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  1. #1

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    Applied a coating for the first time with mixed results (long post)

    I have a small bottle of Gtechniq Exo that I was eager to try on my VW GTI. Despite a day and a half of prep work, and careful application, The results were a bit mixed, and I can see some light streaks in the finish. In a few spots, I can see what looks like wax or polish residue that hasnt been wiped away. I`m assuming that I didnt fully remove the coating in these spots. I`m confident these aren`t swirls, but they cant be polished out with a MF at this point. Obviously, this isn`t permanent, and can be polished out and redone, but the streaks are a bit frustrating none the less. What`s odd is that in strong direct light, it looks quite good, but with a little bit of shade the streaks start to become visible. I`m guessing to really fix it, I will have to polish that section, or panel, down and re apply.

    Any suggestions or hints are appreciated as this is my first time doing this. In addition, I found that in the prep process, some swirls absolutely did not want to come out, despite trying different products, pads, speeds, etc. The panels that had been repainted corrected much easier than those that had original factory paint. I got it `ok` by my standards, but had to move on at some point.

    Here is the preparation process I used, feel free to skip this part. (car is a 2013 Carbon Steel Grey VW GTI):

    A) 2 bucket wash, then dry inside the garage with Griots PFM towel
    Meguiars clay bar with Megs QD for lube
    C) Polishing took two days. The second day I rewashed the car with ONR before resuming work.
    I tried different things depending on the condition. Everything was done with a PC 7424, and I did a panel wipe after each attempt.
    All work was done in a totally dark garage, with two bright daylight color LED lights on a stand to check my work
    1) Speed 4 with LC white pad and Sonax EX04-06 for really light defects.
    2) Most panels I used an orange pad, the same Sonax polish, on a speed of 5.
    3) Rear left quarter panel was stubborn, so I had to go back and redo it trying a higher speed, and varying pressure. Better but not perfect
    4) Front right door drove me nuts over two days. I wound up compounding on speed 6, 4 or 5 passes with a yellow pad, Griots fast
    correcting compound, then back to an orange pad, speed 5, sonax, and 4-5 passes. A little better but not much. Another round, same
    pad, product and speed but with a bit more pressure. Again, very little, if any improvement. I decided to cut my losses and move on.

    *Finally, here is the point of my long winded story*:

    Applied two coats of EXO. I used a microfiber applicator, dividing each panel into 2, 3 or 4 sections. Sections were roughly 1` x 3`, or 2` x 2`. I applied it in a cross hatch pattern per the instructions. Once a section was complete I used a MF towel to wipe away residue. Then took a second, clean MF towel to finish.

    I noticed 3/4 way through the first coat I was halfway through the bottle. I started using less product. This may have contributed to the problem. When I started using less, the first application vertical didnt cover completely, however, when I went back over it with a horizontal motion, it seemed to spread the product out completely, so I thought that even it out.

    Lastly a question - A few posts mention wiping away the residue to level it out before it "flashes". I`ve heard the term flash used before with relation to polish. I`m not quite sure what this means, or how to spot it.


    (Pictures to follow in a minute)

  2. #2

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    Re: Applied a coating for the first time with mixed results (long post)

    This is an example of the swirls I couldn`t fully correct. This is pre-polishing. I got some improvement, but couldn`t fully correct.


  3. #3

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    Re: Applied a coating for the first time with mixed results (long post)

    Post coating pics. If you look closely you will spot the streaks

    Not so much a "streak" but this first picture shows what looks like wax residue. I guess I just didnt fully remove the coating before it hardened. Not a huge deal, but noticeable.

  4. #4

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    Re: Applied a coating for the first time with mixed results (long post)

    Close up of one of the less than perfect areas. At some angles and lighting it isn`t visible at all.

