slalom38

I’d  love strip wash in a gallon!!  10 hands up!

Can you catch a fingernail on them?

Nope

I'm working on a metallic black Porsche. I've got some minor scratches on the hood that refuse to be polished out. The he most aggressive I've gotten is orange correcting polish with an orange foam pad with the SK set to 5.

So do I go Microfiber pad with correcting polish or do I go to the next more aggressive polish and foam pad?

I'm a novice at machine polishing so I'm a bit "clear coat" timid. Any direction will be much appreciated.

I'm working on a metallic black relatively new car.  It has some surface scratches that aren't deep enough to catch my nail on, but I can't polish them out using the orange pad with a SK and adams correcting polish.  I'm reluctant to go more aggressive on the polish, but would a microfiber pad on the SK give me just a bit more cut?

I've got a ski boat with black hull trim around the top of the boat hull.  It has 10 years of water staining.  I intend to use the SK with correcting polish and an orange pad.  Then I'll finish it off with white pad/finishing polish.  Is this ok for gel coat?

I arrived home after a 2 hour drive, and found what looked like a chemical drip stain on the driver side front fender panel.  I tried a quick hit with detail spray...nothing.  Then spent a sleepless 4 nights until I got back to my garage to fix the problem.

Then went down the "Progressive Aggression Protocol"...

1.  Revive by Hand...Nada

2.  Revive with Swirl Killer...Orange Pad...Nada

3.  Strip washed the area.

4.  Clayed the area

5.  Swirl Killer/Orange Pad/Correcting Polish... Had to go over it 3 times to get all of it gone.  BUT...It's Gone!

6.  SK/White Pad/Finishing Polish

7. SK/Grey Pad/Reapplied Paint Sealer where I hit the fender

8.  SK/Red Pad/Glaze

Outcome...Perfect=Happy Guy

So, the question..What would you have done different?  I really thought I saw a repainted fender in my future.  I'd love to know what anyone thinks was the source of that damage.  The only thing I remember possibly being the source is me running through an "under bridge" puddle when it was dry everywhere else...but I'm guessing.

How do I handle polishing around the badge area?

I'm not a fan of double or triple soft for rinseless washing. Wonderful towels, but they hold/waste too much solution and are a bit bulky to get into tight areas. In my mind waterless waffle weave towels or single softs are the towel of choice. Garry Dean method works really well with rinseless... there are many clean sides to a handful of folded waterless waffle weave towels.

Hey boys and girls! The Junkman is back with another video series that answers those frequently asked questions, "What order am I supposed to use the products to fix my paint issues? What do I use first? What do I use second?"Well, these 5 videos will finally put an end to those questions for those who are novices to the Adam's line. In these videos, I explain and give a short demo on which products to use, and the order to use them in if you have swirled and scratched up paint. For any novice to the Adam's line of products, I can guarantee that this will eliminate any confusion on what to use and when to use it!. One important note. In the videos, you will hear me talk about "perfecting a spot" before moving on to an adjacent spot in the area you are working. What I mean by that is to get rid of all the swirls, haze or scratches in the very first spot that you start working on using Swirl & Haze Remover (SHR), BEFORE moving to an adjacent spot using SHR. Do not do the whole routine in one spot and then move to an adjacent spot and do the entire routine again. Do the entire car with each step of the process.The reason I say to do this is that you must develop an effective technique the first time you start using a polisher to remove damage from your paint. That's why you want to ensure that the first spot that you start on is as perfect as you desire before you apply your technique to the entire car. If your technique is bad or ineffective, you don't want to apply that bad technique to the entire car because you'll end up tired an disappointed with your results. Once you are satisfied with the way your results turn out in the very first spot you start on using SHR, apply that same technique over the entire car. Remember, perfection may very from owner to owner so set a level of perfection that is realistic and to YOUR satisfaction.So, without further delay, grab you some popcorn and kick up your feet. The Junkman is about to break it all down for you. I promise that by the time you're done with these videos, you WILL know which order to use the polishes and waxes.[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp-Sa3_Fjc8&feature=plcp&context=C3ee1f64UDOEgsToPDskLdqsrTcb2o2o7bagSrTAx5]Paint Correction with Adam's Products - Part I - YouTube[/ame][ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB3CzQgviIA&feature=plcp&context=C3f1dc3cUDOEgsToPDskJgXWVQpH3az6UvkCvSFvpn]Paint Correction with Adam's Products - Part II - YouTube[/ame][ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0imejmAtX5k&feature=plcp&context=C30e2257UDOEgsToPDskI04wCohct6p2lb4bdnUHxY]Paint Correction with Adam's Products - Part III - YouTube[/ame][ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njdYl3I66Vc&feature=plcp&context=C348f5e7UDOEgsToPDskI1npzGUyL_e6kFbw-sH6BA]Paint Correction with Adam's Products - Part IV - YouTube[/ame][ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OilcN8kv_Xo&feature=plcp&context=C33ef5a5UDOEgsToPDskLG6zb4Wj-30V8mpJ57sjj1]Paint Correction with Adam's Products - Part V - YouTube[/ame]If your paint is in excellent shape with very minor swirls or scratches, you may be able to skip the use of the Swirl & Haze Remover (SHR) and go straight from claying to the Fine Machine Polish (FMP). If your paint does not need to be clayed (which is determined by the baggie test), then you can start with SHR. If your paint does not need claying and only has very, very little paint damage, you may be able to skip both claying and SHR and start with FMP. All this will make much more sense once you watch the videos and see the order that the products are used. Thus, take them in first, and come back to this paragraph after you have finished. It will all become clear to you at that point.For those who want to implement Revive Polish into this routine, it would come right after FMP. I usually use Revive Polish when doing flat, very dark colors to give the paint that last touch of finesse. For you black car owners, this is my little secret of the trade. :cheers:There are 2 other waxes that you can use in place of Machine Superwax (MSW, which is what I used in these videos). There's the Americana Carnuba Paste Wax and the Buttery Wax. Either can be used in place of MSW. The Americana goes on fast and comes off fast. You don't wait for it to dry or haze. If you do, you will need a chisel to remove it! It does not protect as long as MSW but it does last quite a while depending on how often you wash the car and whether or not the car is garaged or not.Buttery Wax goes on easy and comes off easy. You will allow it to dry before removing it. It does not last as long as the Americana or MSW, however, it is easy to apply and remove. MSW is the longest lasting protection that Adam's has to date as it is more of a sealant. It also has the ability to mask very small imperfections in your paint.One more time on the order! :willy:1. Clay2. SHR3. FMP4. Revive Polish (if you want - was not used in this video series).5. One of the three waxes of your choice.Okay boys and girls, let's see those shiny rides! :banana:The Junkman

