Polishing pads and wax questions

[Eibbus]

Just a question for those who are in the know about detailing, I just ordered my Portercable 7424 w/ pads from autogeek.net.

I currently have the meguiars 3 step Deep Crystal products and was planning on using them on my car ( black ) in hopes of it removing the swirls in the paint.

Will this product be sufficient or should i look at something with more abrasives?

If not is there a product / products that I can buy locally that will do the job?

Also, im planning on helping/lending the polisher to a friend for his car, which is a dark blue. Is there any harm in him using the same pads for his car as long as they are cleaned properly?


Thanks!

[sneek]

LOL I am about to run out to get my garage ready for a detail, but using the same pad is fine as long as they are clean.

You will want something more than the 3 step for the cleaning stage. Deep Crystal step 1 isn't enough to remove swirls effectively. The over the counter products that you could consider are #2 and #9 at Canadian tire. It depends on the shape of the car, and how the paint is.

[Eibbus]

car is pretty new. its a 2006 black sti. problem is i made the mistake of using the damn brush at the wand wash to remove some caked on dirt and grime after winter... worst mistake evaaarrr. so there are really light swirls everywhere. They are not deep at all but i'd like to see them vanish.

If i pick up the #2 or #9 ( which would be more appropriate in this case? ) and then use step 2 and 3 from the deep crystal line will I have decent results?

Thanks for the response!

[sneek]

I subies usually have pretty soft paint so I would try #9, if that wasnt enough then step it up to #2. You might have to do more than one pass for some sections. You can get decent results going from #9 -> wax

[jaylo]

Had a chance to use the Deep Crystal 3 stage by Meguiars (Paint Cleaner, Deep Polish, and Carnauba Wax) on my winter car and here are before and after pictures:

I used the Simoniz 8" orbiter polish which came with polishing pads and variable speed depending on how hard you press it on the paint

rear quarter panel
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/7627/dsc02062copyct8.jpg

passenger door
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/866/dsc02063copyxl2.jpg

fender
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/9520/dsc02071copyxx7.jpg

after

rear quarter panel
http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/2134/dsc02080copydc9.jpg

door
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/4132/dsc02079copybd1.jpg

fender
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/3204/dsc02095copycf9.jpg

whole side of the car:
http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/7577/dsc02088copyuy4.jpg

Hope this helps

[Eibbus]

Originally posted by jaylo
[B]Had a chance to use the Deep Crystal 3 stage by Meguiars (Paint Cleaner, Deep Polish, and Carnauba Wax) on my winter car and here are before and after pictures:

I used the Simoniz 8" orbiter polish which came with polishing pads and variable speed depending on how hard you press it on the paint
*snip*

interesting. thanks alot for the photos. Seems to have gotten rid of some of your scratches for sure.

Sneek, or anyone else who knows the answer, what exactly is sealant? does that go on after a wax? Does it protect the wax / paint for even longer?

right now the order is:
Clean
Polish
Wax

right? then what?

[Bimmer88]

Originally posted by Eibbus


interesting. thanks alot for the photos. Seems to have gotten rid of some of your scratches for sure.

Sneek, or anyone else who knows the answer, what exactly is sealant? does that go on after a wax? Does it protect the wax / paint for even longer?

right now the order is:
Clean
Polish
Wax

right? then what?

If you want a superior job.. your looking at spending $500 or so on supplies alone.

Wax is temporary thing that only lasts 6 months, and has a shortened lifespan when you take it into the car wash and use the soap. That soap strips off the wax... so pretty much useless.

A sealent is like wax but applied once a year which seals paint basically, and is way better but expensive. I rather choose a sealent over wax because with wax it has to be reapplied multiple times throughout the year.

You use either/or, don't use both. And yes it protects the paint from UV Rays, etc... and with wax since your apply it on all the time you tend to trap in contaiminents. Hope that helps.

Btw, you can a $50 random orbital sander from Rona, and it does the job amazinly! you don't need to spen $114 to $300 on a polisher. A nice small orbital random sander from Rona will do ya. Just need a velcro padding or w.e. and backing plate unless it comes with one, then your all set. Goodluck!

[Eibbus]

yeah i took a look at that orbital sander.. the one they had left at the Rona on Mac Trail was returned and used, and the case was cracked lol. Ah well. Plus the higher speeds scare me.

What are some good names to look at for sealants?

[Bimmer88]

Try these sites:

eshine.ca
detailedimage.com

there's tons more, my cousin is a detailier I'll ask him for you. He just does it out of his garage, and I help with the exterior shampoo, brushing, cleaning etc... but I'll let you know.

[Eibbus]

Originally posted by Bimmer88
Try these sites:

eshine.ca
detailedimage.com

there's tons more, my cousin is a detailier I'll ask him for you. He just does it out of his garage, and I help with the exterior shampoo, brushing, cleaning etc... but I'll let you know.

So any brands on eshine are reputable? Are there any products available locally?

Thanks for the help! Let me know what your cousin recommends.

[Bimmer88]

Hey he says that he uses the Optimum Opti-Seal for sealents.

Basically all those brands are good brands and I'd just research into what is good or what is bad based on consumer reports via forums etc...

And yes their very reputable, like Zymol, Poorboys, etc... basically personal preference right. IMO all I care is if they get the same job done with less cost than fine.

As for products locally available, umm not too sure ask Sneek, cause I know he details too, and he may know of suppliers here in Calgary. My cousin buys all his stuff online because apparently "locally is more expensive, and they usually don't have any nice products here" Plus from eshine you get free shipping over $150, and they have the "yellow" clay... ooooOooo!

[Impreza]

For polishes, you can't go wrong with Menzerna!

[sneek]

WOW i super missed this thread, but I have been busy working/detailing/ going to school.

yes I posted pics in another thread about what the Rona could do. Maybe Greg will chime in later with his experiences, He used the Rona without a ton of previous knowledge, and from what I can see got great results.

The Rona is pretty safe to use, but I think you can damage the pad. I am looking more into it, but Greg managed to unloop all the velcro on the back of a pad with the Rona. Not sure how that happened, but I am looking into it.


IIRC when you emailed me you had archived the results you wanted, and were happy with the waxed look.

I am pretty sure you can use both a wax and a sealant on a car. Often times I use both, one for protection and the other for looks. Just make sure you use the sealant first, and that the wax has no chemical solvent or any sort of abrasive in it, so you don't strip away the sealant.

Almost ever brand on eshine is good! I do a lot of my own shopping there. Some places I order direct because of connections I have build up, but mostly eShine. It is a pain to order products online because...well waiting sucks! You can get some things locally, but I like a lot of brands that are a bit harder to get here. In Calgary, I think you can get some 3M, some Meguiar's, most of the carbrite line up, almost all of the autobrite line, most of the presta line, the SystemOne polish..etc there is probably more, but I usually get a good price when shopping at eShine, because with American stores you have to factor in shipping and customs. Just a whole lot less to worry about.


Bimmer88: did you get a Rona polisher? What are your thoughts on it? I have had mine for about a year now, and I am still pretty happy with it. Ergo could definitely be better, but for the price I really can't complain.