I understand the concept of paint swelling but I still have not heard of much problems with defects returning just because of the use of mineral oil.
In the past many assumed M80 was a heavy filler product that does not correct but hides the swirls. M80 uses the same oils as M07 and from your own words "Pure polishes intended to "feed" dry paint are specifically formulated for this purpose." With m07 being a pure polish and is formulated to feed/swell paint is it safe to assume M03/05/07/80 can and will also swell paint to a degree.
If so then a product like M80 who's high feeder oil content would theoretically "swell paint" there should be a high number or defects reappearing once the oils have had enough time to evaporated/out gassed. This is not the case though as even if the oils do swell the paint, to some degree, total defect removal is achieved and not simply masked. Since M80 has been proven time and time again to achieve true correct it seems the role of solvents swelling paint to has little real world effect.
I know the majority of compounds and polishes on the market today use mineral oil or glycerin as a lubricating oil and the amount used differ from each manufacturer, but even so, brands like Optimum and Menzerna that use higher amounts of the two oils in their polishes than other companies have none of these problems.
In the end there is really not enough data about the effects of solvents/oils/alcohol swelling paint and hindering the process of defect removal.
:buffing:
There may not be enough data available to you, but product developers know exactly how much of a certain oil or solvent to get paint to swell. And they know exactly what oils or solvents tend not to swell paint. (Paint can swell without you doing anything at all.) The fact is, as you've mentioned, there are many different types of oils that do different things to paint. And like dials on your radio, chemistry can be adjusted to increase or decrease defect removal without even messing with the abrasive set.
The activity of machine polishing paint is a bell curve full of variables, and exceptions to every norm. When you think of the variables involved in compounds/polishes, and then add the variances in paint...wow!...can you say rubic's cube? I am careful to use words like "may" or "can" because I know any conclusion I make will be met with 14 exceptions, 7 "but it didn't when I...", and 4 "that has never happened to me ever!"
I have spent my lifetime and my whole professional career studying paint polishing. I, like you and many others, want to come to simple conclusions and understanding about what is going on. Oh, this does that, so that means it must result in this. But after 30 years with a buffer in my hands the only simple and certain conclusions I have come to are these:
- it's never that simple and never that certain
- I obviously don't know everything so I can always learn something
- I didn't charge enough for that last job
- I am cursed for life because I can never look at beautiful paint without seeing the defects
- And it's ok to leave yesterday's wax in my fingernails. I can just wear it proudly.
But let's keep trying to figure it out. Let's try to understand all that we can. I'm right there with you. Maybe one of us will have the answers in our lifetime? I won't give up if you won't.
Jason
PS - Sorry to get so philosophical on ya, I'm in a mood.
rops:
