Announcement

**Mike Phillips** · Aug 23, 2004, 09:08 AM

Hi Ahmed,

Welcome to Meguiar's Online!

All the way from Panama? Cool!

Mike

**Bill D** · Aug 23, 2004, 09:31 AM

Hi Zitnosonic,

It's really cool to interact with car crazy individuals from all around the world

At a local seminar this past Saturday Rod Kraft demonstrated Diamond Cut with a wool pad and a rotary. To my surprise it wasn't as scary to use as I imagined. I think they key is to never overlook caution,use a safe rpm setting and to check your work frequently. I kinda though DC would sorta be like liquid sandpaper. I was pleasantly shown otherwise.

Rod also demonstrated wet sanding. This is a procedure that really requires even more caution. He went lightly and checked his work. Upon wetsanding he repolished with the rotary.

As for the no wax for 60 days, yep, I would stick to that. That was discussed also, yes, solvents do have to evaporate gradually over this extended period of time and if the wax is applied too early you risk getting defects in the paint resulting from the solvents being trapped by the wax.

**Mike Phillips** · Aug 23, 2004, 09:35 AM

Re: Diamond Cut and my steps to high gloss

Originally posted by Zitosonic
This is my story, recently i buy a 4 year old car that i guess have never been polish or waxed... the car is white and have some scratches... a lot of swirls noticeable under spot lights and gritty feel... also wall paint chips on the hood and right side.

this is what i do and i get high gloss results on my white car but anyway i'm new to this so any guide will be helpful

1. Clay my car using Quick Clay (two times each panel) of course after washing it very well.

Good so far.

2. Buff using W7000 red foam pad and Diamond cut 2.0 until a haze and clean with a 100% cotton towel (by now i can't get microfiber here on Panama) so i have to use this towels
I buff each part 2 times using a rotary buffer at around 1000 to 1500 rpm i guess, not to slow not too fast and with medium to low pressure over the panel.

#85 Diamond Cut Compound is technically for use with a wool pad, but if you can get it to work with foam your okay. It contains a microscopic diminishing abrasive that will break down under time and pressure.

Did you ever see any white paint residue on your foam buffing pad?

3. Wipe using Quick Detailer

Good.

4. Polish with Deep Crystal Polish (my supplier suggest me to use Swirl Free Polish) but as i already have DC Polish i use it. I use the polish 2 times on each panel. I use a 3M grey pad to polish. I know this pad isn't aggressive enough but i doesn't have another...

The Deep Crystal Polish is typically not applied using a rotary buffer, but if it buffed okay and wiped off easy enough you're okay. Deep Crystal Polish is a pure polish, that means it contains no ingredients with the intended purpose of abrading the finish, i.e. it contains no diminishing abrasives like our cleaner/polishes.

After a heavy compounding it's usually a good idea to use a cleaner/polish like #83, #82, #80, or #9 with a polishing pad. This will act to remove any swirls or haze leftover from the compounding step. To use a pure polish would make it really hard to accomplish swirl removal because you'll be relying on your pad as the abrasive.

5. Third step again and then Deep Crystal Carnauba Wax... also using a Grey Pad (Norton Grey Pad)... i use 3 thin layers of wax...

Just to double check, you say you're applying the Deep Crystal Carnauba wax with a Norton Grey foam pad on a Rotary Buffer?

If so, this is the wrong application technique. Pure waxes like Deep Crystal Carnauba wax should be applied by hand, or with a dual action polisher or orbital buffer, but not with a rotary buffer.

thats it so with this steps i have an almost flawless finish under sunlight, under spotlights at night its very shiny but if you see closer you can see isolated minimal scratches...
Questions

1. can i get better results if i wet sand this car?

I wouldn't recommend wet-sanding this car. The paint is probably hard enough that removing your sanding marks will be very difficult. Also, after compounding it twice you may run into some film-build issues trying wet sand and then compound it again, especially on high points and body lines.

