SMR vs 2.0 vs whatever

G

grimmster

New member
OK, getting ready to start my deep down spring clean. I do not have a buffer/rotary so everything will have to be done by hand. Also, to save time, I am using local bought stuff only, which is 3M and Mequires consumer and pro stuff. I have swirls I need to get rid of as the second set after claying, and wondering what product will be best by hand, if any, to take care of the swirls?



I am still debating on going GC or #26 as the topper...I don't mind waxing once a month through summer.
 
If you want a really good arsenal of swirl mark removal products this is what I would suggest:



3M Fine Cut rubbing compound (god for medium swirls)



3M Finesse It-II (good for light to medium swirls)



3M Swirl Mark Remover (good for light swirls)



Klasse All In One (this is an excellent product, good for removing any hazing you may get from the above products while removing very very small swirls and it gives your paint a really really nice shine to start with before topping your car off with a wax or whatever). Even if I wasn't using the Klasse twins I would still buy the Klasse AIO to use. It's really useful in numerous ways.
 
joed1228 said:
If you want a really good arsenal of swirl mark removal products this is what I would suggest:



3M Fine Cut rubbing compound (god for medium swirls)



3M Finesse It-II (good for light to medium swirls)



3M Swirl Mark Remover (good for light swirls)



Klasse All In One (this is an excellent product, good for removing any hazing you may get from the above products while removing very very small swirls and it gives your paint a really really nice shine to start with before topping your car off with a wax or whatever). Even if I wasn't using the Klasse twins I would still buy the Klasse AIO to use. It's really useful in numerous ways.
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Ummm...what he said. :xyxthumbs
 
differing opinion - the 3M products produce great results if used by PC, but I feel they are difficult to use by hand - they need a lot of work to break down the abrasives or you will get haze - visible on black in the right light. The Meguiar's Swirl remover 2.0 is MUCH more forgiving for use by hand (though it is not as abrasive and won't remove as deep a swirl mark as FI-II or 3M SMR.



try it - if it works, be happy and stop. if it doesn't, go to the 3M products.
 
I used Meguiar's #9 2.0 and it removed all of the swirls visible from greater than one foot away. It seemed to round of the edges of light scratches so they are less visible. In areas with more stubborn scratches, I applied a little more and worked it into the paint with greater pressure. It has some oils that worked well with my black paint. I then followed up with #7 and topped with P21S.
 
The route I was going to take with my swirls was



3m SRM (with a PC) - get the swirls out

3m IHG - from reading this is still abrasive but following the SRM it will produce a very good shine.

Toped with Klass and then a Wax (not decided Sourven or Blitz).



From reading thought it shounds as if the using a light abrasive (SRM), and following up with an even lighter one (IHG) will get the best finish (hope I have got this idea right).



The thing that worries me is some products say Hand apply, are there specific products that people should not use a PC with (reading the Autopia book it says about clumping if the products are not machine use approved).

Any ideas
 
Richard,



If going the klasse route skip the IHG as Klasse AIO will remove the IHG from the paint.



Plus Glazes are meant to be followed by carauba wax. I really do not consider them abrasive as they fill swirls and hide them not remove them.
 
I would also be interested to know if IHG can be used with the PC. Has anyone done this with good results? WIll it accomplish anything beyond SMR?



Thanks
 
IHG has some chemical cleaning properties, but is non-abrasive. It leaves nice filler/oils behind - but (esp. on black) it can be hard to get on evenly enough not to leave a slightly streaked or "stained" appearance. So the orbital isn't needed for it to be effective, but it may well do a better cleaning job, and it certainly can help get it more evenly applied.
 
IHG has some chemical cleaning properties, but is non-abrasive. It leaves nice filler/oils behind - but (esp. on black) it can be hard to get on evenly enough not to leave a slightly streaked or "stained" appearance. So the orbital isn't needed for it to be effective, but it may well do a better cleaning job, and it certainly can help get it more evenly applied
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lARRY Reynolds, owner of carcareonline.com, just got off the phone with me, where he said:



"Never use 3M Imperial Hand Glaze with a machine, especially the switch controlled Porter Cable."



I know hes not a fan of many of the products on autopia, and he hates machines, but is there really any reason I should send back my IHG, and replace it with a machine specific, or 'allowable' glaze like Omega for instance? What I want it for is to be mild, ie, remove as little paint as possible, but still capable of removing minor surface microscratching, used with my PC, prior to the wax step.



Thanks.
 
paul e said:
I know hes not a fan of many of the products on autopia, and he hates machines, but is there really any reason I should send back my IHG, and replace it with a machine specific, or 'allowable' glaze like Omega for instance?
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You are right about Larry, he is very much a traditionalist. I myself am somewhere in the middle. I prefer carnuba as the outermost layer on the paint, perhaps with something like Klasse underneath. I also apply by hand, but only because I'm too lazy to get a PC.



Back the my point. I suppose carguy has had success applying IHG by PC. However, I've tried applying a similar product in Meguiar's #7 by machine, and it turned to hell. The heat of applying by machine caused the product to clump and the latter stages of working it into the paint. Seeing how 3M does make "machine glazes" and "hand glazes", I can see how Larry might have a point, though I cannot back what he says about IHG.
 
You are right about Larry, he is very much a traditionalist
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I have no problem with him being a traditionalist. But alot of what he says I believe to be just wrong...I still listen to him, but I have to filter his output..For instance, he believes that orbitals like PC and rotaries, both produce the same amount of damage...In his words, '..it all depends on whether you want orbit shaped swirl marks, or circular ones...'. He claims that what we are taught about orbitals being safer than rotaries is '....nothing more than marketing hype...'.



I suspect most of us would disagree strongly with this position. Many of his other positions diverge from most currently accepted viewpoints as well. Yet, he IS an institution in the car care world...It just goes to show you that even among experts, there's still a large degree of difference of opinion, and that this whole field is full of smoke and mirrors.
 
paul e said:






why...Whats better about it?
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Both products get the job done well. They remove swirls and leave a great gloss. If you're going at it by hand, #9 is the best hands down. However, I use my PC, and after using both #9 2.0 and SMR, I found that #9 was easier to work with. It doesn't need to be worked in as much as SMR, and even if you don't work it in enough, it is more forgiving than the 3M product. I also get the impression that #9 2.0 isn't as abrasive, so I feel more comfortable using it for repeated uses.



You can't go wrong with either product, but as I said, when I have swirls, I reach for the #9 2.0 with a white pad. If that isn't enough, I use 3M Finesse-It II with a yellow pad.
 
Thanks for the respones! Well, the supply chain is out of SMR now so I picked up some #9. Now for the other dumb user question. Do I use circular motion or back and forth for #9 and do i use light, medium, or hard pressure or a combination?



and I assume I need to work it until it breaks down, which by hand can anyone give me an estimate on how long that might take (3-5 minutes?)
 
I never use a circular motion for anything. For #9, you basically need to work it into the paint with medium to heavy pressure until it is almost gone and then you buff out the residue. It will not take that long to break down. Have fun. :wavey
 
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