first attempt with PC

[diver88]

ok, I worked the hood only on my Mustang. I found it hard to find where to start and stop staying with a small 1.5 x 1.5 with the hood bulge and dips... and creases. the car is still new with only 2300 miles on it but the dealer (and myself) accomplished some pretty good scuffs and scratches in a very short time.

 

also, even with tons of light I had a hard time determining whether or not the polish had "flashed" and if I was overworking or over applying product. I did the 4 pea sized blobs and spritzed with detail spray with each new pad and product and then 3 dots after I spritzed the pad and didn't seem to get any extra polish from it. it seemed to take a long time (speed of 5) for each small area making 3 complete passes in each direction and still had to do this at least 3 times for each small area to clear the damage I could easily see with S&H and one 3 pass for the MP. I finished about midnight and didn't remember what procedure to clean the pads so I just put them back on a sealed baggie overnight.

 

a few questions I have at this point.

 

1. I found this morning at least two 1" long scatches I didn't see last night, even though I've applied the machine super wax, can I go back and just work those two spots then re-apply the MSW without a problem? (spot work)

 

2. I watched the videos again and I'm still unsure if you are supposed to work the MSW like polish or just spead it out...? I just completely spread it out, (speed of 3) I wasn't looking for it to flash.

 

3. I didn't clean the pads last night, (midnight) can I just spritz with detail spray and go back at it this morning or do I need to clean the pads and wait for them to dry completely? I only have the one set, I wanted to start again here shortly, what to do here?

 

the car is new and not dark but other than getting it in the light and not seeing the microscratches and a little swirling the process didn't make it a lot shinier than it was, but it is slick. actually it looks like it sort of has a tiny bit of haze (not really) like it did when it was new before I clayed originally.

 

thanks for the help,

 

Terry:pc:

P.S. looking at the paint that closely I see it's not perfect, tiny little pitts(?) and lines under the paint along with orange peel, I guess no one looks that closely but they are there and a PC can't get that.

[Doug123]

What color is the paint? It can be difficult to see the product flashing on a white or light silver paint. Those of us with darker colors can see it more easily (including all the swirls). You will have to use the reflected light off the finish to help you see the flash. When the SHR flashes, it turns clear and looks like a thin film of vaseline.

[diver88]

What color is the paint? It can be difficult to see the product flashing on a white or light silver paint. Those of us with darker colors can see it more easily (including all the swirls). You will have to use the reflected light off the finish to help you see the flash. When the SHR flashes, it turns clear and looks like a thin film of vaseline.

 

it's blue..pretty much..

 

 

thanks,

[Chris@Adams]

ok, I worked the hood only on my Mustang. I found it hard to find where to start and stop staying with a small 1.5 x 1.5 with the hood bulge and dips... and creases. the car is still new with only 2300 miles on it but the dealer (and myself) accomplished some pretty good scuffs and scratches in a very short time.

 

also, even with tons of light I had a hard time determining whether or not the polish had "flashed" and if I was overworking or over applying product. I did the 4 pea sized blobs and spritzed with detail spray with each new pad and product and then 3 dots after I spritzed the pad and didn't seem to get any extra polish from it. it seemed to take a long time (speed of 5) for each small area making 3 complete passes in each direction and still had to do this at least 3 times for each small area to clear the damage I could easily see with S&H and one 3 pass for the MP. I finished about midnight and didn't remember what procedure to clean the pads so I just put them back on a sealed baggie overnight.

 

a few questions I have at this point.

 

1. I found this morning at least two 1" long scatches I didn't see last night, even though I've applied the machine super wax, can I go back and just work those two spots then re-apply the MSW without a problem? (spot work)

 

2. I watched the videos again and I'm still unsure if you are supposed to work the MSW like polish or just spead it out...? I just completely spread it out, (speed of 3) I wasn't looking for it to flash.

 

3. I didn't clean the pads last night, (midnight) can I just spritz with detail spray and go back at it this morning or do I need to clean the pads and wait for them to dry completely? I only have the one set, I wanted to start again here shortly, what to do here?

