Something isn't right here.... Help?

[Skywitit23]

Hey guys as I get more and more into detailing I decided to do my far there's 2004 grand prix GTP.. It need a lot of correction, a lot of swirls and scratches..I use #9 with polishing pad, I got 80% percent of the swirls out but as I tryed to hit it again it wasn't doing much at all still some swirls and deeper scratches...So it made a ton more swirls and when I would try and use #9 to get them out it wasn't getting it all, as if it was to much for the product...So I experimented I used #1 with the polishing pad, and it got rid of a lot of the swirls so I was relieved, but you can still se the little swirls and scratches as if I stated from square one Wth!!! Ok so for about couple hours trying to figure out this, I tried UC with polishing pad and bam it took out the swirls and everything I was trying to get out...

my question is, #1 isn't stronger then UC? I bought number 1 cause i thought UC wouldn't have been strong enough but it turns out it was I guess? Idunno

2nd why is it that when I used the wool pad it made a ton more swirls? When I used this pad on my car is didn't do that? Aren't you suppose to use a compound pad with compound products? This is confusing lol

[h_bomm]

Re: Something isn't right here.... Help?

All paint systems are not equal. Some are softer than others. For some vehicles UC is going to be way too harsh of a liquid and create a haze instead of correcting the problem. This is why you always do a test spot. I usually tape off about a 2 x 2 spot on the hood and hit it with UC and see the result before doing the whole car and finding out that I should have been using a less aggressive liquid. Wool pads can be a bit aggressive as well. That is probably why it chewed up the surface so bad. I would stick with foam pads. Yellow for UC and black for UP and waxing.

[Daniel Kinder]

Re: Something isn't right here.... Help?

First #9 swirl remover is a cleaner/polish and only has a cut of 3 on the cutting scale and the #1 medium cut cleaner has a cut of 7 on the cutting scale, so the reason #1 medium cut cleaner did a far better job of removing the swirls but you did what was right in the fact that you started out with a least aggressive product first.

But you didn't mention if you went over the whole car,section or a test spot but that's why it's important of doing a test spot, so you know what least aggressive products first to try and get a game plan and how your going to go about a paint correction and make the GTP glow!

Question 1: Ultimate compound is stronger then #1 medium cut cleaner for the simply fact that it contains SMAT, #1 has the 7 on the cut scale and even though Ultimate compound is a consumer product it derives from M105 which is a 12 on the cut scale. Ultimate Compound is more aggressive then #83 Dual Action cleaner/polish which is a 6 on the cut scale. In fact it's quite a bit higher on the cut scale. This is all the info I have found on the link below and is also answering questions for me as well.

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?40514-The-Aggressiveness-Order-of-SMAT-Products-This-might-surprise-you

Question 2: I don't use a wool pad unless it's with M105 and also I'm more experienced with foam pads rather then wool pads but with what product did you use a wool pad with and when? Also you may have went way to aggressive for the softness of the paint using such a aggressive pad and product when you added swirls the first time you used this process and then you stated that when you use this on your car it didn't do this. Was the product the same along with speed & pressure from the first time you used it to the time you used it on your car without the swirl

You was using your brothers Makita 9227 rotory too right with your questions?

[Skywitit23]

Re: Something isn't right here.... Help?

All paint systems are not equal. Some are softer than others. For some vehicles UC is going to be way too harsh of a liquid and create a haze instead of correcting the problem. This is why you always do a test spot. I usually tape off about a 2 x 2 spot on the hood and hit it with UC and see the result before doing the whole car and finding out that I should have been using a less aggressive liquid. Wool pads can be a bit aggressive as well. That is probably why it chewed up the surface so bad. I would stick with foam pads. Yellow for UC and black for UP and waxing.

Yeah deff didn't work out it actually hazed it a lot now that your mentioned it..I'm guessing it got that bad because of the strong pad I used? So Is UC more powerful then #1?

[Skywitit23]

Re: Something isn't right here.... Help?

Stang! I didn't see the post I'll!! I read you last sentence yes I did use the rotary, I want to post pictures up of the work but the meguiars app don't work?

[h_bomm]

Sky, I can't remember, did you say you were just getting into detailing or have you been doing it for a while? Did you say you were going to purchase the DA Power System? Sorry, that I can't keep it straight!

[Skywitit23]

Re: Something isn't right here.... Help?

Sky, I can't remember, did you say you were just getting into detailing or have you been doing it for a while? Did you say you were going to purchase the DA Power System? Sorry, that I can't keep it straight!

yeah bomm, just getting back into it actually I had a little knowledge before but now I want to know the whole nine..

yes I saw the DA I'm going to purchase it tomorrow good deal thanks bro!

[h_bomm]

I would stick to UC and UP. That is a combo that will take 95% of anything you will come across. Then after you hone your technique and get more comfortable then branch out to the other fun stuff. I'm personally looking into dipping into M81 I think, the Machine Glaze, to polish up my truck in between using something with abrasives in it

[Skywitit23]

Re: Something isn't right here.... Help?

First #9 swirl remover is a cleaner/polish and only has a cut of 3 on the cutting scale and the #1 medium cut cleaner has a cut of 7 on the cutting scale, so the reason #1 medium cut cleaner did a far better job of removing the swirls but you did what was right in the fact that you started out with a least aggressive product first.

