Swirls not coming out with rotary, HELP

D

Drew T.

New member
Got a problem here. I've only posted here a couple of times, as I can usually find the help I need from help previous postings. I'm trying to use my rotary to remove some pretty bad spider webbing from a used 2002 Accord I got a couple of weeks ago. I'm using SSR 2.5 with the yellow pad at around 1000RPM, but it's not doing much good. I'm to the point that I can handle the rotary pretty good, but most of the swirls just will not go away. Should I move up to something more aggressive? I was thinking of trying Meguairs medium cut cleaner, since I can get it locally. Any help is appreciated!
 
That sounds too low a speed to me. Crank it up some but I wouldn't go past,say, 1500-1700 or so.
 
I agree . . . bump up the speed or try another product (although I hear SSR 2.5 is really good). If they're really bad, SFX1 and 1ZUPP will clear it up. Good luck :up
 
Thanks for the help, guys. I forgot to say, I also tried buffing around 1500 - 2000 but it still did no good. The SSR 2.5 seemed to break down fast, maybe too fast to get rid of the swirls. I don't think I can get the SFX1 or 7ZUPP locally. I'm still considering Meguiars #1. Any other ideas?
 
This won't really answer your Q, but man I'd be leery of using #1 on it. If you can't do it with #2 I'd try a different pad (maybe soft wool). Going to a *really* aggressive product over that sort of marring sounds like asking for trouble to me...



I find your problem sorta :confused: since I wouldn't even need Meg's #2 for much of anything, and I've done some fairly serious correction on hard Audi clear.
 
Perhaps you need to use something like Menzera IP, maybe even Power Gloss, 'cause these products are "supposedly" made to be used with a rotary.



IP can be used with a PC but Power Gloss is a rotary-only product.



Who's yellow pad are you using? Posting vendor name with the color of pad you're using is helpful.
 
Sorry to take so long to reply, I've been busy lately with work. I'll try to answer everybody's questions so I can hopefully clear this problem up. I've read up on the #1 and figure the stuff is most likely way overkill to fix the swirls, like Accumulator suggested. I'm thinking of going with SFX1 as suggested by Knockwurst. I'll just have to put the polishing on hold until the SFX gets here. Is the SFX polish about as abrasive as 3M fine cut compound? I've used the 3M compound in the past, but found the splatter and thin residue it leaves as it breakes down to be very hard to remove.

If I have time during daylight tomorrow, I'll try to get some pics of the swirls. They come out in all their glory in full sunlight, and they look bad :( . The previous owner must have cleaned the car with sandpaper. I was thinking of using Powergloss, but I've heard that the Menzera products are difficult to use by rotary by newbies. The pad I'm using is the advanced yellow 7.5 pad I bought last January from Proper Auto Care. It's a little different from the 7.5 pad they're selling now, but it is the same shape, but the backing is white instead of blue.

I'm wondering if my technique is the problem. I lay down a strip of polish about a foot and a half long and use the pad to smear the product around to reduce splatter. Then I work in about a two by two area. It seems like the SSR 2.5 buffs away in no time, so I wonder if I'm not using enough product or the polish is breaking down too fast for the rotary. The last time I used the rotary, I used 3M compound but I don't remember it breaking down so fast. I just don't have enough experince to tell, so I kind of have to rely on you guys to help me troubleshoot this :bow . Thanks for all the input!
 
if your using the yellow edge pad or cma 6" pad w/ any kind of polishing compound i think its over kill. you should be fine using the edge green or cma orange w/ either IP or something like lc. I didnt think the 2.5 worked well even w/ the rotory so i just use it w/ the PC.
 
Do you have any Menzerna Power Gloss? Amazing stuff and when worked to "dust" the finish is pretty much ready for finish. Of couse I didn't and followed up with 1Z PP and M's FP. I did a comparison of that and 2.5 on the hood of a ( moderately swirled) Lightning at Labor Day and found the PG to product a shinier finish. I was using a Makita 9227 and a LC VC orange pad.
 
Menzerna polishes and the rotary are actually easy to use. They work in very quickly, you don't have to spend a lot of time breaking htem down. You shouldn't have to let it dust, it should flash or "disappear" once it has been working in enough. Dusting is usually a sign the pad or product on the pad is too dry.



Definitly crank it up a bit like to 1700-1800, once the pad is prep'd its actually easier to use and control at a higher speed. Once the pad is prep'd, instead of smearing the product with the pad, turn the buffer on and pick up the product with the pad. This should also help reduce or eliminate splatter.
 
L33 said:
once the pad is prep'd its actually easier to use and control at a higher speed.
Click to expand...



Yes, I can definitely relate to this. Now, if I can only tame the rotary on the sides of the car :(
 
I heard this once and have tried it. It may sound odd but did work. Try reversing your grip when doing the side of a car, switch your hands around. I only tried it a couple of times but it did work.
 
L33,



Thanks much for the tip :xyxthumbs



I hope to try it next time I can get a hold of that beater car to work on
 
using the rotary on the sides of a car are a pain in the arse. i always look forward to doing the trunk and the hood of the car.. rocker panels are dreaded as well. i guess the roof isnt that pad, but what about the occasional splatter of a product in your eye? especially if it was 1z or menzerna? that would sting!!
 
i may be WAY off here but with my experience with my rotary and on honda's soft clear, maybe the ssr2.5 and your pad are too aggressive of a combo and you are actually inducing maring. try using a polishing pad and something like ssr1 or 80 or something less aggressive and see how that works. always start with a least aggressive combo and work your way up.



Vernon
 
Thanks for all the continuing input. I managed to get a few shots of the swirls before the sun set, but none of them did a good job of showing the swirls (I have a crappy camera anyway). I have heard that the 2.5 works well with the PC, but I don't have one. I may go with the Power Gloss, but at about $32, I'm reluctant to buy it if something cheaper and possibly less aggresive will also work. Plus, I don't plan on ever letting my car get this swirled myself, so this will probably be the only time I should have to use Power Gloss. I'll keep the rpm's around the 1700-1800 range, too. I've also tried to lay down a bead of the product and go along with the buffer to pick it up, but I still have lots of splatter. I think I just need practice. How much should I tilt the pad when I pick up the polish? I'll try your trick on the side panels, L33. I always have trouble in this area. I don't think my buffing is causing much marring, because I did half of the hood and the swirls looked about the same on both sides. I also tried the 2.5 with my white pad (same brand as my yellow one) and it didn't do much with the swirls. I'm now thinking I should use a medium abrasive (something like a fine cut cleaner or DACP) that is made more for for rotary use than anthing else. Thanks again for the inupt!
 
I'm also thinking that the Honda clear is soft. I've had the same problem going from compounding to swirl removal- could not remove all the swirls until i went to an ultra mild polish.



If you still think that you need more cutting. A couple other options would be to spritz your pad with water or apply a little more pressure (be careful).
 
I don't think it's so much that I need a polish that has more bite than the SSR 2.5, but that the 2.5 seems to break down too fast for the rotary. From what I hear, something like a fine cut compound or DACP is about as abrasive as 2.5, but doesn't break down as fast (and is made more for a rotary). I've used 3m's fine cut compound on the last Accord I have with a rotary and compounding pad and it worked well. Any light micromarring I removed with 3m machine polish. I think I may do the same thing now, but use the Perfect it III line. Thanks!
 
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