Great looking finish but...

[rb11701]

...so I polished up the wife's acura the other day. (2003 TL)

 

I did 2 passes with orange/SHR on speed 6 (PC XP), followed with 2 passes white/FMP at 5 then backed down to 3. Then a coat of SMW.

 

Now the finish looks like a mirror, but if I get the right angle up close and kinda look 'over' the hood I can see marks and very tiny pot marks. When I back away it looks flawless.

 

Did I need another pass with the orange/shr combo? I thought I was going kinda slow and the plate was spinning. I am rather new at machine polishing. Or do I need to get a more aggressive coumpound? I am assuming the marks where a tad deeper and not enough clear was removed. Or perhaps my technique needs to be refined.

 

Like I said, the finish looks very good, just being real particuliar on the DD's.

[11chevz71]

Can you get a pic

[Bill-V8V]

I wouldn't get that picky with a DD, if you need to search for these flaws are they really worth sacrificing more clear coat for ?

[11chevz71]

I wouldn't get that picky with a DD, if you need to search for these flaws are they really worth sacrificing more clear coat for ?

[rb11701]

I wouldn't get that picky with a DD, if you need to search for these flaws are they really worth sacrificing more clear coat for ?

 

I hear what you are saying, and you are right. Just one of those things. Spent some good time on the hood and was like WTF when I saw them. Again, it really has to be in the right light on an angle. And it is a DD, but I like my dd perfect lol.

 

I will see if I can get a pic up here.

 

Thanks!

[jjwvette]

I agree with Bill, since it's a DD with 7 years of abuse from mother nature

[Junkman2008]

To answer your original question, yes, you should have made more passes. As a matter of fact, you should have been doing the "up close inspection" before you moved on past the orange pad/SHR combo.

 

Now like Bill said, I wouldn't sweat it either on a daily driver. My daily driver hasn't been washed in over two years, much less polished.

[rb11701]

Actually, I was. It may not have sounded it, but I was doing just exactly that. That problem I think I ran into is that garage space is a premium for me so I was forced to do the hood outside. Although it was not sunny out, it was not like natural garage lighting. It realyl wasn't until that night when it was dark and the motion light came on as I walked past and caught a glimpse. Had to go back and tilt my head to re-create that angle.

 

As for DD's, I try to keep the DD's as clean as possible. Plus, it is theraputic for me very zen like...me and the paint. lol

[IMADreamer]

I hear you on keeping the DDs as clean as possible. Right now I only have one car and I'm super crazy about keeping it perfect. I think I've done really well actually especially considering my drive to work is about 5 miles on a black top country road and I help out on my families farm occasionally.

[rb11701]

As long as I stay on top of it. Inside and out, it is no problem keeping it clean. If I let it get away from me, it gets messed up fast as it is the DD.

[Junkman2008]

Actually, I was. It may not have sounded it, but I was doing just exactly that. That problem I think I ran into is that garage space is a premium for me so I was forced to do the hood outside. Although it was not sunny out, it was not like natural garage lighting. It realyl wasn't until that night when it was dark and the motion light came on as I walked past and caught a glimpse. Had to go back and tilt my head to re-create that angle.

 

As for DD's, I try to keep the DD's as clean as possible. Plus, it is theraputic for me very zen like...me and the paint. lol

 

You will never be able to see all the scratches using natural light. That's why I insist on working in a garage with halogen lights. The sun will hide a lot and overcast skys are worthless. Indoor lighting is always best.

[rb11701]

You will never be able to see all the scratches using natural light. That's why I insist on working in a garage with halogen lights. The sun will hide a lot and overcast skys are worthless. Indoor lighting is always best.

 

No you are right. But gotta make do. Like I said, the finish is excellent. The products were great. Could I use FMP/Orange for a more aggressive combo? I know the SHR/Orange is the one but I just checked your video out on polishing again and just wanted your thoughts on that now that you have used the products more.

[Junkman2008]

No you are right. But gotta make do. Like I said, the finish is excellent. The products were great. Could I use FMP/Orange for a more aggressive combo? I know the SHR/Orange is the one but I just checked your video out on polishing again and just wanted your thoughts on that now that you have used the products more.

 

Yes. FMP on the orange pad has less cut than SHR on the orange pad, but you are still going to have to follow it with FMP on the white pad. The only color car I would even think of doing that on is a black one, maybe a navy blue one. I think it would be a waste of time with all other colors in most situations.

[rb11701]

Good stuff, thanks!

[Bill-V8V]

I love the results of FMP on Orange, followed with MSW

 

 

Before:

 

 

After:

 

[Junkman2008]

I think the orange pad will leave those micro-swirly scratches that you can see under the halogens, even if you are using FMP. I need to try it on a black car to make sure though.

[Bill-V8V]

I think the orange pad will leave those micro-swirly scratches that you can see under the halogens, even if you are using FMP. I need to try it on a black car to make sure though.

 

I work with Halogens and I follow up with the FMP on White after

 

 

Before:

 

 

 

After One Pass with FMP on Orange:

 

[Junkman2008]

I work with Halogens and I follow up with the FMP on White after

 

Which polisher?

[Bill-V8V]

That was done with a PC.

[bigred vette]

Yes. FMP on the orange pad has less cut than SHR on the orange pad, but you are still going to have to follow it with FMP on the white pad.

In your video didn't you said you thought the FMP cuts more then the SHR? Or am I thinking of something else? What should I use on a "soft" clear coat like Honda, SHR on orange or white? FMP on orange or white?

