problem panel (not 56k friendly)

[weswar]

Well i gave the panel between my headlights another go tonight. Unfortunately got about the same results as before. So far I`ve tried VM with polishing pad, DACP with megs cutting pad, 1Z by hand, and SSR 2.5 with polishing pad(didn`t have a clean cutting pad). I cranked the PC up to 6 each time. I think the problem is that this panel is painted plastic. The swirls/scratches are so fine that they cannot be felt by hand. I`m unsure if im just being too critical or what I should try next. Here are some pics of the panel let me know what you think/suggestions.

tia Wes

http://home.insightbb.com/~weswar/images/headlight-panel2.jpg

http://home.insightbb.com/~weswar/images/headlight-panel.jpg

http://home.insightbb.com/~weswar/images/headlight-panel3.jpg

http://home.insightbb.com/~weswar/images/headlight-panel-closeup.jpg

[LouisanaJeeper]

DACP or SSR 2.5 + cutting pad @ 6 + some pressure followed by the same polish and a polishing pad @5-6 should have done the trick.



how long did you work the polish in for?

[Detail 1]

What kind of car? paint?clear coat no clear coat?

[LouisanaJeeper]

looks like a saturn.. with clear coat

[tdekany2]

you should follow up with a swirl remover to get rid of the rest. 3Ms or Meg`s #9

[Detail 1]

I would have skipped all the headache and would have wet sanded w/ 2500 or 3000 grit

[weswar]

how long did you work the polish in for?

I made several passes across the panel up down back and forth probably for about two minutes each time(3 tries with each polish). No pressure was used though, i will try that as soon as i get the cutting pad freshened up.




What kind of car? paint?clear coat no clear coat?

94 Nissan 300Zx TT, cobalt green, relatively sure it has CC.



I would rather live with it than wetsand my baby, at least until I`m a little more proficient at wetsanding :)

[LouisanaJeeper]

should have spent at least 5 min

[weswar]

really? I thought that once it started dusting and the haze was gone it was time to stop and reload the pad.

[CRXSi90]

I usually quit when "it looks right" to me, not that it is necessarily right. You need some pressure to work this stuff in, otherwise it is hard for it to do its thing. I went over my hood last weekend with Hi-Temp Light Cut with heavy pressure on 6 I think it was, and it still isn`t perfect, but it got rid of the buffer holograms I caused from my rotary. There are still scratches though, bummer.



Anyway, what might be happening for you is this: with light pressure, all the polish gets absorbed by the pad. When you give it pressure, it squeezes some back out.



BTW, when I was doing mine, I had the pad squished pretty much all the way down...or at least thats what it seemed like. Then again, I never have much to lose while working on my car.



Go easy, too...supposedly, plastic pieces have a little softer paint...it is from the flex agent that the painters use so the paint doesn`t crack when bended. It has been explained that it actually makes the paint more porous. I guess keep feeling the paint for heat buildup, and keep checking your work to see if the problem is fixed when you finish your pass (when the product dusts and you wipe it off).



Hope that helps, and that I didn`t give any bad advice!



Kevo

[weswar]

Thanks all! With pressure, SSR 2.5 and cutting pad on 6, I got most all of them out except the corners, guess it will just take more time there.