Help! Safe Swirl removal with rotary D-A

[paul_h]

Apologies if this is a long one; I have tried to keep it to the essentials.

I've been working on my (black + clearcoat) hood to try and remove some fairly regular swirls and scratches.

I've got visibly and sensually (the feel) smoother paint, but the swirls are all still there under the strip lights! I clayed to begin, then used a rotary D-A starting with Fine Cut on a maroon pad, going to Swirl Remover, on and up to polish and sealant etc.

Filling swirls in with polish is ok for now, but I'll want to attack them again someday.

I tried to go easy, and not overdo it, using the lowest speeds and least abrasive product, taking my time. But 6 hours shoud really cover a hood!

I've already got one car in the paintshop having burnt through with the rotary. It's ok; the paint defects needed to be FULLY removed one way or the other, but they were just too serious to polish out and I learnt plenty in the process.

However, this baby's paint is in very good shape, and I can't afford an uneccessary trip to the paint shop. This paint job is a terrific re-spray, not original, probably using german paints, done by the previous owner who was a paint shop pro. It seems like a very hard clear coat (somehow "colder") compared to the factory finish I went too far with, which was Swedish.

How do I get serious on these swirls, but yet not risk damage? The car is a curvy old classic, not many flat panels, so plenty of opportunity to burn through on high points.

Which is likely to cause damage easier; a softer pad with a harsher cut, or the opposite?

best regards; paul

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by Paul_h
Apologies if this is a long one; I have tried to keep it to the essentials.

I've been working on my (black + clearcoat) hood to try and remove some fairly regular swirls and scratches.

I've got visibly and sensually (the feel) smoother paint, but the swirls are all still there under the strip lights! I clayed to begin, then used a rotary D-A starting with Fine Cut on a maroon pad, going to Swirl Remover, on and up to polish and sealant etc.

Meguiar's does not recommend using #2 Fine Cut Cleaner with the dual action polisher and Meguiar's does not recommend using the W-7006 maroon cutting pad with the dual action polisher. Both of these products are recommended for use with rotary buffers only for the exact reason you are experiencing.

Filling swirls in with polish is OK for now, but I'll want to attack them again someday.

I tried to go easy, and not overdo it, using the lowest speeds and least abrasive product, taking my time. But 6 hours should really cover a hood!

Your attack philosophy was right, (Use the least aggressive product), but your choice of products was wrong. Read through any of the Saturday Detailing 101 classes posted here,

Detail Days at Meguiar's (http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=36) and you will see hundreds of people using products like the #83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish and the #80 Speed Glaze with the W-8006 foam polishing pads and creating stellar results on all kinds of different paint types.

The dual action polisher doesn't offer an aggressive enough polishing action at any speed, especially slow speeds, to properly breakdown the diminishing abrasives used in the traditional Mirror Glaze paint cleaners.

I've already got one car in the paint shop having burnt through with the rotary. It's ok; the paint defects needed to be FULLY removed one way or the other, but they were just too serious to polish out and I learnt plenty in the process.

However, this baby's paint is in very good shape, and I can't afford an unnecessary trip to the paint shop. This paint job is a terrific re-spray, not original, probably using German paints, done by the previous owner who was a paint shop pro. It seems like a very hard clear coat (somehow "colder") compared to the factory finish I went too far with, which was Swedish.

How do I get serious on these swirls, but yet not risk damage? The car is a curvy old classic, not many flat panels, so plenty of opportunity to burn through on high points.

Which is likely to cause damage easier; a softer pad with a harsher cut, or the opposite?

best regards; Paul

Avoid trying to use a dual action polisher like the G100 for jobs that actually require a rotary buffer. This mean you cannot get too aggressive with your pad and product choice. The most aggressive Meguiar's recommends you get with a dual action polisher is our #83 Dual Action Cleaner/Polish with our W-8006 foam polishing pad at a maximum speed of 5.0 on the variable speed setting.

For high points and raised body lines, either tape over them with painters tape, or avoid them when buffing by machine and only apply hand-applied paint cleaners to these areas.

Best of luck...

Mike

[Mike Phillips]

I'm not sure what you currently have in your collection of detailing products, but you might look at the Essentials kit here,

Essentials Kit for the G100 (http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3725)

It comes with both the #83 DACP and the #80 Speed Glaze as well as new foam polishing pads, etc.

Mike

[paul_h]

Sorry I should have been more specific about my machine; I have a Makita Rotary which switches to Random Orbit - I tend to think of this now as Dual Action, in that it does two jobs, but I realise that for you guys a D-A is a non-rotary.

Is there anything you can tell me about very hard paint, and how to proceed with my Makita on rotary action?

-paul