My results with M105 & M205, Few ??

[brett3xx]

I tried out my Griot's DA on a friends black 2500 this weekend. Im very new to machine polishing and this was my first attempt with black. I was happy with the results, but couldnt correct all the paint swirls. I used an orange LC 6.5 smart pad with M105 followed by a white pad and M205. I finished M26 with a grey pad. I worked on it for about 8 hours, and by far the longest part of this process was the M105. It took several passes, and I tried both heavy pressure, and light pressure. I feel like the process took longer than it could have, so Im thinking of trying a different compound, or maybe a yellow pad next type. Or should I just step up to a rotary for more serious paint corrections? Anyone have any opinions on this? Thanks
Before


After M105 and M205, but before M26

[BlackScreaminMachine]

Re: My results with M105 & M205, Few ??

This is what I see, please correct me if I am wrong.

The surface looked pretty nasty, tons of swirls, the 2nd shot showed improvement but the light placement did not accentuate the same spot so I am not sure how clean the surface really is. M26 really made it look nice in the end, really nice reflections.

As for the process, if your M105/M205 is DA compatiable, its supposed to have a longer work time, then previous versions. I have the DA stuff and I used it on a rotary and I noticed how I needed to take more time then expected.

I would check the sticky in the Detailing 101 section under Total Cut, as you should not need a ton of pressure. Just let the product work in. You MAY need to go up in pad but I bet that orange pad would work fine if you slowed your arm speed down and kept the arm pressure medium, it should work the surface well.

[Peter_Klim]

Re: My results with M105 & M205, Few ??

This is what I see, please correct me if I am wrong.

The surface looked pretty nasty, tons of swirls, the 2nd shot showed improvement but the light placement did not accentuate the same spot so ...

Both the 1st shot and the 2nd shot are both done BEFORE any work was done.

At first I thought almost the same as you that, that the 2nd shot was an "after" shot, but I also thought: "I don't see ANY improvement at all "

[akimel]

Re: My results with M105 & M205, Few ??

Brett, you'll save yourself a lot of frustration, and time, if you do a TEST SPOT before polishing out the entire vehicle. Work on a 20"x20" spot and get it looking the way you want it to look. A test spot allows you to both figure out which products and pads work best on the paint, as well as allowing you to refine your polishing technique. Given that you are new to machine polishing, you should assume that your technique probably needs to be improved upon. This is a more likely possibility than the possibility that M105 is not strong enough to remove the swirls in the paint of your friend's car. Also, M105 also has its own learning curve. It's not an easy compound to work with. Ultimate Compound is much more user-friendly, though of course not as powerful.

If you have not already done so, watch these Mike Phillip's videos.

Good luck!

[BlackScreaminMachine]

Re: My results with M105 & M205, Few ??

Both the 1st shot and the 2nd shot are both done BEFORE any work was done.

At first I thought almost the same as you that, that the 2nd shot was an "after" shot, but I also thought: "I don't see ANY improvement at all "

Ahhh I see, makes definitly more sense. Also I am of the mind to also recommend test a test spot.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: My results with M105 & M205, Few ??

Since you're new to machine polishing let's work on your technique rather than start jumping around to different pads and liquids. You'll just drive yourself nuts if you're using improper technique while experimenting with different liquids, pads, etc.

The most common mistakes new users generally make include:

• Working too large an area - stick with no more than 2' x 2', smaller if the paint proves to be on the hard side
• Moving too quickly over the surface - slow down that arm speed and take your time, don't try to keep up with the sound of the tool!
• Keep the pressure up if need be - some paints like a lot of pressure, some are more delicate and need a softer touch. A test spot or two will tell you this before you get too deep into the process. But for serious defect correction just the weight of machine is usually nowhere near enough.

[fullbirdmusic]

Re: My results with M105 & M205, Few ??

Also, when taking photos, take a photo from the same angle in the same place with the same or similar lighting. That helps to spot inconsistencies in technique, results, etc.