ScratchX -Passion? When?

[Jossy92]

I have been playing with ScratchX. I like it, but, doing it backwards?

When I first apply it (very small area), it is so slippery I just work it around with light pressure until I feel a small change in drag. Then I turn on the "passion". The more "drag" the more passion. When it is opaque, I wipe and reapply.

(I am not locking out my shoulders and elbows, but, am applying a lot of body weight to the 4 fingers on the pad by the time it's time to wipe.)

Should I be applying the passion in the beginning (abrasives are bigger?), when it is really slippery, when it is easier? Then lighten up as drag increases?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[I just bought a digital camera. Eventually there will be pix, but, for now, I am playing with small areas to learn the products.]

[Mike Phillips]

Re: ScratchX -Passion? When?

Here are the basics

1. Apply product
2. Spread product over the surface you're going to work
3. Work product using the appropriate pressure and hand speed
4. Wipe off residual product after about 50 second to 1 minute

After you spread the product out you begin working it with the pressure and hand speed you're going to use for whatever it is you're trying to remove.

Light cleaning = light pressure and you can tackle a larger area

Deep swirls and scratches = medium pressure and you shrink the size of your work area down


Of course your skill level is a huge factor in how effective and how fast you can remove the defects as does paint hardness or softness, as does the depth of the defects.

It's hard to show this with a keyboard... but we show it live at every Saturday class and most people watching usually say this,

"Hmmm... that's not how I've been using it in the past"

and in most cases the people that say something like the above are people that have had difficulty removing defects by hand.

Point is most people don't use the right technique for removing defects by hand hand with ScratchX but once they see it demonstrated they get it.

[Jossy92]

Re: ScratchX -Passion? When?

Thanks for the quick feedback.

After I posted, I couldn't wait and tried the opposite way I had done it. That is I switched to: Apply--->passion--->wipe.

It seemed to go too easily. Too good to be true. But, since it was ready to wipe in about the time you suggested, I think I am on the right track. I got better, noticeable results.

I suspect others were starting to "work" it when the product was telling them to wipe as well.

This is a great teaching product. I am getting a lot of satisfaction with hands-on quality time with MEGS. This one in particular especially as the fear factor from wrong technique is gone.

[pwaug]

Re: ScratchX -Passion? When?

Here are the basics

1. Apply product
2. Spread product over the surface you're going to work
3. Work product using the appropriate pressure and hand speed
4. Wipe off residual product after about 50 second to 1 minute

After you spread the product out you begin working it with the pressure and hand speed you're going to use for whatever it is you're trying to remove.

Light cleaning = light pressure and you can tackle a larger area

Deep swirls and scratches = medium pressure and you shrink the size of your work area down


Of course your skill level is a huge factor in how effective and how fast you can remove the defects as does paint hardness or softness, as does the depth of the defects.

It's hard to show this with a keyboard... but we show it live at every Saturday class and most people watching usually say this,

"Hmmm... that's not how I've been using it in the past"

and in most cases the people that say something like the above are people that have had difficulty removing defects by hand.

Point is most people don't use the right technique for removing defects by hand hand with ScratchX but once they see it demonstrated they get it.

Mike--would these same techniques be used to apply M80 by hand? Is there any reason to not use M80 by hand--it is less expensive than ScratchX and I'm under the impression it is about the same aggressiveness?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: ScratchX -Passion? When?

Mike--would these same techniques be used to apply M80 by hand? Is there any reason to not use M80 by hand--it is less expensive than ScratchX and I'm under the impression it is about the same aggressiveness?

A lot of people think all products use the same type of diminishing abrasives and this isn't true, so you can't just go by the scale on the front of the bottle. Because different products use completely different types of abrasives you also can't compare them apples to apples, oranges to oranges.

ScratchX is a hand applied scratch remover that was modified for machine use due to the popularity of DA Polishers and that fact that ScratchX has great distribution around the world. That doesn't make it the perfect defect remove by machine, it's just now it can be used by machine without the wipe off problems before reformulating it.


M80 is a cleaner/polish in the professional line, if you look at the picture on the bottle, the picture is an indicator of how best results are achieved with the product.

If you're trying to remove scratches and/or swirls by hand, the ScratchX or M105 work the best by hand.

Can you use M80 by hand and,

• Remove the defects?
• Leave behind a nice looking finish?

Then the answer is maybe. Depends upon how the paint likes to be abraded, depends upon your skill level, depends upon how deep the defects are and how hard or soft the paint is.

It's true that M80 can be used by hand but that includes something like gently wiping the finish down. As a product for removing defects by hand, you don't know until you go out into your garage and give it a try.

I don't personally ever try to use it by hand to remove swirls and scratches out of a clear coat finish as it's faster and more efficient to use M80 by machine.

If I have swirls and scratches that must be removed by hand then I use either ScratchX or M105

Specific products for "best uses" for specific tasks.

