"New" abrasives vs. "old"

[tguil]

Now that the "new" micro-abrasive products have been on the market a while, how do you feel they compare to the "old" diminishing abrasive products performance-wise? I have found that they work differently but seem to accomplish the same thing.

Tom

[Shawn T.]

Re: "New" abrasives vs. "old"

The SMAT products have a lot mroe freedom when it comes to working time. I have used M80 a few times and compared to M205, has a limited buffing time and defect correction. I have been able to use M205 to conquer various swirls from light to medium due to working the abrasives longer and longer. With M80, I could remove only the lighter swirls, leaving some of the deeper ones. This is due to the DAT and that the abrasives break down in a set amount of time. Of course, a second application cleared it right up.

Another interesting item is that you can polish a slightly larger section of paint with SMAT products. This is due to the idea that they do not break down. With DAT products, as you increase the size of your section, the abrasives you started out with are becoming more refined. In other words, the size fo the abrasvies you started with at one end of the section are a different size when they reach the other end causing uneven swirl removal at times. It makes it necessary to overlap these sections, when using DAT, in order compensate for this. Using SMAT, you can increase the size of your section and the swirl removal at one end and the swirl removal at the other end (assuming arm speed, pressure, etc. is kept constant throughout the section) are equivalent allowing a more expedient polishing process. Of course, how much time are you saving? I'm not really sure but something is better than nothing.

These are just my thoughts/

[tguil]

Re: "New" abrasives vs. "old"

Thanks for the thoughts.

Tom

[Michael Stoops]

Re: "New" abrasives vs. "old"

I have found that they work differently but seem to accomplish the same thing.

To some degree this is very true. But the same can be said of all the paint cleaners and compounds in the Mirror Glaze line. In fact, new users are often confused because the descriptions on all the bottles seem like they say essentially the same thing. And, again, basically that's true. But we liken the whole collection to a mechanic's tool box. A professional mechanic has more wrenches than you can shake a screwdriver at, and they all do basically the same thing - loosen or tighten a nut or bolt. But not all nuts and bolts are identical, and not all applications for those nuts and bolts are identical, so a wide variety of very similar tools are needed to address all the variables.

The SMAT products have a lot mroe freedom when it comes to working time. I have used M80 a few times and compared to M205, has a limited buffing time and defect correction. I have been able to use M205 to conquer various swirls from light to medium due to working the abrasives longer and longer. With M80, I could remove only the lighter swirls, leaving some of the deeper ones. This is due to the DAT and that the abrasives break down in a set amount of time. Of course, a second application cleared it right up.

Another interesting item is that you can polish a slightly larger section of paint with SMAT products. This is due to the idea that they do not break down. With DAT products, as you increase the size of your section, the abrasives you started out with are becoming more refined. In other words, the size fo the abrasvies you started with at one end of the section are a different size when they reach the other end causing uneven swirl removal at times. It makes it necessary to overlap these sections, when using DAT, in order compensate for this. Using SMAT, you can increase the size of your section and the swirl removal at one end and the swirl removal at the other end (assuming arm speed, pressure, etc. is kept constant throughout the section) are equivalent allowing a more expedient polishing process. Of course, how much time are you saving? I'm not really sure but something is better than nothing.

These are just my thoughts/

And your thoughts are based on very astute observations. Some of the differences between how a DAT and it's (roughly) equivalent SMAT counterpart do their thing can be subtle, but in some other ways fairly dramatic. The nature of the SMAT abrasive particles can often impart a level of clarity to a finish that most DAT products just can't deliver. Depending on the paint variable, of course.

[tguil]

Re: "New" abrasives vs. "old"

So what should I do with all of my "old" stuff? Usually I end up just using ColorX one or twice a year and apply NXT 2.0 the rest of the time. Works for me.....just fine. I do have the Consumer Line of the "new" stuff if I really need it.

Tom

[Michael Stoops]

Re: "New" abrasives vs. "old"

Hang on to it? You never know when you might find a need for it - a friend asks for some help, you get a new car and some of the "old" stuff is a better match for it, etc.

If all you really find yourself needing is ColorX and NXT, just how much "old stuff" do you have????

[TH0001]

Re: "New" abrasives vs. "old"

Old Abrasives= diminishing abrasives- they start out large, and due to the friction of the polishing process, they break down, becoming smaller and smaller.

'New Abrasives'= both diminishing and non-diminishing abrasvies.

-'New' Diminishing abrasives are extremely fine (you can't feel the grit in your fingers, the abrasive grains are usually sub-micron. While these polishes break down (and create a finer and finer finish as they are worked) the difference isn't as dramatic as the older, larger abrasives. More forgiving then the old abrasives, and usually produce better finishes.

-'New' Non-diminishing abrasive are EXTREMELY fine abrasives, often as fine as those used in finishing polishes. However, because of the number abrasives in the polish they have the potential to be very aggressive. It is possible (though perhaps not the easiest route) to cut, polish, and finish with most of the new non-diminishing abrasive polishes.

[tguil]

Re: "New" abrasives vs. "old"

If all you really find yourself needing is ColorX and NXT, just how much "old stuff" do you have????

Just a 32 oz. bottle of each -- #80, #82, #83. Oh, a bit of #9 too. I get by with ColorX and NXT 2.0 because I have been cured of OCDD. (Obsessive Compulsive Detailing Disorder).

Tom