FrozenWS6 Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 (edited) Finished buffing a customer's Mercedes and started to apply paint coating. Everything was starting well like the other 2 cars did. Then I noticed that I was getting scratches as I was applying the coating. (They were going in an H pattern like I did to apply the coating). So first I thought it was my single soft polish towel. Grabbed a new one and it was still doing it. It was caused by the corner of the little blue applicator. Once I bent the applicator block so the corner wouldn't touch it went on perfect. How should I correct this?? The rough corner of the new block that got me. Notice how the corner is not square with the flat side of the block. Scratches that it caused. Edited April 16, 2017 by FrozenWS6 b_pappy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 Not sure what the solution is, but let Adam's know and they'll replace the pads for you . Thanks for bringing it to our attention. This is something that may need changed. Glad it worked out for you in the end. b_pappy and jessewsmith 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shane@detailedreflections Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 Looks like you'll have to polish those panels off and reapply. Sorry you have to deal with that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gabhart Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 Was something deleted? How was this "worked out in the end"? Nathan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenWS6 Posted April 16, 2017 Author Share Posted April 16, 2017 Rich, I'll get an email written up for them. I have 2 extra applicators I had already bought so I'm going to check and try that. I hope I can just buff that area and reapply. Not redo the whole hood and fender. Gabhart. Nothing was deleted. Once it dries, I applied it today so on Monday looks like I'll need to try using the blue cutting compound and try to buff it off and start over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 Rich, I'll get an email written up for them. I have 2 extra applicators I had already bought so I'm going to check and try that. I hope I can just buff that area and reapply. Not redo the whole hood and fender. Gabhart. Nothing was deleted. Once it dries, I applied it today so on Monday looks like I'll need to try using the blue cutting compound and try to buff it off and start over. How bad are they? Nail grabbers!? If they are what they look like I've been able to get that type of stuff out with just correcting polish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenWS6 Posted April 16, 2017 Author Share Posted April 16, 2017 There not that deep. More like heavy wash marks. It was just disappointing because I had just finished 2 stepping it for the second time for about 12 hours total on this little SLK280 and need to finish it by Wednesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ls1transam Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 Wow I can't believe that applicator scratched that bad. Almost like there's something in it or some coating had cured on it and scratches the paint. I'll make to not use this applicator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenWS6 Posted April 16, 2017 Author Share Posted April 16, 2017 (edited) I had thought about that too. But it was a brand new applicator. The sewn corners are not very soft and since it was not squared up with the flat side of the block it drug across the paint and since it's black if you look at it funny it'll scratch. Also had I just tossed this applicator without finding what caused it we wouldn't ever solve the issue if it happened again to me or anyone else. I feel that's a part of being a dealer is to help figure these situations out to help the others here and help Adams have the best products they can offer. Edited April 16, 2017 by FrozenWS6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_pappy Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 wow, sorry to see that. Reading that, I have to be super careful. My eyesight isn't what it was. For polishing I have to use my prescription bifocal reading glasses (old age and cataract), but at that stage I usually don't wear them! So, if there is a bright side, you have taught many of us to watch for that. Hope it cleans up easy enough for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWolf Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 It seems a bit odd that just the fold in the pad cover or the stitching could cause scratching like that. I wonder if a piece of sand or other grit got stuck in the seam. If you ran your finger over the fold, could you feel anything sharp or rough? I have five unused applicators, and I just finishing rubbing the corner seams from each applicator across a new, blank CD, and did not get scratching like you show in your pictures. Dan@Adams 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wy_detailing Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 Are you sure there was no debris or contaminants on the applicator? Maybe that caused it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galaxy Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 I have three brand new applicators sitting in the cabinet. Just went and inspected them and none of the corners give any indication of being hard, sharp, or anything else that would cause the scratches in those pics. Nothing caught my attention to raise any sort of concern. That's very very odd indeed, but I gotta agree with others...you sure you didn't have something caught in the pad? Those are some pretty aggressive marks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Was something deleted? How was this "worked out in the end"? He said that once he bent the corner back that it went on perfect. I assumed he got it all corrected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenWS6 Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 (edited) It was a brand new applicator I pulled out of a new kit I had just received on Friday. So if there was anything on it it would have gotten stuck to it when it was originally packaged. It is possible that this paint is extremely soft and the extra firmness of that seamed/sewn corner on that block made it easy to leave the scratches. Edited April 17, 2017 by FrozenWS6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gabhart Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 He said that once he bent the corner back that it went on perfect. I assumed he got it all corrected. Got it. Thanks for clearing that up. I wanted to make sure nothing was missed since I plan on going down the coating road soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenWS6 Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 Got it. Thanks for clearing that up. I wanted to make sure nothing was missed since I plan on going down the coating road soon. The coating is a great product. This is the third car I've done all darker colors that I've posted threads of here on the forum. This is the first issue I've encountered with it. Not really a big deal, but one I thought should be posted here so hopefully it doesn't happen to anyone else since there isn't much posted here about the coatings and experiences with it or how to fix this type of stuff if it does happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenWS6 Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 (edited) Ok guys. Looks like the solution here is, I rebuffed the fender and half the hood that had scratches with the orange Paint Correting Polish. The scratches came out well and I'm going to recoat the hood and fender since I can't tell if I buffed through the paint coating. Edited April 17, 2017 by FrozenWS6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenWS6 Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 Also for comparison here is the left twisted(block that scratches) next to another new block on the right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenWS6 Posted April 18, 2017 Author Share Posted April 18, 2017 And it's all coated and ready for Boost tomorrow now. It turned out great after the curveball it threw me. Thorsager, TheWolf and mc2hill 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ls1transam Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 Looks great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan@Adams Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 One other factor to consider that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet, how hard were you pressing the applicator into the surface when applying the coating? I simply glide the applicator across the clean surface to apply the coating, as no real pressure into the panel is needed to apply it thin and even. From the way the foam appears twisted and distorted, maybe you were using a bit too much pressure that caused the seam to hit the surface rather than the flat side of an applicator? My best guess would also be a small piece of contamination in the applicator. With all of our loose applicators - hex grips, microfiber applicator blocks, etc - I always visually inspect every item upon receiving them as they can sometimes have a small trace of a piece of cardboard/paper/etc into the foam from handling and shipping in the box. I do apologize you had this issue, and I'm relieved to see that you were able to correct it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenWS6 Posted April 18, 2017 Author Share Posted April 18, 2017 Dan. That twist is how that block was when I pulled it out of the new kit I just received. Not from my pressure. If the scratches were from too much pressure there would be even more across the whole hood and once I folded that block in half so that corner didn't touch my issue went away. Unfortunately that corner did contact the paint because I was using the flat side of the block and as you can see that corner is not square with the flat side. So it would contact the paint easily, but originally I didn't think it was enough to be an issue. I did think about the possibility of contamination but if there was, it must have been stuck on that corner that I couldn't see because like I said I folded the block and applied more with no issues in my process of elimination to figure out what caused it. I'm glad I caught it and it came out easily too. It gets delivered tomorrow so I'm hoping he's speechless and amazed. Again I hope my real world experience and lesson (I've learned) helps others here watch for and how to fix it if they do encounter something like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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