Little enhancement. First time rotary user.....

[Alan H]

Having purchased a rotary polisher a couple of weeks back I thought I'd give it a try today.

I've done a lot of reading up about the technique, and to be honest as long as you concentrate and keep it nice and steady it's not that difficult.

Don't get me wrong my car is by no means perfect and it never will be. It's driven daily and whoever owned it before me must have washed it with a brillo pad and cif....

It has taken longer than I anticipated having only completed about 1/3 of the car in 6 hours today.

There aren't many pics because I was concentrating on getting the job right to be hnest.

General condition of all the panels....

Rear passenger door after my attempt at it..

I tried to show an unenhanced panel and one that I'd done, but it didn't really work..

Bonnet before:

The bonnet (I've been advised by an experienced polisher) could really do with wet sanding, but I thought if I can enhance the gloss on the paint the defects wouldn't be so noticeable.

After:

This was done with one pass using Menz Intensive polish and a Meg's soft buff burgundy 4" spot pad.

I know it's not perfect, but I'm still learning the technique etc.

It wil have another pass of the same next week. Will post up what it looks like after that too.

 

[S4twiggy]

looking good mate for your first try, i remember them days when i first tried it and its like riding a bike now lol

why does your bonnet need wet sanding mate??? looks like it just needs a full correction on it but im only saying it from that pic ive just seen

 

[Alan H]

looking good mate for your first try, i remember them days when i first tried it and its like riding a bike now lol

why does your bonnet need wet sanding mate??? looks like it just needs a full correction on it but im only saying it from that pic ive just seen

It's plastered with stone chips, and it's quite heavily scratched. I don't think there'd be much clearcoat left after a full correction to remove all the RDS.....lol

I'm starting to recognise what's happening during the polishing process now. like when the polish has broken down enough etc.

In fact I really enjoyed it today.....

 

[S4twiggy]

depends on how much there is to work with mate, i dont suppose you took any paint readings with a gauge did you??

stone chips can be sorted with a paint pen and fill them in but as for the scratches they will come out mate depending on how much paint there is to play with, you should have quite healthy readings but cant tell unless you get the gauge on it.

once you get the readings thats when you can figure out what you can do with the bonnet.

what menz were you using?(power finish? 85RD 3.02??)

 

[S4twiggy]

for a good before and after get a 50/50 shot on one of the panels so you can get the idea of what sort of correction you have achieved

 

[Alan H]

depends on how much there is to work with mate, i dont suppose you took any paint readings with a gauge did you??

stone chips can be sorted with a paint pen and fill them in but as for the scratches they will come out mate depending on how much paint there is to play with, you should have quite healthy readings but cant tell unless you get the gauge on it.

once you get the readings thats when you can figure out what you can do with the bonnet.

what menz were you using?(power finish? 85RD 3.02??)

I don't have access to a PDG I'm afraid. But from the look of the paint it's never seen any sort of polish in it's life anyway....lol

I'm using 85RD 3.02. which is what I was advised.

 

[Mr.G]

Without knowing how much paint you have to play with I'd recommend you don't go any heavier with compounds, if it were me I'd make it a priority to get your paint read. I used Menzerna Power Gloss (S100) on my own car during it's first detail and an RS4 I was asked to do purely because the cut on 85RD wasn't enough to remove the really nasty swirls. Refining after Power Gloss for me was tough work, I found it hard to get it bang on perfect during my first ever detail but I did manage it.

G

 

[Nilz]

Looks good and a good first effort, keep it up and you will get there mate

 

[John @ PB]

If the bonnet's in that state and you're not keen to go more extreme on you're polish combination then no way should you wet sand.

I strongly advise you use a paint depth gauge - I recommend this with a DA and really, urge it with a rotary.

 

[Alan H]

If the bonnet's in that state and you're not keen to go more extreme on you're polish combination then no way should you wet sand.

I strongly advise you use a paint depth gauge - I recommend this with a DA and really, urge it with a rotary.

A friend of mine has offered to take some paint readings for me, so I'll be able to gauge how much stick I can give it.

As I said, I'm not going for full correction, just a decent enhancement. After all, the car is nearly 10 years old and it's only worth 50p and a packet of monster munch in the real world anyway....lol

Obviously I don't want to strike through the clear coat so I do have to be a little cautious.

I've just done a pass on the bonnet and it's now swirl free, but it still has a lot of RDS present.

I'll get the paint readings and see what course of action I should take.

Thanks all for the comments....

 

[Alan H]

Well, I've done a bit more enhancement and correction today. Car still isn't finished, but it's getting there.

A few pics with some 50/50 shots this time.

Drivers door 50/50

Rear door 50/50

Rear end de-badged and machined.

And a couple of pics to try and show the clarity and reflections in the paint.

More C+C very welcome.

 

[Mr.G]

Very very good attempt for your first time with a rotary. Well done it's looking great.

G

 

[blanc]

looks very well, what polish or compound did you use?

 

[Alan H]

looks very well, what polish or compound did you use?

I did the majority of the work with Menzerna Intensive polish on a burgundy megs pad. I am now in the process of finishing off with Merzerna SP4000 (I think it's called that) on a black megs pad. Then protecting with Natty's Blue....

The trouble is it's taking me ages due to other commitments...

 

[Lings]

Good work .what polisher are you using ?

 

[Alan H]

A Silverline Silverstorm cheapo......

But it has soft start, and I find it relatively easy to control without much drama.

To be honest, I don't think you can go wrong for the money.