Upgrading my home AV receiver

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Preachers Sheets

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The yellow pad and 3M FI-II rubbing compound works but takes too long, is there anything stronger that 3M makes, any other brand you guys suggest.



The thing is, I am getting into detailing for money and I can't afford to spend 4-6 hours of just removing swirls, I would still have to layer the All In One, then the Glaze, do the tires, the windows, carpets etc.....
 
Wow, for 3M PI-2 RC-FC not to take out most of the swirls, they must be pretty bad. There are other options though. 3M also makes a Medium and Heavy Cut Compound for serious defects. http://www.3m.com/market/automotive/product4.html

Meguiar's also makes similar products. They have Medium and Heavy Cut Cleaners. All of these must be used by buffer for best results.

You can find these products locally, or there are other brands you may try that can be ordered online like AutoMagic.
 
If the swirls are that bad it will require the surface to be "leveled". Which means using the wool pad. Find something to practice on first, then take a couple passes with the FC compound on the wool pad and that should help the problem. :up



You will still have to polish down further to remove any compounding marks left by the wool pad and the compound.
 
I agree with previous comments. I personally won't go above 3M FI-II because my car is new. I prefer to take longer, do several applications, than to go with heavier cutting compound. I also found that a terry cloth applicator worked better than a foam since I didn't trust myself using a wool pad.
 
The car I am doing is a 1998 Chevy Express van, it's my dad's.



It has never been detailed and when it was washed he used the brush in the spray bays.



Do this help in suggesting a specific product? I don't mind spending one day prepping and the next just giving it a wash and sealing but I don't want to spend all day to see I have alot more polishing to do.



Your also saying use a terry bonnet over a foam pad... does it work better (as in more aggresive)?
 
Yes, I found the terry cloth bonnet to be slightly more abrasive than the foam pad when using the SMR. As I said, I've never gone above the FI-II in abrasiveness so hopefully someone else will give you advice.



I've never used a wool bonnet but I've seen photos of the damage they can cause at least with a high speed buffer. I like the 3M products and the medium and heavy cut products should be available at a local auto supply. Remember, after you go up in abrasiveness, you then have to polish out the swirls you get by moving back down ending with SMR and IHG if you choose this route. Then apply the wax/sealant. I suggest you work with one section at a time to perfect your technique. I learned a lot and got more confident as I went along section by section.



Good luck.
 
joed1228,

I see your a "master detailer" so hope my previous comments aren't viewed as talking down to you. I learned all this the hard way by making all the mistakes first. I did find that when I started by working one section at a time--doing all the swirl removal then applying the glaze and finally sealant--I could tell if the final product was what I wanted. It took me several re-workings of the first section I chose to figure out exactly how much abrasiveness to use and how much polishing repair work was needed to remove the damage I 'd caused in getting through the swirl layers. Once I got my techinque down, the rest of the car went quicker. FYI, I use Zaino too and I find it applies well over 3M products even though they say to strip all products first.
 
I would use the wool bonnet and not the terry one, the wool bonnets work very well with abrasives. The terry pad can caus bad swirlmarks and scratches, and yes a wool pad can caus scratching and swirling, but so can a foam pad if it is used with a bad technique.



3M's Perfect-it Fine cut compound is a bit more abrasive than FI2.
 
I've been thinking about using the 3M Fine Rubbing Compound when I do my "spring cleaning" in a few weeks, possibly with a wool bonnet. I am just worried that this will be too risky, especially for a clear coated car. I have used FI-II with great success on some cars but on my car, it doesn't seem to respond very well. The swirls simply won't go away. I am also worried about getting lots of "hollogramming" or "3D swirls." Any suggestions for preventing those?
 
The best thing you can do with wool pads is don't apply much pressure, let the machine work under it own weight. Go slow with the OPM. If you use a wool pad at higher speeds it create heat very quickly and burn. Keep the pad as "flat" as possible so you don't get uneven cuts from the pad.
 
No it's not too abrasive. As long as you operate the machine at a nice low speed and pay attention you will be fine.:up
 
Well you can't burn paint with the PC they do not create much heat, you can remove paint with an abrasive, but you can't burn it. When using abrasives with the PC, the faster and longer you work the polish, the finer the abrasives become, leaving a finer finish. :cool:
 
I think I am going to get the medium cut 3M polish and try it out. Seems like it will save me alot of time on cars that are 5+ years old, never ben detailed and swirled to kingdom come.



I was thinking of the panel by panel method but I didn't really see any benefit in it, you guys are saying it helps so I might as well give it a shot.



