When to stop working Optimum polish or compound?

T

toml

New member
From all the posts about Optimum I've read, I know it has a much longer working time than many other polishes. Like you can work it twice as long. My question to those who've used it ... when do you know it's time to stop? From what I've read, it doesn't clear out like #80 (for instance), so is there a visual cue that lets you know? Or do you just expect to take twice as long and stop when the time's up?
 
No visual clue really.



The polish, while it doesn't turn clear, basically works "clear" so with the proper lighting you should be able to see your work progress as you go along. I have been using it now for a very long time so I have just developed a sense for when it can be stopped and removed, which is determined also by the condition of the car.



On a new NSX I did I knew the paint wasn't that bad, it had no swirls (buffer) so I just used my Cyclo with white pads and the Opt polish and spent a few minutes on each section then moved on.



Anthony
 
You just have to inspect it as you go......The Compound will work at a greater clip then the polish though, but should be limited to more then "casual swirls"....Optimum Polish is not your basic polish, it has quite a learning curve, what I like to call "product characteristics".....After you have used it a few times, youll discover what it does for you, as well as when it does it.....Its a fun product to use.....
 
a.k.a. Patrick said:
... Optimum Polish is not your basic polish, it has quite a learning curve, what I like to call "product characteristics".....After you have used it a few times, youll discover what it does for you, as well as when it does it.....Its a fun product to use.....
Click to expand...



Do you have any "lessons learned" you'd like to share?
 
When you are using it with good lighting, you can see the defect slowly disappear. When they are gone or no longer improving, you are done.
 
I remember the 1st time I used it. I used it as I would have any other polish and found it strange that Opt didnt haze up. I made my typical 3 passes and varying speeds, like I always start with. This was on a Black Porsche. So I started to remove the product from the hood with a MF, and noticed an improvement. Not a great improvement, but an improvement. While inspecting the results, I had also noticed how the remaining product on the hood had yet to haze over, or evaporate. I smeared my fingers on the film left from polishing and low and behold, it was still as wet as when I first applied it. SO I thought, well, let me make another pass or two and see what happens.

I increased the PC speed but slowed down my movement, and made two more passes. This all with the original product applied to the pad. Wiped, inspected, and had reached the desired results without having had to have added additional product. This is where Opt outdoes the others, it allows the user additional time to gain results, at a very slow pace.

Just because some products break down, and flash for you, doesnt necessarily indicate you have reached the desired results......You need to guage for yourself, when your satisfied......and this is what Opt Polish allows.....
 
a.k.a. Patrick said:
I remember the 1st time I used it. I used it as I would have any other polish and found it strange that Opt didnt haze up. I made my typical 3 passes and varying speeds, like I always start with. This was on a Black Porsche. So I started to remove the product from the hood with a MF, and noticed an improvement. Not a great improvement, but an improvement. While inspecting the results, I had also noticed how the remaining product on the hood had yet to haze over, or evaporate. I smeared my fingers on the film left from polishing and low and behold, it was still as wet as when I first applied it. SO I thought, well, let me make another pass or two and see what happens.

I increased the PC speed but slowed down my movement, and made two more passes. This all with the original product applied to the pad. Wiped, inspected, and had reached the desired results without having had to have added additional product. This is where Opt outdoes the others, it allows the user additional time to gain results, at a very slow pace.

Just because some products break down, and flash for you, doesnt necessarily indicate you have reached the desired results......You need to guage for yourself, when your satisfied......and this is what Opt Polish allows.....
Click to expand...



Patrick-- Great response. You have distilled down the perfect steps to follow when using Optimum's polish. :bow



You should submit this to David at Optimum Polymer Technologies so they can add it to a FAQ and request your royalty check! :grinno:
 
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