Why did I doubt you guys! 3M rocks!

J

JAGOWNER1981

New member
Well I have put my meguiars abrasive products back on the shelf(just like geekysteve). I decided to give my dusty bottle of 3M SMR a whirl again, after a bad experience I had with it a year ago. I figured I know what I am doing now and I should be able to work it right. I buffed out and SL55 AMG yesterday with it using a yellow pad at speed 6 the whole time. It broke down much finer than any meguiars abrasive that I use! I love it! I didn't have to finish with any finer abrasives (such as PPCL, AIO, or P21S GEPC). I did that, sprayed the car down with alcohol and went straight to zaino. I shoulda listened to Brad B and stuck with 3M!:doh
 
Yeah, I agree, i bought and tried several meguairs polishes trying to find something better than 3m smr and fi2, but i always come back to 3m, i just like them better!
 
Well I don't quite understand. Naturally we are all going to have our preferences regarding polishes or more universally anything that we use. But when it comes to polishes, I wouldn't really consider 3M SMR an abrasive enough polish that requires a finer abrasive to bring out the shine or create surface haze, as opposed to other Meguiars products that could serve a different purpose. I am just making sure we are comparing apples to apples. What Meguiars products have you used that you found 3M products to be superior to? I used 3M SMR and sold it because I personally didn't like it at all. Maybe it was my technique, but I used Megs. SFP and 3M SMR on a red BMW and found the SFP produced a much deeper shine, while also being easier to work with. I haven't tried any of the PIII machine glaze, but one day I might. Tell us more about your comparisons.
 
blkZ28Conv,



I used the 3M MG on my last detail, but found that it left some residue that was particularly difficult to get off. Because my car is white it was also tough to see. I thought that maybe I was applying it wrong (I used a PC with a white pad). Can you tell me how you apply it? Do you work it until it powders like DACP or do you wipe off while it is still "wet"?



Thanks.
 
Hi Larry,

I continued to work the product in until it is almost entirely gone. You may be using a little too much product. I have never used DACP ( will try eventually) but 3M MG III does not really powder if worked into paint. I also used a terry bonnet for this step ( old school :o ). Maybe someone else can chime in and recommend the best foam pad for this product.:nixweiss

A minor buff with an MF and the surface was clear of any residue. I am extremely anal so I did follow the 3M MG III with a paint cleanser ( P21S GEPC or Vanilla Moose). Mother's Sealer and Glaze for finally filling of surface marring not eliminated by the 3M. I than proceeded to top with protectants (EX x 3 Souveran x1 or 2 and P21S wax x 1). This was all done indoors on cool/cold paint ( vehicle not driven for a week).

Hope this helps. :wavey
 
Thanks.



You could be right about the amount of product used, about how much product are you putting on your pad? I think I was using 4 dime sized spots. That seems to be the right amount for DACP and also for 3M FCRC, but maybe it's too much for MG. I also have some gray glaze pads from 3M that could try out.
 
Since I was using terry bonnets and I hate when the product accidently flings everywhere on start-up, I apply several smears on the panel and spread that out with the PC. If more product is needed I just apply another smear. Since foam is very good at spreading a small amount of product over a large surface, I would first try using less or try my smear method. From this point, if not pleased, try changing pads or even try a terry bonnet.

The fun part of this hobby is developing the method of usage of a product that works best for you. Let us know what happens and what you did.:wavey
 
As a long-time (sorta, over a year at least ;) ) user of the PI-III MG, I have found the best pad to be the CMA yellow (cutting) pad. I start at speed 5 on the PC and spend most of the time working the polish at speed 6. Like BlkZ28, I work the polish until it is almost gone, and then wipe the residue off with an MF. I have found that this produces zero (to my eye) hazing and I can go directly to a paint cleanser like GEPC or VM with either a CMA white or grey pad.



Mike
 
larry_bar56 said:
blkZ28Conv,



I used the 3M MG on my last detail, but found that it left some residue that was particularly difficult to get off. Because my car is white it was also tough to see. I thought that maybe I was applying it wrong (I used a PC with a white pad). Can you tell me how you apply it? Do you work it until it powders like DACP or do you wipe off while it is still "wet"?



Thanks.
Click to expand...



Like Blkz28conv, I work PI-III MG until it is almost all gone. If there is a spot or two that I didnt work well enough (like under a mirror or around trim) I've found a spritz of QD (I was using Mothers Showtime) and wipe with mf takes it off with ease.



