MT300 Technique

[DasBurninator]

Re: MT300 Technique

1/3 bottle is an estimate and it was thin. This thread isn't about believing thin is in, this is about getting thin using the MT300. My attempts at thin with the MT300 amounted to application then buffering all in the course of a swipe. Hence the request for video.

I don't believe you that it was thin if you used almost 6oz of product to wax a 5 Series.

Not sure why the video didn't post, but here it is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWE1s3dEHNk

[Eldorado2k]

@ErnestHouse. I use those same Megs foam applicators to apply wax. However my black applicator is long gone.. These things are the same. And when it comes to applying wax, my OCD kicks into overdrive which means I like to have new ones on hand for that final touch*

I can never have enough of these around



I just apply a pea sized dot towards the top corner of the pad and once it's been 'primed' a little product goes a Long way.

As far as using the ideal ammount of product aka 'thin layer', it can take some getting used to. I'm pretty sure Everybody uses more product than is nessassary when they 1st start out.. But after a few times you get used to it and wonder how the heck you once used a whole bottle of Ultimate Compound to correct your car..

That's how much I used my very 1st time.^ Lmao

[thedoc46]

Re: MT300 Technique

Hi Ernest,

This video may help... Its not the MT300, but the principle should be exactly the same... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn_kVH3BVc

1/3 bottle is an estimate and it was thin. This thread isn't about believing thin is in, this is about getting thin using the MT300. My attempts at thin with the MT300 amounted to application then buffering all in the course of a swipe. Hence the request for video.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: MT300 Technique

Not to jump the gun here, but 1/3 of a bottle of wax to do a single car - did I read that right??? Yes, that is extreme overkill as we once demonstrated at a TNOG event how you can wax an entire car with a DA buffer using just 0.5 ounces of product. We used NXT Tech Wax 2.0 but we could have done the same with any liquid wax on the market, ours or a competitors. Now, we don't expect that everyone uses 0.5 ounce as a target, or that this is the correct method and everything else is wrong. It does take a bit of practice and experience to do this, but certainly a single ounce of product should be doable by just about anyone.

We'll get the video up ASAP and give some additional pointers along the way. In fact, we may just post up the wax application only video here, and then rewrite the whole "How to use a DA" article with video clips of the various processes.

[Eldorado2k]

This sounds like it's going to be a cool video

Is Jason Rose there today? Maybe he can put on his Commando Polishing Gear like he did for the DAMF video. Lol.
When a man polishing a car looks like he's a part of the S.W.A.T. Team, you know he's not messing around!

[ErnestHouse]

Re: MT300 Technique

@ErnestHouse. I use those same Megs foam applicators to apply wax. However my black applicator is long gone.. These things are the same. And when it comes to applying wax, my OCD kicks into overdrive which means I like to have new ones on hand for that final touch* I can never have enough of these around

I just apply a pea sized dot towards the top corner of the pad and once it's been 'primed' a little product goes a Long way.

As far as using the ideal ammount of product aka 'thin layer', it can take some getting used to. I'm pretty sure Everybody uses more product than is nessassary when they 1st start out.. But after a few times you get used to it and wonder how the heck you once used a whole bottle of Ultimate Compound to correct your car..

That's how much I used my very 1st time.^ Lmao

Thanks Eldorado2K. My hand application looked like whats on the A pillar at 57 seconds in the video but I'm sure there were spots too heavy. I wanted the MT300 to make it easier to get it right. Frankly, the MT300 at 3000 speed applied and buffed in the blink of an eye. One problem is my car is silver and it's much harder to see than the easy black cars in the videos.

Don't your fingers cramp up gripping those pads?

[The Guz]

Re: MT300 Technique

1/3 bottle is an estimate and it was thin. This thread isn't about believing thin is in, this is about getting thin using the MT300. My attempts at thin with the MT300 amounted to application then buffering all in the course of a swipe. Hence the request for video.

Relax dude. It sounded like you took offense to me telling you that you used too much. It could be worse I just saw a thread on a Camaro forum about some guy using 1/4-1/2 a tin of ultimate paste wax on his car.

@ErnestHouse. I use those same Megs foam applicators to apply wax. However my black applicator is long gone.. These things are the same. And when it comes to applying wax, my OCD kicks into overdrive which means I like to have new ones on hand for that final touch*

I can never have enough of these around




I just apply a pea sized dot towards the top corner of the pad and once it's been 'primed' a little product goes a Long way.

As far as using the ideal ammount of product aka 'thin layer', it can take some getting used to. I'm pretty sure Everybody uses more product than is nessassary when they 1st start out.. But after a few times you get used to it and wonder how the heck you once used a whole bottle of Ultimate Compound to correct your car..

That's how much I used my very 1st time.^ Lmao

Best pads I ever used.

Not to jump the gun here, but 1/3 of a bottle of wax to do a single car - did I read that right??? Yes, that is extreme overkill as we once demonstrated at a TNOG event how you can wax an entire car with a DA buffer using just 0.5 ounces of product. We used NXT Tech Wax 2.0 but we could have done the same with any liquid wax on the market, ours or a competitors. Now, we don't expect that everyone uses 0.5 ounce as a target, or that this is the correct method and everything else is wrong. It does take a bit of practice and experience to do this, but certainly a single ounce of product should be doable by just about anyone.

