Are my standards too high?

[dailo]

As some of you might know, i started detailing my benz today and just spent 2 hours on the hood alone!!! I used DACP with an orange pad, and did maybe 3-4 passes on it trying to get all the swirls out. After I was satisfied I used a blue pad to put some #9 over it. I then drove it outside to see the results and I was a little shocked.



It was a good improvement, but there were still some cobwebs, not as many as before though. You can see it directly, but as I moved my head back and forth they started to appear. I know swirls cannot be completely removed, but I was just wondering if its the products I`m using, my technique, or I`m just being picky :)



Should I try to find different products? A lot of ppl around here say 3M or SSR2.5 is better then DACP, I`m thinking about giving that a shot, but there wouldn`t be a way for me to obtain those by tommorow. I`m hoping I can finish the car tommorow, but at this rate doesn`t look like it. Appreciate any advice you wise autopians could pass on to me.



Gear Used Today:

PC 7336

#83

#9

Sonus Orange/Green/Blue Pads

Sonus Detailing Towels

[acl99]

What speed were you using it at? If your paints hard (which it sounds like by your results) You need to use the cutting pad and the PC cranked to 5-6 with the dacp and most likely follow with a lighter polish on a polishing pad to take out any haze.

[dailo]

Didn`t really see any haze, yeup bumped it up to 6.



Do I need to press harder? I didn`t put any pressure at all like people have advised. I followed it with #9 on a blue pad.

[RedondoV6]

Dailo:



I do not use DACP myself, but it might be helpful if you could describe the way you used the PC and this product.



If you explain how you used them, maybe fellow Autopians could advice you how to improve your technique or discount it as a factor in the results you obtained. Include as much information as possible.: PC speeds, amount of product used, weight applied to pads, and how you used the PC in making passes.

[Eliot Ness]

dailo, you had some major swirls and stuff to remove on that car, and maybe DACP wasn`t quite up to that task.



I used DACP for the first time today on my street rod, and it was a bit harder to get rid of stuff than I thought. I used both a polish pad and an orange pad. I should have switched to 3M`s PI III RC then MG, but decided to stick with the DACP and finally got it good enough, but it took a while!



There is a more aggressive pad than the orange, but you probably won`t be able to get one of those by tomorrow either.



Don`t get discouraged, tomorrow try working the DACP again. I worked mine until it pretty much all dusted away. I started with the PC on about 4.5 then sometimes went as high as 6 when working on a tough area.



Concentrate on one panel or small area at a time and see how long it takes to get it to your satisfaction. If that doesn`t do it for you then you`ll just have to try another pad and/or a different product. Hey, you`re still learning about all this stuff and it takes time to know what product will work on different levels of paint defects.

[dailo]

I first put a ring around on the orange pad. Then with it on speed 4 started to spread it around the surface, 2 x 2. Then after it spread raised it up to speed 6 and went very slowly left and right across the surface. After dust startted to fly everywhere and sufrace was pretty clear, I wiped it off. Noticing that some scratches were still there and some swirls, I repeated the process. I repeated the process 3-4 times probably. Then did the exact same thing with #9 on a blue pad.

[Eliot Ness]

If your orange pad is like mine (LC) it is contoured a bit in the center, you have to apply a little pressure for the center to make contact.

[RedondoV6]

dailo,



Eliot Ness gives some very good advice on being patient and on the next step up to 3M Perfect It III rubbing compound. IMHO that is about as aggressive a polish that is usable with with a PC. The only other option to increase the cutting ability would be to use a more aggresive pad than the orange light cutting foam.



One question I have, did you apply any weight to the PC? Sometimes when I use it I apply enough weight to the PC to begin to slow it down.

[lpquick]

Sounds like your using the pc correctly, no more pressure is needed than a pound or two over the weight of the pc. It`s the speed of the action that does the work, adding more pressure doesn`t help using a pc.

[RedondoV6]

Originally posted by lpquick

Sounds like your using the pc correctly, no more pressure is needed than a pound or two over the weight of the pc. It`s the speed of the action that does the work, adding more pressure doesn`t help using a pc.



Actually, 1-2 lbs of pressure was all I had in mind, I agree with you anything above this will slow or stop the dual action.

[Scottwax]

Originally posted by Eliot Ness

If your orange pad is like mine (LC) it is contoured a bit in the center, and you have to apply a little pressure for the center to make contact.



Exactly! Even with the flatter Meguiars pads, you should apply pressure to the PC until it begins to bog slightly, then let us slowly until it stops bogging down. That is the pressure you need for polishing. You should also make slow passes, let the PC do the work.

[Nickshades]

are u using a PC rotary or orbital for this process......if so orbital, the orange pad is enough cutting action with a compound or DACP to remove scratches and so forth. I bought a PC rotary for that purpose and still weary when using it because it tends to create holograms I think, but sometimes. I`m pretty decent with it, but is there a big difference between the levels that the PC orbital can achieve with a good cutting pad and product in comparison with the PC rotary with cutting pad and product or are they somewhat comprable to one another. Anyone feel free to answer me on this one. Thanks for the advice.



Nick

[dailo]

Thanks, had to go take a break and go eat dinner. Thanks for the tips guys, I think i`ll go hunt some 3M tommorow, there has to be some somewhere near me!!! Back to the garage I go.



Oh with the pressure thing, I don`t put any pressure at all, I kind of just let it wobble around with the PC`s weight. I think I`ll try putting a little pressure on it so that the PC doesn`t wobble.

[EdLancer]

Yup, on my first PC job I just used #82 on a white polishing pad and after 2-3 passes the paint was glossy, but the swirls where still there, I then switched to a yellow pad with 3M RC and after 1-2 passes all the swirls were gone, I then followed up with #82 to give it a better gloss. Try using only flat pads to do more work and provides more surface contact. The 3M leaves modular dry residue everywhere, I love #82 so smooth and dustless :xyxthumbs



Heres my formulas for the type of PC swirl details:



A quality swirl detail:



1. Wash car

2. Polish with yellow pad 3M RC

3. Polish with white pad #82

4. Top with NXT with gray pad



A quick swirl detail:



1. Wash car

2. Polish with yellow pad 3M RC

3. Polish/top with white pad Meguiar`s Cleaner Wax

[dailo]

Is a Sonus Orange pad abrasive enough compared to a yellow pad? Threw in the towel for today until I can get my hands on some 3M. I think I may have done a total of 10 passes on half my hood, and I guess since I don`t see much improvement anymore the #83 has done all it can :) Thnx for the advice I`ll try some 3M tommorow.