Ultimate Compound - limits?

[clickclack123]

Is there a limit to the amount of times you can hit a certain spot/panel with Ultimate Compound in one detailing session?

Can I keep making several passes with it until i get the look I want or is there a limit I shouldn't cross?

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Ultimate Compound - limits?

That is a very good question, and unfortunately very difficult to answer.

In very basic terms, there is a point where you can remove too much paint. In reality, when working by hand it will most likely be difficult to go "too far" unless the paint has very deep defects, or the paint has been polished before.

You should safely be able to make several passes with aggressive hand motion on normal paint.

What are you working on?

Any pictures?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Ultimate Compound - limits?

There is a limit but like Mark said, it's hard to know how much paint you can remove without going through the clear or making it so thin it could be a problem in the future.

Even a paint thickness gauge isn't perfect because it measure total film build, not just the clear layer thickness.

If the car is a daily driver, then often times you're better off to improve a defect than to completely remove a defect.

[clickclack123]

Re: Ultimate Compound - limits?

What are you working on?

Any pictures?

Yes i started a thread here.



This is the spot i tested and it took out some oxidation after the 1st short pass I made. I applied it twice but for a very short time as my applicator kept "crumpling" (kind of/it was a terrycloth applicator) and i couldnt get a real good handle on it.

However the next day, the tested spot wasnt shiny as the day before and looked hazy. Is this because i didnt really break down the compound long enough? Or do i just have to use a less abrasive product (swirlx/scratchx) afterwards? and if so how long do I wait to apply it after Ultimate Compound?

[asim_296]

Re: Ultimate Compound - limits?

Is this clear coat or single stage paint. Do you see paint transfer in your terry towel??

Just checked your previous post! then It's single stage...

After using the product with aggressive applicator, make another pass with less aggressive applicator with less hand pressur.

Then follow up with any polish. Don't forget to do it first in the same spot you worked on.

[clickclack123]

Re: Ultimate Compound - limits?

Is this clear coat or single stage paint. Do you see paint transfer in your terry towel??

On the other thread ive posted I determined it was a clear coat finish. The paint didnt really transfer. I think it was more the color of the UC thats left on my applicator pad.

Sorry about this thread starting to resemble my other thread. To get back to point, what I wanted to discuss was:

1. Does UC need to be worked in a certain amount of time to be effective? Is there a minimum amount/maximum amount (seconds wise)?

2. Is the hazy byproduct a result of not doing it long enough or doing it too long?

3. how much (tablespoon/teaspoon) UC should I apply per hit on say a 1foot by 1foot section?

4. If I choose to apply a less abrassive product afterwards, do I apply it right after im done with UC or do I need to wash the area first?

[asim_296]

Re: Ultimate Compound - limits?

1. No, Because It's has no diminishing abrasive. It will cut as long as you're working it.

2.No, Actually I think your paint has clear coat failure. And you removed the dead clear coat thats why it became more shiny but from the picture there's no reflection unlike the front door. Hopefully, It's not clear coat failure

3. How do you apply ? hand, machine? But usually work it until you barely see product film on your working area.

4. Make sure the panel is clean you don't want to instill more scratches by woking the product on dirty/dusty panel?

[clickclack123]

Re: Ultimate Compound - limits?

Is this clear coat or single stage paint. Do you see paint transfer in your terry towel??

Just checked your previous post! then It's single stage...

After using the product with aggressive applicator, make another pass with less aggressive applicator with less hand pressur.

Then follow up with any polish. Don't forget to do it first in the same spot you worked on.

I see you edited your post. How did you figure its a single stage paint?

Whats an aggressive and less aggressive applicator?

[clickclack123]

Re: Ultimate Compound - limits?

2.No, Actually I think your paint has clear coat failure. And you removed the dead clear coat thats why it became more shiny but from the picture there's no reflection unlike the front door. Hopefully, It's not clear coat failure

I dont think its clear coat failure, but just really bad oxidation. Im making this statement based on the pictures ive seen on Mike's thread The Clearcoat Failure Photo Archive . My car's paint does not look like any of those photos. I can still see my reflection on the rear panels, its just a bad angle/lighting to take a decent picture.

Check out my other thread to see my situation.

Thanks for your input on the application of UC.

[Chop]

Re: Ultimate Compound - limits?

1. Does UC need to be worked in a certain amount of time to be effective? Is there a minimum amount/maximum amount (seconds wise)?

Around here I've read anywhere from 30 secs to 1 min. I tried a 1 ft by 1 ft area with passion with and I think those numbers are right about the limits of my arm.