Where does brilliant glaze fit into this?

Not much shade in my driveway spring and summer. Anyone have a recommendation for a reasonably easy setup/breakdown canopy that won't break the bank? I'd like to stay below $300

Using Adams waffle drying towels, and plush micros for the cleaning.

NE winters suck. I took my brand new Macan (metallic black) to a touchless wash, pulled out, sprayed it down with detail spray, drying rags to dry and I got...scratches and swirl marks!

Would spraying on rinseless and then wiping down have been a better way to go? I see a weekend correction, seal, glaze and wax in my future. But, I'd still like to know the best way to avoid the cruelty of winter..

Not sure where you heard that, but you can absolutely apply Brilliant Glaze by machine, at a low speed setting, just like applying Buttery Wax or Paint Sealant. We recommend our 6" Red Foam Pad to apply Brilliant Glaze with the Swirl Killer, so as to keep the product separated from the Gray Foam Pads for Paint Sealant/Buttery Wax.

 

For large areas like the hood, door panels, roof, etc, I almost always grab the machine to apply BG if I'm working in my garage since I can be more efficient with it - takes me a minute or so to apply to an entire hood for example. Tight areas or edges of panels, I will still apply by hand with either a Red or Yellow Hex Grip.

I just layed down a coat of buttery wax by hand.  It's very easy, but also easy to be inconsistent.  I'm thinking I'm going to lay down a 2nd coat using the SK (which I just got, but haven't used yet) using a grey pad on the SK.  I'm hoping it will provide a more even application,and probably end up using less wax.

Yes, no,maybe?

I do some testing for Adam, as well as work the Carlisle, PA events for him. I have all of his machines; some I've bought myself, some I've been given to test. I use them to detail my own vehicles and others, at home and at shows.

I have both the Rupes 15 Mark II and the Swirl Killer. The Rupes is great, read what Dan states about it above, I'd say the exact same things about it. But, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Swirl Killer. If you do a search here you'll find folks that were destroying pads with the Mark II when it first came out. It appeared they were running the machine at full speed; 5-6 is too much, except for very short periods of time. The Swirl Killer isn't quite as powerful and can be run on high without damaging the pads through the entire polishing process.

 

At Carlisle Events it's pretty darn hard to try and make a machine sale to someone just starting out with a $400 price point start, then add in pads and polishes and they've left. The starting price point for the Swirl Killer seems much easier for someone to swallow. It's easier for us to put kits together to give decent discounts.

 

Originally I though the Swirl Killer would be for the weekend warrior who does just a few vehicles per year, while the Rupes would be for the serious detailer who uses the machine day in and day out, and knew the value of the top of the industry work horse.

 

Adam sent me several of the prototype machines during the beginning stages of testing. I was to get them out into the hands of those that would be using them daily to really put them through their paces. One of the machines is currently at a Toyota dealership in their vehicle prep area. It's been there since April of 2016. The dealership uses Porter Cable 7424XP's. They will get roughly one year of service out of the machines. I had dinner with the individual I'd gotten the Swirl Killer to last Saturday. We talked about the machines. He said the Swirl Killer is the machine of preference to all those in the shop, and it is on 8 hours a day 5 to 6 days per week. Right now the Porter Cables the dealership purchased last year have begun to fail, the Swirl Killer is showing no signs of slowing down.