So far I've only used PI-III MG with a rotary and seem to like a light cut foam pad the best. I tried the Edge yellow medium cut, THe Edge light green light cut and the blue soft polishing pads with PI-III and I felt the green light cut foam pad worked best for the vehicles I was working on. Just enough cut to help PI-III take care of the problems but soft enough to leave an absolute mirror finish ready for a final finish sealant.



I need to try PI-III MG with the PC next.
 
Larry, there's your foam pad answers. Light cut pad@ speed 5-6. Thanks Natty and Mike.:bow

3M PI-III MG must really be fantastic with a rotary. probably eliminating the need for a cleanser ( GEPC / VM) after PI-III MG. :cool:
 
Maybe I am doing something wrong. I just got a new black G35 and wanted to get the dealer installed swirls out. I think I just made things worse, at least not any better. I did everything by hand. I tried the 3M Perfect II RubbComp Fine Cut then the 3M SMR. But everytime I used the SMR it left NASTY hazey scratched up looking paint. The only way to get it off was use the RC again, and that still left some. It looks terrible.



I just got the PC 7336SP and am ordering the CMA pads.



Question:

1. Do I need any other types of polishes? Am I missing a step??

2. Did I apply the SMR wrong (back and forth with a MF towel)

3. Will the PC fix all of this?



I am new to all of this, so thanks in advance for the help :xyxthumbs
 
Outdoorsr, it's been so long since I've tried to polish by hand that I can't comment on why this happened to you. I do know that I have used both the SMR and the RCFC with a PC and never had the problem. I would think that you could go over it again with any number of polishes, even SMR or RCFC, with a PC and it would clear it up.



I had an interesting experience recently that may or may not be germane to your situation. I worked some troubled paint with Einszett Ultra Paint Polish on a PC cutting pad. The shine was great, most of the marrings were gone, and I had no hazing. This is a pretty agressive combination, but some of the worst scars, which I don't think a PC can handle, remained, so I attacked them by hand with the Ultra Paint Polish. It helped a little, but left obvious hazing where I worked. This indicated to me that I was able to work the polish harder by hand than with the PC, probably because you can concentrate a lot of force on the paint in a small area with your fingers. The hazing was easily removed with the next step, Einszett Paint Polish, a milder abrasive, with the PC. Logic tells me another run with the Ultra with a PC would also have worked, and it would have been interesting to see if an even milder finishing polish would have worked.
 
outdoorsr,

I had the same experience when I first tried using polishes and SMR's on entire panels / vehicle by my than unskilled and unknowledgable hands. HAZE :(. Got a PC and a lot of Autopian knowledge and with continue up-grade of knowledge, technique and most importantly patience polishing is now so rewarding.

Before trying the light cut polish again with the PC, try using a milder polish (SMR) like 3M PI III MG or DACP and review your results on one panel.
 
blkZ28Conv said:
outdoorsr,

I had the same experience when I first tried using polishes and SMR's on entire panels / vehicle by my than unskilled and unknowledgable hands. HAZE :(. Got a PC and a lot of Autopian knowledge and with continue up-grade of knowledge, technique and most importantly patience polishing is now so rewarding.

Before trying the light cut polish again with the PC, try using a milder polish (SMR) like 3M PI III MG or DACP and review your results on one panel.
Click to expand...



Ditto. :up
 
Guys,



Great info! I did some searching on 3M's site and I'm a little confused. Here are the 3 products that I found that I believe you are referring to.



- 3Mâ„¢ Perfect-Itâ„¢ III Machine Glaze 05937, 1 Quart (US), 12 per case

(New glaze that quickly and effortlessly removes 3Mâ„¢ Perfect-Itâ„¢ III compound swirl marks and produces the high gloss, swirl-free finish that shops demand. )



- 3Mâ„¢ Perfect-Itâ„¢ Swirlmark Remover 39009, 16 oz, 6 per case

(Uniquely formulated to remove compound swirl marks. Contains no waxes or silicones. Best for dark colored paint finishes. Less clean up required.)



- 3Mâ„¢ Perfect-Itâ„¢ Foam Polishing Pad Glaze 05996, 1 Quart (US), 12 per case

(Uniquely formulated to remove compound swirl marks. Contains no waxes or silicones. Best for dark colored paint finishes. Less clean up required.)



2 questions...



1) What is the order of abrasiveness of these products?



2) What is the difference between Swirlmark Remover and Foam Polishing Pad Glaze?



3) Do any of these have fillers?



Thanks!

:cool:
 
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