  5. #5

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    Re: Applied a coating for the first time with mixed results (long post)

    Exo is super unforgiving if you let it completely dry before wiping off. If you leave some drops, you can`t buff off.
    Likes Bill1975 liked this post

  6. #6
    dansautodetailing.com Stokdgs's Avatar
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    Re: Applied a coating for the first time with mixed results (long post)

    Bill1975 --
    Beautiful car !
    Sorry you did not get the level of the results you wanted..
    I believe your Sonax product is not strong enough for that hard paint.. Its more of a medium-finishing polish than a compound that removes defects..
    And for anything to really work well, you need a lot of pad rotation, which can only be had the most, on speed 6 of the Porter Cable 7424.. And then its not going to be enough in some applications..
    Did your put enough downward pressure but not too much, to stop pad rotation ? You need to do that to correct anything with any machine, on hard paint..
    And you need lots of pads of each color..
    The Lake Country white foam pad is a great finishing pad but not a great correcting pad on your hard paint..
    I dont know about the orange pad, but it probably is not enough either..
    The 5.5" pads are the best size for your machine to help get more pad rotation without dragging a bigger pad around..

    What did you use to wipe the panels right before you applied the coating ?

    I like the 15 - 4-foot 2-tube Daylight tube shop lights in the ceiling AND the double ScanGrip MultiMatch lights for really lighting up the sides to apply anything to the vehicle, especially a coating.. I can see a lot more with all that light going on...

    The Flash we talk about is generally the "rainbow" effect you see in the coating after its on the surface in places...

    Never used Gtechniq coatings so dont know how long they give you before you wipe lightly and carefully in a very level fashion across the panel to knock down any high spots, usually at the ends of the application wipe... But you need to mind that time and not let it go too much longer...

    Dan F
    Likes Bill1975 liked this post

  7. #7

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    Re: Applied a coating for the first time with mixed results (long post)

    That is left coating. You’re gonna need to compound and polish the whole panel and re panel wipe and re coat. As far as flashing, it looks like a rainbow when it’s flashing.
    Thanks Bill1975 thanked for this post

  8. #8

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    Re: Applied a coating for the first time with mixed results (long post)

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike lambert View Post
    That is left coating. You’re gonna need to compound and polish the whole panel and re panel wipe and re coat. As far as flashing, it looks like a rainbow when it’s flashing.
    Thanks. I thought as much. Will a compound followed by a finishing polish work?

    I assume these Coatings are much too hard to remove with a simple clay bar.

  9. #9

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    Re: Applied a coating for the first time with mixed results (long post)

    Should, but I’d use a microfiber pad.
    Thanks Bill1975 thanked for this post

  10. #10
    audicoupej's Avatar
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    Re: Applied a coating for the first time with mixed results (long post)

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill1975 View Post
    Thanks. I thought as much. Will a compound followed by a finishing polish work?

    I assume these Coatings are much too hard to remove with a simple clay bar.

    Correct, a clay bar won`t touch it. Car looks great overall.
    John

    JEMM Auto Detailing - Serving the Greater Binghamton, NY area
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  11. #11
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    Re: Applied a coating for the first time with mixed results (long post)

    The car came out looking good. For a first time applying a coating like this you did a good job. As others have mentioned those are high spots. Essentially the coating was not completely leveled and removed. The way to move it is by polishing those areas and recoating it.

    Sounds like you may need a microfiber cutting pad next time to get those tougher defects. Basing this on the what sounds like to be hard paint. I experienced this on my 02 Camaro when foam and a compound did not do anything. But when I used a microfiber cutting pad and Meguiar`s D300 it was like night and day.

    You are in luck because I am currently using GTechniq Crystal Serum Light (CSL) and Exo V3 at the moment so I will share my initial thoughts on both and hope it helps you out. CSL overall is nice to work with. Reminds me of Gyeon Mohs in how it goes on and off. Unlike Exo, CSL comes with an eye dropper to distribute product onto an applicator. Exo V3 comes with one as well. Not sure if you received that with what you have. The dropper is better for Exo because for some odd reason the typical plunger/stopper that is found on most coating bottles has a larger opening for Exo. Cquartz and Mohs seems to have a smaller opening so it does not dispense that much product out and allows for easier control.

    CSL and Exo are pretty much wipe on wipe off. They tend to flash fairly quick but the flash time is going to vary based on the temp and humidity. With both it looks like super tiny water beads when it begins to flash. It gets more difficult the longer it sits on the surface. I found CSL to be much nicer and more user friendly to work with compared to Exo. CSL was easier to wipe off and level out. It is also slick upon removing and gets slicker after a few hours. Reminds me of Gyeon Mohs in this aspect although I give CSL the edge in slickeness.

