Newbie looking for help

[OUMike]

Hey guys, long time listener first time caller.

I've got an old pickup, but I'm really wanting to learn about detailing and proper paint care.

I've got a 1994 black Silverado and its in really good shape but has spent the majority of its life outside in the Houston heat.

I clayed my truck for the first time back in April and I was totally blown away with the results.

Now I'm looking to remove swirls and continue to imporve the looks of my truck. I just turned 22 yesterday and received a Ryobi Random Orbital buffer, and I picked up some Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax.

I've been reading a lot about sealers and swirl removers and what not, but I'm not really sure about what bonnets/pads to use with my buffer.

Here's a shot of the ol' truck so you guys can see what I'm workin' with.

[Mike Phillips]

Hi Mychael

Welcome to Meguiar's Online!

I'm not familiar with that specific tool, but if it has a Velcro backing plate then you could give it try using our W-8006 foam polishing pad to apply the NXT Tech Wax.

Below I'll insert a how-to article that will go over the basics, it's written for our G100 Dual Action Polisher and for people that want to use a dedicated swirl remover before applying a wax but you can get the idea of what to do if you pick up at the step for applying the wax and use our polishing pad instead of our finishing pad for a little more cleaning power.

Another option would be to get a cleaner/polish like the M80 Speed Glaze and pre-clean and polish the paint before applying the wax to remove as many of the swirls, scratches and stains as you can.

[Mike Phillips]

Using the G-100 to remove swirls with the Professional Line

Tips & Techniques for using the G-100a to remove swirls and other paint defects.

Products Used
Smooth Surface™ Clay Kit
G-100a
1 each W-7006 SOFTBUFF™ Cutting Pad (For use with the the Gold Class Bonnets)
2 each W-8006 Soft Buff® Foam Polishing Pads (For use applying cleaner/polishes)
1 each W-9006 SOFTBUFF™ Finishing Pad (For use applying NXT Tech Wax)
#83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish
#80 Speed Glaze
Meguiar's NXT Generation Tech Wax
Supreme Shine Microfiber
X4003 Gold Class Clear Coat Safe Microfiber Bonnets 2-Pack



First wash the car thoroughly. Pay special attention to loosening and removing any dirt particles from cracks and crevices to prevent these dirt particles from being introduced onto the surface during the polishing process. After washing and drying, inspect the surface both visually for below surface defects and with the palm of your clean hand for above surface defects.

If you feel any tiny little bumps still attached to the finish after washing, proceed to clay the paint to safely remove these contaminants. After claying each panel, wipe the panel down with a quick detailer to remove any residue.

Using Painters Tape, tape-off any plastic trim or components that you don't not want to get product onto and also tape-off any edges, high points or areas with known thin paint.



Your car may not look like the below car, but the taped-off areas should...




Let's begin!




Using M83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish to Remove Serious Below Surface Defects such as deep swirls, scratches and etchings in the paint

This step would be for car finishes that have been neglected and/or abused. In most cases you would want to first do a Test Spot using M80 Speed Glaze and then check your results. If M80 Speed Glazes wasn't aggressive enough then you would try something more aggressive and this would be Meguiar's M83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish.


Applying #83 Dual Action Cleaner/Polish with the G-100

• Speed Setting - 5.0
• Arm Speed - Slow Arm Speed
• Pressure - 15 to 20 pounds of pressure on the head of the polisher
• Work Area - Work a small area at a time, about 1 foot square
• Overlapping motions - Overlap each pass by 50%, move the polisher using different patterns
• Time - Work the product until the diminishing abrasives have broken down, but you haven't gone completely to a dry buff.
• Amount of product - Don't overuse product, use enough to lay down a film in the area you are working

The below diagram represents swirls and scratches evenly distributed throughout your car's finish from a horizontal point of view.



You can see that in order to remove these below surface defects you need to remove the highest areas of the paint until they are level with the lowest depths of the deepest scratches. In essence, you must remove paint.


