Swirl Marks with Scratch X, not enough?

[Spincykle]

Okay well I have a light colored car, but I do see swirls in it in the sunlight still ... and it really makes me mad... and more so of course I see them in the street light at night...

I attacked a back quarter panel last week with scratch X for about... 10 minutes, an area about the 10"x10"... did about 5 applications of Scratch X (rubbed until it was gone and wiped, repeat, et cetera...) and i still see scratches and swirls... they aren't deep scratches, I think perhaps I don't use enough pressure? So... my question:

When Applying Scratch X, do you really need to rub it in HARD? with a decent amount of pressure? or just like applying say NXT wax?...

Either way, I cannot see doing my whole car (roof, hood, rear fenders and doors) as being feasible... I wish I had ordered a DAP before... but I have a casual car meet thursday evening and now im trying to solve this... I think I might just throw a coat of gold class or NXT on it and just live with it until I get the polisher...

Opinions?

[yndio]

No, you're not supposed to apply it like a wax (lovingly), you're supposed to get some pressure behind it. What I found I was doing wrong was too much pressure and going back and forth too fast which caused quite a bit of heat. Now I do maybe 10- 15lbs of pressure and slow back and forth and circular motions. Try it again, it DOES work.

[the other pc]

Since you actually have to remove some paint film to remove swirls there is no such thing as a wipe-on/wipe-off product that can do the job. ScratchX can do a lot but you'll need to work it. Here's a How-to thread on uising ScratchX.

Some of our more intrepid (and energetic) comrades have been successful in removing a large volume of swirls from their whole cars with ScratchX (and I highly commend them for it).

Unfortunately at some point, either from the depth of the swirls or sheer surface area of the vehicle, it becomes impractical. That's why professionals and serious enthusiasts who must accomplish a lot turn to machines and Meguiar's machine applied products.


PC.

[Mike Phillips]

Removing below surface defects such as swirls, scratches and etchings is about removing paint.

Removing below surface defects is about using a series or processes, products and in this case different applicator materials in an effort to continually remove a defect until the last process where the finest of defects are removed and the finish is ready for application of a pure polish or wax.

To make things worse, clear coat paints are scratch-senstive.

Here's what this means, it's easy to put a scratch into these types of paint and because they are a clear layer of paint over a color coat of paint, the color coat of paint under the clear coat tends to highlight and make more noticeable any and all swirls and scratches to your eyes.

Removing scratches using a hand applied paint cleaner like ScratchX requires using the right technique, it does work as the below pictures prove...

How To Remove Swirls By Hand

Before



After



Clear coat paints tend to be fairly hard as compared to traditional single stage paints like lacquers and enamels, this makes them more durable and last longer which we as consumers appreciate because older style single stage lacquers and enamels breakdown and oxidize fairly quickly if not maintained frequently. The trade-off in durability is a surface coating that is difficult for you and I to remove defects out of.

So you see, your frustration in removing below surface defects is a side-effect of car manufactures providing you with a coating that lasts a long time. Most people confuse the words, Last a long time, with Look good a long time, and this just isn't the case.

A swirled-out, scratched clear coat will last a long time, but it won't look good during this time period.

If you are unable to remove swirls and scratches with ScratchX by hand, then right on the back label it says this, note the last sentance...



This problems and difficulties you are experiencing trying to remove below surface defects out of a catalyzed clear coat finish by hand is the number one reason for the dramatic increase in popularity and ownership of the Porter Cable dual action polisher as this machine will effectively remove below surface defects while taking all of the work on your part out of the equation.

Meguiar's sells a version of this dual action polisher for $225.95 and the part number is G100. Meguiar's dual action polisher comes with a Velcro Backing Plate, one W-8006 Foam Polishing Pad and a Lifetime Warranty.

Meguiar's G100A - Electric Dual Action Polisher



Together with a cleaner/polish like M83 Dual Action Cleaner/Polish and/or M80 Speed Glaze from Meguiar's Professional Line, the average person can often times remove a majority of below swirls and scratches and perfectly prepare their car's paint for application of wax for a better than new, show car shine.

In order to step up to machine polishing with a dual action polisher, you realistically need to purchase the below items...

Quik Clay System - $9.99
G-100a - $225.95
2 each W-8006 foam polishing pad - $10.95 each or $21.90 for two
W-9006 foam finishing pad - $10.95 each or $21.90 for two
#83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish - $18.95 for a 32 ounce quart


If you like, Meguiar's offers a foam pad kit that consists of 2 each yellow W-8006 foam polishing pads and 1 each of the tan W-9006 foam finishing pads. The yellow foam polishing pads are used to apply cleaner/polishes like the M83 and the M80, while the tan foam finishing pads are used to typically apply a wax after the paint has been cleaned and polished.

WDAV99-B (3 pads) - $24.95

You'll need some microfiber polishing cloths to remove polishes and waxes like our Supreme Shine Microfiber polishing cloths.

Supreme Shine Microfiber - $3.99


If you want to remove wax using a dual action polisher, then you'll need at least two microfiber bonnets and our W-7006 foam cutting pad works great under these bonnets because it's a lot stiffer than the other two pads and this helps it to remove the wax. Because it's maroon in color and Meguiar's doesn't ever recommend using it to apply products, the maroon color is a visual indicator to you to remind you not to use it to apply products but to save it and only use it with your bonnets. This is important because you only want to use a clean, dry foam pad under a microfiber bonnet as a used pad, or a pad that is wet because it is saturated with a product will make the bonnet ineffective at removing dried wax.


As for waxes, you can use our new NXT Tech Wax liquid or any wax of your choice

Meguiar's NXT Generation Tech Wax - $15.99

[TKDDAD]

I've been an avid reader of this forum for a couple of months now and appreciate Meguiars interest in their customers...an unusual thing in today's world of amazingly poor customer service everywhere you look....so, to Meguiars and all their talented and sincerely interested employees

Now to my question...how does one measure pressure being applied by hand...I've read, apply using 5 pounds pressure etc...I'll be starting to use the G100 soon and am just interested in this...thanks...

[soonercivic]

its the same as if you were pushing on a scale and it read 5 lbs, 15lbs, etc...

[yndio]

Now I gotta go out and find a scale

[TKDDAD]

Sounds like an opportunity to invent a new tool....auto detailing weights ! Strap a 5 pound weight to that foam pad and start polishing