A bit stuck...what to do next?

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nate_m

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Working on a 2008 Corvette, Crystal Red Metallic.

I've moved back to the trunk lid and have a couple of solo (single line) scratches ranging in sizes of 1 - 8 inches. Very faint, but I see them at the right angle with a light overhead.

So far, I'm up to using a yellow LC pad(orange wasn't cutting enough) on a G110 DA and Meg's Ultimate Compound. The swirls are all gone, which is great. I made sure to go nice and slow and set the DA at about 5 for the polishing, but I can't seem to get these solo scratches out.

So, my question is do I:

1) Try another round of DA and apply more / less pressure?
2) Need a different pad?
3) Need a higher cutting compound?

Any suggestions are welcome! Thanks :props:
 
Sounds like some random isolated deep scratches (RIDS). When inspecting them closely if you can see the actual depth of the scratches, that is what I would consider RIDS.

If you know there is a health amount of clear remaining and you want them gone, the fastest solution will be spot sanding with 3000 or 5000 grit paper. There's some interesting testing that's been done that indicated sanding will actually remove less paint since is rides over the scratch rather than a foam pad that will contour to the scratch, where by you end up 'chasing' the scratch since you are removing paint within the scratch with foam.
 
Audios S6 said:
Sounds like some random isolated deep scratches (RIDS). When inspecting them closely if you can see the actual depth of the scratches, that is what I would consider RIDS.
Click to expand...

Yeah, seems like a reasonable name. I can't really catch a nail or anything on them, but they are certainly random and isolated haha.

I'll check on the 3k or 5k sandpaper. I really want this particular section perfection simply because the sun beats down on it at car shows and will show any little imperfection. Once of the bad things about the CRM paint...
 
Do you have a 3" or smaller setup? Concentrating on the scratched area would be the least aggressive method first before wetsanding imo.
 
Your about as far as you are going to go with a DA machine and pad/compound. That is one of the most aggressive foam pads LC makes. Ultimate compound is very potent as well.

The next step will be to spot damp-sand them out via machine. I use the Griots Garage 3" paired with the Meguiar's 3" backing plate paired with the foam interface pad and 3K foam backed sanding disc.

Griots Garage 3 Inch Orbital Polisher, 3 Inch Polisher, 3 inch Dual Action Polisher, 3" buffer
Meguiars Unigrit 3 Inch Professional Backing Plate and Adaptor Kit, backing plate with adapters, meguiars backup pad, DBP3
Meguiars Unigrit 3 Inch Foam Interface Pad, foam backup pad, sanding disc interface


Mike has plenty of articles on sanding under the wet sanding, cutting, and buffing sub-forum.
Wet-Sanding, Cutting & Buffing - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum

Here is an article on damp sanding.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...ding-tools-tips-techniques-mike-phillips.html


If you have not performed sanding before, I would practice on a scrap panel before you attempt sanding on your Vette. Also, do you have a paint thickness gauge?
 
Audios S6 said:
There's some interesting testing that's been done that indicated sanding will actually remove less paint since is rides over the scratch rather than a foam pad that will contour to the scratch, where by you end up 'chasing' the scratch since you are removing paint within the scratch with foam.
Click to expand...

Interesting indeed Bob. Could you point me in the right direction?
 
Audios S6 said:
Sounds like some random isolated deep scratches (RIDS). When inspecting them closely if you can see the actual depth of the scratches, that is what I would consider RIDS.

If you know there is a health amount of clear remaining and you want them gone, the fastest solution will be spot sanding with 3000 or 5000 grit paper. There's some interesting testing that's been done that indicated sanding will actually remove less paint since is rides over the scratch rather than a foam pad that will contour to the scratch, where by you end up 'chasing' the scratch since you are removing paint within the scratch with foam.
Click to expand...

I remember Larry Kosilla, and Jason Rose bringing that up. How the microfiber discs "stop cutting" once the defect is removed. Like a built in fail safe of sorts.
 
So since Menzerna has released their 300 line, I have not wet sanded since. I'm not "recommending" anything as I understand spot compounding with a GG Foamed MF Pad with 300 compound is playing with dice, but I use a PTG, and have done this technique with about 10 different vehicles, and all have worked amazingly well. In fact, I have done 3-5 rounds of 4-6 passes with this technique on some awful scratches that have improved them anywhere from 75% to totally gone.