    Exo on the other had is a bit finicky. I have experienced Exo being difficult at times and easy at times to remove and level. Exo will leave the surface feeling a bit tacky like some coatings. After a few hours it gets slicker.

    What I found is that 3 towels are really better for both coatings unlike Cquartz or Mohs where two towels is good enough. The initial towel seems to push the coating around as CSL and Exo stay wet a bit longer, while the second towel removes a majority of remaining coating residue and the third towel is more of a final buff.

    Since the coating is fairly fresh a polish will take care of those high spots. For example EX 04-06 with a polishing pad will be all you need. If the high spot is isolated to one particular spot you can spot correct and over lap coating onto the areas that you spot corrected. I have done this with the Rupes Nano and have not had issues with coating that spot that was re-polished.
    Competition Ready Team 1929 Bentley
    1999 Silvermist Metallic Pontiac Grand Prix GT
    2002 Arctic White Chevy Camaro SS
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  12. #12
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    Re: Applied a coating for the first time with mixed results (long post)

    Quote Originally Posted by The Guz View Post
    ...
    What I found is that 3 towels are really better for both coatings unlike Cquartz or Mohs where two towels is good enough. ......
    For you guys that do a lot of coatings, what do you do with the towels when you`re done? Are they trash? My one and only coating experience, I used my Split Purplenality towels, and later realized I may have ruined $16 of towels. They still feel soft, but.....

  13. #13

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    Re: Applied a coating for the first time with mixed results (long post)

    Quote Originally Posted by Stokdgs View Post
    Bill1975 --
    Beautiful car !
    Sorry you did not get the level of the results you wanted..
    I believe your Sonax product is not strong enough for that hard paint.. Its more of a medium-finishing polish than a compound that removes defects..
    And for anything to really work well, you need a lot of pad rotation, which can only be had the most, on speed 6 of the Porter Cable 7424.. And then its not going to be enough in some applications..
    Did your put enough downward pressure but not too much, to stop pad rotation ? You need to do that to correct anything with any machine, on hard paint..
    And you need lots of pads of each color..
    The Lake Country white foam pad is a great finishing pad but not a great correcting pad on your hard paint..
    I dont know about the orange pad, but it probably is not enough either..
    The 5.5" pads are the best size for your machine to help get more pad rotation without dragging a bigger pad around..
    Thanks Dave. After some discussion in a previous thread, one of the things that came up was that the Sonax would be a better bet. DaveT435 graciously donated some products to me, including a smalbottle of the Sonax and the Gtech coating that I applied. The Sonax is better than what I used previously. On panels that have been repainted, the results are great. On the panels with factory paint, it`s more difficult. Some spots cleared up with a bit more effort, some didn`t want to budge. I did vary the pressure, as well as adjusting the amount of product I used. Making sure the pad wasn`t soaked in polish and a bit more downward pressure helped a little, but the results weren`t magical. I did try going one step more coarse to a yellow pad and some Griots Fast Correcting Cream (more of a compound from what I can tell) on a speed of 6, followed by the orange/Sonax/speed 5 combo. Again, a bit better, but not really getting me anywhere. All the pads I use are 5.5" For doing an entire car I currently have 6 of each color, but I should probably get a few more.

    What did you use to wipe the panels right before you applied the coating ?
    Eraser – CarPro
    Cquartz Eraser

    I like the 15 - 4-foot 2-tube Daylight tube shop lights in the ceiling AND the double ScanGrip lights for really lighting up the sides to apply anything to the vehicle, especially a coating.. I can see a lot more with all that light going on...
    I followed this write up on Autopia. The lights are great, but I need a better holder and stand for them (I`m a drummer and am using an old junker cymbal stand) DIY LED Work Light (much better than halogen!) Its pretty effective, I think. I usually use this as my only light source, keep the garage dark, and view the panel from different angles while moving the light.

    The Flash we talk about is generally the "rainbow" effect you see in the coating after its on the surface in places...
    I will have to look around on Youtube for examples of this. Someone posted a video example once, but I couldn`t see it in the demonstration. Not sure if the flash is different for coatings vs polishes. I do occasionally notice a polish seems to visually "evaporate" on the surface after working it for a while. No rainbow effect though.

