MikeyC

Here are a couple answers to your questions:

1. Work polish until it turns clear not until it's dry. Once the diminishing abrasives break down fully the polish will change to a sort of clear, semi-opaque color. If you work the polish too long it will be difficult to remove.

2. Never allow your polishes to freeze. If it's 20 outside it may be warmer in your garage due to heat transfer from your home. However, I always bring all my detailing chemicals inside for the winter to prevent this. If your polish has changed consistency then it was likely affected by the cold.

3. Clean your pads often. In between panels clean your pad with a cotton towel, pad brush, or old tooth brush to remove built up polish and paint on the surface of the pad. Build up will clog the pores of the pad making it less effective. After your done polishing for the day clean your pads more deeply to remove absorbed polish. You can do this by soaking in a bucket with hot/warm water and one of the available pad cleaners (personally I like the DP cleaner from Autogeek). I also usually switch to a new pad half way through a car. If it's a larger car I'll often use 3-4 pads just to make sure the surface of the pad stays clean. Of course, you should also clean your towels after each use. I think there's a section on my website about cleaning towels and pads you can read.

4. When you start polishing (or switch to a new pad) give your pad a couple of sprays with QD, pad conditioner, or distilled H2O to "prime" the pad. A dry pad is bad for polishing but once you get the pad covered with polish that will lubricate it. So, you only need to do this on a fresh pad. Once the pad is fully primed with polish you can reduce the amount of polish you apply to the pad for each new section.

I hope this helps.

stylinhonda

Great I really appreciate it. I will try the different ways you have mentiond. Hopefully that will help with removing the polish. I will also bring in the detail stuff during the winter. It seems to be fine because when it got real cold the garage was still in the 30's or so like you said.

I'll read on the site about how to clean towels and pads!

stylinhonda

Well I tried the tips mentiond. Still no luck. I guess maybe the cold weather got to the SIP. I sprayed the pad a time ro two with QD. Applyed polish for a shorter period of time. It was a bit easier to remove yet still smeard all over and was a PITA to remove. I then got to the point where I was only working it for a min or so and scratches were still left (although some were removed).

MikeyC

SIP and an orange pad will often leave some light scratching behind many refer to it as "buffer haze." If you follow up with a lighter pad (maybe an LC white pad) and a finishing polish like PO106FA then it should remove the remaining scratches.

Polishing is a lot like sanding wood. If there's a defect in the wood you need to use agressive paper to level the surface down to the lowest level of the deepest defect. This sanding will inevitably leave its own marks behind which will be removed by going over the wood with finer and finer grits of paper. With paint you have to remember you don't always want to totally remove a defect. Making the clear coat too thin will result in premature paint failure and you'll need to repaint.

stylinhonda

Ah good way to put it. So if I go over it next step with my Nano Polish and white pad it should clean it up nice?

Yeah that's what I have been scared of is wearing the clear down.

MikeyC

If they're very shallow scratches then yes . . . the finishing polish will remove them. If they're deeper you may need to do more than one pass with SIP/orange pad in order to level the paint enough to remove the defect.

It's REALLY hard to tell you exactly what to do without being there.

stylinhonda

Well I put the Menzerna inside for a day or
so and this weekend tried it again. Came off like normal. I guess it was the cold getting to the SIP.

I just did the SIP, Nano and some Nxt. Going to do another coat after 12 hrs.

I've still got a good number of fine scratches under good lighting though. All the swirls seem to be out though!

stylinhonda

Took a pic after the polish and a coat of the NXT!

Thanks for the help! On the NANO, what's the best way to work it. It says to work slow (not sure on what speed on the 7424) and then take off some pressure and work to a high gloss?

Jaeden09

I refuse to answer anymore questions.... I'm jealous of your garage. Car looks nice also

Just kidding. I started working the polish a lot slower than the side of my machine (UDM) said. It says 5-6 for polishing, and I was running it at 3.5-4 tops and had better results. Less spray, and it seemed to also come off easier. Working with polishes is mostly something you just learn by doing it. In my personal experience, it's better to work it a little slower, and have it be cleaner (less splatters and such) than work it faster.

stylinhonda

haha thanks!

Sounds good I may try that next time!