Taking out Swirl Marks by hand

If it's taken good care of, why does it have swirl marks? If it's swirled from the dealer or from improper wash techniques which you have learned to avoid, then find an Autopian to detail it for you and then you can keep it that way. Unfortunately there is no free lunch; unswirling it is going to be work and cost money one way or the other.



I don't think anyone has chimed in with the 1Z recommendations for hand-polishing/filling swirls. That will probably be your best bet as suggested early in the thread.
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Just bad techniques were used, and I was not as into it as I am now.
 
I did all my polishing by hand the first 10 years or so I was in business and I'd not recommend anyone do the same, even for just one car. In the mid 90s when I started, there were still a lot of soft single stage and clear coat paint jobs. Not anymore. The new clears are much harder than even 7-8 years ago and even by machine it can take time to correct the finish. In addition, there is no way you can polish and deeply and evenly by hand as you can by properly using a quality buffer.
 
Once I tried to do my car by hand, and now I got the thousand-yard-stare. That was when I was new around here.. 3 weeks ago.



I now have a UDM polisher in my garage, a rotary in the mail, and 3 shiny vehicles.
 
Removing swirls by hand is possible and not that difficult

It just takes three to five minutes of left and right and up and down motions to break down the products



I'm working on a paint softening/hardening agent at the moment and so did that first to make removal of swirls easier

Then I followed with Prima Cut, Swirl and Finish with those rectangular white, red and blue foam pads



Even though Cut has grit in it and you can really feel it when you start, it can be broken down properly and remove the marks



After all that, Prima Amigo was applied with no pressure and left on for 30 mins to dry

By the time I'd finished using prima Finish, I checked the hood with the halogens and sodium vapours and it was flawless



So it is possible to break down these compounds but it just takes time, some pressure and then no pressure and fast speed hand buffing.

Doesn't bother my arms at all but if you have a big vehicle, it's better to get an orbital or rotary. Especially if you are after show car results
 
SVR said:
Removing swirls by hand is possible and not that difficult

It just takes three to five minutes of left and right and up and down motions to break down the products..
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But of course you might have to do that 3-5 minute process a few dozen times depending on what product you're using ;)



I've had trouble finding products that'll both break down by hand *and* correct hard clear in a timely manner. 1Z Ultra/Extra, followed by the old 3M PI-III RC 05933 are about as good as I've found, and correcting a small area on the Audis (e.g., fingernail scratches behind door handles) can take a long, long time...and I don't mean just half an hour per door! (Consider how long that is for an area maybe 1" x 3" ;) )



Next time I'm gonna wetsand 'em...2-3K scratches are easier to do by hand than *fingernail* scratches :D
 
SVR said:
Removing swirls by hand is possible and not that difficult

It just takes three to five minutes of left and right and up and down motions to break down the products



......... but if you have a big vehicle, it's better to get an orbital or rotary. Especially if you are after show car results
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it's a full size truck

:waxing:
 
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