Rotary polishing techniques w/ M105 & M205

Dave,
Had surgery on hand yesterday, couldnt reply.

I dont know much about Meguiars pads, assume that is what you are using, right?

We dont know how big an area these scratches are taking up, approx how big is the area? What you dont want to do is remove your paint from areas that dont need it - that are already compounded enough for your needs/expectations.

When all else has failed, a L/C purple foamed wool pad/M105 can do wonders,(next to sanding the scratches down, etc..), and it would be my next logical step.

Typically, a smaller backing plate and Purple foam wool pad would be best if the area is smaller than the pad/backing plate you already have, but if you dont have that, you can do just fine, just be more careful here.
And has already been said, this combination works really fast, and can cut too deep quickly; another reason to not want to cut a whole buffer diameter`s worth of paint if you dont need to.

You might, before you go to this next stage, take your medium"agressive" pad and with the compound on the scratched area only, tilt the pad up so you have more of an edge, a smaller area that is on the paint, and work the scratches a little bit and see how this works. No high speed, no 40lbs, but firm pressure, enough moisture to allow the M105 to work longer and finish down better, and carefully, stopping often to check, (wiping it all off carefully), and see if you are now getting improvement. I offer this because the farther you are from the center of the pad, the faster it spins already, and with less surface area there, you are not taking off more paint than needed from the surrounding area.

Has this vehicle ever been compounded before ? I ask because you need to keep in mind that there is only so much clearcoat, paint, or a combination, etc., on the vehicle, and you dont want to run it down so thin that it breaks through, or this area is not ever able to be corrected again.

Hope you are keeping your pads cleaned after you finish using them for the day, etc., and letting them dry. With the Makita you can spin a clean, wrung out pad, at 3000 and remove a lot of water quickly, just mind the sling and do this where it wont get on stuff you dont want wet.

I dont know where you live but perhaps someone who frequents this board is close by, and would be able to come by and look at this with you ?

Glad to read you are fearless when it comes to experimenting ! :) With this kind of work, it also helps much to not be impatient, but be logical, careful, and as knowledgeable as possible. A lot of the best Detailers in the country frequent this site, so you are in great hands, hopefully you will get the technique, etc., dialed in and go from there.

Good luck, keep in touch.
Dan F

Dan,

Hope your hand is doing well and thank you for the advice. I`ll try to answer some of your questions and comments.

My test area is a 2` X 2` area on my hood. The car has never been detailed in it`s 8 yr life span. In the past I`ve always got by on a good wash and Turtle Wax color wax (I know cheating) and from a distance everyone thought the truck had a new paint job. Close-up you could tell it needed some polishing. I`ve decided I want the vehicle to look much better. Plus, I plan on doing my wife`s new Rogue. the dealership really did a number on it.

The yellow pad from Meguiars is more of a finishing pad than a light cutting pad. It sits between the Lake Country orange and white pads. I`ll try the method you described with the 8207 yellow and see it that works on the scratch in question. I definitely need to start spritzing the work area to keep the M105 going better. I haven`t been doing that.

Maybe I need to get a pad in between the one I have and the purple foam, a light cutting pad before going the purple foam pad route. I`m also going to try Kevin Brown`s recommendation for the purple foam pad on another area. I`ve ordered a couple of purple foam pads because I know the bed area is going to require more work than what the finishing pad can accomplish. Plus, it doesn`t hurt to have a wide variety of pads.

I wash my pads right after I`m done with them. Read a lot about making sure to do that. Thanks for the tip on spin drying. Need to start doing that.

I`m in the Baltimore, Maryland area. That would be great if someone could give me some pointers in person. On-hands is always better than reading. I`m an information nut. I try to have as much info as possible before doing anything.

Thank you again. When I get it figured out I`ll try and post some pics of the before and after. I need to get some good lighting after work today to take better pics.

Dave

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zoomzoom mazda5

As a good friend say`s:




One of the most important things to do with your wool pads that some forget to do when buffing.

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I`ll remember to do this. thank you.

Dave,

Thanks, the surgery went fine - extremely sore, small stitches to be careful of, but releasing the tendons in the sheaths of 3 fingers and my thumb, will let me get back full use of that hand again and not have to live on Naproxen. Had the other hand done last year, and had to wait until I could afford to do this one, as it is not inexpensive.
Years of using all kinds of power tools , and probably keyboarding also as long, has finally called for the repairs.

Yes, you could try the equivalent of the Lake Country (L/C, LC) Orange pad or even their Yellow pad before you go into Purple Foam Wool if you want.

As another option, 3M makes a very small purple foam pad that is very aggressive and even comes in as small as a 3" pad, which is great if you just want to touch a very small area of damage, and not hit surrounding paint.. Of course, it would require a backing plate that size too, etc...

Im trying to remember - someone else on this forum has a beautiful red dodge truck and has posted pics before of it - who is that ?????

Angelo -- does this fine company have any clients in Baltimore area that might be able to check in with Dave here ???

You are doing great, Dave! Glad that you are taking your time and learning all you can on the way.. There are very few things that can substitute for the feeling you will get when you have your truck and your Rogue all detailed out, blinding, clear, no swirls paint, and stunning gloss and protection, and you look back and say - wow, I did that myself !!! :)

This technology alone has made huge advances forward just in the last year even, (Meguiars D300 series compounds, microfiberpads for D/A, Optimum Clear Coat, etc.), and it looks like these are winners based on what I read here and other forums.

Hopefully, we can find some people out your way that can check in with you!

