First ever detail: FG400 dusted like crazy, what did I do wrong?

mavin

mavin

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Hi all,

I have learned a ton from reading this forum, and finally worked on my car. Will post pictures soon in the show-off section. I have an Audi A4, which apparently is covered in an impenetrable shell. I first tried UC on an orange pad, not happy with the results. Tested UC with a Cyan, no go. I ended up needing FG400 on a Cyan cutting pad to get results. The car was washed with Gold Class and clayed prior to compounding.

My technique included priming the pad on a fresh out of the package 5.5 inch cyan 7/8 cutting bad on a 5 inch back plate. I then put 3 small dabs as Mike does in his videos. I quickly spread the product out around my working area, then slowly made my passes. People seem to rave about FG400, but having never used a compound in my life, this seemed to dust like crazy. I ended up with good results, but the dust was really annoying. I was using Mikes "clean on the fly" technique with a white towel.

What should I be doing different? Too much product? A spray of QD?
 
A couple of thoughts:

Did you prime the pad?

I only had minimal dusting using FG400 - I did find that a quick spritz of WG Pad conditioner every now and then helped too. That and cleaning the pads every section pass or two is key, which it sounds like you're doing.

I'm sure others with considerably more experience than me will chime in but just a couple of thoughts. Good luck!
 
I did prime the pad, maybe I was using too much? It just seemed to dry up very quickly

Can you use ONR as a QD for a pad spray or do you need something special?
 
I experienced the same dusting with first test section with foam pad. Changed to microfiber and the product produced excellent result no dusting.
 
I have heard of this problem before, and some what experienced it.

Sounds like you are tackling a section too big at a time with the speed set too high in direct sunlight and moving too slow (or any one of those reasons alone will cause this to happen)

This causes the compound to actually dry on the paint, then when the edge of the pad touches it, it breaks it apart and starts dusting.

A good practice is to mist one shot of water or QD (i prefer water) onto the pad. Then 2 or 3 drops of product and work in a small section at a time.
 
I would say you're possibly using too much product. I had minimal dusting. Try using a pinch less product and be sure to keep cleaning your pad after each section. If you have a pad cleaning brush, they do a good job off breaking up caked on product on your pad after each section.
 
I say you are using to much product as well. I prime the pad and then go straight to my section without adding the working product for the first go 'round. For my second section pass and then after I will add 2-3 drops and go from there.

Also I have found that speed 6 is overkill and really shortens the working time as well as causing more of the dusting problem. Cut back the speed to 4 or 5 and see where that gets you.
 
Andr3wilson said:
I have heard of this problem before, and some what experienced it.

Sounds like you are tackling a section too big at a time with the speed set too high in direct sunlight and moving too slow (or any one of those reasons alone will cause this to happen)

This causes the compound to actually dry on the paint, then when the edge of the pad touches it, it breaks it apart and starts dusting.

A good practice is to mist one shot of water or QD (i prefer water) onto the pad. Then 2 or 3 drops of product and work in a small section at a time.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I was in the shade. Mike seems to say most rookies go too fast, so maybe I was going too slow to compensate. Maybe too big of a work area.
 
Sorry to thread jack, but i have heard about people using MF cutting disc w/ FG400.

But the consistency of FG400 is so thick, as soon as u lay the cutting disc on the paint, all the MF fiber is all flat.... Wouldnt that decrease the discs cutting power dramatically?
 
fenderpicks said:
Sorry to thread jack, but i have heard about people using MF cutting disc w/ FG400.

But the consistency of FG400 is so thick, as soon as u lay the cutting disc on the paint, all the MF fiber is all flat.... Wouldnt that decrease the discs cutting power dramatically?
Click to expand...

I use FG400 and MF all the time with out a problem. You might be using to much product. For the dusting yes you are using to much product cause I have never had a dusting problem with it.
 
So just FG400 with MF Cutting straight up? No mix or anything?
Do u prime the MF Pad still?
 