But you didn't mention if you went over the whole car,section or a test spot but that's why it's important of doing a test spot, so you know what least aggressive products first to try and get a game plan and how your going to go about a paint correction and make the GTP glow!

Question 1: Ultimate compound is stronger then #1 medium cut cleaner for the simply fact that it contains SMAT, #1 has the 7 on the cut scale and even though Ultimate compound is a consumer product it derives from M105 which is a 12 on the cut scale. Ultimate Compound is more aggressive then #83 Dual Action cleaner/polish which is a 6 on the cut scale. In fact it's quite a bit higher on the cut scale. This is all the info I have found on the link below and is also answering questions for me as well.

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?40514-The-Aggressiveness-Order-of-SMAT-Products-This-might-surprise-you

Question 2: I don't use a wool pad unless it's with M105 and also I'm more experienced with foam pads rather then wool pads but with what product did you use a wool pad with and when? Also you may have went way to aggressive for the softness of the paint using such a aggressive pad and product when you added swirls the first time you used this process and then you stated that when you use this on your car it didn't do this. Was the product the same along with speed & pressure from the first time you used it to the time you used it on your car without the swirl

You was using your brothers Makita 9227 rotory too right with your questions?

what I left out was after I used #9 after several passes it wasn't doing much, I then went out and bought #1 which I thought was more powerful then UC, whoops lol, but what really messed things up was the compound pads, I used a wool then tried a foam same **** a ton of swirls...then when I tried to use #9 with foam polishing pad to get them out it wasn't working to well.. So I used number 1 with polishing pad a lot came out , then I was like screw it let me try UC and they all came out...

yes stang is used the same pad wool, speed and UC and wool then #9 with polishing and great results that's why I thought this combo would have been good with this but absolutely not lol, the compound pads really messed things up..

i honesty thought you use a compounding pad with compounding products and a polisher/cleaner with polishing pads :/

[Skywitit23]

Re: Something isn't right here.... Help?

I would stick to UC and UP. That is a combo that will take 95% of anything you will come across. Then after you hone your technique and get more comfortable then branch out to the other fun stuff. I'm personally looking into dipping into M81 I think, the Machine Glaze, to polish up my truck in between using something with abrasives in it

agree! So I guess I'll leave the medium cut on the shelf? I actually bought #7 I used it but I can't tell a difference? Lol

[The Guz]

Re: Something isn't right here.... Help?

Sounds like things worked out for you.

UC and UP are great products. Don't underestimate them just because they are consumer products. GM clear is typically hard so a stronger compound works great on them.

[Skywitit23]

Re: Something isn't right here.... Help?

Sounds like things worked out for you.

UC and UP are great products. Don't underestimate them just because they are consumer products. GM clear is typically hard so a stronger compound works great on them.

Yeah for the most part , I wonder why tho the wool pad mad massive swirls on this car and not mine? Still wondering....

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Something isn't right here.... Help?

Yeah for the most part , I wonder why tho the wool pad mad massive swirls on this car and not mine? Still wondering....

The answer here is pretty simple, actually: different paint. Yes, paint systems can indeed vary that greatly, to the point where a given combination of tool, pad, and liquid will be fantastic on once car but totally and completely wrong on another. You did nothing wrong, the pads and liquid did nothing wrong. One car just liked it and the other did not. This is a big part of the reason we make so many different compounds and polishes - there is no one "perfect for every situation" product. From personal experience, I've seen a situation where M105 was truly amazing on one car (a Superformance Cobra) but later the same day, in the same shop, it was actually unusable on another car (Ferrari 360 Modena). The only thing I changed was the car I was working on, and the difference could not have been more dramatic. The paint is always going to be the biggest variable when working on any car, which is why we always stress that you do a test spot before just diving in.

[larry0071]

I also have an 04 Grand Prix GT in Stealth Grey. The paint on it is hard. I used the UC followed by UP and got out what I would say as 75% of the decade of swirls from the 120K mile car.

Do you start with a clay bar? I just wonder if you were transferring hard surface contamination to your wool and pads? Possibly you contaminated your tool and started applying new damage as you worked?

I feel confident that the UC/UP will get mine back once the weather breaks and I can hit it again. I did a quicky on mine as I just bought it in December for my son to drive, and it's well into the snow and salt season her in Pittsburgh.

[The Guz]

Re: Something isn't right here.... Help?

I also have an 04 Grand Prix GT in Stealth Grey. The paint on it is hard. I used the UC followed by UP and got out what I would say as 75% of the decade of swirls from the 120K mile car.

Do you start with a clay bar? I just wonder if you were transferring hard surface contamination to your wool and pads? Possibly you contaminated your tool and started applying new damage as you worked?

I feel confident that the UC/UP will get mine back once the weather breaks and I can hit it again. I did a quicky on mine as I just bought it in December for my son to drive, and it's well into the snow and salt season her in Pittsburgh.

From personal experience D300 on an MF cutting pad works wonders on GM hard clear. Used it on my dads 02 camaro and will be doing the same on my 02 camaro as the foam cutting pad with M105 did not work as well on a test spot on mine. M105 also works great with an MF cutting pad. I haven't tried UC with a MF cutting pad. Hope this helps.