micro swirls after using 3M SMR

**blkyukon** · 03-18-2003, 05:38 PM

I had no swirls in the paint just some fine scraches that I wanted to remove so I used SMR (by hand) and this is what I got

Is there anything I can do or use to get these out?

Thanks for your help.

**M-M** · 03-18-2003, 06:49 PM

Are you working the SMR in a circular fashion or in a straight line.

It should be worked back in forth in the direction of the air flow.

Also how long did you work the SMR? it looks like you didn`t work it long enough to break down the abrasives.

Otherwise I`d try some Meguiar Swirl Free Polish, Scottwax swears by the stuff by hand and you can`t argue with his results

**2wheelsx2** · 03-18-2003, 06:55 PM

Yup. Looks like you worked the SMR in a circular motion and didn`t work it long enough to break down the abrasives. It should be almost all gone by the time you are finished working it.

**blkyukon** · 03-18-2003, 07:42 PM

It does look like I did it in a circular , but I did do it back and forth. It`s in the middle of the hood so it does have a slight curve (hard to reach the center of a Yukon). I think the angle of the pic also makes it look like a circular swirl.

I ordered some swirl free polish today and it should be here by this weekend.

So it looks like I just didn`t work it in long enough?

What about applicator, should I be using a terry applicator or foam, dry or damp?

Thanks again for all your help.:xyxthumbs

Charles

**AlphaSpread** · 03-18-2003, 07:45 PM

Originally posted by blkyukon

Is there anything I can do or use to get these out?

Thanks for your help.

Man, your paint must`ve been beautiful before the SMR treatment, because the clarity and gloss look terrific on the `unpolished` parts of the car.

Try it again, except this time use the techniques outlined here in the forum by Scottwax. I have a black car also, and his methods work perfectly for me....no visible hazing whatsoever.

Swirl Free, 3M SMR, Meg #9....whatever. Using a different product isn`t going to solve your problem. Focus on your technique. I use both 3M and #9 and they both work fine.

Don`t use those small applicators. Use a cotton terry cloth towel folded into 8ths or folded so that it fits nicely into your hand. Work the product till the surface is nearly clear and dry. Don`t worry about straight vs. circular motions.....straight marring might be better than circular marring, but they still both suck.....and if you use the product properly you won`t get any marring at all.

**JAGOWNER1981** · 03-18-2003, 08:42 PM

thats what we call "hazing" and that is the best picture of it i have seen! Thats why i never use 3M products by hand.

**aljo** · 03-18-2003, 08:45 PM

asjk07,

In your opinion, which is a better product for a dark green car swirled to h3ll? 3m SMR or Megs #9. Which is easier to work in and remove?

Also, it seems like you don`t use a PC or rotary, how long does it take you to work into the paint and remove minor swirls?

Thank you!

**blkyukon** · 03-18-2003, 09:21 PM

thats what we call "hazing" and that is the best picture of it i have seen! Thats why i never use 3M products by hand

So what can I use, by hand, to get rid of it? I ordered some swirl free polish, will that work?

Thanks

**AlphaSpread** · 03-18-2003, 09:28 PM

Don`t get me wrong, I love using the rotary.

For a dark green car swirled to hell? Neither of them are sufficient. For a badly swirled car, you`ll definitely have to start with something stronger, like DACP or FI-II, peferably with a rotary. It`s difficult, grueling work to remove deep swirls by hand. Even with the PC, restoring a badly swirled car is a tough undertaking. However, with the rotary, the process will go MUCH faster and with incomparably better results.

For light imperfections that inevitably build, even on a carefully detailed car (I should mention that I have a flat black car), I prefer removing them by hand using a light swirl-remover like 3M`s SMR, just a few times a year.

When working by hand, I prefer 3M`s swirl remover, but that`s just my personal preference. #9 works well also. With both product, I get no haze, no marring, just a perfectly swirl-free surface. It`s fine to have individual preferences, but for the most part, all good quality polishes will do the job.

Not sure how long it takes for me to work the product into the paint. The terry cloth seems to `consume` the product pretty quickly, so if I were to make a guess, I would say it only takes about 45-60 seconds till the surface is nearly clear and dry and ready to be buffed. This is also another reason why I like polishing by hand. For spot-polishing, it`s `quicker` than when using the PC, which requires you to work the product into a single area for 2 minutes minimum...and I get just as good results by hand as I do by PC.

**shaf** · 03-19-2003, 01:47 AM

Originally posted by blkyukon

So what can I use, by hand, to get rid of it? I ordered some swirl free polish, will that work?

Thanks

SMR, #9, and Swirl Free are all swirl removers, so they`re all roughly equivalently similar in abrasiveness and, as far as I know, should ALL be handled the same way. I imagine that Swirl Free might give you the same problem if you use the same techniques (especially since Swirl Free isn`t even officially approved for hand use).

Don`t fall into the trap that thinking a different, supposedly "better" product will solve all your problems. 75%-90% (or more) of your results is simply technique. You have a few members above suggesting that perhaps you haven`t worked the product long enough. This has long been a suggested cause of hazing/micromarring left over after polishing. When used properly with a good applicator, SMR should not leave that behind.

Like asjk07 said, try using the SMR again, working the product longer (but not drying it out), using firm pressure and enough product. If you`re working in the sun it may dry out too fast if the paint is hot so you can use QD (not more SMR) to re-wet it.

**blkyukon** · 03-19-2003, 03:57 PM

Thanks for the help everyone, but I just couldn`t get the hand polishing down, so I got a PC and here is the results:

Thanks again:up

**Estoril ///M** · 03-19-2003, 04:16 PM

Originally posted by blkyukon

Thanks for the help everyone, but I just couldn`t get the hand polishing down, so I got a PC and here is the results:

Thanks again:up

:shocked

Beautiful!!!!

So what products did you end up using w/ the PC? Did you just go over the area again w/ SMR and work it longer to break down the abrasives?

Looks great.