Neofate

iTrader: (1)

**Posted this on Autopia, so it is a repeat if you read there**

Going to use my UDM with XMT polish tommorow for the first time.

I know it is a lengthy and 'slow' process to work in polish, but does it typically take this long to break down polish?

Meg #83 was used here.

YouTube - Meguiar's Dual Action Cleaner Polish

Just curious as to what to expect time wise tommorow for the following products:

XMT Intermediate Swirl Remover #3

XMT Ultra Fine Swirl Remover #1

XMT Carnauba Finishing Glaze


If it takes roughly 6 minutes per 18 inch section, I can see 2-3 hours or more for Intermediate swirl remover, 2-3 hours for Ultra fine swirl remover, and 2-3 hours for Carnuba Finishing Glaze. 8 hours of polishing with 2 polishes and 1 glaze. That sound long for the products I'm listing?

Also,.. this is my plan, tell me (other than to change products hehe) if its right, and/or what steps to move around.

1) Wash

2) Dry

3) Put on Orange LLC pad, apply some QD spray on pad, put on XMT Intermediate polish.

** Continue for the next x hours **

4) Same method of application for Ultra fine swirl remover.

5) Wipe down car well with clean microfiber.

6) Apply the glaze.. (Is this product faster to apply with UDM? Or still have to be worked in for hours?)

7) Apply NXT 2.0 wax (I know its cheap, but I like it).

Confused about glaze before or after wax. -- Then of course the original polish break down time.

Thanks,

UDel

If you have not already done so you will want to clay your car after washing it to get rid of stuff the car wash can't and have a clean smooth surface to start with. I used Menzerna IP and it broke down pretty quick but dusted like hell, I recommend spritzing pad with water to help with dusting. I would say it broke down within 2 minutes and maybe less but I was not using much and trying to use as little as possible. Once you get rid of the swirls with your most aggressive pad/polish you decide to use you don't need to go over as much with the less aggresive finishing products. The glaze sometimes is not even needed as it is such a fine polish that you will probrably notice no difference after using it once you have used your ultra fine swirl remover.

After I used Menz IP I went straight to Jekk Werkstatt AP which is somewhat like a glaze because it is a super fine polish but is also a AIO that cleans and protects and provides a base for the AJ and it looked great, no need to go to an intermediate polish after IP like FP. Going through all those levels of polish is probrably overkill but if you really enjoy doing it and have the time then go for it. You certainly don't need to apply the same pressure and spend as much time with the lower polishes once you get the swirls/scratches out with your more aggresive polish. I would only use the next level Menz FP if I was using say a rotary and left some marring/buffer trials from IP or a compound and whool pad. I just used IP and a orange/yellow pad so there was no real need for a less aggresive polish follow up.

Glaze is something you want to put on before your final wax as it is a very very fine polish and may contain cleaners which may remove or break down a wax if applied before it. Many people feel Glazes are not really needed and kind of unnessary work after a proper polish but some like to use them. I tried it once and noticed no difference so I kind of think they are a waste of time and money but if it is a step you would like to do then go for it. NXT may be cheap but it is still a good wax and about as good as you get for over the counter stuff and very close to and sometimes better then the more expensive waxes you have to order. The version 2 is supposed to last longer then the original.

Seems kind of odd your glaze contains carnuba because carnuba is usaully something you add after everything is done for that final wet glossy look but carnuba waxes/pastes generally just don't last long enough and provide the protection like a good synthetic wax which is why it is recommended to apply a protectant synthetic first then a good carnuba with no cleaning agents for the final touch but a glaze with carnuba seems to defeat that since it most likely will affect the original synthetic protectant wax because of the mild abbrasiveness of the glaze unless they call it a glaze but it is really a wax with carnuba.

tuan92129

Meguiars Glazes actually have no cleaning capability, they only fill in pores, and add oils to the paint for a deeper/wetter look.

