How do you apply wax?

[Flying C]

I have some questions on applying the P21S wax, after I clayed, polished, and AIO my car:



- Do you apply wax with the PC or by hand?



- Should I "work" the wax until it is almost dry, or should I just "spread" it without too much going back and forth, and remove it while it is moist?



- Should I apply it in the same 2`x2` sections that I applied the polish and AIO, or should I do a whole panel at a time; i.e., the whole trunk?



Thank you in advance.

[Accumulator]

Originally posted by flying c

I have some questions on applying the P21S wax, after I clayed, polished, and AIO my car:



- Do you apply wax with the PC or by hand?



P21S is the only wax besides Souveran that even *I* apply by hand. Any other wax I`d use the PC.






- Should I "work" the wax until it is almost dry, or should I just "spread" it without too much going back and forth, and remove it while it is moist?



The latter. "Work" it just enough to ensure that you`ve really applied it to the surface, think "moisurizer on skin", but no, you don`t want to work it until it`s dry. I let it "flash", that is, sorta-dry, rather than remove it while it`s still "moist", but I don`t let it "set up" for ten minutes either (but some people do, makes it a bit harder to buff off).






- Should I apply it in the same 2`x2` sections that I applied the polish and AIO, or should I do a whole panel at a time; i.e., the whole trunk?



Do an entier panel unless it`s something huge (like the roof of a Suburban), in which case you might want to split it up a little. Again, the longer it dries the harder to buff off, but some people like to do it like that anyhow. Generally, the instructions that come with P21S should be followed.

[TortoiseAWD]

Accumulator,



I`ve found that even Souveran and P21S (S100 in my case) are wonderful to apply by machine. I`m sure many will argue that hand application is part of the Zen for "soft" waxes like the two mentioned, but I find I use a lot less wax and get a thinner, more uniform application when I use my PC or my little cordless Nikota.



I`ve also found that, when applied very thinly by machine, I can go ahead and allow waxes that are normally WOWO to haze up before removal, and they still wipe off pretty easily. Why would I want to do that, you might ask? Well, in my experience, sometimes WOWO will leave a little too much oil behind on the surface, and I`ll get smearing when I try to remove the residue (especially on dark cars). If I allow the wax to haze more completely, that problem seems to be minimized. I usually apply wax to 1/2 the car, have a smoke, go back and remove residue, then finish the other 1/2 of the car. I`d say the wax usually gets about a 10 minute dry time before removal. Wiping the residue off is a little tougher than WOWO, but not by much, especially with a good MF.



Now, that said, I never use an extended dry time when I apply by hand. I can never seem to get a thin enough/even enough application for it to work well, so when I apply by hand, I WOWO.



FWIW,

Tort

[Flying C]

Thank you for your replies and for highlighting pros and cons of applying wax by hand VS PC.



By the way, what does WOWO mean?

[Lochi]

WOWO = Wipe On / Wipe Off :xyxthumbs

[Carl Anderson]

I too have a hard time getting a really thin coat by hand. The last two times I applied Souveran paste wax I used my PC with a finishing pad, and the results were stunning. My biggest obstacle is not wasting the gold-like Souveran in my attempt to smear it on the pad. To my horror I`ve had rather large chunks fall to the pavement.

[cheapshot]

I like applying wax by hand. The pc is just so much fun to use though.



Here`s my own experience as a beginner with pc:

I know they are sealants and not waxes but I think it might help, I applied NXT on 2 different cars, with the PC and Meg Finishing pad. I never thought this could be done so easily. It was the fastest I had ever waxed a car, and the result outstanding!



please no fighting every has there opinions:

are these statement true or false:



When applying wax with a PC, Compared to hand application:



1.You will spend less time applying wax?

2.You will use more product, do to pad size and thickness?

3.You will run greater risk of marring the finish?

4.You will have to use hand applicator for tight areas?

5.You will spend a little bit more time cleaning you pad?



You could answer these at the bottom of your post if you like.

[lbls1]

Carnauba can be worked well with a machine.



However, for me, I prefer the hand method. I can stay in tune with the surface and the wax, and it gives me the first look at any loose particles on the paint before it gets wiped or mars the paint.



I can also "fine tune" my resolution best by hand, especially after buffing it, by wet buffing the resolution right after the buffed wax, and developing the ultra sharp resolution that a carnauba is capable of producing.

[Pondscum]

I apply P21S/S100 with the PC and a grey pad. I take the wax out of the container and wrap it in plastic wrap like an ice cream cone, then I rub just a little from the open end directly on the pad. I try and apply it as lightly as possible. I keep going until there is almost no more wax left on the pad. If the weather is cool, I might do about 1/3 of the vehicle before I stop to buff. To check the wax I run my finger across where I started. If it smears, I let it go for a while longer. If the weather is warm, I might only do one panel at a time. The thing about P21S/S100 is even if you leave it on too long, it`s not impossible to get off. It`s just easier if you take it off right away.