When using the G100 Dual Action Polisher to remove defects, (This is different then merely applying a polish or a wax because you're trying to remove paint), you need to use a slow arm speed, overlap you passes by 50% and apply between 15 pounds and 20 pounds of pressure onto the head of the polisher.

To get an idea of how hard this is to push down, simply place your polisher onto an everyday bathroom scale and then press down on the head of the polisher and take note of how hard you're pushing. If you like, you can even tape some heavy plastic around the scale as you can see that I did in the below picture and actually turn the polisher on and practice pushing down as you move the polisher around. Also listen to the sound of the motor to get an idea of how it sounds at the pressure you are applying. Make sure you have someone to hold the scale in place when you do this.

15 pounds of pressure on the head of the polisher


20 pounds of pressure on the head of the polisher


Move the polisher in different directions
You also want to go in at least two different directions, for example, from where you're standing, side to side, then front to back. You can also move the polisher in a kitty/corner fashion for complete, thorough and uniform cleaning action.



Only work a small area at a time
This will vary according to the shape, curve or body line of the panel you are polishing but for example on a large flat panel, you want to stay around a 12" to 18" squared area. The point being, don't try to work to large of an area all at once or you won't remove the defects equally everywhere.

Overlap your sections
When you move on to a new section, overlap into the old section for a uniform end results.


If you're applying a pure polish, or a polish/wax or a pure wax, then you can polish larger areas at a time, use a faster arm speed, use less pressure and make fewer passes because when applying these types of products you're not trying to remove paint, merely do a good job of working the product in and leaving behind a thin even coating.

This does not apply when using a cleaner/wax like ColorX on neglected paint because in this situation you're again trying to remove paint.

The point of the cleaning step is to remove the defects. Because the G100's polishing action is gentle and therefore safe, it takes time to remove small particles of paint in an effort to remove a defect, so concentrate hard at doing your best work when doing the cleaning step, don't skimp out during the step and try to rush it, your results will reflect that you didn't do a good job the first time.



Using M83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish to remove light or shallow below surface defects such as deep swirls, scratches and etchings in the paint

This step would be for car finishes that have are in pretty good shape except of light/shallow swirls, scratches and etchings.

In most cases you would want to first do a Test Spot using M80 Speed Glaze and then check your results. If M80 Speed Glazes wasn't aggressive enough then you would try something more aggressive and this would be Meguiar's M83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish. Another option would be to apply a second application of M80 Speed Glaze and work it really well and check to see if this removed the defects instead of switching to the M83.

Applying M80 Speed Glaze is also excellent for re-polishing show cars to bring them back up to show car status. M80 Speed Glaze perfectly prepares any paint for application of your choice of wax.

Here are two cars that have been re-polished using M80 Speed Glaze to remove light swirls and scratches and prepare them for display.

The Panic Parrot
This wild Pro Street 1950 Studebaker Starlight Coupe is named Panic Parrot. Owner Steve Metz Creator of Muscle Machines is famous for taking his wildest imaginations and turning them into reality! With the Panic Parrot he has created yet another wild super rod in the same legacy of the Frantic Frog. And it not only looks wild, it is wild with a fuel injected 632 cubic inch Chevrolet engine.



Sniper
"Sniper", a 1954 Plymouth Belvedere that was totally reworked and customized by Troy Trepanier features a Viper V-10 engine and modified drive-train from a GTS Coupe. Unveiled at the SEMA Show as part of Hot Rod Magazines 50 years of Hot Rodding Showcase, it has been the recipient of many design awards.



If you use M80 Speed Glaze to showcase your talents as a detailer and create a flawless, liquid wet-looking finish on your car... then you're in good company!

Applying #80 Speed Glaze with the G-100

• Speed Setting - 4.5 to 5.0
• Arm Speed - Medium Arm Speed
• Pressure - 15 to 20 pounds of pressure on the head of the polisher
• Work Area - Work a small area at a time, about 1 foot square
• Time - Work the product until the diminishing abrasives have broken down, but you haven't gone completely to a dry buff.
• Amount of product - Don't overuse product, use enough to lay down a film in the area you are working. Speed Glaze is rich in polishing oils a little bit goes a long ways

When attempting to remove light swirls and scratches from your car's finish, use between 15 and 20 pounds of pressure to the head of the polisher. After polishing at these more aggressive pressures, you can always lighten up and make a few cover-passes at 10 to 15 pounds of pressure.