    Never used Gtechniq coatings so dont know how long they give you before you wipe lightly and carefully in a very level fashion across the panel to knock down any high spots, usually at the ends of the application wipe... But you need to mind that time and not let it go too much longer...

    Dan F
    Depending on temperature they suggested a wait time of up to 1 minute. Since it`s very hot down here, I wiped immediately without waiting. They suggested working a 2` x 2` section, or to "divide a large panel into two smaller panels" (which is a bit ambiguous). I was told that really I should go any larger than 18" x 18". I think next time I might go as small as 12" x 12" and use some tape to mark off a grid.
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  14. #14

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    Re: Applied a coating for the first time with mixed results (long post)

    Quote Originally Posted by WaxAddict View Post
    For you guys that do a lot of coatings, what do you do with the towels when you`re done? Are they trash? My one and only coating experience, I used my Split Purplenality towels, and later realized I may have ruined $16 of towels. They still feel soft, but.....

    I was just wondering this. The MF applicators I used feel a bit more "stiff" in some spots, but the towels feel fine. I just threw them in the wash with my other towels with some Poorboys MF wash and set the temp to hot. Hopefully thats ok for the applicators and towels I used for the coating.

  15. #15

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    Re: Applied a coating for the first time with mixed results (long post)

    Quote Originally Posted by The Guz View Post
    The car came out looking good. For a first time applying a coating like this you did a good job. As others have mentioned those are high spots. Essentially the coating was not completely leveled and removed. The way to move it is by polishing those areas and recoating it.

    Sounds like you may need a microfiber cutting pad next time to get those tougher defects. Basing this on the what sounds like to be hard paint. I experienced this on my 02 Camaro when foam and a compound did not do anything. But when I used a microfiber cutting pad and Meguiar`s D300 it was like night and day.
    I now definitely plan on getting some MF cutting pads. In another thread someone else suggested these to me. Seems to be worth a try since a yellow pad and moderately aggressive compound don`t do much

    You are in luck because I am currently using GTechniq Crystal Serum Light (CSL) and Exo V3 at the moment so I will share my initial thoughts on both and hope it helps you out. CSL overall is nice to work with. Reminds me of Gyeon Mohs in how it goes on and off. Unlike Exo, CSL comes with an eye dropper to distribute product onto an applicator. Exo V3 comes with one as well. Not sure if you received that with what you have. The dropper is better for Exo because for some odd reason the typical plunger/stopper that is found on most coating bottles has a larger opening for Exo. Cquartz and Mohs seems to have a smaller opening so it does not dispense that much product out and allows for easier control.
    Not so much an eye dropper, but some dropper of some kind in the bottle opening. You turn it over and it drips out. The problem is you cant really get all of the product out when you near the end of the bottle.

    CSL and Exo are pretty much wipe on wipe off. They tend to flash fairly quick but the flash time is going to vary based on the temp and humidity. With both it looks like super tiny water beads when it begins to flash. It gets more difficult the longer it sits on the surface. I found CSL to be much nicer and more user friendly to work with compared to Exo. CSL was easier to wipe off and level out. It is also slick upon removing and gets slicker after a few hours. Reminds me of Gyeon Mohs in this aspect although I give CSL the edge in slickeness.
    I did notice a slight "water bead" effect a couple times, but didn`t think much of it. I removed immediately, but like I stated earlier, it seems like I tried to work to large an area at times, which possibly meant that the starting point sat too long before trying to remove.

    Since the coating is fairly fresh a polish will take care of those high spots. For example EX 04-06 with a polishing pad will be all you need. If the high spot is isolated to one particular spot you can spot correct and over lap coating onto the areas that you spot corrected. I have done this with the Rupes Nano and have not had issues with coating that spot that was re-polished.
    Unfortunately I have no more Exo remaining, so I would likely have to strip it off and re do that panel again by the time I get more.
    I may have said this before, but it`s possible that in noticing how much I had gone through before the end of the first coat, my attempts to use less product and conserve meant that it was applied unevenly in some spots.
    Likes Stokdgs liked this post

 

 
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