever ) . This way you can pull yourself slowly but in a positive way into taking care of everything yourself without getting frustrated and wanting to quit.



You will find the best advise in the "World" right here on Autopia, but you must also be realistic about just where and when to jump into the "ART" of detailing.

Just approach things realistically, take advantage of the expert detailers here that offer there services just about everywhere in the USA, dude, you can`t go wrong!

Changeling

[blkbb6]

Changeling: thanks for the heads up..i doubt theres much autopians in my area unfortunately. Hopefully my patience and perfectionism will help me out on this task..



So i just ordered the PC and pads...cant wait to try it out!





Accumulator: Do you recommend the use of a softer polish between the paint polish and the wax.. if so what kind?



thanks for the feedback

[Changeling]

Changeling: thanks for the heads up..i doubt theres much autopians in my area unfortunately. Hopefully my patience and perfectionism will help me out on this task..



So i just ordered the PC and pads...cant wait to try it out!





Accumulator: Do you recommend the use of a softer polish between the paint polish and the wax.. if so what kind?



thanks for the feedback



Dam, I sure can`t argue with your attitude, go for it.

Changeling

[Accumulator]

Accumulator: Do you recommend the use of a softer polish between the paint polish and the wax.. if so what kind?



It depends on how hard/soft your paint is, and I`m not familiar with your car.



I did *not* need anytihng after the PP on my Chevy Blazer, but I did notice a nice (but very subtle) improvement on other vehicles when I used either the Metallic Polish (I prefer the "pro" version in the round 1-liter can) or the WaxPolishSoft.



So I`d go ahead and get a 1-liter can of the Metallic Polish. This is *NOT* the "Metallic Polish with Wax", it`s the "other" Metallic Polish.. this can be confusing.

[blkbb6]

Hey guys,



I finally had some free time this labor day weekend to try out my PC that had been sitting on my desk since purchase. It was my first go at polishing.. it was a long job but i got the results i was hoping for. No more crazy swirls and paint went from a faded dark gray to deep black with nice blue pearls. Process was:



Optimum Compound on Orange pad

Optimum Polish on white pad

Colonite 845 black finishing pad



It might not be the best workflow but i wanted it to keep as straightforward as possible for the 1st time. I really liked the optimum products, took me a few rounds to know exactly how much product to use and how long to work it in, but afterwards it was a breeze to work with. Despite all the recommendations to use smaller backplates and pads, i chose to stay with the 5". The smaller ones seem to have a mind of their own and found it tougher to control.



Well enough babbling here are the pics. Unfortunately cam batteries died before i could take shots of the pearl and full body.

















http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f72/trueluder/lude02.jpg





http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f72/trueluder/lude03.jpg





http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f72/trueluder/lude01.jpg





http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f72/trueluder/lude04.jpg





http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f72/trueluder/lude06.jpg





http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f72/trueluder/lude05.jpg