Help??!!?? After Compound squeaky vs non squeaky

[edemirci]

So I'm working on my 2012 moonlight white Infiniti (I don't have reason to believe it has the scratch shield). I'm using MT300 with Ultimate Compound, Meguiars Yellow softbuff 2.0 pad.

Defects: Horizontal surfaces have some fairly moderate water spots with very very very minimal swirl marks, and some marring here and there (some light scratches that don't terribly fail the fingernail test, and some that do not fail the test) and some light haze.

I did a test spot (on the hood upper right). I did first round with 5 passes, I'd say moderate pressure (enough pressure to keep the pad rotating 1x - 2x per second), slow arm speed, 2x2 section, taped off, at 4800.

First pass got rid of the swirls, most of the marring, and i'd say reduced the water spots 50%? I noticed I exceeded the work time because the product was starting to dry and threw very tiny balls of product. I primed the pad with product with a credit card, and I only used about five pencil eraser sized drops on the pad (probably too little). I misted very lightly some water to lubricate the dried spots so I could wipe effectively. cleaned the pad in the pad washer, got the pad 95+% dry.

Then I did a second pass, I put a light X on the pad with product, turned it on lowest setting to move the product around, then back to 4800. This time I adjusted my arm speed to be faster, but still kept the same pressure, did four passes. It really didn't do much better. Some of the scratches were now lighter. I decided I could live with the results (not that I wanted to, but felt like I had to because I don't want to cut through the clearcoat... I don't have a paint meter so I don't know much I'm removing. The car was in reasonably good condition meaning, some very slight haze, and no reason to believe the clear is very thin.)

I did the rest of the hood and also did a second pass along the bottom of the hood along where the hood meets the bumper as this section seemed to have the most defects on the hood.

Here's what I'm worried about. I'm worried that I cut too much because the test section (remember 2x) and the bottom of the hood 2x, these sections have squeak when i rub my finger across them, but the rest of the hood DOES NOT. Why???? Did I remove too much Clearcoat???? What did I do??

I clayed the surface prior using quick detailer, but I did NOT rewash, and did NOT use IPA wipedown prior to ultimate compound. Someone please help me, calm me down, please tell me I'm over-reacting and it means something good... Why would the spots I did 2x on sqeak with my finger and the others do not???

Here are my additional questions:

1. When using Ultimate Compound, Do I put an X on the pad (trying to figure out how much I need)? The Microfiber D301 system uses only pea sized drops...

2. When using the pad washer with wolfgang pad werks cleaner sprayed on the pad, then drying it, am I supposed to re-prime the pad? If so with what? How?
3. I thought UC had a long work time... what is a long work time considered? I noticed flashing after using reasonly medium arm speed, 2x2 section (or 3/4 of that) after 4-5 passes with medium pressure (as much as I could to keep the pad rotating I'd say 1x - 2x per second). I would've thought long work time meant I could do double that....

hhhhhhhhhhhhelp.....

[drumdan]

Re: Help??!!?? After Compound squeaky vs non squeaky

1. Sounds like you're using way too much compound. Mike Pennington demos the "x" in the latest video. After that, you would probably reload with three drops around the outside edge of the pad.

Personally, I prefer to start with four or five small drops of product around the circumfrence of the pad, and reload with three. The reason being that an "x" concentrates product where the two lines intersect - the center of the pad. This is also where excess product naturally builds up, and wher most heat will appear - if it should appear..

2. Your pad is already going to be damp after cleaning and drying with the pad washer, I'd just reload with the three small drops of product.

3. Work time is relative to a number of variables. I use light to firm pressure, and typically do four passes to cut. The work time is longer when compared to M105.

How did you prep the paint? Did you use the clay bar? Sometimes you will get "pilling" (balls of product/residue) from picking up old waxes/sealants off the paint, and from using too much product.

[The Guz]

Re: Help??!!?? After Compound squeaky vs non squeaky

First off take a deep breath and relax. You did not remove too much paint. Check this thread out and see how much paint was removed. It should give you an indication of how aggressive ultimate compound is. Once you have the paint initially compounded all you really need is to polish as long as you maintain the paint properly.

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?63263-Pictures-from-Thursday-Night-Open-Garage-June-18-2015#sKmMxqW55Rwe2jyi.97

I also agree that you are using too much product and not cleaning your pads often.

