what did i do right then wrong?

[Jaff.]

Ok I have a Meguires g220 DA polisher with various pads that i bought off someone on DW having been used once. works fine the only problem is I don't really know what pads are what. I would like a little help with these later but first I need to understand what I have done wrong when I was using it the other day.


basically after reading Gally's copy of a thread from DW about using a DA I understood the pressure required the amount of product needed and the technique but I couldn't replicate the results consistently.

now before I have just used the machine to apply polish and not been to bothered about removing swirls etc. but I thought id give it a go on a few panels I have the other day.

I had a boot lid and a door both in black, both from a mercedes.

with the boot lid I used some Meguires scratch x 2.0 (just to give it a go) and a pink pad with dimples on it (apologies for the poor description lol). anyway using this and the technique in the thread on here I managed to get very good correction of swirls and some deeper scratches were also made a lot better. overall improving the look of the bootlid a lot. whilst doing this I noticed the scratch x had broken down into white dust which I believe means its done its job?

overall I was very happy with this panel so i decided to give the door a go too with the same technique only this time I wasn't getting anywhere near the correction i was after and the product didn't break down to a powder either (I'm assuming this is linked as its the only difference to the both panels). turned out a bit better but I had nowhere near the satisfaction as I did on the bootlid.

where did I go wrong with the door? the only thing I can think of is I used too much product on the door and the pad was too wet or something?

any ideas? I would like to understand more as I would eventually like to give it a go on my own car

thanks for any help

 

[Chapppers11]

Did you work the panels for the same amount of time?

You maybe didn't quite work long enough to make the ScratchX work on the door.

 

[Jaff.]

Yes if not I was longer on the door.

I just couldn't get the scratch x to break down on the door and I can't think what I've done wrong because I used the same technique as I did on the boot

 

[Yellow Dave]

you need to keep working it until it breaks down and starts to dry to a haze on the panel, until it starts to do that don't start to step it down. sounds like maybe too much product or the pad too wet. Did you get a lot of product spray or sling?

Have another bash and tweek your technique on every set dependant on how the polish starts to break down

 

[Jaff.]

i didnt get a lot of spray no but the machine does start up gradually so it doesnt at all really.

if it was too wet how do i sort this out? obviously if i was doing a whole car i would be using the pad for the whole car so towards the end the pad would be getting "wet" anyway? thats where i think ive gone wrong tbh so some tips on how to stop this would be great

 

[Yellow Dave]

what else did you put on the pad other than the polish? any water sprays or QD's etc, if it were that wet just from the polish then try cutting down on the polish once you've primed it

 

[Jaff.]

nothing but the scratch x stuff.

i put about 2 5p sized blobs on the pad from the start (forgot to prime it to be perfectly honest, but i feel this would have worsened the situation?)

 

[Jaff.]

Ok part 2

What pads do I have and what's the best order in which to use them?

Thanks

 

[JD]

Google it you lazy t**t

http://www.lakecountrymfg.com/products/specifications.cfm/catid/2/subcatid/10/da-foam-pads (although to be fair on you, I guess it's easier when you know what LC CCS pads look like )

 

[JD]

Oh and the top ones look like Megs pads

 

[Jaff.]

Ah thanks lol. All I knew was I had a black soft buff 2.0

No idea how to differentiate between the red and pink ones on top mind but I have an idea now lol