Flex Polish Help

[kfehling]

I have the flex polisher and all three pads and polishes (severe swirl, swirl and haze, and fine machine) and used them on my daily driver MB C55 which had really "swirled up" with time. I was disappointed the first time. Spoke with Mook and he suggested more pressure on the flex and it does look much better. I followed with glaze and then Americana wax. However, in certain light (see photos), I can actually still see the polisher's swirls and even the pattern. What to do? More pressure does not seem right as I was getting a bit of heat on the pad already. I would appreciate thoughts and guidance.

 

Kurt

[InDepthAutoDetailing]

It sounds like you may have over worked the polish. If the BG didn't remove the residue left over you'll have to strip the area with IPA and possibly polish again.

 

IIRC Mercedes paint is hard which takes more time to polish. Work in small sections and take your time. Get one small area the way you want it before doing the rest of the car.

[ihaveacamaro]

how did you prime the pad?

 

I'm somewhat certain you're going to say a few drops and a spray of detail spray. If that's the case, your issue in my opinion is dry buffing.

 

This is part of the reason why I don't subscribe to the Adam's official method of priming the pad.

[camaro2ssblack]

how did you prime the pad?

 

I'm somewhat certain you're going to say a few drops and a spray of detail spray. If that's the case, your issue in my opinion is dry buffing.

 

This is part of the reason why I don't subscribe to the Adam's official method of priming the pad.

 

This.

 

Add heavy pressure with forced rotation and you could get holograms. I recommend going over a test area with FMP on speed 4 with slow arm speed and light to medium pressure with a freshly primed pad. You will need to clean and strip the paint before polishing of course. Report back with your results...

[kfehling]

I primed with several spritzes of detail spray as I am in dry Reno. Whenever I would notice the polish drying, I would spritz again; twice. I have read in other posts that some have tried the fine machine polish with the red pad. I may try stripping with IPA and then this combo and report back. Don't get me wrong, the car still looks much better but I am a perfectionist. Keep the ideas coming and I will let you all know.

 

Thanks to all.

 

Kurt

[ihaveacamaro]

I primed with several spritzes of detail spray as I am in dry Reno. Whenever I would notice the polish drying, I would spritz again; twice. I have read in other posts that some have tried the fine machine polish with the red pad. I may try stripping with IPA and then this combo and report back. Don't get me wrong, the car still looks much better but I am a perfectionist. Keep the ideas coming and I will let you all know.

 

Thanks to all.

 

Kurt

 

Kurt, I think your issue is "dry buffing."

 

Contrary to what most people believe on this forum, I believe that using detail spray while compounding/polishing is both unnecessary and actually, like in your case, can be worse than not using it at all.

 

What I believe you noticed is not the "polish drying" but rather the detail spray drying.

 

When you try again, try this. When you start, put about 3 circles of product into the pad. Use your finger to work the polish in the pad and basically you want the entire face of the pad the same color as the compound or polish you are using. Now I'm not saying go crazy with the compound or polish and oversaturate the pad, but go ahead and try saturating the pad the way I described above.

 

After your first spot, go ahead and apply 3 to 4 drops of compound or polish each 2 x 2 section. Do NOT use detail spray.

 

Just like I was pretty certain of your method of priming the pad (before you confirmed it), I'm pretty certain this will fix it.

 

Go through your entire 3 process step using this method, and I will be EXTREMELY surprised if your marks don't go away.

[ihaveacamaro]

Oh and btw, the marks you have shown are very typical marks of dry buffing... which is rubbing your foam pad against the paint without any polish between the foam and the paint.

 

Now if you were using a rotary, I would think there was a different issue called holograms that look very similar to what you have shown in your picture.

Edited March 13, 2013 by ihaveacamaro

[96STEEDA]

Kurt, I think your issue is "dry buffing."

 

Contrary to what most people believe on this forum, I believe that using detail spray while compounding/polishing is both unnecessary and actually, like in your case, can be worse than not using it at all.

 

What I believe you noticed is not the "polish drying" but rather the detail spray drying.

 

When you try again, try this. When you start, put about 3 circles of product into the pad. Use your finger to work the polish in the pad and basically you want the entire face of the pad the same color as the compound or polish you are using. Now I'm not saying go crazy with the compound or polish and oversaturate the pad, but go ahead and try saturating the pad the way I described above.

 

After your first spot, go ahead and apply 3 to 4 drops of compound or polish each 2 x 2 section. Do NOT use detail spray.

 

Just like I was pretty certain of your method of priming the pad (before you confirmed it), I'm pretty certain this will fix it.

 

Go through your entire 3 process step using this method, and I will be EXTREMELY surprised if your marks don't go away.

