How to avoid swirls and holograms?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: How to avoid swirls and holograms?

As long as you're happy with the results that's all that matters.

Don't want to see hordes of people trying to duplicate your results using the products and process you used unless they test first and then inspect and make sure it's working for them.

[Dav_C]

Re: How to avoid swirls and holograms?

I was using a Flex 3401, the rpm range is 100 - 480rpm. This machine is good for finishing and polish. But I'll not say it is suitable for compound use.

Makita 600rpm is not the lowest. In 220V version, Flex has a L602VR which operates from 0 - 2400 rpm. Can't find even one product review in English language yet. Took some risk, ordered one, should be arriving in 1 week time.

Didn't inspect in full sunlight, aren't they too strong to even open the eyes and see directly? Please tell me if I'm wrong. Where I live, the car park lighting is orange in colour. These lights (dim surrounding with strong light) reveals the most swirls even those not visible in some day light situation, in my eyes.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: How to avoid swirls and holograms?

Curious, what machine operates at 200 rpm? I know the Flex 3403 rotary starts at 1100, the Dewalt DW849 at 1000 rpm and I believe the Hitachi rotary does as well. I always thought the Makita had the slowest starting speed at 600 rpm.

Could be a tool specific to Singapore?

I love M80 Speed Glaze, it's my go-to product for restoring oxidized single stage paints, but I've never found it to be the best finishing polish with a rotary buffer on most clear coat paints.

People all see things differently thus my follow-up question above. Great if it worked for him, but not sure finishing with M80 using a rotary buffer at any speed is a good process for the majority of people working on clear coat paints.

[Holden_Caulfield04]

Re: How to avoid swirls and holograms?

Curious, what machine operates at 200 rpm? I know the Flex 3403 rotary starts at 1100, the Dewalt DW849 at 1000 rpm and I believe the Hitachi rotary does as well. I always thought the Makita had the slowest starting speed at 600 rpm.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: How to avoid swirls and holograms?

I find finishing pad (W9006) at low rpm (about 200) works very well with #80. Not all machines can do 200 rpm though. For reference, that's on a Honda factory paint.

Interesting.

And after wiping the M80 residue and inspecting the paint in full, bright sunlight there were no swirls?

[Dav_C]

Re: How to avoid swirls and holograms?

I find finishing pad (W9006) at low rpm (about 200) works very well with #80. Not all machines can do 200 rpm though. For reference, that's on a Honda factory paint.

[asim_296]

Re: How to avoid swirls and holograms?

1- make sure pads + panel are clean
2- use the massage techniqe specially with diminishing abrasives, decrease your hand pressure after couple of passes throu single application.

use these steps also in the spot area.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: How to avoid swirls and holograms?

You should never have finish with a PC to get flawless results. If you use the right techniques when finishing it will be perfect. The only time I use a PC instead of my Makita is on composite panels to keep heat down.

Just to note, in some cases it's not about you or your choice of products it's about the paint, some paints don't polish out as well as others.

[Ojai]

You should never have finish with a PC to get flawless results. If you use the right techniques when finishing it will be perfect. The only time I use a PC instead of my Makita is on composite panels to keep heat down.

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by chip douglas
Mike,

I'm sure you'll understand if I tell you that it gets very confusing, as some swear they can bring the paint flawless with the rotary alone,

Some people I've met in my life never think to inspect their work in bright sunlight, they only look at the results they get in their shop lighting. To their eyes, and in their perspective, it's swirl-free and flawless. So the lesson here is not everyone uses the same standard to judge their work.

I worked with a paint shop in the last year or so that has two very talented painters, but they don't do the wet sanding, cutting and buffing. I was asked to take a look at the finished work as the painter was very proud of his work. The detailer had just finishing his final buff with the rotary buffer; I was asked what I thought of the results? I said, "It looked good in the shade", but let's move the car into the sun and inspect it. We moved the car into the sun and low and behold the hood was completely filled with swirls. (We only pushed the front of the car into the sun, I'm sure the entire finish looked the same). It could be the painter had no idea how his work was going out the door if he never inspected the work in two kinds of light.

while others swear a PC has to be used, and the rotary buffer will never make a paint perfect alone.

See my first reply.

There is however something I puzzled about which is : last summer I had no experience with the buffer, and didn't get any holograms. I was using 3M's polishing pad as well as their PI III machine glaze. I've tried doing the same thing this year with the same combo, and got holograms. I'm lost. To add even more confusion, on the trunk lid using Meg's finishing pad (this year, on my black car) I didn't get any holograms, which tells me there might be something wrong with my technique on other panels.

See my first reply.

Mike

[chip douglas]

Mike,

I'm sure you'll understand if I tell you that it gets very confusing, as some swear they can bring the paint flawless with the rotary alone, while others swear a PC has to be used, and the rotary buffer will never make a paint perfect alone.

There is however something I puzzled about which is : last summer I had no experience with the buffer, and didn't get any holograms. I was using 3M's polishing pad as well as their PI III machine glaze. I've tried doing the same thing this year with the same combo, and got holograms. I'm lost. To add even more confusion, on the trunk lid using Meg's finishing pad (this year, on my black car) I didn't get any holograms, which tells me there might be something wrong with my techique on other panels.

[chip douglas]

I never use wool pads Mike . But is it normal to get light holograms from Meg's finishing pads ? Could it be the pad is worn and is the cause of those problems, as I didn't get any holograms on my girlfriend's car. Perhaps her paint was easier to work with and it is a SS, and mine is BC/CC.

I'd just like to know what can cause holograms with a finishing pad, as it is ever so soft to start with.

thanks

Marc

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by chip douglas
Megs's finishing pad Mike.

Check. Just wanted to make sure you didn't mean finishing pad as in a wool finishing pad.

Mike

[chip douglas]

Megs's finishing pad Miike.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: To Mike or anyone with lots of experience.

Originally posted by chip douglas
Do you *always* get holograms with a rotary, even with a finishing pad and say #82 ?

When you say a finishing pad, which pad are your referring to?

Mike