First time polishing, questions

[derek1387]

Just about finished up with my first polish job on my 2015 Camaro.  I picked up a Swirl Killer, and plenty of pads, and have clayed the whole car.

The paint was in overall pretty good shape, with only 17K on it, and was stored for two winters, but had some swirls and surface scratches, and what looked like some water marks in the paint.
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I went over most of the car with correcting polish/orange pad, and finish polish/white pad, and it looks a LOT better, but i still see some very faint surface marks and swirls. Im wondering If I am possibly moving too fast, or am I completely missing a step?

Like I said, the car looks WAY better, but its not perfect. Maybe I am expecting too much for my first time, and for a daily driver?

Before

After

 

Outdoors

 

The trunk and most body lines still have light surface scratches on them, and im just not sure what I am doing wrong, or if I am just expecting way too much out of my first time....you cant really see them unless right up on the car however.

Thanks all.

Thinking a Mini SK may help with all the small parts on the bumper, pillars, etc, so probably going to pick one of those up as well

[derek1387]

And one other question...the heavy correcting polish and blue pads...they seem to create a lot of dust vry quickly. I was using that when it was cold outside, so im wondering if it was just too cold to be correcting?

 

[Nathan]

And one other question...the heavy correcting polish and blue pads...they seem to create a lot of dust vry quickly. I was using that when it was cold outside, so im wondering if it was just too cold to be correcting?

 

The heavy correcting compound is not a polish it's a compound and it cuts very fast with the microfiber pad, that's why there's lots of dust. Since it is your first time compounding and polishing you will miss a few thing but you can always do more later. If you didn't do test sections you should, then you know how much you need to polish/compound one area.

 

After you polish you should protect the paint if you haven't already with a coating/sealant/wax.

Edited March 17, 2017 by Nathan

[Kingsford]

Sometimes on softer paint you will need to use a pad that has no cutting to finish polishing and let the polish do all of the work.

 

I don't use Adam's Polishing system but I will use their products as an example of what I do. Correcting Polish with the Orange Pad (only if needed), followed by Finishing Polish with a White pad and then I do 1 or 2 passes with Finishing Polish on a Black Pad. All paint is different and requires different approaches sometimes.

 

Also the best advise that was given to me ever about polishing... You'll never get a Daily Driver 100% so don't stress over it, you'll just drive yourself nuts. 

[Dwhite0960]

Either you have some deeper isolated scratches in areas called rids or you did not use the compound step enough. Sometimes it takes a few passes to achieve the results we want. Every panel can act differently depending on the vehicle.

 

Did you do a test spot originally? I would go over the trouble areas with the compound again to see I'd it improves any, if you have enough material left that is.

[GXPaycheck]

You may be using too much product as well.

[hostileshelby]

guys I'm having the same issue. I'm getting a lot of dust with the orange polish as well. Could I not be using enough. I go very slow but a lot of the scratches are still there. Im using the Swirl killer.

Edited March 19, 2017 by hostileshelby

[Ls1transam]

I've noticed when using Adam's correction polish. If I work the product too long or use too much, it will dust. Especially when it's hot and humid. That's with the old version. I haven't used the new correction polish.

[Nathan]

guys I'm having the same issue. I'm getting a lot of dust with the orange polish as well. Could I not be using enough. I go very slow but a lot of the scratches are still there. Im using the Swirl killer.

You are going to get some dust when you polish, it is normal, just make sure the pad is clean after you are done polishing. Try spraying a shot of detail spray into the pad before you start polishing, you will have more polish then.

 

You also are probably not applying enough pressure. It really takes 3-5 pounds of pressure to compound or polish. I think this is your biggest problem for not getting the swirls and scratches out.

[derek1387]

You are going to get some dust when you polish, it is normal, just make sure the pad is clean after you are done polishing. Try spraying a shot of detail spray into the pad before you start polishing, you will have more polish then.

 

You also are probably not applying enough pressure. It really takes 3-5 pounds of pressure to compound or polish. I think this is your biggest problem for not getting the swirls and scratches out.

Thanks for that info. I will try that out. I thought I had to let the machine work it, and not use any force. Ill try that!