New here, Need some product advise

[Brian Thompson]

Greetings Everyone... Have been reading for hours... Great advise, but very confusing...

I have just finished painting my motorcycle with a 2 stage Urethane (candy apple brown over nevada silver w/ clear coat)... (first paint job in 30 years, and first time painting a urethane)...

I have not concluded which products to use to finish detailing this out... Looking for that deep glossy glassy look...

I have wet sanded with 1200 to 1500 to 2000, and then because it was in the middle of the night Saturday with no businesses open to buy polishing compounds or products... I went ahead and wet sanded with 3600 and then 12,000 grit... (ok, I went a bit overboard, but I have done some custom graphics on this and haven't used a buffer in quite a while, didn't want to take chances on burning through with a lot of heavy cutting)

I have a nice smooth but lightly foggy finish...

So far everything has been by hand... no da's or buffers...

I have been reading good things about the M205... but should I use something else beforehand... or just go with the swirl remover...to rid the foggyness...

I also understand that I should not wax before at least 30 days so as the paint can cure completely... I imagine this would also go for any polymer sealants?

Any advise is much appreciated...

[Murr1525]

Re: New here, Need some product advise

I have been reading good things about the M205... but should I use something else beforehand... or just go with the swirl remover...to rid the foggyness...

The fogginess is mild swirls/scratches still in the paint. So yes, a swirl remover would be what you want. Which one will be strong enough, and your application method will affect the choice.

If you still want to work by hand, you will likely need to try Ultimate Compound or #105, but if it is still very fresh, and only mildly scratched now, maybe SwirlX could help.

I also understand that I should not wax before at least 30 days so as the paint can cure completely... I imagine this would also go for any polymer sealants?

Yes.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: New here, Need some product advise

Welcome to mol. Follow Murr's advice and your bike will be all set.

[Brian Thompson]

Re: New here, Need some product advise

Ok, thanks guys...

Sprayed everything with the clear coat last Tuesday... so its fairly fresh, but hardened...

Now, forgive my ignorance... After my swirls are gone... Show Car Glaze?

Can I or should I go over that with a Polimer Sealer or Synthetic Sealant in a month or so? And NXT or Deep Crystal system after?

Sorry, but trying to figure out how to put the horse before the cart...

Want that deep glossy shine... but I am technically lazy... so I want it to last forever without having to do it again... The kind that washes itself would be good...

Recommendations helpful...

thanks

[Michael Stoops]

Re: New here, Need some product advise

If you're going to be working strictly by hand then M205 may not be quite potent enough to truly give the finish you're after. Then again, you did sand all the way down to 12k grit so it's hard to say for sure - hardness of paint will play a huge role here as well.

You might want to go with something a bit more aggressive at first, like M83, and then follow with M205 for that added clarity and depth. Now, if you already have M205 in your possession, give that go first, by all means. You certainly can follow with M07 if you like, especially if you're going after the best possible shine. Keep in mind that M07 won't last long as a top coat, but you do want to wait at least 30 days, if not longer, for the paint to fully cure before putting a sealant or wax over it. But you can apply M07 every couple of days if you want to.

[Brian Thompson]

Re: New here, Need some product advise

Update... wasn't able to find either M105 or M205... I picked up the Mirror Glaze Swirl remover 2.0 (9)... and some Mirror Show Car Glaze (7)...

I have gone over about everything twice with the swirl remover... looks very impressive so far, but still some slight signs of old marks... So I think I will pick up some M83, do a light working of that... then back over with the swirl remover if needed... then the show car glaze (7)

Anybody have advise on the Polimer Sealant or the Synthetic Sealer... Which is better, more durable, etc.?

thanks again...

[Brian Thompson]

Re: New here, Need some product advise

PS... Anybody know where I can pick up some more elbow grease? These old arms aren't used to these laborous tasks these days...

[Michael Stoops]

Re: New here, Need some product advise

Update... wasn't able to find either M105 or M205... I picked up the Mirror Glaze Swirl remover 2.0 (9)... and some Mirror Show Car Glaze (7)...

I have gone over about everything twice with the swirl remover... looks very impressive so far, but still some slight signs of old marks... So I think I will pick up some M83, do a light working of that... then back over with the swirl remover if needed... then the show car glaze (7)

Sounds good Brian...any pictures of the project?

Anybody have advise on the Polimer Sealant or the Synthetic Sealer... Which is better, more durable, etc.?

thanks again...

M21 Synthetic Sealant is going to last longer than M20 Polymer Sealant, but M20 has some light cleaning ability to it. If you're planning on using a pure polish, stick with the M21.

