No result with ScratchX - Where is the fault?

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by Tuningfreak
What do you think about the problem? Its really impossible that I do it wrong. I rub it in with massive power until the sweat is coming onto my face, I dont let it dry, I used MF towel to wipe off and tried today on a spot also with a terry... not even 1 scratch is gone away!

From everything you've posted, I would say that the hardness of the paint is the issue and as you know, here at Meguiar's we teach to use the least aggressive product to get the job done and when your first attempts don't work then it's time to substitute more aggressive measures or stop an learn to live with the defect. In your case it sounds like only a machine applied product is going to get the job done.

I would like to note that I have worked on paint that was so hard that not even machine applied compounds using wool pads on rotary buffers would remove sanding marks and this included everything Meguiar's makes and everything 3M makes. At the end of the day the painter was left with only one option and that was to repaint the car, which he did only using a different paint system.

Some paints are so soft that to just look at them the wrong way will instill a scratch and some paint systems are so hard that no product can affect them in a positive way that the end-result is a better looking finish.

Another example that took place here at Meguiar's with 76 eyeballs watching me was a demonstration for a Viper club where 3 hand applied applications of ScratchX made no visible difference in removing fine swirls and scratches, no amount of cleaning with the G100 and M83 made no visible difference in removing fine swirls and scratches and it wasn't until we used the rotary buffer with some M84 and a foam cutting pad were we able to remove any swirls and scratches.

It was actually the black with silver stripes Viper in the right hand side of this piture...





From this thread,

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=642

[Tuningfreak]

Thank you Mike.

Living with the defects is horrible for any car detailing freak. Could it be a sign for extreme hard paint, if a new car gets really quick a lot of paint defects on front through little stone-hits (sorry, dont know the english word for that)? In this case the car is not even 2 years old and has a lot of broken areas onto the front and onto the mirrors where stones can hit the car during driving. I could imagine that a hard paint will splatter away easier than a "soft" painting... am I right?

I`m planning to buy a buffer from FESTOOL, like this one:

http://www.festoolusa.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=7&prodid=571536

Please take a short look if this is a good tool in combination with the meguiars professional products. Its also available with pad diameter of 150mm instead of 125mm. Dont know which I should buy!!! Which professional products should I try to remove the scratches?

thanks again!

[_G-DoG_]

I think you should start with #80. If this doesn't wirk try some #83. This should get the job done. If not you will have to try #84 and #85 (both only with a rotary if I remember right).

[Kickin Griffin]

If the paint is very hard, then I doubt #80 will do much for you in terms of actually removing the defects, though IIRC it has filler that will act to mask them. As you've been doing, tape up a test area that represetns the swilrs on the car. Try some Meguiars #80 on a polishing pad by PC first (either Megs W8006 or LakeCountry White), then if that doesn't work try #80 on a light cutting pad (LakeCountry Orange, Megs don't do a light cutting pad). If that fails, then try out #83 on a light cutting pad. Only if necessary, you could try #83 on a cutting pad by PC (LakeCountry Yellow), and then follow this up with #80 on a polishing pad to refine the swirls.

On very hard paints (VAG group, and BMW spring to mind here), I have found myself reaching for aggressive compounds to remove defects suitably. Megs #84 and #85 are rotary only products, so will be a no-go of you're working by PC. However, I have found Menzerna Power Gloss to be highly effective by PC using a 4" LakeCountry Cutting Pad or 4" Sonus SFX-1 pad. Best applied using the "slow-cut" method - spritz pad with water, apply product to pad. Dab around a 1' square area max. Turn on PC at speed 3 and with no pressure move the PC across the area for one fast pass to spread and then around three or four slow passes until the polish starts to go clear. Switch machine off and spritz pad with water, then return to the area and use speed 3 again for three or four slow passes with no pressure. The polish will haze up again, and then start to go clear. Then, spritz pad with water again for a third hit, this time at speed 5 for a couple of passes with no pressure, then up to speed 6 for a finishing pass with medium pressure. The abbrassive in Menz products are aluminium oxide, very fragile and too much pressure will shatter them and ruin them before they've had a chance to properly cut, hence not using pressure. Power Gloss will induce micromarring than Menzerna Intensive Polish, or Meguiars #83/#80 will be able to remove so you will have to follow up with one of these. Only use PG if you really have to, and its best to check your paint thickness before starting and during working as well to be safe.

[Tuningfreak]

Thanks kickin! I will keep your hints in mind. Would you please check my link to festool above and tell me if this machine is good for my needs? Whats the right name for this product? I always get a little confused with all the shortcuts here...

[inthedetails]

If possible I would lean toward the G100 or Porter Cable......

The techniques here may work with other machines, but they are tried and proven with the PC.

I did follow the link, but only looked quickly, it seemed to be more of a sander.

[Tuningfreak]

PC is not available in germany...

[Kickin Griffin]

I'm afraid I have no experience of the Festool, but I would personally lean to the PC/G100. They are not available direct in the UK either, but you can source them from Autopia. I reckon they will ship to Germany. Cheaper than the Festool you have in your link too.

[Mike Phillips]

Here's the tool,




Here's the features,





Most of these tools designed for sanding don't have the power to oscillate and rotate a foam pad saturated with a liquid product over a painted finish with the goal of removing small particles of paint. The G100/Porter Cable unit is one of the exceptions.

Purchasing a tool of unknown ability to to the job you want to do is a luck of the draw thing, you might get lucky, you might not.

[Tuningfreak]

Okay... I heard from a few people in germany, that they had good results with this festool machine. But I wanted to hear the opinion of professionals, so I asked here.

I read in the german forum, that the G100 is no longer available from meguiars! Is this correct?

Please understand that`I first lookout for a german product / a product which is available here. The price is not most important for me - but I dont have any warranty if I get a G100 / PC from the states! Sure, the price is the next factor: I have to pay around 50$ transport, pay the customs and additional have to pay german sales tax of 16%! At last its the same if I buy this festool for example.

What can I do? Is this festool really the wrong machine? And what about the backing plates for the foam pads? Do I need others or do they fit to the meguiars pads?

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by Tuningfreak


I read in the german forum, that the G100 is no longer available from Meguiar's! Is this correct?

Whoever posted this information on the German forum is wrong. Send them the link to this page of this thread so they can update their information.

Thanks!