Stratches and Swirls with a PC
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 98
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From: Sterling,VA
Stratches and Swirls with a PC I have a 02 Red camaro its got swirls and straches on hood mostly and under some light it looks dull so my question is can i get this out with a portal cable or orbital buffer?? If so can you give me the link of where to get one and what to use to get these swirls and stratches out?? I am using NXT right since ive had the car which has been about 5 months, i have clayed the car and have been using NXT once a week thanks for the help
My best advice is to get yourself a Porter Cable 7424 dual action polisher, some good foam pads, and some good quality polishes, like Menzerna, Einszett or Sonus. www.properautocare.com, http://www.autopia-carcare.com, and www.bettercarcare.com all have excellent write-ups on how to bring life back to your paint, either by hand or with polishers. Bear in mind you will always get better results with a polisher because of the speed and heat generated by the orbiting action.
Once you've polished the swirls out, use NXT (or any wax or sealant) to protect your hard work and you're ready to cruise.
-Mike
Once you've polished the swirls out, use NXT (or any wax or sealant) to protect your hard work and you're ready to cruise.
-Mike
Last edited by chupr0kabra; Jan 12, 2005 at 09:42 PM.
I got terrific help from meguiarsonline.com I used Meguiars M-83 Dual Action Polish for the worst spots, then followed it with M-81 Hand Polish (using the PC) and also used it on all the surfaces that had light scratches in the clear. I then used NXT wax and then #16 wax to finish, but that's just what worked for me. I got all my pad & speed recommendations from the above referenced site.
TECH Addict
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,374
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From: Amarillo, Texas
The PC is a nice tool to have for minor paint corrections. It's hard to say if you'll be able to take care of everything without seeing the problem, but I know you'd have a nice improvement.
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Originally Posted by titus
what pads would i get with it and what wax for swirl and stratches
Wash
Dry with waffle weave microfiber towel
Clay
Wash again (to get clay residue off)
Dry with waffle weave microfiber towel (I usually wash the towel and dry it while claying, mostly because I only have one waffle weave towel)
Menzerna Intensive Polish with an orange pad
Wipe off residue with 50/50 rubbing alcohol and water mix, using a clean microfiber towel
Menzerna Final Polish II with a white pad
Wipe off residue with just water and a different clean microfiber towel
Blackfire sealant applied by hand
Buff with yet another microfiber towel
It's a lot of work, but I only do all that twice a year. Once you've done it right, upkeep becomes very easy. I haven't tried Blackfire's gloss enhancing spray, but I have some on order and am anxious to use this, as it can be used like a quick detailer. The advantage of this is, you wash and dry the car, then use the spray to get rid of any lingering water spots, and it keeps the sealant in check.
I've also tried layering waxes on top of sealant with mixed results. Theoretically, this gives you protection for your sealant, since waxes evaporate. In my case, it didn't give me the same shine I wanted, so I went back to using Zaino as a sealant, which works well. My only gripe about Zaino is that I have to order it separately from the rest of the stuff I use.
-Mike
chupr0kabra... Where did you buy your PC? I have nothing going on this weekend and would like to find somewhere local that sells one and give it a shot. Would also need to find some pads for it and maybe some Menzerna products local as well.
I just ordered my PC with Pads and the Menzerna from Proper Auto Care on Tuesday and it showed up on my door step this morning. Unfortunately, I've had something come up so I won't get to polish my car like I had planned on.
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Originally Posted by hawgs
chupr0kabra... Where did you buy your PC? I have nothing going on this weekend and would like to find somewhere local that sells one and give it a shot. Would also need to find some pads for it and maybe some Menzerna products local as well.
Lowes might carry it, pads you can get from a paint and body shop. Menzerna, you probably wont find any locally sorry.
Originally Posted by hawgs
chupr0kabra... Where did you buy your PC? I have nothing going on this weekend and would like to find somewhere local that sells one and give it a shot. Would also need to find some pads for it and maybe some Menzerna products local as well.
Bought mine at Lowes, but it is the Porter Cable 7336 orbital sander. It's the exact same tool, just labeled different. It comes with a white pad, but it's not a very good one, as it's pretty small and a little too thick for my taste. As for other pads, Tommy Tool on Airport off I-45 has Milwaukee pads, which aren't bad, though the yellow pad is a little rough. I'm not sure if they sell the backing plate or not.
As for Menzerna, I'm not sure if anyone locally carries it. Most auto paint places carry the 3M products, which I haven't used, but a friend of mine used them on his Grand National and it looks great.
What part of town are you in? I just got a new shipment of Menzerna and such, so I have a little left from my last batch, if you'd like to try it out. Shoot me a PM.
-Mike
