Hey everyone. I just purchased a porter cable and very excited to use on a nice saturday for a good day of detailing my car. Before I start I have some questions about it. (I have read the how - to tutorial so I have a basic idea)

I bought the PC with the Sonus DAS Polisher kit so it came with the backing plate, 3 different foam pads and then the bonnet. I also purchased a foam pad for applying wax and the proper backing pad for it. So here comes the questions.

I use Meguiar's 3 step process for detailing. Which product should I use with which of the pads( there is an orange, green, and blue + the SFX-3 blue wax pad). I only know that I use the step 3 (wax) with the wax pad that I got for the PC. I also got the SFX-1 pad maybe I use that for the scratchX / step 1 -- they said it was used for removing swirl marks and oxidation.

I will be detailing a car that has SEVERE swirl marks and scratches (black car - go figure). I don't think the step 1 will be enough to get rid of them. Any suggestions on what product -- I've heard about meguiar's scratchX. Tips on applying these scratch removers?

Now the order. If I was going to clean the black car would my order be this:

Dawn wash the car
clay bar
wash the car with real car soap
ScratchX
buff
step1
buff
step2
buff
step3
buff
admire


Should I use my NXT wax instead of the step3?

I am also thinking about getting a zaino kit but after dumping 150+ on this kit I think I will hold off on zaino for now.

Lastly, any tips that wern't mentioned in the how - to about the porter cable or any of the mentioned products / ideas would be much appreciated.

Thanks for your time!


Regards,
Jonathan

 

If severly swirled the Meg's three step process isn't going to help. I'd return that stuff if you can. You need a true polish to start, something like Meguiars DACP (Dual Action Cleaner Polish) or 3M Perfect-It III RC. The next step is a less abrasive polish. There are all sorts out there. I use Meg's #80 Machine glaze, 3m SMR (Swirl Mark Remover), Poorboys SSR1 or ClearKotes' Vanilla Moose. Some would then follow with a glaze like Meg's SFP (Swirl Free Polish). Both Megs and 3m make good glazes. The key to your beautiful finish is the stuff you do before you apply your last stage product (wax or synthetic). The last stage product (LSP) will contribute little to the appearance of your paint if you've done all your other steps correctly.

 

some reading for ya:

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.ph...pic=238291&hl=

 

After looking at a meguiar's store would this be a good plan of attack:

Dawn Wash
Clay Bar
Wash car with NXT wash
Meguiar's Dual Action Cleaner Polish
Meguiar's Swirl Remover / 3m Swirl Remover (which one?)
Meguiar's Professional Machine glaze / show car glaze (?)
Some kind of wax (recomendations?)
admire

Hows that sound?


Regards,
Jonathan

EDIT: I still need to know which product to use with which foam applicator. Also how do you clean the applicators when you are done...just soap them and rinse?

 

There are a lot of decent products on the market. There isn't any one brand that is perfect. Meguiars, 3M, Poorboys, Clearkote, EINSZETT, and Menzerna all make products you can use for this. There are a bunch more.

DACP will be used with your orange pad. Use the DACp until it just starts to dust (dry). Work small sections (2'x2') at a time.

I'd use the Meg's #80 Machine Glaze or 3m SMR (you choose) with the orange pad also.

You may or may not need a glaze. I think they add that last bit of clarity to the paint. I like Clearkote's Vanilla Moose, or meg's #82 SFP with the green pad. 3m Imperial machine glaze is also good.

I don't really use the blue pads (mine are black) for the last stage product. I apply my wax and sealants by hand with a foam applicator and remove them with a microfiber towel.

If you want superior synthetic protection with oustanding durability Zaino is hard to beat. It's hard to give you a recommendation but you can't go worng with p21s/s100 carnauba.

 

Ubetit you have been a great help -- I think I will be ordering the DACP + SFP + eithor #80 or the car show glaze #7 (might want to try that out)

Now with the one black car that I will be doing -- do you think I would need the meguiar's swirl remover #9 also? If so I guess it would go after DACP? and probably also the orange pad (I should probably get more orange pads)

Thanks alot!


Jonathan

 

Crap I got my #82 and #80 mixed up. I changed my posts above. This is one of the problems of this industry. There is no standard as to what is a glaze and a polish. Traditionally glazes contained either no abrasives or a very small amount. Now a glaze can be a full out medium aggressive polish. Products also cross boundaries. Sometimes i use Vanilla Moose more as a one step polish, sometimes it's more of a glaze in a three or four step process.

You want #83 DACP followed by #80 then #82. #80 is more aggressive than #82. No need for #7 and #9.

 

Ubetit I thank you very much for all of your insight -- I will definatly be less stressed out once all my equipment comes and I do this all for the first time

This is the final set of processes I will be doing then:

Dawn Wash
clay bar
regular car wash / dry
#83 - orange pad
#80 - orange pad
#82 - green pad
P21s carauba Wax - hand applying I would assume but I do have a pad to apply if needed.

I guess I will need another orange pad

I'll be sure to come back with pictures of our blue car that has some nice scratches on it / my girlfriends black car that is just a mess / and of course my s2000. Thanks again!


Regards,
Jonathan

 

Looks good. You can use your orange pad with different products. I hand wash mine in the sink with Dawn dishwashing liquid. I then put it back on the PC and spin it dry. Don't go full speed just use on/off pulses.

Practice on the car you don't care about that much first. DACP is a little tricky sometimes. Let it lightly powder/dust. I've practiced on rental cars, loaners and hoods from the junk yard. My last loaner almost got me in trouble. The g35 loaner was black and was swirled so bad i didn't think it could be saved. They run it through the automatic wash almost everyday. When they got it back the hood was almost flawless. It looked like only that part had been repainted!!!

 

Sounds good! I'll probably practice on our silver civic first to get the idea of what is going on first, then I will move on to the more expensive cars.

When you mean do pulses I assume you mean to get the foam applicator dry.

Last question, the wax is just wiped on and wiped off -- no pressure since it is there to just seal?

Once again, thanks alot Ubetit for everything. You are one of the reasons why s2ki is great!


Regards,
Jonathan