Here are my additional questions:

1. When using Ultimate Compound, Do I put an X on the pad (trying to figure out how much I need)? The Microfiber D301 system uses only pea sized drops...

Placing an X pattern is one way of doing it. You would place and X pattern on the pad, put it on the paint and spread it out on a 2x2 area at a slow speed. That should prime the pad. From there you would need roughly 3-4 pea sized drops.

This is a good video. Of course the speed is different depending on the machine that is used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp2R7OgTu54

The way you are priming the pad is the way Kevin Brown does it. The way he does it is by covering the pad with product working it onto the entire face of the pad. What he doesn't show in the video but he has said on the AMMO NYC podcast is that he cleans the pad on the fly and applies a couple of pea sized drops of product for the initial pass.

Kevin Brown gets into it around the 10 min mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUdnj4CVFmQ

2. When using the pad washer with wolfgang pad werks cleaner sprayed on the pad, then drying it, am I supposed to re-prime the pad? If so with what? How?

I don't use a pad washer but instead clean the pads out after every panel using a pad brush or compressed air. I will also clean the pad on the fly. If you use the pad washer the pad will be damp so no need to re-prime the pad as stated by drumdan.

Good reference articles on how to clean the pad on the fly

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?21413-Cleaning-Your-Pad-On-The-Fly#BL18wfKgR1HCt5lg.97

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/20135-how-clean-your-foam-pad-fly.html

3. I thought UC had a long work time... what is a long work time considered? I noticed flashing after using reasonly medium arm speed, 2x2 section (or 3/4 of that) after 4-5 passes with medium pressure (as much as I could to keep the pad rotating I'd say 1x - 2x per second). I would've thought long work time meant I could do double that....

Drumdan said it just right. The work time varies by the surrounding environment such as temperature and humidity.

4-5 passes is more than enough passes to work ultimate compound before the product begins to dry out and in need of reapplication. Some paints are more finicky than others. Some are sticky which will also dry out the product quicker. The benefit of SMAT abrasives is that they do their job quickly. Maybe you only need 3 passes on one panel where you may need 4-5 passes on another as each panel is different.

[edemirci]

Re: Help??!!?? After Compound squeaky vs non squeaky

I swear, I love this forum, full of good info!!! Thanks Drumdan and Guz.

So here's what I figured out. Perhaps 4-5 passes moderate pressure, then 2-3 light pressure is a bit much. I also realized after you said that the pad stays damp after using the pad washer that there's no need to prime.

I believe the hood has the most rain pits because it's the hottest horizontal surface, water dries quickly and the heat i'm sure helps create the water marks.

I woke up today (love being on vacation), and started on the roof to see what would happen. Sure enough, the changes to my technique worked like a charm with the info you guys provided me. Here's what I do now:

Prior to starting a section, I use a super fine, small mister and mist three super fine sprays of water about 6 inches above the pad to keep it moist. I then use the 5-6 (moderately sized) pea method, dab it all over the paint, then turn on to 3000 move quickly while rotating to spread, then turn it up to 4800. I now do 3 passes moderate pressure, 2 passes light pressure. This seems to prevent the product from drying out, and when i do the next section, I spray the mist again on the pad. After the second section, I use the pad washer. I go back over the same section again, using the same technique, and it appears to make it clearer (I can't tell if it's just haze, or, just removing more micro marring causing it to look hazed (same thing???)). Anyway, It looks like I'm going to do the hood again a couple more times to get i right, but the roof and the trunk came out perfect, and I mean perfect after two passes. I did NOT go to the burgundy pad, i stayed with the yellow pad. Yes, it takes a little more, but this is my therapy. I understand that foam will have difficulty cutting quickly (compared to say wool) and I am OK with having to go over it as many times as it takes to get it the way i want to. Now that I believe I'm not removing much clear at all, it has instilled confidence in me.

Also, in general, horizontal surfaces have the most Natural defects (rain, weathering) than vertical as the water just sits on it. The vertical surfaces may only need one pass, but even still, I don't mind doing two. I wish I had a camera with the detail to show the difference. It's amazing what this stuff does for the average joe.

Thank you guys so much for responding quickly. Always appreciated. Keep on truckin'!!!!