Can I Apply LSP after using Megs M02?

[Legacy22]

I am going to be using a rotory buffer with Meguiars Soft Foam Pad W8006 and applying Meguiars Fine Cut Cleaner #2 (M02) with it.

Can I put my LSP on top of this??????? Or do I need a finer polish to take out the swirls?

(I am using Ultima PGP - Great Stuff!)

Thanks!

Dave T.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Can I Apply LSP after using Megs M02?

You'll probably have swirls if you inspect your panels in bright light.

Nature of having a pad rotating in a circular motion against the paint.

The best way to insure no swirls is to change the action of the machine, that is go from a machine that only rotates to a machine that offers an eccentric motion like a DA Polisher.

Also, M02 is a paint cleaner and should be followed with a less aggressive product.

[Legacy22]

Re: Can I Apply LSP after using Megs M02?

Mike -- thanks for the response!

Could I apply my LSP on top of M80 using the above rotory setup?

Dave T.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Can I Apply LSP after using Megs M02?

Yes.

If you're looking for 100% swirl free results as viewed by a critical eye in excellent light conditions then sometimes its not about the pad, the product or your skill level, it's about the paint.

Some paints don't polish-out as well as others and thus you can't get a swirl free finish without changing to a tool that only offers rotating action.

You can get very close though as our new M105 has shown.

Just don't want anyone getting disappointed with a rotary buffer as I've found in the past on this forum a lot of people have very high expectations for the results they want but don't understand the physics of what's taking place at the surface level.

M80 with a rotary doesn't always finish out as good as our other cleaner/polishes on clear coats paints, so maybe do a test spot before going over the entire car.

[Legacy22]

Re: Can I Apply LSP after using Megs M02?

Mike - thanks again for the quick response!

One more ?: I am putting this on single stage paint - PPG DCC Concept - White, (its going on a carbon fiber airplane actually.) Does that change anything about the questions above? If I'm not that hyper about a perfect finish (I just it want super smooth for airflow), do you think it will work if I apply my LSP over your M02 product applied with a rotory?

thanks!

Dave T.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Can I Apply LSP after using Megs M02?

Mike - thanks again for the quick response!

One more ?: I am putting this on single stage paint - PPG DCC Concept - White, (its going on a carbon fiber airplane actually.) Does that change anything about the questions above?

Yes.

Not that you or I or anyone wants to leave swirls in a paint job, the plain truth is that on single stage white paint job if there are swirls, they will be hard to see and unlike the car world, it's usually not as much of an issue with planes.

You do need to be very careful when working on planes because most planes have sharp lines around panels and rivets holding them together and when you buff over these it's real easy to burn the paint off of them.


M02 will actually break down really well if you're careful to buff it long enough, (but not to a dry buff), if you're not going to switch to a DA Polisher afterwards then there probably won't be much gained by following the M02 Step with the M80 and you might as well go to wax.

Single stage white paints tend to be very hard paints due to the pigment type so removing sanding marks and even swirls can be difficult.

Hope that helps...

[Legacy22]

Re: Can I Apply LSP after using Megs M02?

Ok Mike -- one last ?:

My plane is new and was painted 8 months ago and has been inside its whole life. I clayed the finish also recently so there are not surface contaminents. The paint job is just mediocre, so there are some imperfections like pimples sticking up.

Do you think I will benefit by using a polishing compound like M02 before i put my wax on? That is, will it take out the pimples and will it prepare the surface better for the wax?

Dave t.