Tried taking holograms out in black paint left by body shop by using Yellow SFX pad with the PC using first IP and then tried Power Gloss with no luck. I am probably going to take the car back to the shop to have them remove the holograms but wanted to ask if there is anything else I can try first. Both I brought up to speed 6 and let me tell you, Power gloss works forever! Car looks fantastic except for the holograms. My process with any polish was to start at speed 1 to spread, then 4 to flash then 6 to work and then 3 to finish. how does that sound? Any recommendations are welcomed, anything is worth a try over going back to the body shop. My products for polishing I have are, IP, FPII, Power Gloss, and finally SFX2.
Holograms?
- Thread starter mc01ta
- Start date
White95Max
New member
I would think FPII would be enough to remove holograms. I've always been able to remove them with a pretty gentle polish. Those must be some nasty holograms! 
Got any pictures?
You COULD take it back to them to remove the holograms, but they'd probably install more and you'd be left with the same problem, and less clearcoat to work with.
Got any pictures?
You COULD take it back to them to remove the holograms, but they'd probably install more and you'd be left with the same problem, and less clearcoat to work with.
3Dog
New member
Just did that over weekend with PC. I happened to use Cyclo with orange, but have use PC and with with FPII on four successfully.
From you first description it sounds as though you went the opposite way...holograms were cause by aggressive polish, go to less aggressive to remove.
From you first description it sounds as though you went the opposite way...holograms were cause by aggressive polish, go to less aggressive to remove.
You may want to try the Meguiars burgandy cutting pad. I used it with Optimum's Compound on some rotary holograms on a CL500 that had some pretty hard paint. Took me about 20-30 minutes to do the hood and front fenders.
Oddly, I find most rotary holograms easier to remove than halo/spider swirls. :nixweiss
Oddly, I find most rotary holograms easier to remove than halo/spider swirls. :nixweiss
EBPcivicsi
GOT PREP?
I would get some Meguiars #80 or #83 and use a polishing pad. IMO, if one of those two will not remove the holograms, you will need a rotary.
Sometimes it takes the use of the same machine that instilled in order to remove them.
Sometimes it takes the use of the same machine that instilled in order to remove them.
FrizzleFry
New member
bad swirls/holograms... orange pad w/ Powergloss and PC works. You may need to apply more pressure on the head of the PC. 1 pass should do the trick. Then follow with FP2 at 5 on the PC and polishing pad.
I got the yellow pad but no orange pad. Any tips on how to use it in conjunction with the Power Gloss? Anybody give me some tips on using power gloss by pc? I tried a little bit of it on an area and it took forever to break down. It seems to be a pretty strong compound as it left the surface clean but dull. IP took the dullness out.
3Dog
New member
Do yourself a favor and try your FPII and white pad on a section first. Do a 2x2 section and work it around speed 4 or 5 till the polish is gone. IMO you will find that is what you need to get rid of your holo's.
Anthony O.
New member
I have never used a Sonus pad but I am guessing that the "yellow" is like the yellow LC pad, rather coarse? If so then that was your first mistake as you did not use the least aggressive pad/product selection first.
So a mild pad and a mild polish should of been your first choice.
Second, I don't use a PC because it is lacking the umph needed to properly and quickly level paint or better said it does not produce enough heat and friction. The yellow pad coupled with an aggressive product can create more havoc than good if one is using a product designed for rotary with a PC.
As Scott noted many times halograms, true buffer halograms, are usually easier to remove than halo scratches, this depends largely on how bad the halograms are of course, so you may have halo scratches and not halograms, perhaps?
I also wouldn't take it back to the body shop as they will most likely use a glaze to hide the swirls instead of removing them. If they were concerned about them at all they would of removed them before delivery.
I would do as already noted, use a mild polish and pad combo first and see where that gets you. If using Optimum make sure you give it a bit longer than your other polishes in terms of working time.
Anthony
So a mild pad and a mild polish should of been your first choice.
Second, I don't use a PC because it is lacking the umph needed to properly and quickly level paint or better said it does not produce enough heat and friction. The yellow pad coupled with an aggressive product can create more havoc than good if one is using a product designed for rotary with a PC.
As Scott noted many times halograms, true buffer halograms, are usually easier to remove than halo scratches, this depends largely on how bad the halograms are of course, so you may have halo scratches and not halograms, perhaps?
I also wouldn't take it back to the body shop as they will most likely use a glaze to hide the swirls instead of removing them. If they were concerned about them at all they would of removed them before delivery.
I would do as already noted, use a mild polish and pad combo first and see where that gets you. If using Optimum make sure you give it a bit longer than your other polishes in terms of working time.
Anthony
Yup, I learned the yellow was a bit course, seemed to level the paint but left everything a but dull and hazy. I ran out of time to follow up with FP II but will this weekend. Should I use FP II on the white polishing pad first then the blue finishing pad? The IP didn't take a ton of oxidation and scratches out so that is why I moved up to the yellow pad. I'm taking it that the yellow pad should be rarely used. Should I purchase an orange cutting pad to use for swirl removal instead of the yellow? I thought they were comprable? The holograms i'm talking about can be seen in direct sunlight and they "move" with the paint in certain directions, def not swirls and they seem pretty deep. I guess the FP is my best shot. Is my paint supposed to be a bit dull/hazy after IP? I'm taking it this is where FPII comes in and clears that up. I read the tutorial and have read many posts on here before I purchased and gave it a shot. To be honest, first I tried FPII on a polishing pad and it did nothing. Next I tried IP on a polishing pad several times and barely made progress. Finally i moved to the yellow pad with IP and it took out some defects but left the paint dull and hazy. My paint on my car has been maintained pretty well, frequent washing, paint cleaner and waxing. I needed a good polish to remove swirls and decided the PC was my best bet. Thanks for all the input and let me know what you all think (sorry so long, just trying to be thorough)
imported_rfinkle21
New member
When you try the FpII, i think that you will be pleased. On my soft black paint, a light "polishing" pad
should clear up the hazing that was left by the IP.
should clear up the hazing that was left by the IP.
Anthony O.
New member
Hello,
I would get an "orange" powerpad and use that with the IP. If using a PC use slow overlapping passes, on speed 5 or perhaps 6. A rotary would make short work of the holograms (buffer swirls) but because you are using a PC you must compensate for the lack of heat and friction with time and patience.
After the orange pad and IP use a mild polishing pad and IP again then follow that with a finer pad and FPII.
That should take care of the halograms, hopefully :nixweiss
Anthony
I would get an "orange" powerpad and use that with the IP. If using a PC use slow overlapping passes, on speed 5 or perhaps 6. A rotary would make short work of the holograms (buffer swirls) but because you are using a PC you must compensate for the lack of heat and friction with time and patience.
After the orange pad and IP use a mild polishing pad and IP again then follow that with a finer pad and FPII.
That should take care of the halograms, hopefully :nixweiss
Anthony
Can someone explain to me when/how to use the SFX yellow pad? I have 2 of them and thought they were = to the orange DAS pads. I think i'm gonna order an orange pad and think i have to order the appropriate backing plate to use it. I'll try IP on polish pad and then FP on polish pad and then finishing pad