Questions about Waxes

[SiriusRIMZ]

I have a few questions so bare with me here.

I am catching on to this process of keeping your car clean and he finish in good condition.

I recently detailed my jeep out again, and it gets better everytime. I also tried some new products, which I really have grown to love.

Let me just state that #17 is Amazing. I have 5 year old headlight that were pitted, yellowed and scratched, now they are crystal clear. I took some 600 grit and wetsanded, then 1200 grit, and finally 2000 grit. I then used my shops' DeWalt orbital buffer, set it to a very low speed, I think I started at 1000 and moved to 1200 rpm's, I was afraid to heat up the plastic. So I applied some #17 expecting marginal results, but it really was amazing how clear my headlights are, even my body teacher was suprized at the effectiveness of the products. Now I need some #10 and Plastix.

Now for my questions. Is there such thing as waxing too much? I cannot find the NXT speed detailer or Quik Detalier ANYWHERE around my house, and NXT spray wax is also sparse. If I wax my car once a month with a light coat, am I hurting anything? I do all my waxing by hand, and polish before I wax, I do two coats ever once every two months.

Also I found a website that carries some #16, I ordered some but have some questions. What will #16 add to my medium colored finish (metallic gold). Whats the best means to apply 16? I know its a paste, does it take longer to dry that NXT Paste?

Also why was it discontinued? Did it contain something that was eventually banned? Same with Engine Kote, why was it removed from production?

Thanks in advance, and please have a detaling workshop in Texas some time Mike, I know of at least 10 of my buddies who are dying for some workshops.

I'll post pictures later if anyone wants.

[Jeff Smith]

Re: Questions about Waxes

Originally posted by SiriusRIMZ

Now for my questions. Is there such thing as waxing too much? I cannot find the NXT speed detailer or Quik Detalier ANYWHERE around my house, and NXT spray wax is also sparse. If I wax my car once a month with a light coat, am I hurting anything? I do all my waxing by hand, and polish before I wax, I do two coats ever once every two months.

For protection purposes, your previous method of 2 coats every 2 months was Ok but you probably don't really wnat to go much farther than that.

For looks, your idea of 1 coat a month might leave you a little wanting. I try to always go with at least 2 coats, back to back with one nights curing in between. This tends to help insure you have a uniform layer of wax and have not applied to thinly in one spot or thick in another. Sometime sfor lack of time there are folks here who will put 2 coats on back to back andget geat results. But the idea is to let the wax cure before adding the additional coat. hence the overnight wait.

So, Are you huritng anything by using either of these methods. IMHO, no. Speaking soley for myself I like to go for looks, Durability is a given if a person waxes even half as much as I do. I have been doing a whole lot of weird stuff and have been applying, on average 2 coats a week. Am I hurting anything. I don;t think so. Am I wasting my time. YEP!. But my goal is to learn how to apply the various products. Plus I like the just waxed look.

[gb387]

Here is a post on the Discontinued Products Announcement, this should help explain why its no longer around.

As for waxing too much... here is another post: How many times do you wax/polish your car in a year? scroll down in the post and read Mike P's post. Its very informative.

I always like to keep my truck looking its best all the time... I try to add a coat of NXT wax or Spray Wax once a month to maintain the look. About every 3 months I do a full detail, I add clay once a year to the detail to clean the bonded contamines.

Hope that helps a little.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Questions about Waxes

Originally posted by SiriusRIMZ
Let me just state that #17 is Amazing. I have 5 year old headlight that were pitted, yellowed and scratched, now they are crystal clear. I took some 600 grit and wet-sanded, then 1200 grit, and finally 2000 grit.

I then used my shops' DeWalt orbital buffer, set it to a very low speed, I think I started at 1000 and moved to 1200 RPM's, I was afraid to heat up the plastic. So I applied some #17 expecting marginal results, but it really was amazing how clear my headlights are, even my body teacher was surprised at the effectiveness of the products. Now I need some #10 and Plastix.

Amazing you were able to remove the scratches! Were you using a wool pad? I'm going to guess yes since M17 is non-abrasive and the cutting power came from your pad and the rotating action of the rotary buffer. Next time try the PlastX as it actually contains a microscopic diminishing abrasive and will remove defects out of plastic much much better no matter how you apply it.

Now for my questions. Is there such thing as waxing too much? I cannot find the NXT speed detailer or Quik Detailer ANYWHERE around my house, and NXT spray wax is also sparse. If I wax my car once a month with a light coat, am I hurting anything? I do all my waxing by hand, and polish before I wax, I do two coats ever once every two months.

With Meguiar's waxes, even our M66, (a very aggressive cleaner/wax), you can wax as often as you like without causing any damage to your paint assuming your paint has all of its integrity. (That means nobody named Bubba has buffed most of the paint off except for a whisper thin amount before you bought the car).

Typically the average person needs to wax their car about 3-4 times a year to maintain the finish and insure there is wax on the paint. Now that's for maintenance, if you're after appearance, then nothing looks as good as a just waxed car, so if you feel so inclined, wax often, this will insure your car always has plenty of wax, (a sacrificial barrier coating), and it will always look like it was just detailed.

