Rupes Question for Nubie

[mbpress01]

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, `lucida grande`, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">This weekend i am planning to use the 15 with an AIO - just don`t have the time for polish wax as separate steps (I have 8-10 hrs over two days).`

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, `lucida grande`, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Car is a 2010 Blue Ford Taurus (nice paint but super dirty and water etched and swirled). I definitely need some guidance. I realize this is not a full correction and maybe not even a partial correction so I am looking for moderate to good results. (I am recently converted to Zanio but willing to try anything that works).

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, `lucida grande`, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Also, will do excellent surface prep - one excellent thing about these forums is that anyone who does this as a profession or hobby knows now that surface prep is super critical. Plan to wash, clay, wash again dry and onto AIO. Will not IronX as i have never done and just don`t have the time. Interior tires will be done quickly. Glass will be polished though.`

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, `lucida grande`, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Anyway, a few questions:

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, `lucida grande`, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">a) which pad to use - i have the Rupes pads of course - i have 2 whites and 2 yellows. No idea on which to use and whether two is enough.`
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, `lucida grande`, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">b) pad cleaning - I have read about changing pads on each panel but is that advised, and how do you quick clean them after you finish a panel
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, `lucida grande`, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">c) Speed on the 15 - spread at 3 and polish at 5 - no clue
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, `lucida grande`, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">d) Hand speed - every video and Mike`s book show a "quick spread" and a slow arm pass. Is that right for a rupes
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, `lucida grande`, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">e) Finally, how many passes - since this is a hobby and i am looking for moderate/good results, is it 3 horizontal and 3 vertical - again no idea.`


<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana, geneva, lucida, `lucida grande`, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">As everyone can see, never used a Rupes before and I botched paint using a old Porter Cable from like 10 yrs ago on another car. Any thoughts comments would be appreciated and thx in advance.

[House of Wax]

I gotta ask first off how you botched paint with a PC?

[House of Wax]

C, d, and e look good. Changing pads every panel is a little overkill IMO. I`ve got a pad brush that I used on the pads frequently (turn on the machine and hold the brush to it for a few seconds) and will use 2 - 3 pads for a vehicle

[mbpress01]

Hate to say this but didn`t understand about pad cleaning and got grit on pad - hence swirls galore, holograms, scratches etc. ` ` `

[Junebug]

When I first started, I watched a few instructional videos and just took it from there.

[vivant511]

agree with your points c,d and e. Regarding hand speed, look up Abrasive Isolation by Barry Theal. Highly effective and explains the mechanics behind this superbly.


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I would think HD Polish on yellow Rupes pads would fit the bill as a single step minor correction. Strikes the balance between cut and finish.


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You would be ok to spur out your pad after every panel, swap back and forth between your two pads every alternative panel to give them a chance to cool down allowing them to last longer.


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Good luck!

[Scottwax]

There is no reason you can`t do two full steps plus a wax or sealant in 8-10 hours.`


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ONR wash-30-40 minutes


Clay-30-40 minutes (unless there is extreme contamination)


Compound: Meguiars M100, Optimum Hyper Compound (new version), 3D HD Cut using a Meguiars MF cutting pad or green Rupes foam cutting pad-should take 1.5-2.0 hours


Polish: Optimum Hyper Polish (new version), Rupes Keramik Gloss, 3D HD Polish using an Optimum MF cutting pad or yellow Rupes foam polishing pad-about 45 minutes


Opti-Seal to finish-10 minutes

[Accumulator]

On pad cleaning when using an AIO- Just clean the pad out when it needs it.` With the minimal abrasives in most AIOs the pad won`t get as loaded up with cut-off clear or with abrasives, the stuff that needs cleaned off will primarily be "used" AIO and whatever [stuff] is getting cleaned off the paint.` It shouldn`t be all that hard to tell when the pad is getting loaded up, but I`d still err on the side of caution and clean it before it obviously needs doing.

[Dellinger]

Some good advice previous to mine...


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However, I am curious to your AIO product. `Which one?


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I think the actual AIO product will be a factor concerning the pad cleaning/ changing & your technique.


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For example... if I am using D151 for a mild cleaning of the paint with some very light swirl removal... I`ll change the pad every panel and clean the pad after every section.`


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If I`m using Optimum`s PS/ DG501 for cleaning of the paint without regards to defects... I will change the pad every 2- 3 panels, depending, and clean the pad every other section/ when it is needed.


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Pad saturation/ contamination is certainly RAPID with AIOs, at least for me... and makes perfect sense considering the various goals and ingredients used in the AIO products to achieve said goals. `


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Best,


-Gabe