Clay Strength

[3Fitty]

Re: Clay Strength

JA,

As I said before, I think it is possible, although the finish was getting better with each pass, but I couldn't get it perfect.

Frankly, it was just taking too long and I didn't have enough time.

I'm now thinking if I kept claying it, do you think I could have actually taken off enough paint to get through to the metal?

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Clay Strength

Even due to the fact the contamination you were pulling out was black, not blue. I still think you were pulling the pigment out of the paint. This happened to me on my daughters ss silver Ford Taurus. When I clayed it it was pulling black off the paint. After about 3 passes with the clay it was hardly pulling anything off the paint. However it still felt very rough.

[3Fitty]

Re: Clay Strength

If it really IS contaminants being pulled out. A decon kit would probably be easier on you than claying would. I spent 5 hours claying a Honda Accord that was never washed since the SoCal fires. Looking back, a decon kit would have been the best solution. Afterall, I used 2 200g Mild and Aggressive bars on it...

Yeah, I was going through the clay like underwear.

[eyezack87]

Re: Clay Strength

If it really IS contaminants being pulled out. A decon kit would probably be easier on you than claying would. I spent 5 hours claying a Honda Accord that was never washed since the SoCal fires. Looking back, a decon kit would have been the best solution. Afterall, I used 2 200g Mild and Aggressive bars on it...

[Bounty]

Re: Clay Strength

That's what Meg's red, aggressive clay is for, really severe jobs.

But there's a catch, the abrasives in the red clay are so strong that they can leave very light marring on some finishes.

So the red clay is really meant for use when you're planning to rotary buff next anyway.


pc.

Have to agree here. The burgundy "aggressive" clay may remove defects easier/faster than the blue or white but at the risk of inducing marring into the paint. This marring may be to such an extent that even a DA would not easily remove it and a rotary is required.

Remember that the aggressive clay was designed for professionals in paint and body shops and thus the potential for marring is the trade off for speed in production. Since they'll be going over it with a rotary to finish off anyway it doesn't matter. In your case, as an enthusiast, I'd just stick with multiple passes of blue or white Meguiars clay until it's free of contaminants.

[the other pc]

Re: Clay Strength

That's what Meg's red, aggressive clay is for, really severe jobs.

But there's a catch, the abrasives in the red clay are so strong that they can leave very light marring on some finishes.

So the red clay is really meant for use when you're planning to rotary buff next anyway.


pc.

[3Fitty]

Re: Clay Strength

Exactly correct...it all depends on the paint package he purchased. The standard $99 paint job is a single coat of automotive enamel (Ambassador), a few levels higher is a single-stage paint job (Supreme), and the highest level they offer is a true base coat/clear coat (Signature).

The cheapest paint job is pure junk and is basically akin to model paint on your ride. The Supreme Package which is around $300 I think is a single-stage paint. The base coat/clear coat package is around $500 and the best they offer...but that's not saying much. Find out which package he purchased before further touching the car. You don't want to damage it. Then again it's not much to repaint...

He says he paid about $500 for the paint job but there is no way there is a clear coat on that baby.

I think I could have been stripping paint, but it definitely WAS NOT blue on the clay. Pure black and it eventually it started diminishing.

What would have happened if I had used a more aggressive clay?

[3Fitty]

Re: Clay Strength

Is it possible that this was a single stage paint job and you were pulling pigment from the paint?

Yes.

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Clay Strength

I would think you would notice light blue though...

The idea is that rubbing a cleaner around will remove dirt / dead paint that would have loaded up the clay.

Heh, missed the car color before. Whoops!

[Murr1525]

Re: Clay Strength

Its probably better when the clay isnt rock hard.

[DAC17]

Re: Clay Strength

Does outside temperature have anything to do with the cleaning ability of the clay? It would seem that warmer temps would make the clay more efficient at grabbing the contaminants.

[Bounty]

Re: Clay Strength

Is it possible that this was a single stage paint job and you were pulling pigment from the paint?

Exactly correct...it all depends on the paint package he purchased. The standard $99 paint job is a single coat of automotive enamel (Ambassador), a few levels higher is a single-stage paint job (Supreme), and the highest level they offer is a true base coat/clear coat (Signature).

The cheapest paint job is pure junk and is basically akin to model paint on your ride. The Supreme Package which is around $300 I think is a single-stage paint. The base coat/clear coat package is around $500 and the best they offer...but that's not saying much. Find out which package he purchased before further touching the car. You don't want to damage it. Then again it's not much to repaint...

[Murr1525]

Re: Clay Strength

I would think you would notice light blue though...

The idea is that rubbing a cleaner around will remove dirt / dead paint that would have loaded up the clay.

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Clay Strength

Is it possible that this was a single stage paint job and you were pulling pigment from the paint?

[3Fitty]

Re: Clay Strength

I don't have a rotary, but the cosensus seems to be to hit it with a paint cleaner before I clay. How come?