questions about ultimate compound

[toe]

ok my wifes car needed the works so today I got started.Her car is black and has moderate to severe small thin scratches and swirls.I washed and dried and then clayed.All was well and car was smooth.I went with the ultimate compound in a test spot by hand and could see no difference.So I got the buffer and tried again to no avail so I tried a bit more with different pressure and speed and never saw any difference.Am I using in wrong fashion or order should I have just went swirl x.I am going to get some swirl x tommorow.I just thought since it was moderate to severe that I would try UC.If the swirl x is the product I should use, what circumstances would you use the compound?Thanks in advance

[Silverado12]

Re: questions about ultimate compound

What type of machine are you using? What is your choice of pad? What speed setting and how much pressure are you using? How large of an area are you working on? It should only be a small area of about 16" x 16". How long are you working the product against the paint? Some more information on your techniques should help you get better advice on how to achieve better results.

Also, Ultimate Compound has WAY more cutting power than SwirlX, so SwirlX won't improve your current results with your current techniques. Buying SwirlX is a good purchase though because it a great follow-up product to remove any marring left behind by Ultimate Compound and get your finish LSP ready.

[akimel]

Re: questions about ultimate compound

Toe, the orbital buffer you have isn't going to remove swirls and scratches. It's only good for applying and removing waxes.

You may need to work over a given area repeatedly in order to see results. Though the following article is devoted to the earlier formulation of ScratchX, you may find it helpful:

How to use ScratchX by hand to remove swirls, scratches and water spot etchings

Polishing by hand is hard work, especially if you are intending to polish out the entire car. But if you persevere, you should eventually see some progress, as evidenced in this article: Scratch Removed using Ultimate Compound.

Ultimately, you will probably want to consider getting a G110 dual action polisher and the appropriate pads. The d/a will make the job infinitely easier.

[Carfire]

Re: questions about ultimate compound

[toe]

Re: questions about ultimate compound

I actually tried more by hand than with orbital.I used moderat to heavy pressure in an area about 16 by 16(quarter of the hood).I tried about 5 times by hand with different pressure and motion.ok I'm stupid I shouldnt have even tried with orbital?O boy so much to learn

[tonyroc14]

Re: questions about ultimate compound

I actually tried more by hand than with orbital.I used moderat to heavy pressure in an area about 16 by 16(quarter of the hood).I tried about 5 times by hand with different pressure and motion.ok I'm stupid I shouldnt have even tried with orbital?O boy so much to learn

no, orbital will work, just not the one you have. Get a DA (Dual Action) polisher from meguiars, its the G110. It's a nice piece of equipment, and it will make life a hell of a lot easier.

[akimel]

Re: questions about ultimate compound

I actually tried more by hand than with orbital.I used moderat to heavy pressure in an area about 16 by 16(quarter of the hood).I tried about 5 times by hand with different pressure and motion.ok I'm stupid I shouldnt have even tried with orbital?O boy so much to learn

It is also possible that your paint is so hard that it will not respond very well if at all to hand polishing. If you worked your test spot five times and didn't see any improvement whatsoever, then that may be the case. You would then want to seriously consider investing in the G110 dual action polisher. It's a big initial investment (once you add in pads and other stuff), but it's also great fun! Check out the kits available at Auto Detailing Solutions.

But before you despair of hand polishing, let's wait to see what Mike P. and our other pros suggest for you. Perhaps they will be able to tweak your technique and get the UC working good for you.

Al

[Silverado12]

Re: questions about ultimate compound

I actually tried more by hand than with orbital.I used moderat to heavy pressure in an area about 16 by 16(quarter of the hood).I tried about 5 times by hand with different pressure and motion.ok I'm stupid I shouldnt have even tried with orbital?O boy so much to learn

A standard orbital polisher is just fine for applying waxes, but they don't have nearly enough power to remove scratches and swirls. So at this point, you're stuck with your hands. As you've already proven to yourself, defect removal by hand is very tough, very long work, but it can be done with proper technique. Browse the forums and you'll find some good threads on working by hand.

Your best bet is to invest in a good dual action polisher like the Meguiars G110. It'll set you back $150 plus the price of pads, but it's the best purchase you'll ever make.

[toe]

Re: questions about ultimate compound

thanks guys I only tried the orbital once or twice and was like this suucks.A friend gave it to me.So this thing is basically useless i guess I dont think I would even use it to put wax on I've always applied wax by hand.You guys are so helpful thanks

[akimel]

Re: questions about ultimate compound

thanks guys I only tried the orbital once or twice and was like this suucks.A friend gave it to me.So this thing is basically useless i guess I dont think I would even use it to put wax on I've always applied wax by hand.You guys are so helpful thanks

My Mom gave me one of those orbital buffers a year ago when she heard I was getting into detailing. I haven't had the heart to tell her that it's a useless piece of junk. I'm certainly not going to use it even to apply and remove waxes. So it just sits in my basement. Anyone want one? Pay the shipping and it's yours!