[Junkman2008]

In your video didn't you said you thought the FMP cuts more then the SHR? Or am I thinking of something else? What should I use on a "soft" clear coat like Honda, SHR on orange or white? FMP on orange or white?

 

You watched the video, but you didn't read the text associated with the video (a point that I stressed that you do before watching the videos). If you had, this is what you would have read. And I quote:

 

Important Note: In my experience up to this point with using both the SHR and FMP, I have found that FMP did more to remove swirls and scratches than SHR. This is in direct conflict to what is stated in the Adam's website, and in the makeup of both products. In fact, the SHR is actually the more aggressive compound when you look at the molecule makeup. You should thus ALWAYS follow SHR with FMP. The reason I may have experienced different results could have been due to a multitude of factors including temperature, the condition or hardness of the clear coat that I was dealing with, or the amount of damage that I perceived was on the car.

 

With that said, you should follow the posted information on the website and assume that the SHR is more aggressive than the FMP. If in your comparisons you experience something similar to what I did, post your experiences here. Normal use according to the posted instructions will have you follow SHR with FMP, in order to lessen the damage done by SHR. You can try my technique, but you should follow Adam's instructions if you don't have the success that I did. Remember, Adam knows his products in a whole lot more detail than I do! The more I use them, the more I learn and thus my process will constantly evolve and improve.

 

Thus as you can see, I was wrong in my assumption in that video. You should always follow SHR/orange pad with FMP/white pad, just as Adam says.

 

I have just completed another set of videos that addresses soft clear coats like that of the Honda. This is something that you also will want to watch once I get it online.

Edited July 30, 2009 by Junkman2008

[rb11701]

He does say that it is his finding that FMP has a higher cut. But also mentions that is directly opposite of the instructions and to follow the website.

 

I would like to know where SHR and FMP fall on the cut scale and what they could be compared to as say Merazerna, or say Meguiar's 105/205 combo.

 

I like the FMP, gives some real nice gloss after its been worked. I have not had enough experience to say with any certaintity which combo is the best. These are new poducts to me as is the PC. So I'm still on a learning curve lol. In my few uses, I have have started with SHR/orange and SHR/white depending on the looks of the paint. I am not perfect yet as I left some hard to see scratches in my Acura hood. Although, shr followed by fmp got out a good scrtatch that went both passenger side doors. It was deep in some spots but you almost have to be on top of and off to a side to see it. And even at that, it looks like a crease in the paint rather than a scratch. Used the spot pad by hand and worked awesome.

Edited July 30, 2009 by rb11701

[Junkman2008]

He does say that it is his finding that FMP has a higher cut. But also mentions that is directly opposite of the instructions and to follow the website.

 

Aha! You read the fine print!

[bigred vette]

You watched the video, but you didn't read the text associated with the video (a point that I stressed that you do before watching the videos). If you had, this is what you would have read. And I quote:

 

Important Note: In my experience up to this point with using both the SHR and FMP, I have found that FMP did more to remove swirls and scratches than SHR. This is in direct conflict to what is stated in the Adam's website, and in the makeup of both products. In fact, the SHR is actually the more aggressive compound when you look at the molecule makeup. You should thus ALWAYS follow SHR with FMP. The reason I may have experienced different results could have been due to a multitude of factors including temperature, the condition or hardness of the clear coat that I was dealing with, or the amount of damage that I perceived was on the car.

 

With that said, you should follow the posted information on the website and assume that the SHR is more aggressive than the FMP. If in your comparisons you experience something similar to what I did, post your experiences here. Normal use according to the posted instructions will have you follow SHR with FMP, in order to lessen the damage done by SHR. You can try my technique, but you should follow Adam's instructions if you don't have the success that I did. Remember, Adam knows his products in a whole lot more detail than I do! The more I use them, the more I learn and thus my process will constantly evolve and improve.

 

Thus as you can see, I was wrong in my assumption in that video. You should always follow SHR/orange pad with FMP/white pad, just as Adam says.

 

I have just completed another set of videos that addresses soft clear coats like that of the Honda. This is something that you also will want to watch once I get it online.

Ok, thanks. Next time I'll read the whole text and not just skim.

[Superdutytd]

He does say that it is his finding that FMP has a higher cut. But also mentions that is directly opposite of the instructions and to follow the website.

 

I would like to know where SHR and FMP fall on the cut scale and what they could be compared to as say Merazerna, or say Meguiar's 105/205 combo.

 

 

I'm going to take a stab at trying to answer this. SHR is not considered to be compound where as 105 is definitely a compound with a cut level rating of 12. M105 is not a normal "rocks in the bottle" level 12 cutting compound because of its non dimishing abrasives. Having used both a fair amount I would say that the newer DA approved version of m105 is more around a level cutting of 10-11. I would say that SHR is around a 7.

As for the 205 versus FMP I cannot comment on the 205 because I have not used it yet but after reading lots about 205 and talking to people who have used it I would say it has a bit higher cut than FMP as some people who use it on soft paints have had to use something less agressive to jewel the paint, something I have not seen happen with FMP but I don't have a definite answer.

[Baron_Von_Awesome]

I would like to know where SHR and FMP fall on the cut scale and what they could be compared to as say Merazerna, or say Meguiar's 105/205 combo.

 

For a Menzerna comparison, FMP would be pretty close to106FF. SHR would give a little more cut than 203S, but not as much of a cut as SIP (so with the right pad, you can easily one-step an 80% correction with SHR).

 

As far as a 105/205 comparison, that's very hard to say since those polishes work completely different than Adam's stuff and the finish you achieve with them depends on pad selection and skill with a buffer.