P.S. I am not a master detailer, I am a master learner. :bounce
 
I know Barry does hifi beyond my means, but I am looking at replacing my older Pioneer AV receiver with something newer (no HDMI connections on current model). I like the new 1120 model (top consumer, non-Elite line) but am wondering if I am forcing myself with only Pioneer equipment. I do have some old-school material (about 10 movies on LaserDisc and the player for them) but not much in the BR arena - Disney is NOT getting more of my $$ just because they have it in BR, which is newer than the DVDs I have (replaced all of our VHS tapes about 5 years ago as they released the movies on DVD). Sorry for the long rant, but I'm sure there are others with opinions and I'd like to hear them out.

Harry
 
Have a hot tip for a great Onkyo Reciever --

Go to Onecall.com they are factory authorized and have best prices on onkyo--ships fast i have ordered from them a few times--this is a model with 6HDMI and 100 watts per 7 channels (7.2) thx2 certified for sound quality--Onkyo TX-SR608
Main Features:
HDMI Version 1.4
General Features
Color Black
Surround Modes THX, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Pro Logic IIz, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD Master Audio
Frequency Response 5Hz-100kHz
Multi-Room/Multi-Source Yes
On Screen Display Yes
Remote Control Included
Stereo Power Rating (watts) 100
Surround Power Rating (watts) 100
Tuner Sirius Satellite Radio Ready, HD, FM, AM
HD Radio Yes
 
I dont know anything about Onkyo Receivers - what is the THD of the unit you listed ?

If I were ever going to invest in a new Receiver, I would look up McIntosh equipment that is built out of Binghampton, New York. They have been making some of the best equipment for years, and pretty much all the great music artists used their products to record their records.

My sister has a McIntosh receiver and even though its really old, it still sounds better than anything else I have ever heard. Look up their THD specs sometime, and you will see what I am talking about..

Good Luck with your choice - there are so many out there today, its mind-boggling to say the least, if you are really serious about looking, and for the best..

Dan F
 
well here are the specs i left out--

hey grungy i spotted an onkyo for $378 THIS WEEKEND ONLY PRESIDENTS SALE\m/ at onecall.com-u mentioned hdmi connects and this unit has 6 of them--great receiver--there is always better--this one is very good--i can certainly get behind mcintosh just not their prices /:) i like to have money left over for other gear--mcintosh would be a kick --more power to those who can afford it.--
Onkyo specs:
Onkyo TX-SR608
Reg. Price:
$599.00
Your Price:
$378.89--(FREE SHIPPING):drool5:
Power Output -
Front L/R 100 W + 100 W (8 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz,
0.08%, 2 channels driven, FTC)
100 W + 100 W (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 0.1%,
2 channels driven, FTC)
Center 100 W (8 ohms, 20 Hz?20 kHz, 0.08%,
2 channels driven, FTC)
100 W (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 0.1%, 2 channels
driven, FTC)
Surround L/R 100 W + 100 W (8 ohms, 20 Hz?20 kHz,
0.08%, 2 channels driven, FTC)
100 W + 100 W (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 0.1%,
2 channels driven, FTC)
Surround Back L/R 100 W + 100 W (8 ohms, 20 Hz?20 kHz,
0.08%, 2 channels driven, FTC)
100 W + 100 W (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 0.1%,
2 channels driven, FTC)
Dynamic Power 240 W (3 ohms, 1 ch)
210 W (4 ohms, 1 ch)
120 W (8 ohms, 1 ch)
THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) 0.08% (Rated power)
Damping Factor 60 (Front, 1 kHz, 8 ohms)
Input Sensitivity and Impedance 200 mV/47 k-ohms (Line)
Output Level and Impedance 200 mV/2.2 k-ohms (Rec out)
Phono Overload -
Frequency Response 5 Hz?100 kHz/+1 dB, -3 dB
Tone Control ?10 dB, 50 Hz (Bass)
?10 dB, 20 kHz (Treble)
Signal-to-Noise Ratio 106 dB (Line, IHF-A)
Speaker Impedance 6 ohms?16 ohms
 
for those unfamiliar with thx certified products

The THX testing process usually begins early in product development. Manufacturers ship samples to the THX Testing Lab in Northern California where a team of expert technicians carefully analyzes each sample and produces reports on their findings. Big reports! They cover hundreds of data points and virtually every aspect of the product?s operational performance.

These findings are then sent to the manufacturer with suggestions for fixing any problems that could prevent certification. In many cases, THX requires the manufacturer to adjust the product?s design or firmware and integrate THX playback features to improve performance and meet the THX spec. Further testing, modifications, tweaks and upgrades are done, and the manufacturer sends back the product for final evaluation.

THX certification is either pass or fail. And product pricing is never a driving factor. If a product meets the THX testing standards, then certification is granted. With all of this testing from THX, the consumer is assured that the TV, receiver or speaker system they are purchasing meets the highest standards for quality and compatibility right out of the box.
cool info --more at thx.com for those home theater geeks like myself.--:rockon::Dancing Dot:
 
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