Pureshine said:
I use FG400 and MF all the time with out a problem. You might be using to much product. For the dusting yes you are using to much product cause I have never had a dusting problem with it.
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Curious about FG400 and speed as well. I have the rupes lhr21 and im using the mf pad with it. I primed the pad with two sprays of distilled water and 3 dime size dots (6" pad). I added another 3 dime sized dots and worked it in to half the hood (audi s5). I was running the lhr at 4, however I am not sure if that is correct? Should i be running the switch at 6? or 3? The product felt as if it dried pretty quick. Maybe 3 dime size dots? and a spray of water if I feel it drying? Attached is a picture of the hood. Maybe someone can chime in.
 
Half of the hood is 2-3 times the size of the area you should be working. You should be working in sections no bigger than 2' x 2'.
 
Mastercraft241 said:
Curious about FG400 and speed as well. I have the rupes lhr21 and im using the mf pad with it. I primed the pad with two sprays of distilled water and 3 dime size dots (6" pad). I added another 3 dime sized dots and worked it in to half the hood (audi s5). I was running the lhr at 4, however I am not sure if that is correct? Should i be running the switch at 6? or 3? The product felt as if it dried pretty quick. Maybe 3 dime size dots? and a spray of water if I feel it drying? Attached is a picture of the hood. Maybe someone can chime in.
Click to expand...

Agree on the dry quick part and I did not add extra water.
 
capnp72 said:
Half of the hood is 2-3 times the size of the area you should be working. You should be working in sections no bigger than 2' x 2'.
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that was a general rule. However the rupes has. 21" throw, so a 2 x 2 area means your moving the polisher 3" each direction. A regular PC has a 6" throw, so two feet would be 4x each way. Apple same method for rupes that would be a 5x5 area. Not sure if this is correct, just my thought process as I always thought the 2 x 2 was to make multiple passes in conjunction with properly working the products.
 
Mastercraft241 said:
I was under the impression that was a general rule. However the rupes has. 21" throw, so a 2 x 2 area means your moving the polisher 3" each direction. A regular PC has a 6" throw, so two feet would be 4x each way. Apple same method for rupes that would be a 5x5 area. Not sure if this is correct, just my thought process as I always thought the 2 x 2 was to make multiple passes in conjunction with properly working the products.
Click to expand...

It's not a 21" throw, it's a 21mm. throw which equals about an inch. FYI a PC has about a 8mm throw which is 5/16 of an inch throw. So a 2'X2' section should be adequate.
 
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by throw and I've never used a Rupes but with my PC you don't want to work that large of an area. It might be acceptable with the Rupes. :dunno:
 
capnp72 said:
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by throw and I've never used a Rupes but with my PC you don't want to work that large of an area. It might be acceptable with the Rupes. :dunno:
Click to expand...
DA oscillate as they rotate. So as it spins the pad it physically moves it in a circular fashion. The Rupes has a larger oscillation that the PC.
 
Last weekend I used Menzerna FG-400 for the first time on a black Hyundai Elantra and my jaw nearly dropped, seriously! I was shocked at how easily it removed every surface defect I present and most importantly how nicely it finished up! :wow:

I started the correction with my Makita 9227 rotary and a White 5 1/2" foam pad. I squeezed a line of product across the pad, laid it on the trunk lid then switched it on. As I moved the machine slowly across the panel I was impressed with its lubricity yet it corrected very quickly. Even though the trunk lid wasn't overly large I elected to divide it into 3 sections so that I wasn't tempted to tackle too large of a section.

Something else I like about Menzerna polishes is they diminish as they're worked making it easy to gauge your progress.

While my results using a White foam pad were outstanding I decided to use a Gray foam pad and go over the same area and see if it improved....and it did! A Gray foam pad is what I'd call a finishing pad which I use for removing buffer swirls and light marring. It has no cut yet provides enough support to improve on what I had already done. :props:

I saw very little dusting is at all and give FG-400 a two thumbs up.......:dblthumb2:
 
fenderpicks said:
So just FG400 with MF Cutting straight up? No mix or anything?
Do u prime the MF Pad still?
Click to expand...

Yes you have to prime the pad first with product and then add a couple pea size drops and you can mix product if needed. The most important thing with MF pads is the clean the pad ever panel or every section. I do every section so I'm always working clean.
 
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