How thin is TOO thin? EXP, UPP or SG?

[drck1000]

Just detailed a family car this past weekend with the combination of AIO/EXP/FX100. It ended up looking great and felt really slick after applying the FX100. I was actually going to use HGAS instead of FX100, but I got a hold of some FX100 just as I was finishing buffing the EXP and decided to give it a try. Great stuff. It was overcast when I finished, so I will have to wait until a sunny day to check out the final product in the sun.



I have a question about applying LSPs in thin layers. When I was cleaning up, I noticed that I could squeeze EXP out of the foam applicator pad as I was rinising it out with water. I assume that I was applying too much product. When I used UPP on my car last week, I noticed that I could do the same, but a little less. I guess I assumed that I'd rather apply a little too thick to assure good coverage than too thin. When applying to a panel, I tried to notice if I could see product going on or if it seemed "dry". In that case, how do you normally tell if you are applying very thin and still effectively applying product? I'm still a newbie here, so sorry if this is a stupid question. I have yet to try out SG, but I understand that that's one product that it's essential to apply very thin.



TIA for your feedback and comments.

 

[Accumulator]

I generally go by feel. There's a lubricity to products like this- I can feel the pad moving smoothly when there's LSP on it (compared to when it needs more put on) and I can feel a difference in *how* the pad moves over treated/untreated areas. Since I put my SG (and to a slightly lesser extent my UPP) on basically too thin to see, it's this tactile feedback that I rely on.



Seems that no matter *how* thin I apply my UPP, there's always a little left in the pad when I'm finished. Could be just a side effect of the UPP being a kinda thick product (compared to something like SG that's really watery). Haven't tried the EXP but maybe it's the same thing happening with that product.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I don't think you can really compare EX-P, UPP, and SG, they all go on differently. EX-P is very thick (even though the new version is thinner, I don't find it to be hugely different) and is difficult to get a thin layer. I get the same thing with the applicator that you had. UPP has a high solvent content, and is much easier to get a thin coating, and doesn't seem to build up in the applicator. SG is one product where you will be sorry if you put on a heavy layer. IMO, it's ok to apply it and not be able to see it, in fact, that is the desirable "thinness", to where it is invisible except for an occassional wisp. Only problem is even coverage, so you may have to go over an area several times, but it's so easy and quick when it's thin that it isn't a problem.

 

[drck1000]

I generally go by feel. There's a lubricity to products like this- I can feel the pad moving smoothly when there's LSP on it (compared to when it needs more put on) and I can feel a difference in *how* the pad moves over treated/untreated areas. Since I put my SG (and to a slightly lesser extent my UPP) on basically too thin to see, it's this tactile feedback that I rely on.



Seems that no matter *how* thin I apply my UPP, there's always a little left in the pad when I'm finished. Could be just a side effect of the UPP being a kinda thick product (compared to something like SG that's really watery). Haven't tried the EXP but maybe it's the same thing happening with that product.

Thanks for the feedback. It was sunny yesterday afternoon so I washed my car and applied a second application of UPP. I concentrated on applying very thin and I noticed about what you described. Even when I couldn't see product going on or just slight streaks of product, I noticed that the applicator did glide smoothly. Then when it started to run out of product, I felt more resistance. When I was near the end of a panel, I would "cheat" and squeeze the applicator and some absorbed product would be forced out and that was plenty enough to finish a panel. I would then reapply for the next section/panel.



When I was done, there was far less product in the applicator with UPP than when I applied EX-P a couple days earlier. One factor is probably the difference in lubricity, like you mentioned, and others could be that I used a different applicator and tried to concentrate on applying very thin. I used the same basic applicator, those dual sided foam applicator pads where one side is softer than the other.



Thanks again.

 

[drck1000]

I don't think you can really compare EX-P, UPP, and SG, they all go on differently. EX-P is very thick (even though the new version is thinner, I don't find it to be hugely different) and is difficult to get a thin layer. I get the same thing with the applicator that you had. UPP has a high solvent content, and is much easier to get a thin coating, and doesn't seem to build up in the applicator. SG is one product where you will be sorry if you put on a heavy layer. IMO, it's ok to apply it and not be able to see it, in fact, that is the desirable "thinness", to where it is invisible except for an occassional wisp. Only problem is even coverage, so you may have to go over an area several times, but it's so easy and quick when it's thin that it isn't a problem.

Didn't mean to compare those products. Just those are the LSP's that I currently have. I also have 1Z Glanz Wax which seems very liquidy to me. You're right though, I guess UPP and EX-P are thicker to begin with and would tend to "clump" in the applicator. I did notice that EX-P was difficult to apply very thin, but even with my thick application, it buffed off without any problems.



So regarding SG and thin application. Do you recommend basically putting very little product on an applicator per section and wipe on the section basically going over the extent at least twice? With applying EX-P and UPP, I tried to overlap a little and when I was applying UPP very thin, to where I couldn't really see if it was going on, I went over each section one and then back over again before moving on. Also, which applicator to you recommend applying SG with? I have been using foam applicators for EX-P and UPP. Would a foam MF applicator be more handy for applying SG? The directions that I got with AIO and Sg recommend applying with MF applicator and misting with Eagle One WWS. That's how I apply AIO and it seems to work well. Seems like it would work well for SG as AIO and SG seem to be of similar consistency. What do you recommend? Surely don't want to be stuck there swearing after having to buff off a too thick application of SG. FWIW, I did purchase Sonus Acrylic Spritz to help in removing the SG as that product was recommended on a website that I was reading. Would HGAS or FX100 also work well for helping buff SG residues? I already planning that I will apply SG TOO thick! Some lessons you have to learn the hard way right?



Thanks.