Best polishing compound

[STAG1973]

Hi

Ok i need to polish out minor scratch and swirl marks and kick some life into a dark metallic coloured car i have a polisher but what compound would you recommend looking at Farecla G12, 3M fine polishing etc.

What have you used that gave perfect results.

Cheers
Adrian

[Tonyw]

Hi,

I have just buffed up my stag and polished it. I went to a trade supplier and they recommended G3

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FARECLA-G3-regular-grade-paste-compound-G-MOP-standard-compounding-head-/110751654022?pt=UK_Body_Shop_Supplies_Paint&hash=item19c9502086

It needs to be used with water and a proper buffing mop as shown on the link. I then used the Wax Top Polish

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FARECLA-HIGH-GLOSS-FINISH-WAX-TOP-POLISH-1-L-LITRE-WT-1000-/260986649439?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Car_Care_Cleaning&hash=item3cc4043b5f

The results were excellent but you must use the correct mops.

I hope this helps.

Tony

[jleyton]

What is all this about mops ? these are the only ones I know about For polishing a car in my day all I ever used was elbow grease

Seriously, can anyone give a quick and simple (like me) explanation of the current thinking on polishing a car.

Cheers

Julian

mop.jpg

[keeny]

Use G3 and keep mop head moist with water or wipe pannel that is being buffed with a slightly wet cloth, this will thin the G3 down abit and help to keep the pannel cool,
(be carefull at pannel edges and swage lines ) finish with 3m hand glaze ,then wax
To do job wright about a days work,then stand back have a cup of tea and admire you work
Happy buffing
Keeny

[ChasR]

G3 is great I admit but a little harsh if you do not know how much paint you have to play with. G3L for me anyway works well with a machine operated polisher.

With a Mop I have had good results with Autoglym Super Resin Polish on lightly faded bodywork.

For the swirls you talk about a friend who polishes car more than I do uses Meguiar's Scratch X with results he is very pleased with. In this case it was from where a canvas cover had been rubber against the bootlid:

[martin]

[QUOTE=jleyton;180547]What is all this about mops ? these are the only ones I know about For polishing a car in my day all I ever used was elbow grease

Seriously, can anyone give a quick and simple (like me) explanation of the current thinking on polishing a car.




For polishing, a high percentage Carnuba wax, and elbow grease ! It's easy to buff, and leaves no white residue.
Cheers, Martin.

[dasadrew]

What is all this about mops ? these are the only ones I know about For polishing a car in my day all I ever used was elbow grease

Seriously, can anyone give a quick and simple (like me) explanation of the current thinking on polishing a car.

Cheers Julian

Polishing is basically two things:
a) imperfection removal
b) imperfection camouflage

An imperfection can be a scratch, a swirl, acid rain damage, bird doo-doo mattness or whatever.

The swirl removers and scratch-x etc. concentrate on a) and will give a good flat glossy surface with no protection aganst the elements
The carnauba waxes etc. fill up the micro blemishes which remain after a) and give a protective surface

a) needs elbow grease
b) needs no elbow grease. The intention is to leave as much wax as possible on the surface and in those micro imperfections

The confusion is with the £5 Halford's "does everything" bottles which contain an abrasive and a wax.

As Martin says, a good Carnauba like from Swizöl or Zymöl for about £30 (I think) is a good investment and lasts . Goes on easy and just buffs off with a microfibre cloth. Again, a proper polishing microfibre, not one with a slightly rough does-it-all surface which removes bugs too!

All in all, the best results are obtained if you distinctly separate process a) and process b)

Websale-Prettypics-07 (Small).jpg

[jleyton]

Thanks Martin and Drew,

Drew, what rotten sod painted a very artistic tree on the back of your Ferrari then ?

I think I'm ok understanding the polishes etc but what I don't understand is things like 'proper buffing mop' and 'polishers'. I know you can get machines but what sort and what sort of 'mops' - whatever they are - and how do you use a mop ?

Cheers

Julian

[dasadrew]

AFAIK a "mop" is simply the name given to the pad which fits on to your rotary machine (or hand!). Can be foam rubber for scratch removal or a number of other variations for the different polishes and compounds. I've never used a "mop" for polishing off the carnauba; just a very, very good quality microfibre. After all, you're only aiming at 'smoothing' the wax to a gloss finish. Try polishing a candle with a lambswool mop on a rotary machine! For this I've tried out every microfibre cloth from Meguiars to Carrefour and Sainsburys but always come back to the blue ones from Swizöl.

[nib]

Hi Adrian
G3 to take the scratch out but dont overdo it and avoid concentrating on that one spot and then go over the car with G10 and finish off with a polish with Poorboys.
Mark

[Tonyw]

HI Julian,

In my post when is said to use a proper buffing mop what I mean is that there are different types in that some are harder or softer than others. The one I used on my car was a medium Foam mop for cutting back with G3 and I didn’t apply pressure, I just let the machine do the work but as someone has already mentioned you need to make sure you have a decent thickness of paint and watch the edges etc, as you can burn through the paint .
For polishing with the Top Wax I used a soft Foam mop and finished off with a sheep skin mop.
I have a variable speed machine which is like a large angle grinder so you can adjust it as you don’t want it running to fast. You also need to keep some water on the mop’s to thin the paste and keep it all cool.

I hope this explains a little more but my advice other than what Drew and Martin have said would be to call at a motor body trade suppliers. They will explain the process and see what you need for your car.
Tony

[Richard Saunders]

Martin and I are off to Meguiars in Daventry the week after next to write a feature for the SOC mag. Basically the aim is to do a before and after on my car. They'll assess the finish (plenty of swirls and shallow scratches), decide which of their consumer products are needed and then apply them. Martin is taking the pictures and I'll be scribbling some words. The idea behind the feature is to assess whether off the shelf product really work or not, and if they do, describe the correct techniques for using them. I'd be interested in any comments from people who have used polish/wax/swirl remover products in the past and what their experience has been. http://maddesthouse.wordpress.com/20...myth-or-magic/

[jleyton]

Thanks for the explanations, Tony and Drew.

Now when SWMBO tells me to get the mop out I won't feel so bad

Cheers

Julian