3. how much (tablespoon/teaspoon) UC should I apply per hit on say a 1foot by 1foot section?

4. If I choose to apply a less abrassive product afterwards, do I apply it right after im done with UC or do I need to wash the area first?

. I would like to hear answers for questions 3, and 4.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Ultimate Compound - limits?

1. Does UC need to be worked in a certain amount of time to be effective? Is there a minimum amount/maximum amount (seconds wise)?

In your case yes. If a person just wanted light cleaning then they could apply it lightly and for only a short time. With the looks of your paint you want to work a section about a foot squared and work this section thoroughly, for about a minute. Then wipe the residue off and inspect.

The cleaning step, (and that's what this step is called), is the step where you need to remove the defects as good as you can, the next steps don't remove defects like oxidation. So after working a small section for about a minute if the paint doesn't look good you can try to work a section longer but don't work till your product is drying up or work the section twice, that is wipe the residue off from the first application and the apply a second application.

You need to get to a point where the cleaning step is making the paint look good, at least acceptable to your eyes, acceptable enough that you're happy with the results. Applying a polish and a wax or just a wax will build on these results and seal the paint up.

If you can't get to a point here the paint is acceptable by your standards during the cleaning step then it might be time to decide whether the paint is past the point of no return or at least past the point of meeting your acceptable standards.

Some paints cannot be saved, at least to the level of perfection that you want. Hard to say without being there in person and working on the car.

2. Is the hazy byproduct a result of not doing it long enough or doing it too long?

Could be the paint? Could be nothing you pour out of a bottle or scoop out of a can will fix this paint.

If I only speak from personal experience, then here's my answer, every time I've used Ultimate Compound, the results were the defects were removed and the paint was clear and glossy.

I have enough experience to look at most neglected paints, (like yours), and determine if working on the paint is a waste of time or if it's at least worth doing a test spot. So when I say everything I've worked on has come out clear and glossy it's because I've insured my success by only working on paints that will polish out. Again, I can't make the Go/No Go decision for you since I can't see and work on the paint personally and pictures are good but not good enough to make an accurate diagnosis.

I'm not sure if I posted this in the other thread you started if I did, sorry for repeating it, if I didn't sorry for not including it so here goes,

TEST SPOT

Doing A Test-Spot

Before going over the entire car, see if you can make just one small section look good, that is apply the product you're planning on using over the entire car to just one small section about a foot squared or so. Work it in and then wipe it off, then apply the polish, work it in but not as much as the compound because now you're not trying to remove paint, just spread the product out, then immediately wipe it off, then apply the wax and let it fully dry and then wipe it off.

Now inspect our results. Make sure you can make one small section look GREAT before going over then entire car. If you can't make one small section look GREAT you won't be able to make the entire car look GREAT.

Make sense?

It should look like this,






Before you tackle the car you want to do a Test Spot, that would be using the Ultimate Compound and whatever other steps you want to do, all in one test section and see how it looks. Then decide whether or not to mover forward after inspecting the results.

Your Test Spot should look like the one below, if you can't get the paint to look smooth, gloss and clear like the little square in the picture below by the time you wipe the wax off then either the paint is too far gone or there's something wrong with it or we need to continue to tweak your technique because the only other factor is the products and we know they work first hand.

3. how much (tablespoon/teaspoon) UC should I apply per hit on say a 1foot by 1foot section?

A tablespoon to start with, as you work your applicator pad will become wet with product and then you'll find fresh applications of new product will go further.

You should have an ample amount of product on the surface to work over the paint and always have a wet film on the surface.

4. If I choose to apply a less abrasive product afterwards, do I apply it right after im done with UC or do I need to wash the area first?

Most people would UC the entire car working section at a time and wiping the residue off after each section.

If you're only doing a panel, say the door, then you would apply UC to the entire door by breaking it up into sections, either 4 large sections or 9 smaller sections, the idea being to only work a small section at at time. Every car size is different so you have break each panel up according to the size of the panel/car, the larger the panel/car usually the more section you have to break each panel up into.

Hope this helps...

[sontakke]

Re: Ultimate Compound - limits?

I tried something similar. I divided the trunk panel in to half by painter's tape. I used M105 by had and then polished it. I was able to take off quite a lot of RIDs on that side. I wish I could take the pictures but the camera phone is not able to capture what I see.

If I were to repeat the the step, would I be able to further reduce RIDs or I have ran in to limitation of my method?

I should not be calling them RIDs as they are not deep. The deep scratches are pretty much untouched and nothing that I have done so far is able to minimize them.

- Vikas

[starchland]

Re: Ultimate Compound - limits?

did you wax after?