Meguiar's does teach the "Law of Diminishing Returns", that is after 2-3 coats ,it's time to stand back and admire the results, not try to Layer more and more wax, (or whatever your choice of paint protectant is called), onto the paint.

Also I found a website that carries some #16, I ordered some but have some questions. What will #16 add to my medium colored finish (metallic gold).

Gloss.

Whats the best means to apply 16? I know its a paste, does it take longer to dry that NXT Paste?

Apply by hand, apply the thinnest coat you can while still actually applying a real film to the paint. Allow it to fully dry, use the Swipe Test to check; the Swipe Test can be found here,

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2166

Thanks in advance, and please have a detailing workshop in Texas some time Mike, I know of at least 10 of my buddies who are dying for some workshops.

I'm working on that for 2006

[SiriusRIMZ]

Thanks for the help guys, I'm glad I'm not the only one who loves that freshly-waxed look and feel.

Mike, the pad was wool, brand new too, and the results are stunning. I had just about had it with these headlamps, they were ready to go. I'll take some better before pictures tomorrow at school, but I did manage to find one, its not very good though.

Before, notice the pitting and hazyness. I'll get a daytime picture tomorrow.


Now, Here's a descent after picture, the hazyness is completely gone, the light is crystal clear, and I saved myself about $250 not having to buy new headlamps.

I spent about an hour and a half, time well spent too. I first applied my second coat of NXT wax (I waited overnight), then while it was drying I did one headlamp, took off the wax and did the other.

I am ordering some Plastx right now, I cant imagine them any better!

Thanks for the advice on #16, I'm excited about getting this stuff. I've heard nothing but raves about it.


And on a side now, I finally found some Gold Class Accessories, I drove for about 45 miles and found a pep-boys with a Versa-Angle Body Brush and a Detaling Brush, I love em both!

Thanks again guys, I really appriacte it.

[Jeff Smith]

Thats stuff did a great job on the headlights. I did not realize you could get results like that in such little time. I helped a buddy do his car and we both took turns working Plastix on his lenses. We finally got it to a point where we were "satisfied" but got nowhere near those results. I have alot to learn.

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by SiriusRIMZ


Mike, the pad was wool, brand new too,

Did I call it or what...

Bookmark this under,

Wool pads as an abrasive


Application material is always a vital factor in the process, whatever the process... hand or machine...

[SiriusRIMZ]

Originally posted by Jeff Smith
Thats stuff did a great job on the headlights. I did not realize you could get results like that in such little time. I helped a buddy do his car and we both took turns working Plastix on his lenses. We finally got it to a point where we were "satisfied" but got nowhere near those results. I have alot to learn.

If I had it to over again, and I will, I would have spent more time on them, but I only have a total of 2 hours in my Auto Body class, and I had to drive for a while, it would be dark soon.

I'd reccomend devoting a good afternoon for maximum results. I'm going to set aside this weekend and do my father's expedition, I'm going to try and get some plastix or #10 by this weekend at my local english color and body.

I'd also reccomend stocking up on wetsand paper. I originally started with 1200, but wasn't cutting enough, so I went down to 600, and removed the yellow haze and pitting. Then I went up to 1200 with more wetsanding, then, I polished up part of one and wasn't completly satisfied with the clarity, so I brought it up to 2000 grit, and the results were great.

I applied the #17, and worked it around with the wool pad before I started to polish it, I didn't hold bad too much on the cleaner, I would polish it up, and once the product was gone, add more, then I wiped it down with MF and put one coat of NXT tech. Note, I used a mixture of NXT Soap, and water. I'm going to exiperment with some differ additives seeing if it changes anything.

The surface of the light is so much smooter and not to mention it looks brand new!

[Jeff Smith]

Originally posted by SiriusRIMZ
If I had it to over again, and I will, I would have spent more time on them, but I only have a total of 2 hours in my Auto Body class, and I had to drive for a while, it would be dark soon.

I'd reccomend devoting a good afternoon for maximum results. I'm going to set aside this weekend and do my father's expedition, I'm going to try and get some plastix or #10 by this weekend at my local english color and body.

I'd also reccomend stocking up on wetsand paper. I originally started with 1200, but wasn't cutting enough, so I went down to 600, and removed the yellow haze and pitting. Then I went up to 1200 with more wetsanding, then, I polished up part of one and wasn't completly satisfied with the clarity, so I brought it up to 2000 grit, and the results were great.

I applied the #17, and worked it around with the wool pad before I started to polish it, I didn't hold bad too much on the cleaner, I would polish it up, and once the product was gone, add more, then I wiped it down with MF and put one coat of NXT tech. Note, I used a mixture of NXT Soap, and water. I'm going to exiperment with some differ additives seeing if it changes anything.

The surface of the light is so much smooter and not to mention it looks brand new!

I am putting another shopping list together. I am not sure it this stuff will be on it this time around or not as I have no need for it in the immmediate future. But I do see the potential of it and it's place in the arsenal so it will be added ASAP. XMAS is here now and I see a new Computer in Santa's Bag.