need help removing scratches!

[andrewko]

Hello, this is my first time doing a full correction and i need some help!

 

car has never seen any exterior pampering in its life ('07 subaru) and its time to give it some love!

 

working on one of the doors (mentally split into 4 squares and polishing each section individually)

 

here are the steps:

 

1.wash/clay

2.prime green foam pad with detail spray

3. X shaped single application of SSHR

4.spread the polish around (quarter size of a door only without powering on the power tool which its a DA btw)

5.speed 1 and walk it around the area quickly to make sure the product is evenly covering the area.

6.speed 6 > 1 full pass

7.check if pad is moist (completely dry = mist with detail spray once or twice)

8.once in a while adding pea drops of polish to pad and a quick brush off with a tooth brush to refresh the foam. 

 

working very slowly with enough pressure to be able to count the rotations (backing place is marked for better visual), making about 8-9 full passes

 

swirls are gone but scratches dont seem to come out, need some pointers on how to get rid of them!! have tried orange 4in pads with SSHR mounted on my DA at speed 4-5 with not much success (slight improvements over a long period of time) for ex. it took me about 4 hr's to do just one front fender and it is still not where i want it to be! (not shooting for 100% perfection)

 

 

question 2. how do you guys remove scratches that are very close to the panel edge (area around the edge is highly sensitive and it is easier to go through clear or at least that's what my research showed)

 

see photos attached. 

 

 

thank you for your help!

[Ralfy]

If you can catch them with your fingernail they are too deep. Do you have the new paint correcting polish and MF pad? You may need that to get those out. If not some 2000-2500 wet sanding as a last resort.

[Baron_Von_Awesome]

Leave them.  You've compounded enough and to take any further steps without knowing how much paint you have to work with is a recipe for disaster - especially on a car NOTORIOUS for soft, thin paint (I own two Mazdas, so I can sympathize).  Same goes for your scratches on panel edges.  There will be folks disagreeing with me I'm sure, but a picture or a fingernail doesn't tell the story - this does:

 

[andrewko]

did the fingernail test and no i cant feel them, to be honest feel a bit uneasy wet sanding them.

 

yes have considered one of those devices but the price ... paint in indeed soft and extremely sensitive to pretty much everything !

[Chewy]

In the future, grab some 4 inch "focus" pads from adams with the drill attachment and that will allow you to work them down and focus it more on the area needing it.  

 

IMO, a true vehicle correction can't be done without the smaller 4" pads.  

 

Chris

[andrewko]

unless the "focus" kit is different from individual 4in pads on the web site, i have already tried those and its in my 1st post. not sure if there is anything else i could try... any suggestions are welcome!

[Chewy]

unless the "focus" kit is different from individual 4in pads on the web site, i have already tried those and its in my 1st post. not sure if there is anything else i could try... any suggestions are welcome!

Did you put them on a drill and use them as a rotary?  I've NEVER had one fail me for scratch removal.  They truly rock!  

[LaSHOOOOSH]

Did you put them on a drill and use them as a rotary?  I've NEVER had one fail me for scratch removal.  They truly rock!  

 

Ditto.. A must have.. ^^^

[andrewko]

Did you put them on a drill and use them as a rotary?  I've NEVER had one fail me for scratch removal.  They truly rock!  

no i dont have a drill just used it on my DA, will borrow a drill this weekend and see where it gets me, how long do you polish on the same spot with those 4in pads? and how much pressure do you apply using your drill? well i guess i'll just watch one of the videos...

 

didn't think i needed a drill because the DA seemed to rotate it pretty well but i will definitely give it a try! 

[Chewy]

Using it as a rotary is a COMPLETELY different animal.  THIS is where you can burn through your paint in a hurry.  You want to make sure you're well primed with DS, and do a little and then check and then do a little more and check.

 

You'll have to follow up with the DA to remove any halo's you put into it with the drill. 

 

A PC doesn't have FORCED rotation so you need a little more muscle which the drill will give you.

 

Again, be VERY VERY careful!  

[andrewko]

ok got it! will report back after i get the drill and do a few attempts! again thanks for your help!! 

[alenv10]

ok got it! will report back after i get the drill and do a few attempts! again thanks for your help!! 

andrew i would love to see the results you get with the drill! keep us posted with how far you get!