PS... Anybody know where I can pick up some more elbow grease? These old arms aren't used to these laborous tasks these days...

Yeah, that stuff seems to be on back order everywhere we've checked.

[Brian Thompson]

Re: New here, Need some product advise

No pictures yet... like a dummy I didn't even take any before photo's... But I will be putting all the pieces back together in the next week or so and will definately add them to the posts (pretty proud of myself for not doing anything like this in 30 years... first candy color, first Urethane, first motorcycle)... Spent the last 3 months detailing and painting the motor... Sorry guys, its not a Harley... 1983 Yamaha Maxim XS400... Now your probably saying who in his right mind would spend all this time on an old 400cc Yamaha...

But, I never claimed to be in my right mind... And the bike only has 2800 original miles on it... So I thought it deserved a nice paint job...

Wanted to do a practice bike before I start painting on one that I consider a keeper... That may be awhile as expenses are kindof tight...

BTW... I picked up the M83... I should've gotten this first... It would have saved me a lot of rubbing with the swirl finisher... That would have probably been fine, but apparently I didn't get as thorough as I thought with the 12000 grit... (Only had a small piece, so I probably wore it out)...


My next prodject to work on is actually a 1953 Studebaker Champion... My buddy that let me use his garage to paint my bike decided he likes the outcome of my paint job so much, that he wants me to paint his car next... (should've screwed up a few pieces, would've gotten me out of this task... lol) Might be awhile though as we just brought the car back from Pennsylvania this last weekend... Going to be installing a 350 chevy with a 4 speed... So body work and all will be down the road a couple months... (Gives my arms time to recoup)...

Told him that "he" "will be" buying a DA sander for that job...

Thanks guys, you have really helped me out alot...

[Brian Thompson]

Re: New here, Need some product advise

Well guys, I appreciate all the advise... so far the bike is looking pretty good, but have not had enough sun here to put it to the real test to see how well it turned out...



Ok, not sure how to ad photo's on here... but I have them on my photobucket account...

As the sun really hasn't been out the last few days, they really don't capture the candy color, or the sparkle in the silver...

Thanks again Everybody...

[Michael Stoops]

Re: New here, Need some product advise

This is your first crack at this sort of thing??????






That is fantastic!!


Somehow the fact that you did this on the bike you did just makes it all the more cool. Can't wait to see what you do on the Studebaker!! (don't forget the "before" pix on that one though, OK?)

All in all, just a fantastic job, Brian, first time or not!

[Brian Thompson]

Re: New here, Need some product advise

Thanks Michael... I really really appreciate the compliments... Especially considering the source (Mequiars associate)...

I painted a couple cars 30 years ago... Enamel, and light colors... but nothing since... and nothing with any real kindof graffix... shadowbox murals on hoods and trunks... a little pinstriping... nothing this detailed though...

Funny thing is, we had finally gotten a sunny day on Saturday... I have been working on this bike about 15 miles from home, so no-one here has seen it...

I hopped on my bike all proud too show it off... When I got home, absolutely everyone in the neighborhood was gone... Did not get to show it off to one person that I know... Have been working night and day since...

Not too worry, we have already gotten a lot of before and during shots of the Studebaker prodject... I will send you a link to those photo's in your email as I don't know how to do it here... (even a video of the engine that I will be putting online for sale)...

Pulled the engine 2 nights ago, (photo's of that so far) fenders and interior, gas tank and working on the wiring harness will be adding photo's of that tomorrow evening)... We have decided to due a frame off restoration on this prodject...

[Murr1525]

Re: New here, Need some product advise

Looks great, nice pattern.

[Brian Thompson]

Re: New here, Need some product advise

Thanks for the feedback...

I have a couple of people that have seen it now, and they were asking what the emblem on the side of the helmet and the side of the tank stood for...

I asked them if they took Indian studies back in high school... they all reply... well no...

So, I tell them the one on the side of the helmet is an old Cherokee Indian symbol that stands for...

NORDITAQUA... and I have them repeat this...

Which means SMART BEAR...

Now the emblem on the side of the tank I tell them stands for...

NORDITAQUA - SHELELAMO... and they repeat it...

Which means... A smart bear passes gas downwind... (of course I use the f word instead)

I get a good laugh out of it with the look on their face when they realize I made all this up... The designs are what they are because I can't draw a good circle!

Thanks guys, you started my day off with a smile...

Brian

[Michael Stoops]

Re: New here, Need some product advise

The designs are what they are because I can't draw a good circle!

Thanks guys, you started my day off with a smile...

And you just did the same for us!!!