We'll get the video up ASAP and give some additional pointers along the way. In fact, we may just post up the wax application only video here, and then rewrite the whole "How to use a DA" article with video clips of the various processes.

Here's the article on what Mike was referring to. Same concept with the MT300.

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?46754-How-to-apply-a-very-thin-coat-of-wax-with-a-G110v2

[Scott's 62]

Re: MT300 Technique

This sounds like it's going to be a cool video

Is Jason Rose there today? Maybe he can put on his Commando Polishing Gear like he did for the DAMF video. Lol.
When a man polishing a car looks like he's a part of the S.W.A.T. Team, you know he's not messing around!

You got that right Eldorado, the paint has no chance.

[ErnestHouse]

Re: MT300 Technique

This photo from the 2010 thread on thin is telling. When it's so thin, it's hard to know when you miss a spot or when a pad runs dry and if buffs as it swipes as happened on the driver side roof in the demonstration.

[Eldorado2k]

@Scott's 62. Those swirls were dead on his arrival. Lol.



Some detailers wear cotton or even microfiber aprons while detailing in order to prevent minor setbacks like getting a lil compound on their T shirts.. But being a pros pro like Jason Rose requires a level of preperation far beyond what other detailers could ever imagine..
His custom tailored polishing jumpsuit is made of kevlar. This man is literaly Bulletproof! Lol.



He remains undefeated vs. swirls

[Michael Stoops]

Re: MT300 Technique

As promised, some video showing proper technique for machine applying ULW, or any liquid wax for that matter. Now, keep in mind that when applying wax, either with a DA or by hand, all you need to do is spread a thin layer of product out of the bottle and onto the paint. You are not fixing anything, you are not removing defects, nothing is breaking down - you are simply spreading a thin film onto the paint. Remember, too, that no matter how thick you apply your wax/sealant, only so much is going to bond to the paint and remain on the surface once the excess has been removed. Therefore, the thinner - but still uniformly - that you can lay this wax down, the better off you are; the wax will dry faster, it will wipe off easier, and you still end up with the exact same protection as a heavier coat would yield.

It should be noted that Ultimate Wax, with our Thin Film Technology, does indeed spread super thin so it can be a bit tricky to see where you've put it. This particular paint color, under this light, at least on camera makes it a bit tricky to see as well, but look closely at the panels as the wax is being applied and you can definitely see where it is, and where it isn't.

The tool is set to 3800 OPM, but you can go a bit higher if you prefer. There isn't much need to go much higher, really, and going slower on any DA will cause a loss of pad rotation very easily, so it's best to err on the slightly higher speed if you do deviate from 3800. Pressure is no more than the weight of the tool, and arm speed can be quite quick since, again, all you're doing is spreading wax. That's it. It is a good idea to move the tool in both side to side and up and down directions over the entire vehicle just to ensure that you've got a nice thin, even coat applied. As you can see here, even going one handed is acceptable and the MT300's ergonomic shape actually makes this easier to do than most traditional style DA tools do. Notice also that the amount of wax applied to the pad initially is enough to cover the entire hood of this car. Subsequent applications of product will cover equally large areas. And, yes, this step makes use of vastly different technique than that used when compounding or polishing. This technique is for wax/sealant application ONLY!!!


Here's a handy little tip: since all you're doing is spreading a thin film of wax onto the paint, as you work around the vehicle you'll start to accumulate a bit of excess product in the pad. This will happen sooner if you're a bit heavy handed with your wax usage. When you get the point where you do have excess wax in the pad, put that product to good use rather than simply continuing to add more product, more product, more product. As you an see in this clip, we can press the pad firmly against the paint after doing an entire door, and force excess wax out onto the panel. In fact, we are able to press the pad against the panel 3 times, leaving quite a bit of product on the surface to spread out. Remember, there is nothing breaking down, nothing getting used up, nothing deteriorating here. It's just wax accumulating in the pad. Wax that you can either force out of the pad and spread over the paint, or you can wash it out and flush it down the drain. We think putting it to good use and spreading it on the paint is the better option.

[ErnestHouse]

Re: MT300 Technique

Awesome. Thank you for being transparent about some of the challenges such as seeing the ULW as you apply it, the need to move fast and product buildup. Those were all problems I had. It's also good to know the technique for applying wax is totally different, not about pressure and one handed is okay. As a former woodworker, I always thought the palm sander ergonomics in a DA would be good for wax application as it provides a connectedness not unlike hand application. Probably can't get the OPMs out of it though.

Anyway, now that you've done ULW with an MT300, do you think a smaller pad size would enable more control and make it easier to get an even thin application given the challenges? I have 6" and am thinking of going to 3".

FWIW, I just ran across the Meguiars Hand Pads which address some of the difficulties of aging hands.

[jmac]

Re: MT300 Technique

The vimeo videos indicate that I don't have permission to watch them.

[ErnestHouse]

Re: MT300 Technique

ditto. Meguiars is choosing not to show them anymore.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: MT300 Technique

The vimeo videos indicate that I don't have permission to watch them.

ditto. Meguiars is choosing not to show them anymore.

Actually, something must be amiss with Vimeo because these should be visible on MOL to everyone. Give me a bit to look into what's causing this..... apologies for the inconvenience.