 

I too have seen and done this with priming the whole pad, it does work very well and gives you perfect results. Dont use half a bottle tho as ihaveacamaro already stated just have the whole pad surface the same color as the polish you are using. I noticed this procedure has to be done on hard clear coat. On a soft clear like Ford or Porsche, the detail spray and few drps of whatever polish yields perfect results. Some how the same routine of priming works for Adam and Dylan etc, I havent figured it out yet, maybe I am just a

[ihaveacamaro]

I too have seen and done this with priming the whole pad, it does work very well and gives you perfect results. Dont use half a bottle tho as ihaveacamaro already stated just have the whole pad surface the same color as the polish you are using. I noticed this procedure has to be done on hard clear coat. On a soft clear like Ford or Porsche, the detail spray and few drps of whatever polish yields perfect results. Some how the same routine of priming works for Adam and Dylan etc, I havent figured it out yet, maybe I am just a

 

I haven't figured out it either!

[kfehling]

Thanks guys. I will give this method a try in the next few days and let you know.

 

Kurt

[Green Machine]

Dryed detail spray should wipe off! Spray some waterless wash on there and with a single soft give it a buff. Is your technique good and how many passes of each? Maybe pads are clogged so I would clean them first before doing anything further.

[Team Adam's]

Just spoke with Kurt on the phone... I agree with some of you to a degree... the issue is coming in from OVER or UNDER working the polishes. I know some of you here may have opinions on it, but fact is you can get very similar issues from UNDER working a polish and stopping while the abrasive properties of the polish haven't been diminished.

 

After step by stepping thru the process with him Kurt was doing a set number of passes with no attention to the 'flash' of the polish. Just doing a set number of movements vertical, and a set number of movements horizontal. Flashed or not he was stopping at that point.

 

As we know FMP has a short work time, so my guess is he is either over or under working SSR or SHR to some degree.

 

Good talking with you Kurt. Keep us posted on the progress and call me if you need anything else.

[vobro]

Are you using one pad for each step on the whole car? If you are the pads can get caked up with used product and become less effective and induce marring.

[kfehling]

Why yes, I am using one pad (per polish) for the whole car. I have yet to try Dylan's suggestions as the hose bib at my hose burst this past winter and I am having a devil of a time getting someone to fix it. I hope to try addressing the issue (bib and polishing) this weekend and will post my results. I will try doing half the car, wash the pads and then the other half. Thanks for the advice.

 

Kurt

[ihaveacamaro]

Why yes, I am using one pad (per polish) for the whole car. I have yet to try Dylan's suggestions as the hose bib at my hose burst this past winter and I am having a devil of a time getting someone to fix it. I hope to try addressing the issue (bib and polishing) this weekend and will post my results. I will try doing half the car, wash the pads and then the other half. Thanks for the advice.

 

Kurt

 

Oh wow! I would recommend 6 pads of each color that you're going to use for a car. You could get away at around 4, but that's kind of pushing it. I'm not sure what Adam's official policy on this is either, but just another one of my opinions

[Team Adam's]

Its easy to complete a full car with 1 set of pads so long as you don't load them up. Ideally I like to have 2 of every color for one session, but 1 will suffice. 4 or 6 is simply overkill.

[Tim]

Oh wow! I would recommend 6 pads of each color that you're going to use for a car. You could get away at around 4, but that's kind of pushing it. I'm not sure what Adam's official policy on this is either, but just another one of my opinions

 

Its easy to complete a full car with 1 set of pads so long as you don't load them up. Ideally I like to have 2 of every color for one session, but 1 will suffice. 4 or 6 is simply overkill.

 

That is the difference in priming the entire pad, spreading the polish with your finger and using a few small drops and some detail spray.

 

(at least I think it was Roshan that primes pads like that, I could easily be wrong!)

[kfehling]

Ok guys, I am at a loss here. I have tried all suggestions and have even tried the new two step polish system from Adam's and I am not getting any better results. While there is some improvement from what I started with but I am not getting anywhere near the results that it sounds like I should be getting.

 

Dylan, when we spoke,I believe you said you were going to be at Hot August Nights here in Reno so perhaps we could meet and you could demonstrate the proper technique on one of my cars.

[JHL88]

In my experience when using DS it helps "renew" the polish that is baked in the pad from prior passes.  It helps it prolong the life of that pad for that session.  If one decides not to use DS, and only prime the pad with polish it would be beneficial to brush it out using a pad brush more often.  Just my experience and im sure some would agree

[THE Mook]

I will be in Hot August Nights, however, you cannot bring a car newer than iirc, 1975 this year into the show. They are VERY strict about that. However, when I am there I will try to help however I can. Harder clear coats will take more passes to get there, but I think we need to dial in your technique on someone else's car at the show. I would love to see it in person and coach you if needed.

 

Mook

[kfehling]

Billabongbum,

 

I have been using the detail spray but appreciate your thoughts.

 

Mook, I will send you a PM about getting together.

 

Kurt