Machine application issues ... It was the PADS!

[Don]

IT WAS THE PADS!!

So like I mentioned earlier, I was going to use a Meguiar's yellow polishing pad to see if I had any better luck applying the Ult Liquid... MAN DID I EVER! 4 dime sized drops to prime the pad and that amount did the entire hood, 4 more drops, the entire roof and 2 drops the trunk lid. After that 4 drops would do two complete panels. I did have to go over each panel several times, because I couldn't really see for sure where it had been applied and where it hadn't.

For removal, there was no buffing involved, just an easy wipe with a clean microfiber, this is where I found out for sure I had covered every bit of the car, there was a light tug, then smoothness on the second pass. There were no oily swirls, streaks, dark patches, nothing but paint with a super high gloss ... I'm extremely pleased with the process and the results. My suggestion to anyone having trouble like I was ... switch to a slightly firmer pad, it makes a world of a difference

[Firehouse Mike]

Re: Machine application issues ... It was the PADS!

yup...sometimes its the most obvious things, but still will drive ya crazy! Glad you got it dialed in..

Mike

[davey g-force]

Re: Machine application issues ... It was the PADS!

Good stuff.

So what pad were you using before?

[Don]

Re: Machine application issues ... It was the PADS!

Good stuff.

So what pad were you using before?

I was using an older Lake Country Variable Contact black (finishing) pad. This thing was way softer than the foam hand pad that came with the Ultimate Wax, it wasn't even as firm as a kitchen sponge and more absorbent than any pad I've seen, it actually sucked all the product into itself, then refused to "release" it onto the car's surface no matter how 'loaded' with product it was.

The Meg's yellow thin pad was coarse and firm enough that it spread the wax out perfectly, but it also took some faded paint (just enough to slightly discolor the pad) off the roof, but wasn't so coarse that it left micro marring or haze on the rest of the paint.

I'm still happily surprised at how LITTLE Ultimate Wax I needed to coat the whole car - 18 dime sized (or smaller) drops of ULW was all it took for complete coverage, plus about 4 drops on the hand applicator for where the buffer wouldn't reach.