What are you working on?
What are you trying to do?

[pwaug]

Re: ScratchX -Passion? When?

A lot of people think all products use the same type of diminishing abrasives and this isn't true, so you can't just go by the scale on the front of the bottle. Because different products use completely different types of abrasives you also can't compare them apples to apples, oranges to oranges.

ScratchX is a hand applied scratch remover that was modified for machine use due to the popularity of DA Polishers and that fact that ScratchX has great distribution around the world. That doesn't make it the perfect defect remove by machine, it's just now it can be used by machine without the wipe off problems before reformulating it.


M80 is a cleaner/polish in the professional line, if you look at the picture on the bottle, the picture is an indicator of how best results are achieved with the product.

If you're trying to remove scratches and/or swirls by hand, the ScratchX or M105 work the best by hand.


Can you use M80 by hand and,

• Remove the defects?
• Leave behind a nice looking finish?

Then the answer is maybe. Depends upon how the paint likes to be abraded, depends upon your skill level, depends upon how deep the defects are and how hard or soft the paint is.

It's true that M80 can be used by hand but that includes something like gently wiping the finish down. As a product for removing defects by hand, you don't know until you go out into your garage and give it a try.

I don't personally ever try to use it by hand to remove swirls and scratches out of a clear coat finish as it's faster and more efficient to use M80 by machine.

If I have swirls and scratches that must be removed by hand then I use either ScratchX or M105

Specific products for "best uses" for specific tasks.

What are you working on?
What are you trying to do?

Mike-Unfortunately I have neglected my wife's 97 Ford Escort. It has never been polished or waxed, but is not in too bad a shape as it has always been garaged and has gone through commercial washes over the years. The paint is a medium green metallic with some light to medium swirls and some deeper scratches caused by a dog putting it's paws on the doors. Now that I have the time I wanted to get the car in a little better shape by using as many of the existing products I have so I can use them up to move over to all Megs products. I've done some testing and some 3M Light Rubbing Compound I have works well on the dog scratches but I need to buy something to get out the swirls and remove the oxidation, by hand. The M80 looked like a better deal financially as it is available in larger bottles. After polishing I want to top it with existing synthetic products I have. I realize I won't be able to get a perfect finish by hand, but this is just a daily driver that I want to get into better shape. What would you reccomend rather than M80? Thanks!!

[Mike Phillips]

Re: ScratchX -Passion? When?

Mike-Unfortunately I have neglected my wife's 97 Ford Escort. It has never been polished or waxed, but is not in too bad a shape as it has always been garaged and has gone through commercial washes over the years.

The paint is a medium green metallic with some light to medium swirls and some deeper scratches caused by a dog putting it's paws on the doors.

I've done some testing and some 3M Light Rubbing Compound I have works well on the dog scratches but I need to buy something to get out the swirls and remove the oxidation, by hand.

In your case, the best thing to do would be to copy and paste everything you wrote above and start your own thread? (Instead of tagging on to a question about the correct technique for using ScratchX)

Click to this forum,

Detailing 101

And then type this in for a title

Need help restoring original paint on 1997 Ford Escort

Then copy and paste everything you wrote in your post in this thread into the message box for your text and then hit the submit button.

This is called "Starting a new thread" and is the correct way to get answers to questions like your versus taking another thread off on another direction.

Make sense?

At the bottom of the forum homepage, that's this page

www.meguiarsonline.com

You'll find a series of pictures that show people new to forums how to do some of the basic thing like starting a new thread, like this,

If you want to start a new thread, then click to the appropriate forum by clicking here and selecting the forum that best describes what your topic will be about and then look for the button on the left hand side of the page that says, New Thread and click on it. You'll see a place to type in your Subject and below that a message box that you can type your message into. After you're finished with your message, click on the Submit New Thread button and your message will be posted to the forum.

Then myself and others can answer your question in your own, dedicated thread to your topic.

[WrightDetail]

Re: ScratchX -Passion? When?

I used some Scratch X other day on a inch long scratch on hood of my truck....attended the class and saw it in action....and was waiting till I had a scratch ( not wishing for one, but you know ) and I was like " Wow its like magic, it was gone "

Its one thing to see applied and another to experience for self.

[Jossy92]

Re: ScratchX -Passion? When?

I used some Scratch X other day
Its one thing to see applied and another to experience for self.

My first scratch was on the white bumper of a friend's Honda: scraped when her garage door raked across it. Scratches are history. Great product, but would have been easier seeing it done correctly.

She had another, about a foot long and "deep." After many applications, it is almost gone. Might have to use my (new, unopened) PC, but, not ready to give up. You only get to be a beginner once.

Plan to eventually attend a class. Embarrased. First, need to clean things up. (I got motivated on the exterior after I was stopped at a freeway off ramp and a guy with a "will work for food" sign gave me $5 for a car wash.)

Now, faced with the interior. Think there is something alive....