2. how can i determine the thickness of my clear coat?

With a Paint Thickness Gage, but this won't tell you how thick your clear coat is, it will only tell you how thick your total film-build is.

3. Does Diamond Cut breaks down when you buff?
... i'm afraid i cut too much clear coat...

Yes.

4. I hear now that i should not wax the paint for 60 days because wax won’t let the new paint’s solvents escape, thus resulting in a hazy finish... is this true?

If you're working on factory paint, it is cured by the time it leaves the assembly plant. If you are working a car that has been re-painted, then most paint manufactures recommend a minimum of 30 days cure time before you apply any type of paint protectant onto it. Some painters may recommend a longer time, always follow your painters recommendations.

thanx

Ahmed Luque
a.k.a. Zitosonic

Hope I helped...

Mike

**Zitosonic** · Aug 23, 2004, 10:22 AM

thanx for all your warm welcomes, i just want to let you know that i have been reading this forum for a while and it rocks...

Bill D / Mike
if i just use DC should i wait 60 days? if i wait 60 days the paint will be a mess again... how can i protect it from contaminants?
Should i have to remove the wax?

Mike
this is the factory paint, i see white residue on the foam pad but remember the DC is white... is this normal? I get some buffing marks but i buff again softly and wipe with QD

also i use a hand applicator for the first coat of wax and then a grey pad at very low speed for the second... and low pressure for a short time SORRY i wont do this again...

my supplier was selling me Hi Tech Yellow Wax on a Meg dispenser for $5.00 should i buy it? he also sell the yellow foam pad but it was $18.00 *expensive i think...

I'm planning a trip to San Antonio and get some Meg foam pads and products, my family lives there so i can also work on the family cars... where can i get a list of Meg supplilers on SATX

**Mike Phillips** · Aug 23, 2004, 11:22 AM

Hi Zitosonic,

If you're working on factory paint, then you don't need to wait 60 days to apply any product.

If you're seeing white residue on your maroon buffing pad, that sounds like white paint to me, Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner is kind of a khaki color. Try this, find a piece of dark colored cloth and apply a little paint cleaner to it and then rub on your car's white finish, it should be pretty apparent if you're pulling color from the finish.

As far as the #26 Wax goes, I would see what you could purchase the entire bottle for instead of purchasing a secondary bottle filled with #26.

As far as locating a Meguiar's distributor in San Antonio, Texas, try our dealer locater here,

Dealer Locater

If that doesn't work, try option 2 or 3 found here,

How to locate Meguiar’s Professional & Detailer products in your hometown

Hope this helps...

Mike

**Zitosonic** · Aug 23, 2004, 01:11 PM

Mike, the foam pad gets white as i use Diamond Cut 2.0... i'm not using Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner... anyway i will make the test with DC step 1... i hope the white stuff is product residue... i clean it with a soft brush turning the buffer on, is this correct?

thanx for all your help

**Mike Phillips** · Aug 23, 2004, 01:28 PM

Hi Zitosonic,

The residue from Diamond Cut Compound will be white on the cutting pad, but so will white paint, so you might want to double check if you're working on a clear coat or a single stage finish just to be cautious. By the way, what kind of car is you're working on?

As far as cleaning the foam pads go, "Yes", using a nylon brush, like a toothbrush, holding it against the foam as you bring up the RPM's of your buffer is the correct way to clean the foam pad.

Mike

**Zitosonic** · Aug 23, 2004, 01:43 PM

ok, i use black 100% cotton towels and QD to wipe the surfaces after every step... and i don't see any "white" residue... maybe a little light ocre like residue but not white...

I'm working on a Kia Pride (its a different version of the Ford Festiva) i really don't know a lot about paint finishes and if Korean use different finishes from the other car manufacturers?

Ahmed

Announcement

Diamond Cut and my steps to high gloss

Diamond Cut and my steps to high gloss

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment