Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

[Top Gear]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

Well, it was the other way around: I went so aggressive because the paint was just not yielding to less. But yes, to maintain between major corrections, I don't need to be so aggressive.

This was only a test session and I was taking my time, working methodically, taking pictures, etc. So, I only did the whole of the trunk (top and back where the emblems are), and part of a fender. I wasn't trying to get much done, but just test. Looks to be sunny/clear today so I may be able to make significant progress.

For example, I did a fender test (the photos of that, in the fading light, didn't work out). I showed how the first D300/Xtra Cut pass can seem to create a bit of a DA haze, and removing the tape could make someone freak out. However, the second reloaded pass turned the tables, darkening and clearing the worked section, showing it was actually the untouched area that was hazed (probably from the W7006 pad and all the UC I went through). I then did only one D302/Cutting pass and compared with the trunk, which showed me the fender test, with half the work, left some swirls and scratches, perhaps 30%, but still looked as good otherwise.

Yup, I'll be watching carefully now to see how the swirls are actually forming

[Eldorado2k]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

You should've gotten an earlier start to prevent working in the direct sun/heat. [unless you've got a canopy set up]
Focus more on your technique and less on the pics. Just sayin. Good luck.

[Top Gear]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

This is the South, Man. We have trees with shade...and sweet tea

Yeah, I've done many corrections before, but I'm not in a big hurry on this one. Indeed, I just did all this work two weeks ago, and a month before that, and six weeks before that, so this one is kinda extra, but for the new gear and getting it right. Anyway, you were the one going on about my swirls

So, I got to a good stopping place today, rain pending. I've done the roof, pillars, and the whole rear behind the doors, as well as some dressing touches along the way, all that is compounded, polished and waxed. Some areas didn't need as many "passes", some needed more. A few deeper scratches could use further work. I still need to work the two doors and front clip, then. Probably could have finished today if I'd pushed it, but for a bit of light rain moving through. Trees don't help much with that A roomy covered public location I sometimes use wasn't an option today, or I could have camped there and probably done it all.

To give you an idea on the time, it was about 2 hours yesterday (lollygagging, trying to get good pics, etc), and around 5 hours today (more focused, more done). The compounding and polishing is going a good bit slower than my previous full corrections, because I'm following the process I posted above more thoroughly, inspecting with the light or the Sun before moving on to polish and wax, and I'm taking breaks to prevent fatigue and shortcuts.

[Top Gear]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

BTW, another 5 hours today and I'm essentially done, although I need to rework the hood a bit, maybe a few other spots. Pics to come...

[Jarhead0754]

Nice results. I'm glad everything worked out well and hopefully u will only have to compound once a year now. As a weekend warrior myself I still want all the meguiars products pads and such as I can have. I do family and friends cars, tho not to often, but I still want to have the pads and products on hand cuz every car is different. I'm dying to get the damf and new thin pads and the mt300!

[Eldorado2k]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

It's good that you took your time. I'm the same way when working on my own vehicles. You might only have to do this whole process once, so why not take the time and make sure to do it right.
Sounds like you've acheived your desired results. Congrats.

[Jarhead0754]

Agreed^^^^^^^

When ur friends know how much of an obsession this is to you, you don't want to half as# it. But again with anything I do I do it as if it where my own. Just sometimes I don't obsess over small things like I do on my own. And that's only cuz I see it everyday whereas someone else's I don't.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

Success!!!!

[/CENTER]

Then, at last, D301 on the finishing disc, using precious little product, was mind-blowingly easy to remove (now I know why you guys were confused by my wax removal question, as this stuff clears off with literally one wipe! woo-hoo!).

One wipe..... just as it was designed!!

[Top Gear]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

Thanks, guys! It's one of those projects where I keep reminding myself, I can do it fast, or I can do it right. I have no idea if this could be done faster with one person, but I'm doubting it. Some swirly-scratchy-hologramy areas are taking 6 compound section "passes" (as I described above, some at max speed). So, no matter how fast I compound, wipe and inspect a workable area, it may have to be done up to 6 times, then there's polish and wax. However, now the whole car has been worked over it looks stunning I looked it over last night with the crazy-bright LED, and boy, what a difference!

Since I'm getting actual corrective results from compounding (beyond the "powered claying", which is all the old burgundy foam pad would do on the two cars I've used it on), a year's break from thinking about swirls sounds luxurious - especially as we're getting into the long hot-n-humid season here. At the same time, it's also going to be much easier to do a quick D301 re-wax now, say once a month after a full wash, so I won't have to worry so much about QW boosting like I was before.

[Jarhead0754]

And now whenever u go somewhere and park ur car, as u walk away u will b staring at it, and as u walk to it u will b staring at it thinking look at that shine. No scratches, at least that's what I do. But also as I get close to the car I have to feel the paint and how smooth it is from a good clay job. Like glass. I tend to point that out to people who are with me and say touch it, it's like glass. The ole lady repeats me saying I know it's like glass everytime and I don't realize I point that out to her anymore.