Just my personal experience, thought I'd share. Wet sanding would slow me down so much to the point where sometimes I was missing deadlines or having to work until 2 am. The evolution of Menzerna 300 has been a gift from God for me.
 
:iagree::iagree:
medicscott said:
So since Menzerna has released their 300 line, I have not wet sanded since. I'm not "recommending" anything as I understand spot compounding with a GG Foamed MF Pad with 300 compound is playing with dice, but I use a PTG, and have done this technique with about 10 different vehicles, and all have worked amazingly well. In fact, I have done 3-5 rounds of 4-6 passes with this technique on some awful scratches that have improved them anywhere from 75% to totally gone.

Just my personal experience, thought I'd share. Wet sanding would slow me down so much to the point where sometimes I was missing deadlines or having to work until 2 am. The evolution of Menzerna 300 has been a gift from God for me.
Click to expand...
:iagree: plus on the other hand removing sanding scratches and marring is hard enough to to do on a corvette.
 
If you're proficient with a rotary I would knock them down or level them out.once and done then finish down with da.
 
nate_m said:
Yeah, seems like a reasonable name. I can't really catch a nail or anything on them, but they are certainly random and isolated haha.

I'll check on the 3k or 5k sandpaper. I really want this particular section perfection simply because the sun beats down on it at car shows and will show any little imperfection. Once of the bad things about the CRM paint...
Click to expand...
•Be very, very careful if you do any sanding on
OEM CC: it's thin to begin with; it's become even
thinner now...now that it has been compounded.

•Due to its full exposure to UV-rays, and other
damaging contaminates...this area of the vehicle
needs to maintain all of the CC thickness that can
possibly be kept.

•With this in mind:
I'd finish-up the paint correction-steps with
a very mild polish like Meguiar's M205.
Then: Follow up with your LSP.

•Anyway...(just thinking out loud):
Aren't Corvettes, at Car Shows, supposed to
be staged in the "Stretching" position?

DSCN0181.JPG


•Good Luck with whatever step(s) you next decide. :xyxthumbs:


Bob
 
Okay, I've decided to try the FG400 route first, and if that doesn't work, I'll step it up one more with the 300. After that, I'm done and what's left and just be "character" marks :-) Really appreciate everybody's thoughts!
 
Mike@DedicatedPerfection said:
Interesting indeed Bob. Could you point me in the right direction?
Click to expand...


I'll have to dig for it, I may have it bookmarked somewhere. I came upon it randomly at some point. IIRC, it was a very well established contributor to the detailing world (Larry, Jason, KB or similar), somebody who's testing I did hold on high regard as it's something that has stuck with me.
 
Audios S6 said:
I'll have to dig for it, I may have it bookmarked somewhere. I came upon it randomly at some point. IIRC, it was a very well established contributor to the detailing world (Larry, Jason, KB or similar), somebody who's testing I did hold on high regard as it's something that has stuck with me.
Click to expand...


Could it be in this series of clips around the wetsanding on this car?

http://youtu.be/BgCmrGMhvss
 
nate_m said:
Okay, I've decided to try the FG400 route first, and if that doesn't work, I'll step it up one more with the 300. After that, I'm done and what's left and just be "character" marks :-) Really appreciate everybody's thoughts!
Click to expand...

I am hyper conservative with my GQ or Customers cars. I take more risks on my POV DD's, espeically my older DD (which I have wet sanded and painted with Dr. Color Chip). With that said, if I cannot get something out using the tried and true methods taught by Mike Phillips, and with the products I have:
- Menz FG 400, SF4000, SF4500,
- Pinnacle Advance Compound, Advanced Scratch Remover, Advanced Finishing Polish
- Megs 105/205.
- GG Boss Pads (MF & Cutting)
- LC CCS Pads

Using the prescribed 6-8 section passes, it will just have to remain. The risk is beyond the results... especially if it's a scratch that you have to bend over six ways from Sunday in the proper light just to see. In other words, you know it's there... but will other non OCD'ers notice? Certainly non OCD'ers will notice the big circular burn mark. :-(
 
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