C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Given the time, effort, and money you've invested and the growing stress and frustration I'd say put down everything and just apply the NXT 2.0 to the car. Just like with mechanics sometimes it's better to step away for a bit. You can always apply the #7 somewhere down the road. Wax it and enjoy the looks and finish....

Thank you, this is exactly what I'm going to do. It's always hard for me to pull away from things...but I think it's time.

Going to do a quick rebuff on the test spot and put the #7 away for now. I'll work with it this winter to develop my skills with it and keep it handy for car shows only, per its intended use.

Any ideas on why the wax applicator caused the swirls, that was odd. I'll inspect it really well tomorrow and see why it did that.

Stay tuned...pictures this weekend! Finally!!

[Bounty]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Demon, here's my method for applying #7 to vehicles when working by hand:

1. I use a Meg's foam applicator and apply a thin layer over the car one panel at a time. By thin I mean as thin as it takes to cover the panel. Not as much product as even a wax application. Even thinner...

2. Once the entire car is done I put away everything but the microfibers. Come back with a clean microfiber and use approximately one towel per two or maybe three panels. Break the "firm film build" on the surface and nothing more.

3. Repeat this process once an hour twice more and leave the car in the garage till morning.

4. Come out the next morning and give it a final wipedown and then you can apply your LSP of choice.

If being applied by DA use a few drops on a red or black CCS finishing pad or a microfiber bonnet and work a quick no pressure pass on speed 2 or 3 over a large area. I find it actually comes out a bit thinner and cleaner this way then by hand.

It does require a lot more work than other polishes or glazes such as Wolfgang's Paintwork Polish Enhancer or Meguiar's Deep Crystal Polish but produces wetter results and you already had it in your possession. Now, those results will last all of two or three washes so it's up to you to decide whether that is worth it or not. Judging by the condition of the paint in your last picture after ColorX you may want to cap the car with two coats of NXT 2.0 and be done with it.

Will the #7 give you that last 10%? Sure...but it will last a few weeks/washes and then be gone. Given the time, effort, and money you've invested and the growing stress and frustration I'd say put down everything and just apply the NXT 2.0 to the car. Just like with mechanics sometimes it's better to step away for a bit. You can always apply the #7 somewhere down the road. Wax it and enjoy the looks and finish....

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

I'm not sure what's going on with the foam applicator pad causing swirls, but I'm reading some good information on the #7 Show Car Glaze. Some of this stuff would have been good to know before I started applying it, as it gave me quite a shock.

It's far more oil based than I understood, and apparently keeps the finish sort of "wet" and is how it maintains that wet look. It just doesn't last as long as traditional waxes. This is what caused the "smearing" I was seeing, although I'm not sure why it appeared to be causing a few swirls. I'll have to look closer and see if they were actually caused during that test spot. Also, being hard to remove is somewhat normal...but it shouldn't be really hard to remove, which is a sign of too much product.

I thought I was suppose to wipe it off immediately, but I guess that's not the case. I'm suppose to do the whole car, then wipe it all down lightly to remove the film...wait for the product to develop a new film as exposed to air and wipe again? Do this a few times going all the way around the car each "pass"?

This is the article I'm reading, apparently written by Mike Phillips?? Please let me know if any of this information has changed.

http://www.autopia.org/forum/detailing-articles-videos/23740-meguiar-s-7-mike-phillips.html

I'm not sure what to do at this point, I just don't have the time to learn a new product to get this car done TOMORROW. Most likely, I'm going to try and take M205 over those test spots I did and try to get those darn swirls back out. Then I'm going to just get out the Tech Wax and finish it.



EDIT: Thank you akimel, looks like you posted while I was whipping this up!

[akimel]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

#7 has a learning curve (and I'm still learning!).

The key is to apply #7 thin and not to allow it to dry. Massage it into the paint surface, one section/panel at a time, and immediately remove it with a clean microfiber towel. But you need not remove the entire layer of glaze on the first try. #7 tends to "skin," like homemade pudding. You remove a layer of skin, thus exposing the pudding underneath, which will then begin to skin again. Move on to the next panel, returning to the previous panel sometime later. I usually return to the "previous" panel immediately following the "first" panel, but others come back to the previous panels after they have glazed the entire car. Does that make sense?

The important thing is not to let #7 dry and be prepared to go back over the polished panels for a second buffing.

Al

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Ah man, this polish is destroying all my work. What the heck is going on here.

Used a clean brand new foam applicator right out of the box, and it pit swirls all over the test spot.

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Bought new Show Car Glaze, and it's not working right. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. Seems to "grab" cloth on final wipe. Seems to "smear" when you run your hand across finish. Wiping with cloth is making bad swirls. Finish pad is clean. Cloth is clean.

Am I using too much product?

Am I overworking the product?

[Bounty]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Ah, great....should go quick then. Do you feel that the product in my possession will still be good for use?

Well, I've had product that was bad when it arrived via UPS and others that have sat around forever and still worked well. I would unscrew the top and check consistency inside the bottle before and after thoroughly shaking it. You want to look for clumping, excessive watery texture, heavy caking, etc.

