1st time SMR

NattyBumppo

NattyBumppo

Strange name, ain't it?
I picked up SMR at Pep Boys to use on my wife's '96 Pacific Green Metallic Taurus. It is parked outside 24x7x365 and although I've tried to keep up with it, we purchased it used in '99 and it has the usual car-wash brush swirls and paint crud. 3 months or so ago I used Scratch-X on the hood, roof and deck lid with a Craftsman orbital and terry bonnet then followed up with #7 and #26 and it looked great but the Scratch-X I guess has worn off (fillers?) and it pretty much looks the way it did before.



I don't have a PC but could borrow one for the weekend. Should I attempt the PC and SMR having never used the PC before or should I use the Craftsman orbital or just SMR by hand? If by hand is a terry applicator or foam applicator preferred?



Any tips on using SMR would be greatly appreciated.
 
If you can borrow a PC, that is the only way to go. It takes quite a while to work the smr properly, and doing it by hand would be a pain.



I have been meaning to take some photos using the pc and smr to show folks what it looks like at various stages, and when to quit working it. I guess I need to get that done.



Meanwhile, DavidB's video may be of some help to you. Run a search for it, and then download and watch.
 
Does SMR not have fillers, and are the results permanent (until you get more swirls)? This is what I want. Is Maguire's Mirror Glaze Fine-Cut Cleaner similar, completely different?
 
Mass. Wine Guy said:
Does SMR not have fillers, and are the results permanent (until you get more swirls)? This is what I want. Is Maguire's Mirror Glaze Fine-Cut Cleaner similar, completely different?
Click to expand...



SMR has oils and gloss enhancers, but no fillers. It removes swirls through abrasive action. Meguiars fine cut is probably too harsh for swirl removal. Within that line, Meguiars SMR 2.0 would be the ticket!
 
I recently used SMR for the first time on my truck to try to remove scratches caused by my dog's nails. I did it by hand. One thing I learned was that if I had to do that very much or any more than I did, I would be more than willing to ante up for a buffer. I immediately washed with dawn afterwards so I could reapply Zaino, so the fillers should have been removed. The scratches were unnoticable afterwards in normal light, and they were pretty bad when I started. I was happy with the results.
 
Just a clarification, here's a simple aggressiveness scale of the 4 products mentioned:



#2 (most aggressive)

Scratch X

3M SMR

#9 2.0



Of course this is not definitive as there are plenty of other products that fit into this scale. I'm just outlining what was mentioned in this thread.



Hope this helps.
 
Bretfraz, thanks for your usual clear and helpful clarification. It gets confusing keeping track of the differences in all these products.
 
Although the fine cut cleaner is more aggressive than the other products listed, I have found that the Mirror Glaze line of cleaners all use diminishing abrasives, and if worked well with a PC, will not marr the paint too much. I used the Heavy Cut cleaner (#4) on the trunk of my car last month, and after 4 passes with the PC, with increasing speed and decreasing pressure, got a really nice shine. I couldn't see any haze or micro-marring, but I followed up with 3M SMR for good measure, and the results were brilliant. The #4 took out the moderately bad swirls marks, and was not able to get the worst swirls/slight scratches out, but the finish was brilliant afterwards. There was no way I could have done that by hand.
 
Thanks to all for the tips, info and links. I must admit, I'm a little unsure as to whether I got the right product now. Is Megs # 9 a better place to start and then SMR if that doesn't work? Is Megs #9 easier to work with either by hand or PC and especially to buff out?



My apologies for the continual questioning here gang I just don't want to get myself into more than I can handle on a first time PC and SMR run.
 
Natty,



Use one or the other. The diffs between 3M and Meguiar's are pretty minor and things like paint hardness and pad type will affect the polishing ability of the SMR. Right now I suggest you experiment a little with what you have and keep the options to a minimum.



The concerns you have are very common for newbies so don't worry too much. Spend the time learning techniques and feel instead of switching to different products and pads. This is an area where "keep it simple" pays off.



The combo of a PC and SMR will make this job almost foolproof. But the "magic" part of this doesn't come easy, it comes with experience, which in turn comes with trial and error. I'm sure you read that thread White F150 linked you to. Just work a small section at a time and focus on technique until you get results.
 
Thanks Bret, much appreciated. I needed that reasurance. Yes I did read the link White F150 supplied and found it helpful but also lead me to wonder if the #9 would be a better fit. I'll keep the SMR, especially since Autopians have such a high opinion of it....it must be good stuff.



I'm going to call me friend to borrow his PC and have at it. I'll let you'all know how it turns out.



Again, thanks to all. :up
 
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