Swirl Marks Detection

[CrazeyDetail]

I have a metallic silver Ram 1500 and I have tested the paint with my fingernails. There is plenty of bumps but what is the best way to detect these visually? Being a lighter colored vehicle, I dont think the normal LED lights would show the swirl marks. Am I wrong?

[falcaineer]

What sort of bumps? Do you mean scratches, or bonded contaminants? The former can be seen, even on light colors, with a Swirl Finder light (https://adamspolishes.com/products/adam-s-swirl-finder-flashlight) and reduced/eliminated with Compound and Polish. Use the light at different angles, and varying distances from the surface. The latter can be detected with the baggie test (place your hand inside of a plastic Ziplock bag and lightly rub your hand over the surface; if it's bumpy, it needs clayed!), then eliminated with clay and Polish/Compound.

[Rich]

Just to clarify, it doesn't have to be a Ziploc bag.  Any kind of plastic baggie will do.  And Chris is right, that's the best way to tell if your ride needs clayed.  It will feel gritty under your fingertips (don't rub your whole hand on it, just the fingers).  Getting your paint prepared properly before all polishes and waxes or coatings is the best way to make sure you get the results you want.  

[GXPaycheck]

Best light for swirl detection is sunlight. If you use a hand held hold it at an angle to the panel in a dark garage. 

[CrazeyDetail]

Thank you for the feedback. The bumps I was referring to were when I rubbed my fingernails against the paint. I felt alot of them so I definitely need to clay my truck. However I'm still not seeing any swirls on my paint. I highly doubt before I bought my truck they polished it to perfection. I'm using a bright enough led light that I can see some swirls on my wife's red jeep cherokee. Do yall suggest a certain led light other than the Adam's? 

[Yo-Yo Ma's Cousin]

1 hour ago, CrazeyDetail said:

Thank you for the feedback. The bumps I was referring to were when I rubbed my fingernails against the paint. I felt alot of them so I definitely need to clay my truck. However I'm still not seeing any swirls on my paint. I highly doubt before I bought my truck they polished it to perfection. I'm using a bright enough led light that I can see some swirls on my wife's red jeep cherokee. Do yall suggest a certain led light other than the Adam's? 

Using the Sun can work very very well to see things you wouldn't see with certain LED's.

[Beemer]

If I can't see it - it's not there.  If my wife sees it she keeps her mouth shut.

 

[Rich]

5 hours ago, Beemer said:

If I can't see it - it's not there.  If my wife sees it she keeps her mouth shut.

 

If MY wife sees it, I hear about it right away.  Was working on the black Nox the other day and she made me go over the same spot at least a half dozen times till she was satisfied.  I think I've taught her a bit too much!!  

[mc2hill]

@CrazeyDetail Your truck may be swirl free, even from the dealership.  Our Accord was delivered from the port, and so the dealer never touched it.  They called me to ask about removing the bugs from the 2 hour trip from the port, but I was happy to take delivery of a dirty, but swirl free car.  

[shane@detailedreflections]

New vehicles are prone to bonded contamination just like every other vehicle. Also being that it’s paint and sprayed by machine, it doesn’t mean everything is “level.” We tend to take a finishing polish to new vehicles to level out clear coat imperfections. It changes the look. What looks smooth sometimes isn’t until you’ve seen the difference. 
 

Here’s a coupe of graphics showing the different surface imperfections and what they are in your paint.