Even Wax coating

[MotorcycleDetailing]

I used the DC carnauba wax on a HSV (Holden Special Vechile) made buy Holden here in Australia which looked good in the shade and did the following steps....
As the car was already washed I did Paint Cleaner, Clay, 2 coats of #80 (which didn't remove enough swirls) and since I haven't got any #83 yet I used the Mirror Glaze #2 Fine Cut and did 2 coats of it and followed but 1 coat of #80 which brought the paint up quite nicely except for some slightly deeper swirls, DC Polish, DC Wetlook, DC Carnauba Wax. Up to the Wetlook Stage everything looked good and since I started at 5:30am and buy the time I got to the wax stage it was starting to get dark at 18:30 and buy the time the wax set I was working under fluro lights.

Now my problem is that the Carnauba Wax took ages to set and when it did and was removed I noticed lines running in the direction that I applied the wax to in the first place and I couldn't remove them, so I applied a second coating appling it in another direction and trying to get it as even as possable to only get a light croshatch design on the paintwork. I used an applicator pad (by hand) to apply both coats and I haven't been able to get the even coat applicator here in Australia yet.

Would it be better to apply the wax (as it is in liquid form) buy Random Orbital on a slow speed to get a better even coat? Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated as this is the second time it has happend both at the end of the day when the weather is cooling down.

For motorcycles I use only wetlook as my final step but apply the Carnauba wax by the owners request and I hate leaving a job looking lest then perfect even though the owners are very happy with it and now wants me to do underbody, interior and engine bay as well.

Thanks for any hints, tips, suggestions.

Trev

[noswirler]

Re: Even Wax coating

two things; #1 you may be using too much wax
#2 maywant to waitabout an hour before wiping off. if the air is real humid it takes longer for wax to set up

[MotorcycleDetailing]

Re: Even Wax coating

I never thought of too much wax, I was worried that I didn't use enough. I have told them I would call back as soon as it suited them and I would redo the wax, so I might try some test panels to see how much wax to use.

I can't remember how long it took but I did the swipe test and it came away clean, so I removed it with the microfibre cloth.

Thanks for the reply

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Even Wax coating

I never thought of too much wax, I was worried that I didn't use enough.

Thin, thin, thin coats is the way to go, always. If you think you're putting the wax on too thin, you aren't. If you think you're putting in on waaaay too thin, it's probably perfect!

[noswirler]

Re: Even Wax coating

Thin, thin, thin coats is the way to go, always. If you think you're putting the wax on too thin, you aren't. If you think you're putting in on waaaay too thin, it's probably perfect!

totally, DITO!

[MotorcycleDetailing]

Re: Even Wax coating

To those that use the even coat applicators....Are they the way to go? Or is it better if you have a machine on a low speed to get a more even coverage?

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Even Wax coating

To those that use the even coat applicators....Are they the way to go? Or is it better if you have a machine on a low speed to get a more even coverage?

Use your G-100 (PC, DA, yadda yadda) with a 9006 finishing pad on speed 3. You'll get nice, thin, even coats that way. Remove the wax with a MF bonnet over a 7006 cutting pad for quick work at the end of the process. Follow with a MF towel for those harder to reach areas (seems the fofter 9006 pad will put down wax in areas the stiffer 7006 pad can't quite reach)