Q: M7 and M26 mixture

[davey g-force]

Re: Q: M7 and M26 mixture

Cool, thanks for the updates!

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Q: M7 and M26 mixture

We sort of have a love/hate relationship with this sort of testing: we love that you guys are even thinking about this kind of stuff, but sort of hate being asked about how to mix, what to mix, how to apply, etc. Obviously, this sort of product mixing isn't something that we do around here on a regular basis as each product is designed for a specific job or market segment. And when you start mixing a product that normally should not be allowed to dry with one that should dry before removal, we expect to see mixed results. That said, if you do decide to give this sort thing a go, and you happen to really like the results, then there is certainly nothing to be harmed should you continue to use your new concoction. The only potential downside is when a new member comes to the forum and sees this sort of thing and then they start in with truly bizarre experiments, mixing products or processes that can actually cause problems. Hey, some people do crazy things..... like the guy who called us and was very upset about Natural Shine; it seems he sprayed it all over his primer in an attempt to "bring up the gloss on the primer" before laying down his color coat. Of course, now the color coat won't stick because, well, NS is a vinyl dressing and not paintable or body shop safe. Yes, this really happened. Even though he didn't actually mix two products together, he still did something rather odd (to say the least) and paid the price. We don't like seeing that happen, so we discourage things like mixing products and using products on surfaces other than those we designed (and tested) them for. We know we can't stop you guys from experimenting, and doing so is most definitely a part of this hobby/business.

One thing we would like to see since you're experimenting anyway, is how you think this M03/M26 (or whatever you're doing) compares to a proper M205 application followed by M26, or to Black Wax by itself, or to M205 or M07 followed by Black Wax. Or Gold Class Carnauba Plus.

[gclark26]

Re: Q: M7 and M26 mixture

Mr. Stoops, I am very happy you have chimed in on this topic. My purpose for this experiment was two fold.
1. save a step and time for car show prep.
2. I dont need much if any correction. Certainly not as much as M205 can achieve. But since M3 is lower on the cut scale, I did want to eliminate very fine and random defects. I was concerned M205 would be too much cut and I didnt want to remove more clearcoat than necessary.

I did learn not to mix 2 products with different drying requirements. (i.e M7 / M26) I can see one downside to my experiment. Because the amount of M26 was only 50%, I do not expect M26 to last as long, compared to M26 at full strength.
The M3/M26 50/50 combo produced very nice results and I would probably do this again in the future. The paint surface is very slick an smooth. I dont think M26 by itself could have achieved the same finish. I would agree the finish is much like M205.
I do not have any black wax and cannot give you comparison feedback to my mixture. On the other hand, if Meguiars would like to send me some black wax, I'd be more than happy to conduct the same experiment and report back. I am also thinking about trying a M3/M21 50/50 combo. I expect the protection to last longer based on M21's longevity.

M3 intrigues me due to its lighter cut and polishing oils. I am trying to figure out ways to best use it. Can M3 be used as a jeweling polish? Or does M205 actually eliminate the need to use M3?