Can't cut the swirls...

[Zaairman]

Few weeks ago I decided to give my RED 2000 Ford F-250 a good detailing. Problem is, I get frustrated working on the swirls, throw a coat of wax on it and call it good. Those halogen lights are a problem... LOL It has some serious swirling action going on that I just can't seem to cut. Currently, my most aggressive product is #80 Speed Glaze. I tried using all of the Meguiar's pads 7008, 8008, 9008) on my G100 (yes, I know, not supposed to use 7008 on a DA, but I was testing) using various speeds and pressures and still couldn't seem to make a dent in it. Whats the next step? #83? I realize that pictures of the swirls would help a ton, but I don't have any directly of the swirls at the moment. Any and all advice/tips are welcome...


[Edited for implied non-family friendly language. Please refer to the MOL Forum Rules; Thanks, Tim]

[Derrick]

Re: Can't cut the swirls...

Yes try 83 and make sure to keep your work area small, dont try and tackle a whole panel all at once. Stick to about a 12" by 12" section at a time and fine tune your technique. Then move on and hopefully you can get them out

[Zaairman]

Re: Can't cut the swirls...

When using the #80, I was only working on a 2' by 2' spot, if that. I'll order me up some #83 and see how that goes...

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Can't cut the swirls...

The harder the paint, the deeper the defects the smaller the size you want to work.

Have you read through this yet?

Tips & Techniques for using the G110, G100, G220 and the PC Dual Action Polisher
(These are all similar tools)

Might find a tweak you can implement...

[Ken_Allen]

Re: Can't cut the swirls...

#105!!

[Zaairman]

Re: Can't cut the swirls...

Thanks Mike, but I've tried all of those tricks. Going slow, less product, etc. Like its been said before on here, the Ford paint is just hard as glass.

[yalerd]

Re: Can't cut the swirls...

Give #83 a chance. Maybe this can remove all or most swirls in the surface of your truck. Good luck

[Zaairman]

Re: Can't cut the swirls...

Give #83 a chance. Maybe this can remove all or most swirls in the surface of your truck. Good luck

Will do. But in order to buy that, it requires spending money... Which I don't have at the moment. College really ***** your wallet dry. So does $4/gallon diesel. Oh, and owning 2 boats. I should use the polish pad with my G100 and #83 right?

ETA: Tim, what implied non-family friendly language did I use? Not trying to start anything here, just wondering cause I don't remember exactly what I put originally, but I don't' remember it being *bad*. Thanks...

[Derrick]

Re: Can't cut the swirls...

I should use the polish pad with my G100 and #83 right?

Yes you will want to use the W8006 foam polishing pad with #83

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Can't cut the swirls...

It could be the paint is hard enough that a DA Polisher won't work or at least won't work effectively.

Our new G110 has a lot more rotating power than the Porter Cable unit, this is very apparent when you use one on the 5.0 setting under pressure.

If you're using the PC then you may have reached its limit. Click the link below and give it a read and look at the pictures of the clear coat finish on the white Ford. We personally did the testing and found the only effective way to remove the swirls when given the option of the PC or the RB was to use the RB, the PC just didn't have the power for the paint on this truck.


PC + 83 not "Cutting" it! (The Limits of Dual Action Polisher)


Here's a pictures of Tim's, (aka forum member svt150tim), new-to-him Ford Lightning with a factory clear coat finish over white basecoat.




Here's what the finish looks like all over the the entire truck,

Horrendous Swirls


Here are the results after 10 minutes of compounding using #84 Compound Power Cleaner with a W-7006 foam cutting pad on about 1800 rpm.



We tried to remove the cobweb-effect using the G-100 with a W-8006 polishing pad and some #83 DACP but it had no visible effect. The clear coat finish on this truck is as hard as glass, the only way to remove the swirls in the finish is to machine compound with a rotary buffer.

The point is, there is only so much a dual action polisher like the Meguiar's G-100 can do, once you reach it's limit, and it's not removing the defect, then it's time to substitute a rotary buffer or if you don't own a rotary buffer, and/or the skills to operate one correctly then you will need to take your car to a professional who is trained and experienced with the proper use of the rotary buffer.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Can't cut the swirls...

FWIW

Down the road the owner of this truck took it to Joe aka Superior Shine and he buffed the entire truck out using a rotary buffer and turned out a show car finish. (We didn't want the job or have time for the job)

Check here in the same thread we linked above...

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3056&page=3

It's possible since this work was done that our M105 with a DA Polisher could in fact tackle the job.

If you look at the Time Stamp of my original post on the first page of the above thread it says...

Oct 3rd, 2004, 10:38 PM

So that was about 4 years ago when we did our "Test Spot" on Tim's Ford and when Joe did the buff-out. Not that the PC has gotten any stronger but there are new products out that were not available when we were working on this truck or teaching the class for the Ford Lightening Club.

Ford Lightning Detail Day at Meguiar’s

The date of the above class was,

Feb 28th, 2004, 08:36 AM

Here's a picture from the class, Tim's truck is right up front. Man time flies when you're having fun!




It's also possible using smaller diameter pads would enable the PC to rotate better and thus remove enough paint to remove the swirls in your project, only some hands-on testing would tell.

[Tim Lingor]

Re: Can't cut the swirls...

Will do. But in order to buy that, it requires spending money... Which I don't have at the moment. College really ***** your wallet dry. So does $4/gallon diesel. Oh, and owning 2 boats. I should use the polish pad with my G100 and #83 right?

ETA: Tim, what implied non-family friendly language did I use? Not trying to start anything here, just wondering cause I don't remember exactly what I put originally, but I don't' remember it being *bad*. Thanks...

An email has been sent.

Obviously repeating it would be inapprorpriate. But needless to say, we at MOL run a very tight ship, as we have people of all ages visiting the site. Language whether used or implied must be family friendly.

Thanks!

Tim

[Zaairman]

Re: Can't cut the swirls...

Thanks Tim. Also, Mike, I was going to refer to Tim's detail of a Ford F-350 cab/chassis where he talked about how the dark red paint was hard as glass... It's one of my problems too. I'll be giving the #83 a shot, but I think I might need a rotary. I have one at my disposal (best friend "borrowed" it from his previous job @ Toyota), but then I'll need to order all of the bigger pads. If the #83/G100 won't cut it, then what steps would I take with the rotary?