 

the car is new and not dark but other than getting it in the light and not seeing the microscratches and a little swirling the process didn't make it a lot shinier than it was, but it is slick. actually it looks like it sort of has a tiny bit of haze (not really) like it did when it was new before I clayed originally.

 

thanks for the help,

 

Terry:pc:

P.S. looking at the paint that closely I see it's not perfect, tiny little pitts(?) and lines under the paint along with orange peel, I guess no one looks that closely but they are there and a PC can't get that.

Just wipe down the scratch area with alcohol and correct it ,then go back over with MSS.

MSS just need to be spread out thin, you don 't work it like polish.

You should start off with clean pads!

[Doug123]

You should be able to see the product flash on that color - it starts kind of milky, then goes clear when it flashes - looks like a thin film of vaseline after it flashes. The Swirl and Haze Remover is very obvious when it flashes - the Fine Machine polish, not as much.

[diver88]

You should be able to see the product flash on that color - it starts kind of milky, then goes clear when it flashes - looks like a thin film of vaseline after it flashes. The Swirl and Haze Remover is very obvious when it flashes - the Fine Machine polish, not as much.

 

I've tried more light, less light.. it all looks like vasoline in the reflection to me from the beginning. something about that color, I can even take a picture of the swirls or damage.

 

thanks for the responses, I guess it will just take practice.

[J Tegeler]

I know a few people have mentioned wearing the yellow tinted glasses to help see when a polish flashes..maybe give that a try

[Fit08]

I know a few people have mentioned wearing the yellow tinted glasses to help see when a polish flashes..maybe give that a try

Yes, would be interesting to hear how this works.

[Frid]

As mentioned above, you can go over the spots you need to correct with IPA. I would clean the pads with APC and let them completely dry (after cleaning them you can put them on the PC and set it at 6000 OPMS and let them spin to dry faster) before using them again. If the scratches you are going to be working with are too deep I recommend getting the 4" focus pad set to correct them. As for the MSS, you should spread it evenly over the entire vehicle in a thin layer, you do not need to treat MSS as a polish. Setting it to 3000 OPMS like you say should be perfect for doing this. The spots you are referring to as pits and orange peel looks are just the way it is painted I'm pretty sure. My truck has the same look to its paint. The only way you can remove this look is by wetsanding, but I advise you not to try it yourself unless you have had a good amount of practice at it. Hope this answers all of your questions.

[Bigredmariner]

I wouldn't recommend "spinning" the pads dry, this can lead to premature failure of the hook and loop fastening system- Velcro. I'm sure if I have that wrong someone will correct me but I believe that had been talked about recently on here.

[diver88]

I did see somewhere the suggestion that spinning them to help dry might shorten their lifespan. I washed them as the video Dylan demonstrated and squeezed them as dry as I could then put them on a clean cake rack face down. I've noticed after two days the gray and white pads seem completely dry but the orange pad and the yellow wax applicator are still very wet. I treated them all the same way, I guess the orange pad just has larger pores and holds more water, no idea why the wax applicator is hanging on to the water longer.

 

this reminds me, I didn't see any suggestions to wet or dampen the wax applicator before applying wax.. with that said it sure seemed to drag on the finish while I was applying the Buttery Wax, so I just kept adding more to make it spread easier. not enough wax? dampen the pad first? seems like I used a lot of wax but this system is all new to me.

[J Tegeler]

I always put a shot of DS on my buttery apliccator just before starting then it is good to go for me.

[Doug123]

Yes, a spritz of DS on the pad before buttery, but not before Americana. Apply it the way it says on the tub.

[Doug123]

Hm. With the reflections of the product on the paint, can you tell when it is literally getting thinner? After it flashes, it seems to get a thinner coating on the finish, more like an oily fingerprint than a coat of polish.

 

If you are going to spin the pads on the PC to dry, do it very slowly.

You also can sling them by hand outside.

You also could blot them dry on a Great White drying towel. Fold the towel so you have a layer on each side of the pad, and compress the pad very flat, and the towel will catch any free water.

 

I usually sling, then blot, and then let them air dry on one edge, leaning against something at about a 20 degree angle.