I just received the SK. I'm not going to be dong anything for a few weeks, but I will say that the overall feeling of quality is undeniable. It has a high quality "heft " to it, and feels and appears to be very well made. Can't wait to rip into a correction. It's been a tough winter, and I had my car under a brightly lit gas station canopy the other night, and was horrified by the "dirt rub" swirls and scratches. Bummed me out.

I'd skip the second wash after claying, it's not necessarily. You can also skip polishing if you don't need to. You also don't need to apply glaze or H20 G&G after every wash, try using detail spray as a drying agent, it works great too!

 

I would recommend to put he sealant down first, then glaze, then wax. If you do this, the glaze will last as long as the wax. If you just put wax on the top it will last about 2 weeks.

Though the car is relatively new, it's been a tough winter.  Quite a few times, after a "wet" drive, I've sprayed it down with Detail spray then dried it off with several plush micro towels.  As careful as I am, I still see some surface scratching.  Living in New York city and in a parking garage, a full wash isn't an option, and I won't let the garage do it for obvious reasons.

HGG will give you a longer lasting protection, albeit with less "wow" factor than the BG. It does still give a pretty sweet shine, though. We have a dark grey Xterra, and it pops with the HGG. It's also easy to apply, especially since you don't need to dry the car first. Plus, it smells awesome! Another thought is add BG on top of the HGG when you really want to show off...otherwise, HGG by itself is great. One of my favorites. Now, man up!!!

Wash, clay, wash,correct, finishing polish,sealer, Americana wax, glaze...all using the SK except for the wax. Here's the questions...

1. Is this overkill? Can any steps be eliminated? It's a 2016 Porsche Macan Metallic Black DD. Garaged

2. Is this the correct order?

3. I've seen some video where a quick spritz of detailed on the SK pad is recommended each time I put product on the pad...yes, no, all products or just some?

4. Will the glaze still do its magic when layered like this?

The next 3-4 washes are...

Wash, dry with H2OG&G, Glaze

Next wash...same as above but wax before glaze

Is this a solid "Keep it looking awesome" plan?

If anything a touchless car wash never really cleans the vehicle well. It gets the surface to appear clean but often leaves behind a film of dirt. My opinion is that if you use touchless all winter, you will have a lot of bonded contaminates on the surface due to the accumulation of that film.

 

Another thing I do if I do go through one is I only get the basic wash without any wax. No reason to lock in any of those bonded contaminates with a protective coating of sub-par wax.

Since the car post wash is not entirely dry, I spray the car with detail spray then use a drying towel.  I figure I get through the winter, then come spring, I do a strip wash, correction, seal, glaze and wax.  Sound like a plan?

Once I apply a sealeant,will a "touchless" high pressure car wash remove the protection of a seal?

If I'm layering, starting with a sealant, and then go with a glaze, then a wax, will using the SK compromise, enhance or have no effect on the durability of the sealants protective performance FS vs. hand application of 1 or more of the products?

Also...glaze then wax, or wax then glaze?

I'm assuming that using the sk for application will give the best result in terms of shine and be more efficient in terms of consistency of the amount of product being applied. Am I on track or confused?

So I'm down to deciding between the Rupes and the SK.  The polisher will only be used 5-6 times a year, for correcting and some LPS applications.  Is the extra money for the Rupes a good investment, or total overkill for the usage?

I want a durable machine, and the "China" origin has me a bit spooked.  Adams has such a good reputation on their product quality that I tend to believe they wouldn't ship a substandard product in terms of durability, but I want to be sure.  For any of you that have used both, is there a tangible difference in the"feel" of the 2?

Thanks for the feedback.

The SK's effectiveness as a polisher is established.  Can it be used for other applications as well?  Waxing, buffing, etc.  And if so, what are the appropriate applicators and products?

There's really no need for any more power. The 15mm LT Swirl Killer works just fine and stands up well to it's competition. I was able to correct the super hard paint on this Mercedes with no problem.

http://www.adamsforums.com/topic/32078-mercedes-tackled-with-the-swirl-killer/

This machine is top notch!

 

Power of the Swirl Killer:

500watts

2,000-4,500 OPM

 

Rupes LHR15ES

500watts

1,700-4,200 OPM

 

Rupes Mark II

500watts

2,500-5,300 OPM

 

The power of the Swirl Killer falls right in between the two 15mm LT Rupes machines. If running the Rupes Mark II on high speed you'll be taking the chance of wearing out a polishing pad prematurely.

I read a lot about hard vs. soft clear Coat? How do I know what my car is? 2016 metallic black Porsche Macan.

I'm a solo amateur looking for a polisher to keep a relatively new 2016 Macan Metalkic Black looking perfect. What would you choose?

Is glaze an abrasive? I used it for the 1st time and the shine was ridiculous. The reason I ask about the abrasive aspect is wondering if application after LPS is counter productive. I'm looking for a consistent process of products that maximizes shine and protection simultaneously. I'm thinking there's probably 2 in the northeast... winter and summer.

Comments?

Greenworks 1600 from Lowe's $99

Adam's foam cannon and Wash and Wax