BTW...once you start detailing...theres NO going back

eyezack87

iTrader: (4)

Lol, even if you wanted to stop your car will look retarded in certain rays of light. My half polished trunk was an excellent example. People asked me why I had half a clear moon when I had night classes

Thanks for the #83 vid though. I picked some up to replace IP on BMW paint(IP doesn't work well apparently for me) so I'm currently testing it out on my friends 3er . That vid explained why it gummed up a little and why it wouldn't dry for me

Neofate

iTrader: (1)

I think he meant once you start you will never want to stop -- But quite literally, yes, once you start polishing, you have got to keep going till your done or its gonna look like heck

Good advice guys, thanks for that.

I am going to take my sweet time on the More agressive stuff,.. and be a little quicker on the fine polish, and not use the glaze at all.

The car is already clayed,.. claying was done 3weeks ago or so,.. very thoroughly.. would be silly to clay again so soon. It is getting a wash,.. then on to the UDM.

jfelbab

Don't try to be quicker. You need to work a polish until it breaks down and if you stop too soon you will leave a haze. You can physically see the polish clear when working it. When this happens and before you work it dry you need to stop and wipe the residue off and inspect the results. Work slowly and deliberately. Slow but sure, you will get the results you want. Once you get there, you need to pay extra attention to not introducing swirls in the future.

Yup, once you get into detailing there is no escape. You become hooked for life. It's a sickness with no cure.

Neofate

iTrader: (1)

I have polished it -- Used the XMT #3 -- Fairly abrasive cut , used orange pads.

I took my time,.. much longer than anticipated. Took me 7hours to polish the entire vehicle with just the #3. I think I spent a little too much time , but I wanted it done right, first pass.

Given the time, and the way it looks after this polish -- I am passing on using the XMT #1 -- The finish looks and feels great. I have NXT 2.0 on it now, which I am going to remove shortly.

It is silver'ish flake in color -- So it isn't as eye popping as many other solid , or darker colors. But I definitely can tell a difference.

I have some pictures of my rediculous prepping, taping, how some pads reacted and just general experience -- But Am waiting till I get the car completely finished (interior and exterior) before I post it up.

I honestly don't think the #1 would have made any difference and would have been a waste of time. Another several hours -- for very little if anything. The #3 is a medium swirl remover,.. but still in a composition where it doesn't leave a 'cloudy' look when done.

The car looked better than it did waxed after I was done polishing. If that says anything. I wonder how it is going to look with the NXT 2.0 on top -- Hrmm.

PaPaHoFF

iTrader: (19)

lol took you a while. you will get faster each time. It took me 7 hours yesterday on a clients car loaded with swirls to do a wash, clay, 3 step, and wax

jfelbab

Also with experience with different products you will find that you will know which product will work faster and which product your paint needs. Almost all of the vehicles I do these days are relatively new and have only slight marring. I find Meguiar's #80 cleans these up quickly and it breaks down very fast. I can usually polish a vehicle in about three to four hours.

Some cars also present more of a challenge with areas that you just can't polish by machine, like your front end, Neofate, for example. I'd have to do much of that area by hand as you just can't get a pad in there and that takes a while.

Another thing is that the closer you get to perfection of the finish the longer it takes to get there. The law of diminishing returns. You can get most of the swirls out in a couple of hours but to get them all out takes a lot more time.

Neofate

iTrader: (1)

Good points.

Thing is I think I'm pretty good, a natural =)

It is just knowledge of the products I need,.. I think my technique is good,.. but I might be a little conservative in taking too much time breaking it down.

It was 29 degree's ambient temperature in the garage (door open), so that made the polish break slower.

I was using a smaller pad as well.. Not a 6 or 6.5 -- That would make a difference.

I can see shaving an hour maybe two.. But I don't see getting it done in anything less than 4-5 hours.

Only way would be with something that broke down really fast. What products break down quickly? What products can I work in with a faster motion? I'd prefer to use a faster motion , it keeps me more interested in the job.

The XMT worked, but I don't think it is the perfect fit for my paint. There is better I'm sure.

What do you guys think about adding DWG ? Good idea? Really make things look alot better after sealant?