If the consistency is still good the product is worth a shot. You'll know right away while working it if it's bad or not. Although for the relatively cheap price of a bottle of #7, you could just grab another.

[blackmachdown]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

that looks tons better! I am going to see if i can work on my car again and knock it out over the weekend!

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Remember this step is not a defect removal step only a final finishing glaze to fill in any remaining unremoved defects and richen the gloss and jetting factor. I'd use a mild finishing pad via DA on speed 3 with very little pressure for four relatively quick passes per section (4 up and 4 across). As far as wiping and so forth is concerned, treat it like a polish rather than a wax...meaning don't let it dry on the surface to a haze and then try to buff off.

Ah, great....should go quick then. Do you feel that the product in my possession will still be good for use?

[Bounty]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Found some threads regarding the #7 Show Car Glaze. Going to use the G110 at Speed 3 with the Finishing Pad. I shouldn't let it dry like the wax procedure, but wipe it off immediately as I work each section.

I guess I just need to know if the product I've had sitting for a while can still be considered ok to use and if it should be "worked" as much as the M105/M205 (IE: left/right, up/down several passes) or just a steady slow left/right and wipe.

Remember this step is not a defect removal step only a final finishing glaze to fill in any remaining unremoved defects and richen the gloss and jetting factor. I'd use a mild finishing pad via DA on speed 3 with very little pressure for four relatively quick passes per section (4 up and 4 across). As far as wiping and so forth is concerned, treat it like a polish rather than a wax...meaning don't let it dry on the surface to a haze and then try to buff off.

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Found some threads regarding the #7 Show Car Glaze. Going to use the G110 at Speed 3 with the Finishing Pad. I shouldn't let it dry like the wax procedure, but wipe it off immediately as I work each section.

I guess I just need to know if the product I've had sitting for a while can still be considered ok to use and if it should be "worked" as much as the M105/M205 (IE: left/right, up/down several passes) or just a steady slow left/right and wipe.

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Time is up, setting a deadline to have this baby done by Friday afternoon so I can roll it out to our next car club meet.

Just have a few final questions.

1. My bottle of Meguiars Show Car Glaze has been sitting in my garage cabinet for nearly a year. It has been sitting there through 30-100F weather changes over that period. The consistency of it seems perfectly fine. Is it safe to use this product still?

2. What is the best process, using the G110 DA to apply Glaze?



Going to search the forum for answers on these questions. Thought I would post them up here to speed up answers in case I couldn't find any info.

Thanks!

[Desertdawg]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Wow it does look better, I would still like to see a close up of whats left....

To do it in a day is just better use of the right products, and practice... You are way more patient than about 99% of all newbies out there, most go at it one or two quick passes and then they say it's so much better looking, then they spend the next 6 months trying to get to the level of perfection you have... Kudo's for ruining the bell curve.

I think from here on you will have it so much easier because you have already removed 95% of the defects, now you can pick a panel next month and finess it to perfection without the worry of trying to complete the entire car all at once...

One other thing I wanted to point out is that you are probably not creating more marring, what you are seeing is the deepest marks of what was already there, I saw this once before only what was left were just the deepsest scratchs, we were able to remove all of the small swirly's to a mirror finish, but left what looked like someone took a few grains of sand and wiped the paint one swipe... It took a rotary to remove those marks...

Once again, great work, and don't forget to post some more pictures of your hard work...

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Here is the before and after using ColorX.



I took a good look at it when I finished up today, and it looks like it didn't do much to cure the micromarring. However, it did restore the paint back to it's original shine and maybe it did fill it/lessen it a little bit.

This is good enough for this season though, need to get the car back out on the road. This winter, I will try and take the time to eliminate the micromarring completely. This is a good start though, and hey...it's only my first time.

I do have a question though. How in the world do you guys do this in only one or two days? It took me all day to just put on the ColorX, not even including front bumper/hood/rear bumper. I have to be doing something wrong, or just overdoing it.

[Bounty]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Finally got around to trying the ColorX today and HOLY ****!! It's dang near PERFECT. I put tape on the trunk and did a 50/50 and its just night and day. The black is just briliant and shiny, where the other half is cloudy/micromar swirled. This just is amazing.

I don't know if it fixed it or just covered it, but I have to be honest here...I don't really care. I need to get the car done (going on 7weeks here working on it) and will touch up the micromar stuff this coming winter when the car is off the roads for the season. Right now...its so much better its like a whole new paint job.

I think I may be able to finish the car this afternoon, or next weekend at the very latest. I just have the hood/front bumper to do with the 105, but I'm going to do the rest of the car right now with the ColorX and finish glaze/wax on all of it but those two areas. Then I have to back the car up a bit and do the front bumper/hood (small garage!!).

Guys...THANK YOU. Going to take photos real quick of the 50/50 job. Remember, it's not perfect...but it's good enough for now. I'll show a section that I was going to do by hand that is an example of the car untouched (going to pass on doing those hard areas for now). The car is so much better!!!

Back to work!

Glad I could be of some small assistance in getting your car to where you're satisfied with it! Be sure to post up some pics in a separate thread so everyone can enjoy your hard work...