For very light polishing, you need only apply between 10 and 15 pounds of pressure to the head of the polisher.


For a little more aggressive cleaning action with the M80 Speed Glaze, increase your pressure to the 18, 19 and 20 pound range.



If you decide to re-polish any panels with a second application of the M80 Speed Glaze, be sure to first remove any leftover residue first before applying fresh product. This will insure the remaining residue will not adulterate or dilute the fresh product for best results.

After you've cleaned and polished your car's paint with either one-step process, (M80 Speed Glaze), or a two step process, (M83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish followed by M80 Speed Glaze), and have wiped off any and all residue left on the finish, you are now ready to apply your favorite wax.



In the below outline, we list Meguiar's NXT Generation Tech Wax; you can however use any wax you like for this step.

Applying NXT Tech Wax with the G-100

• Speed Setting - 3.0 to 4.0
• Arm Speed - Medium Arm Speed
• Pressure - 5 to 10 pounds of pressure on the head of the polisher. You want to lightly engage the foam pad with the surface, not just float over it. This means using a few more pounds of pressure than just the weight of the machine resting on the surface.
• Work Area - You can work a much larger area when apply a wax if you have already previously cleaned and polished the finish with a cleaning and polishing step like those outlined above. For example you can apply wax to one half of the hood and then walk to the other side of the car and apply to the other half of the hood and continue to apply your wax like this as you work around the car. Apply wax to the entire car and then stop and wait for the wax to dry until it swipes clear.
• Time - Work the product long enough to make 2 to 3 passes over each square inch of the finish then move on to a new section.
• Amount of product - Don't overuse product, use enough to lay down a film in the area you are working. Thin coats are just as effective as thick coats plus they remove easier and use less product.

5 to 6 pounds of pressure for applying a wax after a dedicated cleaning and polish step



9 to 11 pounds of pressure for applying a wax if you need a little cleaning power when you're applying the wax






Removing the dried wax by hand or machine

After allowing the coating of wax to dry until it swipes clear, you are now ready to remove the wax by hand using a premium quality microfiber polishing cloth or a 100% cotton terry cloth towel. If you like however, you can also use your dual action polisher to remove the wax by using a microfiber bonnet over a clean dry pad.

Removing Polish or Wax with an Ultimate Bonnet on the G-100

• Speed Setting - 4.0 to 5.0
• Arm Speed - Medium Arm Speed
• Pressure - 15 to 20 pounds of pressure on the head of the polisher.
• Work Area - You can work panel by panel, for example, remove the wax from one half of the hood and then walk to the other side of the car and remove the wax from the other half of the hood. Repeat this to the entire car until all of the wax has been removed.

At this point you can call it quits or apply a second coat of wax.



Note about the pressure applied to the head of the polisher...

I've placed my hand on a scale before and often times guesstimated how hard to push down on the buffer head, but today I covered our bathroom scale with a thick plastic from a bag I cut up, taped it securely around the scale, then experimented running the polisher over the scale using the correct pad and chemical to try as best as I could to duplicate the exact thing I would do if I we're working on a real car.











I've polished out hundreds of cars using both the rotary buffer and the dual action polisher and have a pretty good feel for how much pressure to apply depending on what you want to accomplish.

To tell you the truth, I was quite surprised by the scale readings myself. I posted a range because that's truly how the dual action polisher works, it works within a range of pressure not a set number. Another factor is the condition of the paint, paint with only light swirls will only need pressure in the 15 pound range while paint with really deep swirls and harder paint will require pressure in the upper range running anywhere from 17 to 20, maybe even bumping over 20.

