I have very light scratch and lots of swirl marks, please help me find the correct polish/pad combo? My paint is in excellent condition, clear coat is great, before I get into this detailing on my car, I did some stupid things to it, frequently clean it with a moist Sammy and wax it with cheap wax. I causing all these swirl marks, please help me find a perfect menzerna polish and pad combo? Thanks

 

Test Panel Area
One of the most often asked questions; “What polish / pad combination should I use to remove scratches?”
There are far too many variables to state this accurately.


Diagnosis is the key, not guess work; before deciding on what products to use ascertain the paint surface conditions and your goals for the paint finish. And then proceed with the least abrasive product / pad combination


Differing density (hardness) of paints react differently to correction, so before beginning to polish measure the paint thickness (PTG) panel by panel to ensure that you do not select an aggressive polish that will remove too much clear coat


As a detailer you need to be able to ‘read’ the paint; that means knowing how the paint will react with each pad / polish combination you consider using and you do this by experimenting on a ‘test panel’ taking the results you’ll be able to adapt to differing circumstances. You must know your product and what its capabilities are before using it
The factors that affect the outcome -speed, friction (kinetic energy) applied pressure, foam pad actual surface contact area, pad grit number (abrasive ability) amount of surface lubrication available, the surface area and heat conductivity of material


Develop your skill set, never stop learning, but respond to the challenge, don't just react. The net result, at the end of the day, is a car with beautiful paint and the satisfaction that you overcame a difficult challenge and still obtained the result you were after.


Select a ‘typical’ panel; one that represents the type of defects that you want to remove and the finish level required. Select an area of 18 x 18-inches and tape it off with painter’s tape, as this is an optimal working section to perform a product test spot; this will help establish a polish – pad combination that will produce the best possible finish that corresponds to your detailing goals for the vehicle.


Pay attention to how the paint is responding to your inputs. Stop and evaluate your progress, once this is established; repeat the process over the entire paint surface, adjusting abrasiveness for any low paint thickness.


If your choice of abrasive polish pad combination, speed and technique works to restore the finish to your expectations, then theoretically you should be able to duplicate the process on the rest of the vehicle.


There may be some areas that have deeper scratches, which will necessitate a more abrasive polish. This is known a ‘spot-correction’. Once this area(s) are completed revert to the original polish / pad combination, there is no need to remove any more clear coat than is necessary


Normal Polishing area - 18 x 18- inches is optimal although a slightly larger area could be used

Menzerna PF 2500 – Power Finish Polish (PO203) Cut:3.5/5.0 – Gloss; 3.5/5.0 may be a good polish to start with

 

TOGWT- thank you for your advice. I could see lots of fine swirls on the white paint but to be honest, it look beautiful unless you really have to look for imperfection. I heard a lot about menzerna and thinking about their intensive polish and final polish combo. But may be I stick with something in the middle like you advice.

 

If this is the case go with 1. SF 4500 – Super Finish Polish (PO85RD) Cut:3.5/5.0 – Gloss; 5/5.0 or 2. SF 4000 – Super Finish Polish (PO106FA) Cut:2.5/5.0 – Gloss; 5/5.0 on the basis of least abrasive first


Pad Dependency

Any abrasive polish and pad combination is only as fine as its coarsest component. All abrasive polishes are ‘foam pad and applied pressure dependant’as far as their paint correction abilities are concerned. Any abrasive / pad combination is reliant upon its most abrasive component.

If we consider the Lake Country Mfg (LC) White foam (50 PPI) polishing pad as the baseline; any polish used will derive help from the abrasive abilities of the foam. Then consider the LC Blue (70 PPI) finishing pad has no abrasive ability and will contribute nothing to the cutting capability of a polish.

What is derived from this is that a polishes abrasive ability can be ‘fine tuned’ by using different combinations (abrasiveness) of polish and foam (the same thing is true of wool pads) and of course differing the amount of downward pressure (10-15 Lbs is the usual range) applied will also have an effect on the abrasives capability

Pinnicle pad system

Different pad / product combinations (least abrasive pad / polish first) base pad / product (least abrasive pad / product) if this combination does not provide the desired results, increase the aggressiveness of the technique or product selection.

a) Step-up 1 - using the same pad with a more abrasive product
b) Step-up II – use a less abrasive pad and the same product as used in step-up I
c) Step-up III- using the same pad with a more abrasive product

As can been ascertained from the above the total abrasive ability of a polish / foam pad combination is subject to many variables, the polishes abrasive ability is just the starting point