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Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

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  • #1

    Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

    Evening all!

    I recently started to tackle my Dad's Ermine White '67 Camaro paint. As far as I know it's a repaint and it isn't single-stage. At least on the nose, can't say for the rest just yet.

    Started out by washing with a citrus degrease/DAWN mix and clay barred, repeated the wash, and dried. Before I ordered my Flex I went after the Camaro with an Orange Pad, M105 and a PC 7424xp and while I got decent results, nothing too exciting.

    So I decided it was time to step up a bit and look into a Flex. I purchased it last week and got it today. I started out by testing the Camaro with M105 on a white pad, figured I'd make sure the mildest wasn't going to cut it. Well, naturally it didn't. Did some work, but nothing I was pleased about.

    Moved to M105 and an Orange pad. Spread on speed 3 and buffed on speed 6. It cleaned the oxidation up beautifully and actually gave the car some shine, but those gawdawful swirls are STILL there.

    What am I doing wrong? Is it just too cold for the product to work properly in outdoor elements? (59* out today)

    I have one more pad to step up to, but I want to know what I'm doing wrong. I never really detailed in the winter months.


    1967 Chevy Camaro Convertible - Dad/Daughter Project - Ermine White
    2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP - Black
    2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT - Stryker Blue
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

    Can you get any pics of the swirls?
    2017 Subaru WRX Premium - WR Blue

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    • #3
      Re: Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

      59 F is fine. Step up on your pad and do a small section 2'x2" at the time. Move slow and do 4 to 6 passes. I never used 105 but Ultimate compound. I believe that Flex is forced rotation? you you should not have any problems. Are you giving it enough down pressure? If I were to guess you need to slow down your movement and take your time.

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      • #4
        Re: Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

        Originally posted by Murr1525 View Post
        Can you get any pics of the swirls?
        I'll snag these for you shortly.


        Originally posted by Mark58 View Post
        59 F is fine. Step up on your pad and do a small section 2'x2" at the time. Move slow and do 4 to 6 passes. I never used 105 but Ultimate compound. I believe that Flex is forced rotation? you you should not have any problems. Are you giving it enough down pressure? If I were to guess you need to slow down your movement and take your time.
        I'm certainly not wiping it around like a bat out of heck if that's what you mean hehe. I didn't anticipate problems, but it certainly can be trying when little to no results are being seen... Obviously user error so I'm definitely not trying to shed the blame that the Flex just isn't working right I feel like I'm giving it enough pressure... but adjusting to your recommendations I'll be able to see if it was a combination of being too quick and not enough pressure.
        1967 Chevy Camaro Convertible - Dad/Daughter Project - Ermine White
        2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP - Black
        2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT - Stryker Blue

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        • #5
          Re: Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

          Originally posted by Kendra View Post
          I'll snag these for you shortly.




          I'm certainly not wiping it around like a bat out of heck if that's what you mean hehe. I didn't anticipate problems, but it certainly can be trying when little to no results are being seen... Obviously user error so I'm definitely not trying to shed the blame that the Flex just isn't working right I feel like I'm giving it enough pressure... but adjusting to your recommendations I'll be able to see if it was a combination of being too quick and not enough pressure.
          You have a Yellow cutting pad? Use it with 105.

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          • #6
            Re: Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

            Well, here are the pictures. Perhaps I should've looked much closer before I threw a thread up. First time I've had the car under this kind of light when I messed with the detailing. Looks like perhaps it is something only wet-sanding will fix? Looking at the myself now it looks like someone took steel wool to the paint.

            This is what the paint itself looks like prior to buffing


            Picture below is after a pass.


            These last two make me cringe and realize that I was unaware how deep these were.




            Originally posted by Mark58 View Post
            You have a Yellow cutting pad? Use it with 105.
            Indeed I do...
            1967 Chevy Camaro Convertible - Dad/Daughter Project - Ermine White
            2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP - Black
            2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT - Stryker Blue

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

              I'm definitely no expert, but reading the directions on the M105 bottle, it sounded like a follow-up with some kind of swirl remover would be required.

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              • #8
                Re: Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

                Which is true, where M205 would come into play, but I'm not seeing enough satisfying results to move on... Having a closer inspection revealed damaged that M105 couldn't touch and unfortunately a majority of that damage covers the entire car. Seems like my only option would be to move to wet-sand.
                1967 Chevy Camaro Convertible - Dad/Daughter Project - Ermine White
                2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP - Black
                2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT - Stryker Blue

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

                  Single stage white part is the hardest (physically, not necessarily difficulty) color there is (single stage, that is). The pigment that makes white is very hard to work on. You may want to verify that you are not moving the buffer around too quickly.

                  Move at about 1 inch per second...slowly move the buffer across the area, and I also suggest working a smaller area - try 16x16. Make sure you don't have too much product, too.

                  Although hard to tell from the pictures alone, I do not believe those swirls are buffer-introduced. They just seem very deep. But, if you want to rule out that the M105 is leaving that behind you can make a pass or two with M205 and a black pad and compare results.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

                    How fast is the product drying up on you? Or seeming to stay workable for a while?
                    2017 Subaru WRX Premium - WR Blue

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                    • #11
                      Re: Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

                      They do appear to be very deep, especially observing them in person. Not many that my fingernail will catch on, but still deep enough. M105 kept drying up on me far two quickly to get much out of it, but I also know that it tends to have a very small working window. I honestly don't feel M105 was leaving that much of swirls behind, but it seemed like it should've been pulling more out of the paint. I was anxious to work on the car and when subpar results were coming up I was, naturally, disappointed.

                      I'll be sure to monitor how quickly I move, it could very well be that I was moving too fast. I tend to focus on what pass number I'm on and can easily get distracted by that part.

                      Originally posted by Murr1525 View Post
                      How fast is the product drying up on you? Or seeming to stay workable for a while?
                      It dries significantly faster than I would expect it to. I have a very small window of workability with it. It seems like I can only get 3 maybe 4 passes before it dries.
                      1967 Chevy Camaro Convertible - Dad/Daughter Project - Ermine White
                      2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP - Black
                      2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT - Stryker Blue

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

                        If the paint is really dry sometimes it helps to first apply a pure polish like M07, or oily light polishes like Ultimate Polish (or even M205). Then hit it again with M105 and it might not dry up as quickly.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

                          Or trying UC if you have some there.

                          Either way, having no work time wont help you. Need to get some oils on there.
                          2017 Subaru WRX Premium - WR Blue

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                          • #14
                            Re: Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

                            These three articles should be very helpful in your case:

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                            • #15
                              Re: Flex XC3401 - What am I doing wrong?

                              1. DA car polishing introduction by Michael Stoops:

                              http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...ction-Polisher

                              2. DA trouble shooting Guide by Mike Phillips:

                              http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...Shooting-Guide

                              3. Kevin Brown Method using M105 and M86 by Kevin Brown:

                              http://www.buffdaddy.com/files/15195...ageversion.pdf

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