[davey g-force]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

At the same time, it's also going to be much easier to do a quick D301 re-wax now,

Can I ask how you like the look of D301 compared to Gold Class wax?

[Top Gear]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

One wipe..... just as it was designed!!

It really is astounding, Michael. What awesome products. Previously, I probably didn't clean my rags often enough, but even when they were clean, I had issues removing both UC and GC. Now, these just wipe off. I did notice yesterday my compounding rag, a new Supreme Shine, was getting harder and harder to use, so I washed them in a machine, and it's back to one wipe. I swear I'm not using any less product, so it must be the chemistry.

And now whenever u go somewhere and park ur car, as u walk away u will b staring at it, and as u walk to it u will b staring at it thinking look at that shine. No scratches, at least that's what I do. But also as I get close to the car I have to feel the paint and how smooth it is from a good clay job. Like glass. I tend to point that out to people who are with me and say touch it, it's like glass. The ole lady repeats me saying I know it's like glass everytime and I don't realize I point that out to her anymore.

Yep, that's the way I've felt. That's what I've meant by "velvety" to the touch, as I've said on here a few times, partly due to the black paint...black velvet. I just feels so smooth when it's perfectly corrected, but then, the next day, it's got junk on it from the atmosphere or rain. I've been about ready to become a car cover guy, since adding a garage isn't an option.

Can I ask how you like the look of D301 compared to Gold Class wax?

Perfect timing, Davey. I was just thinking about that, because it didn't click at first. D301 seems to have a blue/purple cast as opposed to a yellow/gold with GC.

This will sound impressionable since I'm still high on the success of this change, but this paint has always been a bit blueish, even under the yellowing of Gold Class. You can see it a bit in the top shot in my OP, which was a minutes-fresh GC application. It's very subtle, because it's just basic black paint with mica. So, when I started noticing the purplish cast of D301, and not just the scent, I thought it was perfect. I didn't think much about it until last night and today, but I was going to post here that I like how blue/purple it looks.

Also, because the swirls and haze are gone, the finish is also less harshly glossy, it's darker, ridiculously black at night, and then there's that blue/purple subtlety. I hope I can capture it in photos for you all.

[Jarhead0754]

Yeah it sux the next day as dust gets all over it, u loose that glass smoothness. But that's when u break out the uqd, m135, or last touch and give it a once over.

[Top Gear]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

Well, the car's getting pounded with rain right now, washing the dust/film off from the night before I mentioned...but probably much of the wax, too. I'll probably need to re-wax sooner than expected. Maybe I shouldn't talk about rain so much, since so many of you are out West and under profound drought conditions and water restrictions. Anyway, yes, Jarhead, that's usually what I do, pull out the GC QD/QW, or rinse and blow dry, but I've learned to pick my battles, as new weather can come through to make it moot real quick. Sometimes, I just have to leave it dirty, for example when I go to the beach. There, I basically have to give up on detailing, as the salt wash mixed with the humidity in the air means you can't QD/QW at all without making a total mess of it. Uniform dirt is the better goal, sometimes

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

This will sound impressionable since I'm still high on the success of this change, but this paint has always been a bit blueish, even under the yellowing of Gold Class. You can see it a bit in the top shot in my OP, which was a minutes-fresh GC application. It's very subtle, because it's just basic black paint with mica. So, when I started noticing the purplish cast of D301, and not just the scent, I thought it was perfect. I didn't think much about it until last night and today, but I was going to post here that I like how blue/purple it looks.

Also, because the swirls and haze are gone, the finish is also less harshly glossy, it's darker, ridiculously black at night, and then there's that blue/purple subtlety. I hope I can capture it in photos for you all.

Impressionable? No, we think it's more of an astute observation. That you may have struggled slightly with defect removal in the past using foam and UC, and that the DAMF System did not haze this paint badly, we're inclined to call the paint on your car a bit on the hard side. And the DAMF System just loves hard paint - or rather, hard paint loves the DAMF System. We routinely see a gain in clarity of reflections after using the DAMF on harder paints. The aggressiveness of it seems to better refine the surface of the paint, and really gets metallics popping. In side by side testing against more traditional foam on some paints, there is a noticeable difference with the two approaches. On really soft paints, however, the opposite is often true as these really touch sensitive paint can be pretty badly hazed by the DAMF. So much so that a black car will look grey. Swirl free, to be sure, but more grey than black - at least until you do a secondary finishing polish follow up. But we've seen really hard paint, full of swirls, attacked with DAMF using M100 or M101 and the finish is so incredible that you could easily go straight to wax.

It all just goes to show how differently some paints can react to the same input. But it also goes to show that a bunch of guys hanging out on a detailing forum and really pushing their skill set, really observing what's happening, have a whole different perception of what it means for paint to "look good". Talk about taking it to the next level!!