Oh, and I applied NXT 2.0 -- It looks NO different than it did after I was finished polishing. Quite literally, the shine from the polish is like the NXT 2.0 wax.

I find that odd. Makes me wonder what I can do to improve upon the polish 'luster'.

It didn't hurt it -- But it just seems the NXT is an invisible layer of protection with no added benefits in the 'looks' dept. If any it is so negligible it is very hard to tell.

Lastly, would the XMT #1 breakdown a great deal quicker because it is a much less abrasive compound? Or about the same using a white pad?

I'll put up some pictures soon.. going to install a tail light and do the interior .


It looks better,.. but in pictures I don't know that it will be 'night and day' different than my Avatar type picture. This color is just really hard to impress people with. If it were black, say,.. People would be WOW

But to feel the paint.. you know its in good shape. To have that FEEL without any product (wax) on it.. is nice. *Of course NXT 2.0 is on now*

UDel

If you are trying to get that deep wet look you might want to look to a high quality carnuba topping like pinnacle souvran. Carnuba does not protect as well nor last nearly as long as a good synthetic liquid wax but it will generally give you that wet "shine" and gloss that generally synthetic protectant waxes like NXT can't although carnuba won't last that long and will be more expensive. I have heard alot of good things about pinnacle carnuba waxes although many say they look best on darker colors.

I experienced the same thing when polishing with Menz IP in that I saw no need for a less abbrasive polish follow up because I was satisfied with the way it looked and felt it would have been a waste of time and money and would not have made any difference following up with a less abbrasive polish. If you want a very good protectant and wax combo check out Jeff Werkstatt Acrylic Jett and Acrylic Gloss. They look about as good as a synthetic is going to look and provide some of the best protection available.

Neofate

iTrader: (1)

All done with interior, and new tail light installed.

Camera was set on low resolution , so hope you can gleam the 'change' out of these pictures. Just several pics at different angles..

The rear end first



In the sun



Driver side



One of those 'reflective shots' -- Generally done on black cars,.. but this is a silver/gold flake -- So this is about the best it can do. -- This is the reflection of my garage door off the body.



Passenger Rear/side shot:



I'm pleased with the results,.. lots of hard work. -- Though I think I can get a 'wetter' look with some DWG or whatever that expensive product is. (Comes in a bottle of a few ounces, that is expensive, but you get like 50+ uses out of it, because you use so little).

Remember me telling you how those 'free' pads I got from Autogeek were cheap on durability?

This is what the first one did ( wasn't applying too much pressure )



Ouch -- Though the Lake SmartPads are nice and durable.. so no worries.

Take care,

Neofate

iTrader: (1)

Well dark colors look better , or more impressive , in the detailing world in any fashion. So of course it looks better on dark colors

What looks good on my color? =)

I thought DWG could go on AFTER the NXT 2.0, and people put it on in layers spaced out over time? This not true?

Carnuba gives a good shine, the best if you get the right kind,.. but the durability leaves alot to desire.

I'd like to stick with a synthetic sealant,.. Just want something to add some pop as an 'after coat' -- can't polish too often, so I won't be doing this for at least 3 more months.. so its just wash/wax -- (and whatever I can find that will give me that 'edge' I'm looking for) -- The buffing has really sharpened the car up,. but from what I read and see, I think I can go beyond even what I've done thus far with this 14yr old paint

Hrmm -- what about Zaino and such? Also are there any synthetics that are 'better' than NXT 2.0? As sealant/wax's ? I really don't hear of many -- NXT 2.0 is one of the few OTC Wax/finishes that gets put on alot of detail enthusiasts cars. They could charge twice as much for it I think and still get it.

PaPaHoFF

iTrader: (19)

I will post pics when I am finished with the interior on my clients car tomorrow. I used DWG as the third step to mine. The exterior on the black mazda3 looks super wet.

Neofate

iTrader: (1)

Black is 'the' color to impress -- It shows imperfections the most, but also shows 'PERFECTION' the most.

I'll look forward to the DWG.

Considering my job posted.. Does it look like I did a pretty good job? Or is it lacking?