wax application trouble & sitting times

SVR

SVR

Dream Machines
Since I've been a sealant man for many years, until today I've not applied any wax since collinite 915 back in 2005.

With sealers I apply with foam and let sit over night before removal and another coat gets applied that evening. so I tried to do the same with waxes, thinking that longer bonding time = more durability. with wheels I never remove it and let the coating get baked on when driving.



I've got TOL pizzaz, 915,,soft 99 premium authentic, fusso & dark and metallic but looking at getting back into it with swissol & blackfire midnight



Trouble is I either apply all these waxes too thin and it won't spread along the panel or it's too thick and goes like concrete.



Also wax mfr's instructions say apply, leave on for 30 to 60 seconds and remove, leave for 20 to 30 mins then remove and remove straight away



What's the right way and how the hell can any wax add protection if you take it off after almost a minute.

What are the correct applicators for waxes

One thing I hate is circular application. takes longer and I'm worried about marks from it with the pad



The other problem I have is once Ive added what I perceive to be a small amount, I start on the first panel and that first section that's coated gets more than any other section and sets like rock.



The other day I heated up some pizzaz in the microwave for 3 minutes to see if I could get a wetter result and to get same result indoors as you do when you leave the car out in the sun for 30 mins to let the wax melt a little.

Silly idea or smart???



I'm definately a carnauba rookie.
 
I think I read here that the general rule is for pure carnauba's you can wipe on wipe off, but with sealants, you have to let it haze.



I know with PS, you don't have to let it haze and pretty much WOWO. But with the sealants or blended waxes that I've used, it has to haze.



I think the most common misconception is that the longer the wax hazes, the better the protection and durability will be. IME, it just makes it more difficult to remove. But, like you, I heard that some people have noticed a better appearance (not sure about durability/protection) by letting it haze as long as overnight. It might've been a Zaino product, I can't remember.



I don't mind spending the time waxing by hand (kind of therapeutic) but I don't detail for a living where time is as much a concern. Maybe you can try using a machine to apply the wax. You might be able to solve your time concerns and application problems.



Good luck!
 
SVR- I'm not sure why you're having problems getting the wax on thin with good coverage, but it is different from spreading sealants. I guess the ole "more practice" is about the best I can offer :nixweiss



Collinite's 915 might not be the easiest to work with though, their 476S is a little of a "hard wax". Dunno about the TOL Pizzaz, would've expected it to be pretty easy.



Wonder if this might help: after I get wax on the applicator, I scrape/squeeze/etc. as much of the wax back *out* of the applicator. I find it hardly takes any wax at all to get decent coverage and IMO most people put on way too much.



FWIW, I let all my waxes set up for a while before I buff them off. I've posted at length about how Mike P. at Meguiar's convinced me to try that with Souveran and how I like the results better than W-O-W-O.



FWIW#2 I apply almost all my waxes by machine these days, hardly ever do it by hand.
 
With waxes, just use the good ol swipe test. Apply...leave 15-30 mins depending on ambient temp/humidity...wipe finger on surface...if it doesn't smear, it's ready to remove. Easy!
 
thanks mate : I did use that scrape/squeeze technique and it worked great and it really went a long way but the initial area that I started on was too thick

I'm going to put a coat of that dark and metallic soft 99 today and really apply super thin



I've always worried about holograms with machine wax application.
 
SVR said:
thanks mate : I did use that scrape/squeeze technique and it worked great and it really went a long way but the initial area that I started on was too thick

I'm going to put a coat of that dark and metallic soft 99 today and really apply super thin



I've always worried about holograms with machine wax application.
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When you apply wax by machine, you generally do not use a rotary, so holograms are pretty impossible.
 
I get the applicator a little damp if I am using 476, seems to let it spread real nice. feel like I step back 10 or more years before I ever used sealants
 
MattPersman said:
I get the applicator a little damp if I am using 476, seems to let it spread real nice. feel like I step back 10 or more years before I ever used sealants
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476s says to use a wet applicator. It worked for me. I did have trouble getting the wax on the applicator (mf pad) though.
 
Accumulator said:
..........FWIW#2 I apply almost all my waxes by machine these days, hardly ever do it by hand.
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I apply just about everything by machine too (PC). Even using notoriously hard to remove waxes (if applied too thick) like 476 and Meg's #16 I'm able to get a nice thin application and I always do the whole car before I start removing and it always buffs off with ease.
 
Eliot Ness said:
I apply just about everything by machine too (PC). Even using notoriously hard to remove waxes (if applied too thick) like 476 and Meg's #16 I'm able to get a nice thin application and I always do the whole car before I start removing and it always buffs off with ease.
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That's good to know. I'm getting ready to put on 476 (first time I've waxed a whole car) and not having to switch between buffing and waxing should make my life easier.
 
My5ABaby said:
That's good to know. I'm getting ready to put on 476 (first time I've waxed a whole car) and not having to switch between buffing and waxing should make my life easier.
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Just make sure you apply it THIN, a little goes a long way. Sometimes it's hard to tell if you're still applying product when doing it thin, but just do a spot on a side window and it's easy to see if product is still being applied.
 
Eliot Ness said:
Just make sure you apply it THIN, a little goes a long way. Sometimes it's hard to tell if you're still applying product when doing it thin, but just do a spot on a side window and it's easy to see if product is still being applied.
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I just can't help put thinking that the applicator might be doing damage if it "runs dry". Same with the foam pads I use for polishing. Oh well... :)
 
For carnuaba-based waxes, I have a small spray bottle (used to have eyeglass cleaner in it) to mist the area I'm about to apply the wax to. It really helps to spread the wax and getting a thin, even coat. The only "down" side is that sometimes you have to wring out the applicator if you get too "enthusiastic" misting the water on the panels.
 
My5ABaby said:
476s says to use a wet applicator. It worked for me.
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I didn't know that. I never even read the instructions, lol. I always thought that water and 476 shouldn't be put together. I might now try misting the applicator before applying the wax. Use a plastic knife to take 476 out of the can to apply on your applicator. And I am another one of those who wax the whole car before wiping off, in fact, I wait til the next day to remove. And i never buff it off my wheels, I just wait til the next car wash and it seems to wipe of in the wash. :grinno:
 
My5ABaby said:
I just can't help put thinking that the applicator might be doing damage if it "runs dry".
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Well, that *can* be an issue with 476S, somebody reported that when they tried (too hard?) to do the very thin thing they disturbed underlying product.



Putting 476S on too thick has never been a big issue for me, but then I don't put it on goofy-thick either.



And yeah, a damp applicator can help. I sometimes use Griot's SpeedShine for this and do a sorta pseudo-spitshine. I sometimes think I get slightly diminished durability, but OTOH I've sometimes noticed that I got more spherical beading so :nixweiss
 
I have a darker coloured car so visualizing the wax (476s) on the surface is pretty easy. I found that using a damp applicator (as wet soaked, and then wrung out) makes getting a thin coat on a lot easier.



I've put two coats of 476 now in a span of four days. it's great. I wasn't expecting much in terms of looks, but it does look terrific in the full sun. I plan to do one more coat for the winter.
 
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