How do I ?

[HeavenlyTouchNJ]

How do I get scatches out without damaging the paint...is it better to compound with or without water...how often should a car be waxed ?

[embolism]

how deep are these scratches? if they catch your finger nail then they are too deep to be safely removed using compound

not sure what you mean by using water. People sometimes spritz distilled on a pad when compounding with 105 to get a few more passes. I don`t think this is what you are asking about though

there is no set time for when to wax. Depends on the environment, whether the car is garaged, products used, etc.

[mrclean81]

Compounding with water IMO isnt nessesary unless your having problems with the compound drying up or dusting. I was always told when I was young that it keeps things cooled off and reduces the risk of burning the paint, and that`s not really true. Imo your better off just dampening your pad before you start rather than basically compounding a wet panel. Many times the scratches aren`t deep enough to even go for compound, and a fairly abrasive polish can be used instead. Any time you compound, you also need to polish afterward, no ifs ands or buts about it. Compound creates swirls, polish removes the swirls. As far as how often you need to wax, that`s a very broad question because some wax lasts 3 days, many sealants will last 6 months or more, and these new coatings will last years. Just depends on how well the surface was prepped first, and what your using.

[glen e]

your questions suggest you really don`t understand detailing - I would start with mikes how to videos and articles ..they will bring you up to speed...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/23722-articles-mike-phillips.html

[Todd@RUPES]

How do I get scatches out without damaging the paint...is it better to compound with or without water...how often should a car be waxed ?

Scratches (or any paint defects) are areas were paint is missing. In order to remove scratches you have to remove the paint surrounding the scratches. This why you create a new, level surface.

This thread may help: http://www.autopiaforums.com/forums/detail-institute-presented-autopia-carcare-com/36769-detail-institute-what-paint-defects.html

Also this may provide an interesting read, as it really discusses what can and cannot be safely removed: http://www.autopiaforums.com/forums/detail-institute-presented-autopia-carcare-com/37735-how-thick-your-paint-compared-common-items-pictures-writeup.html


Not all paint defects can be safely removed. Scratches or marks that penetrate to far into the paint (clear coat) may require too much of the surrounding paint to be removed, which in creates more damage (either immediately by or long-term).

Compounding is usually a term associated with aggressive polishing, that is you are trying to remove a lot of material (paint or clear coat) quickly. This done by selecting an aggressive combination of polish, pad, and technique. Adding water to the compounding process can offer some benefits with particularly techniques, although it is generally best to allow the product to perform as designed until you have experience.

[HeavenlyTouchNJ]

Thanx for your help

[Todd@RUPES]

Thanx for your help

Your welcome. Understanding paint defects and paint correction can seem like a daunting task at first, only because there is a lot to learn and a lot of products available. If you show us pictures of damage you want to correct or give us some specifics we may be able to give a more focused answer.