Hope you continue to enjoy your stay here!
Dan F

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stokdgs

Dave,

Thanks, the surgery went fine - extremely sore, small stitches to be careful of, but releasing the tendons in the sheaths of 3 fingers and my thumb, will let me get back full use of that hand again and not have to live on Naproxen. Had the other hand done last year, and had to wait until I could afford to do this one, as it is not inexpensive.
Years of using all kinds of power tools , and probably keyboarding also as long, has finally called for the repairs.

Yes, you could try the equivalent of the Lake Country (L/C, LC) Orange pad or even their Yellow pad before you go into Purple Foam Wool if you want.

As another option, 3M makes a very small purple foam pad that is very aggressive and even comes in as small as a 3" pad, which is great if you just want to touch a very small area of damage, and not hit surrounding paint.. Of course, it would require a backing plate that size too, etc...

Im trying to remember - someone else on this forum has a beautiful red dodge truck and has posted pics before of it - who is that ?????

Angelo -- does this fine company have any clients in Baltimore area that might be able to check in with Dave here ???

You are doing great, Dave! Glad that you are taking your time and learning all you can on the way.. There are very few things that can substitute for the feeling you will get when you have your truck and your Rogue all detailed out, blinding, clear, no swirls paint, and stunning gloss and protection, and you look back and say - wow, I did that myself !!! :)

This technology alone has made huge advances forward just in the last year even, (Meguiars D300 series compounds, microfiberpads for D/A, Optimum Clear Coat, etc.), and it looks like these are winners based on what I read here and other forums.

Hopefully, we can find some people out your way that can check in with you!

Hope you continue to enjoy your stay here!
Dan F

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I posted a month ago or so a Red Dodge 2500 Quad Cab, using Makita 9227 Purple wool foam pad and white LC Pad followed by LC Gray Pad with 85rd.......can re post if it would be helpful

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wendell jarvis

I posted a month ago or so a Red Dodge 2500 Quad Cab, using Makita 9227 Purple wool foam pad and white LC Pad followed by LC Gray Pad with 85rd.......can re post if it would be helpful

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I did a search for your posts and couldn`t find it. I think I remember reading the one you are refering too. If you could post the thread it would be great. Thank you.

Here is my 1st shot at the rear driver`s side door. It has some pad scratches from me trying to remove something that was on the door. I don`t have my purple pad yet and have noticed that I`m not getting the whole way through the swirls with the Solo 2.0 W8207 & M105 and 3 passes.

http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...P1010833-1.jpg

http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...P1010832-1.jpg

[IMG]http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...k/P1010853.jpg

http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...P1010861-1.jpg

http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...k/P1010862.jpg

http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...k/P1010848.jpg

http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...k/P1010847.jpg

Dave, judging by the condition of your paint and the number of passes, I think you`re about at what you should expect with the results you are seeing. The paint looks pretty hammered and that scratch in the second pic and under the halogen in the second 50/50 probably won`t come out without sanding it.

I know I should be happy if the entire truck comes out like that test did. However, I`m sure it can look better. I`m thinking the 8207 pad just doesn`t have the cutting power based on some of the swirls still being present.

I purchased a LC 4" orange foam pad and am going to try hand polishing the section and see how it comes out. I need to take some pics outside of the before and after. Even if it doesn`t come out it should look a 100X`s better than it did before based on the test panel.

Dude. Your paint was super jack`d up. If you can just get the rest of it looking that well without wetsanding, I think you should quit while your ahead

Is this your first time using a rotary?

Thank you. Technically, it`s my 2nd. I did a test section on my hood 1st and then wanted to try one on a side panel.

Guys at work are amazed how well the test panel looks. I guess I just want it to be perfect. But if I wanted that I should have started working on it years ago. I agree that if I can get the rest looking like that I should be happy. I`m going to do the whole front today and maybe a door or 2. I`m going to take some pics of the entire vehicle before I do any more work and post the before and after. Got my purple foamed pad to try out too.

Thanks to everyone for all of the help.

I got the purple pad and have been following the leep at 1000 RPM or so and using water to spritz. I did 2 shots with purple/M105 and 1 with black and M205. The scratch is almost gone and can only be seen if you look a certain way.
rest of back door before.
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...k/P1010866.jpg
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...k/P1010867.jpg

after pics
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...k/P1010869.jpg
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...k/P1010871.jpg
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...k/P1010872.jpg

after 1st coat of BFWD

http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...k/P1010874.jpg
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...k/P1010875.jpg

where scratch was at:
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...k/P1010876.jpg
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...k/P1010877.jpg

Now on to rest of truck!!! Thanks to everyone for their advice.

Looks great :smile:

Holy Cow, Dave !!!
That is just beautiful work ! And you`re new to the Rotary too !!!

It`s like a giant black mirror !! I am so proud of you !!!!!!! :hurray:

For the polishing stage, as you already know, keep the polishing pad flat, no pad edges, unless it is really light touch, for a second, and you should be able to polish that big boy out just beautifully. Looks like you already have and applied BFWD - amazing look, don`t you agree ?

Looks like you have learned well, young grasshopper. :)

Boy, dont you just love those L/C Purple Foam Wool pads? They are the only thing I ever use on dirty airplane paint, and a lot of very scratched car paint.

Great, great, job, Dave ! Thanks for sharing the pics..
Dan F

Great job Dave!:rockon:
Im curious what that flesh colored thing is hanging off the deck post in the reflection?:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by detailchick

Great job Dave!:rockon:
Im curious what that flesh colored thing is hanging off the deck post in the reflection?:D

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Some questions are better left unanswered....X_X