It was not a perfect system, but I'm confident the numbers are in the real world correct range. If you have a scale, and you have experience polishing out swirls with a dual action polisher using a foam pad like our W-8006 foam polishing pad, give it a try and compare notes.

Also when applying a wax, I found a little more than the weight of the polisher, yet enough to keep the pad flat against the finish was around the 10 pound range. For more cleaning ability, a person could apply a tad more pressure, so the range depends upon what you're trying to do.

These are all just suggestions, or course you can experiment with your car's finish and determine what works best for you.

Remember, it's not just about breaking down abrasives; it's about removing below surface defects. You remove below surface defects by removing the upper level paint that surrounds them.

Gliding the dual action polisher over a clear coat finish will not remove paint. Pushing down on the polisher, moving it slowly and the combination of time, your pad choice, chemical and oscillating action, gently and carefully abrade and remove small amounts of paint which levels the finish and thus removes the defects.

[Mike Phillips]

Also, spend some time reading through Meguiar's 5-step paint care cycle as it will answer a lot of your questions about products and process.

List 'O Links

Many of the things we cover in our Saturday Classes are discussed and talked about in the threads found in the sub-forums of the Information Station


First read this,

Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle


Then read these...

How To Remove Swirls By Hand
How to remove a defect by hand with ScratchX
Using the G-100 to remove swirls with the Professional Line
Circles or Straight Lines?
Which LSP is Best for Light Colors
How to locate Meguiar’s Professional & Detailer products in your hometown
How to tell when a Meguiar's wax is ready to remove - The Swipe Test
The Dual Action Counterweight "Controversy"
What are the Differences Between Meguiar's Waxes
What's the Deal with "Layering"?
Measuring Clear Coat Thickness
Rotary vs. PC vs. Regular Orbital Buffer
Glass Polishing...Deep Cleaning
NXT Tech Wax Cure Time
Suggested Products for Taking Care of a New Car
Colored Waxes - Do they really work?
PC + #83 not "Cutting" it! - The Limits of the Dual Action Polisher
What it Means to Remove a Scratch
Why Meguiar’s Recommends Polishing Paint
A Lesson From White Paint
Each one, teach one... Ferrari Fiorano 355 F1 Spider

[OUMike]

Thanks a lot for the fast reply. I don't think it has the velcro backing and its 10'' diameter.

I been reading a little bit about cutter bonnets and things of that nature and not really sure what those kinds of things are used for.

I'll have to do a little searching for different bonnets for this machine.

[Bwiser]

Hey OUMike,

Since we are not allowed to post direct links on MOL...try doing a web search for waxstation.com, there you will find buffing bonnets and polishing cloths for 9-10" along with 7"-8" for random orbital buffers. Just to let you know, these types of machines are not noted for paint correction but individuals do give them a try for very, very light paint correction w/buffing bonnet...although there maybe no correction at all (simply too weak/low speed/not enough heat). However they are awesome for applying/removing any type of wax, very light cleaners and pure polishes, and in many cases a DA or rotary polisher is required for paint imperfections/correction.

happy detailing!

[Mike Phillips]

Here's a somewhat related article,

Rotary vs. PC vs. Regular Orbital Buffer


And if you're looking for bonnets, Meguiar's also offers these on www.meguiars.com com


Bonnets

[OUMike]

Thanks soo much fellas for the fast replys. I've been reading your back posts and I'm learning quite a bit. I'm debating between the Swirl Remover and the 83-80 step.

Thanks again for the warm welcome. I'll post photos upon completion.

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by OUMike
I'm debating between the Swirl Remover and the 83-80 step.

The M09 Swirl Remover 2.0 is a very gentle cleaner/polish and best result for actually removing swirls out of the paint are achieved when applied using a rotary buffer unless the swirls are shallow and your paint is on the softer side.

M80 Speed Glaze is a great general purpose swirl remove for use the the dual action polisher plus it offers a lot of play time, that is it stays wet on the finish for a long time giving you a generous window of time to work the product.

Of course you never know what you can do with a specific product until you go out into your garage and try it yourself.