Tweet
Thanks to the Detailing Experts!
Wanted to say THANKS! to all the pros and experts and Meg's mods I've either read or interacted with on this site 
I remember the first time I used a DA (Porter Cable) with Mirror Glaze pads. I was very, very afraid of hurting the paint, having tried in vain to rescue a clear coat failure on a previous car (only to find I was just rubbing what little clear was left right off). Given the comments and threads here, I surely wasn't alone in this fear, but it took me time to realize that with MG pads there's almost no way to do real "damage".
Indeed, in that first outing, I was just happy that I "did a correction" without screwing anything up! Yes, the car looked better than before, but in retrospect, I was being way too cautious with the Ultimate Compound, Ultimate Polish and Gold Class Wax steps. On the site here, I'd see so many pics of swirl-free panels in full sunlight, and I was frustrated, because I hadn't achieved that, yet.
Recently, I finished my second correction this year (due to weather, and experimentation), and I finally feel like I "get it", at least at an intermediate level
Not the most recent, but a January 2015 correction shot
So, thanks to Meguiar's and all the pro-level experts here. It took me a while, but I finally found a combo of products and technique that works for my hard, black pearl-metallic paint/clear, yielding a true show car finish
I hope my insights help someone else who may be struggling with new detailing gear!
I remember the first time I used a DA (Porter Cable) with Mirror Glaze pads. I was very, very afraid of hurting the paint, having tried in vain to rescue a clear coat failure on a previous car (only to find I was just rubbing what little clear was left right off). Given the comments and threads here, I surely wasn't alone in this fear, but it took me time to realize that with MG pads there's almost no way to do real "damage".
Indeed, in that first outing, I was just happy that I "did a correction" without screwing anything up! Yes, the car looked better than before, but in retrospect, I was being way too cautious with the Ultimate Compound, Ultimate Polish and Gold Class Wax steps. On the site here, I'd see so many pics of swirl-free panels in full sunlight, and I was frustrated, because I hadn't achieved that, yet.
Recently, I finished my second correction this year (due to weather, and experimentation), and I finally feel like I "get it", at least at an intermediate level
- With the Porter Cable at least at 3 and-a-half, I get aggressive with UC (or Scratch-X), working the tiny amount of product with a moistened burgundy pad (using GC QD), pushing against the paint (left-right, up-down patters) until the product seems to disappear. Then, I wipe off only the film that remains with an MF. Most of the swirls are gone, and even 1500 grit sanding marks (and their "shadows") I've left on very small touch-ups.
- Next, my fav, UP, at a speed of at least 5 with the yellow pad, sometimes vibrating the panels with a noticeable amount of product in more reloads, again until there's little more than a film left to wipe off with another MF. Swirls are essentially gone, not to mention any other defects. I do a second application of UP, with very little product, then wiping less of it off.
- Third, it's the Gold Class liquid, with many liberal reloads at a slow speed of 3 and the beige pad, just working it in with at least two effective passes, then I let it set up for a few minutes. Removing that last step with a third MF and a chamois to buff, one in each hand, I finally marvel at the result that so many of you seemed to get so easily. Woo-hoo
Not the most recent, but a January 2015 correction shot
So, thanks to Meguiar's and all the pro-level experts here. It took me a while, but I finally found a combo of products and technique that works for my hard, black pearl-metallic paint/clear, yielding a true show car finish
I hope my insights help someone else who may be struggling with new detailing gear!
Comment