A soft toothbrush or detailing brush gets the wax out of all the little tight spots. A MF and some QD gets it off the plastic trim and rubber.

[Flying C]

I am glad I asked the question because I am definitively learning.



I was shocked a couple of weeks ago when I read in one post that the person does not wash the applicator that P21S came with, instead he puts it in a plastic bag, so he does not waste the wax that remains in the applicator. Of course I read that post after I had washed the applicator.



Would you recommend storing an un-washed applicator in a plastic bag to save wax?

[Accumulator]

Some waxes really work great by machine. Meg`s #16 by Cyclo is one combination that I really like. Collinite 476S by machine works great too.




Originally posted by flying c

Would you recommend storing an un-washed applicator in a plastic bag to save wax?



I did that for a long time, but sometimes I`d get mold/mildew on the pad or it would othewise get gross. These days I wash the pad out with Dawn.




Originally posted by CheapShot

When applying wax with a PC, Compared to hand application:



1.You will spend less time applying wax?

2.You will use more product, do to pad size and thickness?

3.You will run greater risk of marring the finish?

4.You will have to use hand applicator for tight areas?

5.You will spend a little bit more time cleaning you pad?



1. I actually take *more* time by machine, but it`s easier work.

2. True.

3. False, no difference, just use a soft finishing pad.

4. True, but not as much as you might think. You can also pull the pad off the PC and use it by hand.

5. True, and getting out/putting away the machine.



But in many cases I believe you`ll also get a better finish by machine. Machine removal using MF bonnets can work great too. As I said, it`s easier work, at least IMO. When I had shoulder problems, the only way I could detail was by machine...and I came to like doing it that way.



But I still do P21S/Souveran by hand. Might try Souveran by machine some time though (heh heh, I do everything *else* with one, why not Souveran :D ). I also do UPP and SG by machine these days; I`m better able to get a *very* thin application (so thin you can`t see it).

[Accumulator]

tort- It`s sorta funny, I can get really thin applications with *waxes* by machine, but not with sealants and goodness knows I`ve tried :confused: :nixweiss



I think the thin apps I get with the Cyclo/Meg`s #16 or Collinite combos have something to do with why I find them so easy to use.



I too let Souveran set up a bit longer than most people would, I agree it comes off less oily that way.



I think I *will* try the Souveran by machine when the XJS comes out of hibernation next year :D Heh heh, better say "if it comes out", knowing my past history with it :o



But I really do think I use more product by machine, just a difference in our techniques I think.

[TortoiseAWD]

Originally posted by Accumulator

But I really do think I use more product by machine, just a difference in our techniques I think. I guess I should qualify a bit . . . I have a cut-down 3.5" grey finishing pad that was made from a larger 3M grey waffle pad. The cut-down pad fits on both my cordless Nikota, and on the 3" backing plate I have for my PC. When I use that pad, I believe I do use less product, as it`s really not much larger than a hand applicator, and the convoluted face of the pad keeps most of the wax on the tips of the "hills" and out of the "valleys", so the pad doesn`t absorb a great deal of product.



OTOH, sometimes I use #16 with a full-sized (6") PC pad, and scrape the wax out of the tin with plastic card to apply it to the face of the pad. In that case, with the larger pad and the less-efficient method of applying wax to the pad, I probably do use more product. Since I started using the smaller pad and my cordless, though, I can stick the applicator right into the can of #16 and give it a quick buzz from the machine; that seems to use much less wax than the scrape-it-out-of-the-tin method. The (minor) trade-off is that it takes a little longer to cover the car with the smaller pad.



BTW, if you don`t have one of the cordless Nikotas, it`s a great tool for applying LSPs. If I already have my PC out because I`ve been doing polish work, then I stick with the PC, but for those times when you just want to toss another coat of something on the car after a wash, it`s great.



Tort

[Accumulator]

Tort- OK, thanks for clarifying. Sounds like our experiences aren`t all that different after all.



I`ve cut down larger pads for the Cyclo (following Anthony`s suggestion) but I`ve never used them on the PC. Heh heh, sorta a :doh now that we`re discussing it :D



I can see how the cordless would be handy for easy-on LSPs. I sorta go to the other extreme using the Cyclo, huh? It`s a pretty aggressive thing to use for waxing...

[Flying C]

I like the idea of a cordless machine to apply wax. Can you tell me more about the Nikota? Does it have orbital movement? Can you wax the whole car with one battery charge, or does the battery die half way?