your process

[rsxgamer]

--Say you make a pass with 83 as your first step with a yellow pad and it doesn't come out to your liking. Do you apply 83 again w/the yellow pad or move up to the maroon pad? I am having this problem right now.

--Most follow up 83 with 80. Do you follow up 83 with 9? This is what I have. Any disadvantages to doing this? My logic is that there shouldn't be much more of an advantage of dropping from 6 to 4 on the cut scale to warrant buying #80 online vs. going from 6 to 3 in cut scale and buying #9 at my local pep boys.

--what is your rule of thumb for giving up on a defect? If you can fit your fingernail in it? If you try 84/85 (with maroon pad) and it doesn't come out? How much extra cutting power does wool give you over maroon foam and what would you recommend wool pads for?

-I, unlike most, did not get the pc to use for a while before upgrading to rotary. I got both at the same time and dove in head first. My fav is easily my hitachi rotary and my pc is more for applying #21.

--do you guys use the pc as a finishing tool? example

83 via rotary (maroon)
9 via rotary (yellow)
9 via pc (yellow)
7 via hand
21 and/or 26

i've heard of people using the pc to take out marring caused by the rotary. even if you are super careful/skilled, should this extra step be taken (the 2nd #9 application)?

[TH0001]

I never have a set process in mind, I always try the least aggresive polish necessary with the less agressive method and move up from there....

For example I always try 80 via PC/8006 first... ALWAYS. This is my personal test. If 80 doesn't cut it (rarely for me) I step up to the rotary using the same combo. I really don't bother with #83 via PC because I get a better cut with 80 and a rotary and its faster.

If this gives me the cut I'm looking for, then I evaluate the surface. If there is swirls or holograms, them I am going back over the paint with 80 and PC. If this doesn't remove them (never happened yet) then I would try 82 (or 9) via rotary. Then I would reevaluate, and if there was still marring I would try something like 80 via PC again.

Assuming that 80 via Rotary didn't give me the bite that I needed, I would try a second pass of 80. If this didn't work, then I would step up to 83/8006 to 83/8000. If this worked, then I would try to follow up with 80/PC. If the 80/PC couldn't follow the 83/8006 combo, then I would use a rotary and 82 or 80 via rotary to cover the 83. Then either 82 or 80 via PC to cover the rotary.

If 83 didn't cut it on the rotary, then its 84/8006 for me. And if that doesn't cut it, its 84/cutting pad or 85/wool. So far I have been able to cover almost everything on the rotary with 80/PC right after. However, on a black C5 I had to do 84/cutting/rotary, 80/8006/rotary, then I followed with 82/8006/pc. This was because of the hard clear coat I figure.

So as you can tell I love 80/PC and this is my go to. I always start with 80 via PC, and then work up to rotary. And if I have marring/holograms/swirls left behind with the rotary, then I try to follow that with 80/PC. Infact 80/PC is usually my last step before going to sealent/wax.

Just thought I would share my experineces

[Zet]

Also, it should be fine following up with #9 instead of #80. And since you have both a rotary and the PC, there so many possible combinations of machine, pad, and product, that it should be able to cover most situations.

But the last step will be determined from the paint you are working on. So always start with the least aggressive product, and work up from there until the defect has been removed. Then you have to work down in aggressiveness again, until any marring/swirls you might have caused, have been removed. On some paints I guess this might require the PC as the last step, to achive a "perfect" finish.

Also if you are in doubt that any one step actually removed the defect, you can try wiping the surface with a 50/50 solution of isopropyl alchol/water. This will remove any left over polish, which might have hidden some light defects. I sometimes do this, to get a feel for how the surface is left after any given product. This will of course have to be followed by a product containing polish like a cleaner/polish or pure polish.

I also jumped right up to using a rotary, and haven't even got a PC yet. But I will get one soon, as I'm sure I'll meet a paint that requires one to reach the absolute best finish.

[farmboy]

[TH0001]

I just wanted to update my response. I am currently working on a C6 and because of the hard clear coat I had to use a very long process to orginally remove that marring that DACP/8000/rotary put put in.

I tried 83 rotary, 80 rotary, 80 pc, but there was still marring....

So then it was 83 rotary, 80 rotary, 82 rotary, 80 pc, still marring...

So finally, I am at 83 rotary, 80 rotary, 82 rotary, 83 PC, 80, pc, and this is finally getting me at 90-95 percent swirl free...

[GTBrad]

wow, corvettes are a pain!

[RedSoxRacer]

Corvettes have hard clear coat, but if there is marring after you use 83 and 80, you may be running them dry. I never have a problem with that combo on my cars.

[TH0001]

Yeah I think I am running them dry to be honest with you. I usually have great luck with the rotary, but its seems this time, after one or two passes the compound is completely gone. I have had to slow down my speed to 800 rpm, f I go up to 1200, its gone quickly... That or the center section of my buffing area will be completey dry but the borders will be whit and not broken down....