I used to use Malco products but I am now looking for different products
I know the Malco name, I'm pretty sure I seen their product in detail shops, body shops and dealerships the three years I covered Oregon, Washington and Idaho as an Outside Sales Rep and Trainer for Meguiar's.
Most importantly I ordered your book.
Thank you for our purchase and your trust.
The Complete Guide to a Show Car Shine
I'm confident that if you read it from cover to cover you'll learn a lot and in most cases know more than most self-taught detailers or detailers that don't hang out on discussion forums. I put a lot of work and thinking into all my books because I know the crowd on the Internet is a tough crowd to please but I'm not scared to put what I know onto paper and subject it to peer review. Certainly don't see anyone else doing it. So thank you.
My question is what are good compounds that you recommend?
Thanks
When I worked for Meguiar's that was easy as taking a walk through the park. I represented one brand and recommended one brand. In the detailing classes I taught at Meguiar's I only had to show one brand and only one or two tool.
Here at Autogeek I represent over 70 brands and show all the best of the best tools. It's a MUCH harder job but I love the challenge and again it certainly makes my days teaching classes at Meguiar's incredibly easy as compared to what I teach in my current 3-day detailing boot camp classes.
That all said, I rarely make simple one brand recommendations because there are a LOT of really good compounds on the market. For anyone reading this right now that also reads any of my other posts on this forum you'll have noticed I used the two word term,
Abrasive Technology
a LOT when I write and talk about polishing paint.
And there's a reason. While some guys say,
Technique is #1
I always respectfully say
I disagree.
Technique is important but it's pretty easy to figure out that if you're using junk for abrasive technology that is the abrasives are leaving their own defects in the paint as you use them, then it doesn't matter how great you and your technique are you're still going to get bad results.
A few years ago a new compound entered the market. I tested it on black paint and wrote a full review for the manufacturer to let them know, actually warn them that the product was horrible and it could not be used as the label stated by hand or machine. Took high resolution pictures showing them the results of using their product on BLACK paint by hand and multiple machines and pads and also did this against a benchmark compound known for it's quality abrasive technology in the industry.
The person I sent my findings to replied back and told me I didn't now what I was talking about.
Interestingly enough... they launched the product anyways and as of today no one uses it, no one talks about it and it's dying on the vine.
So while I rarely box myself into a canyon with specific recommendations out of respect for the professional relationship I have with all the companies Autogeek represents and specifically for the brands that offer great compounds, I do make recommendations for groups of products I trust and did so in my book,
How to use the Flex XC3401 VRG Dual Action Orbital Polisher
The Flex 3401 is a powerful forced rotation and forced oscillation tool and while it excels at correction and polishing when used with great abrasive technology it will scour the heck out of paint when used with caveman abrasive technology.
To help my readers, (and customers of the book), and because Flex doesn't offer any of their own compounds and polishes, (like Rupes), I recommended a selection of compounds that use good abrasive technology and that can be used with not only the Flex but probably any dual action polisher with the right pad on any paint and you'll get great results.
I list them and show a picture of them on page 28 of the Flex book. I just took this picture using my cell phone and uploaded to show the picture on page 28 - sorry it's kind of dark but you can get the idea.
There's,
Meguiar's
Mothers
Blackfire
Sonax
Wolfgang
Optimum
Pinnacle
Menzerna
All of the above brands use good abrasive technology in their compounds and polishes and even cleaner/waxes. There are other brand to but I can't show everything in a single how-to book.
Since it sounds like you're going to purchase a Griot's Garage 6" DA Polisher if you want to get a compound that I show on TV all the time and switched Wayne Carini's F40.com restoration shop over to then get the Pinnacle Compound. It will work with anything on anything and consistently give you show car results.
Demonstrated that just last Thursday night....
1971 Dodge Charger R/T - 1940 Oldsmobile Streetrod shine by Pinnacle
Had a few witnesses too....
Demonstrated it live for TV on a 1931 Ford Highboy and this car was featured just recently in Streetrodder Magazine.
[video=youtube_share;OchzIzRcET4"]Pinnacle Advanced Compound[/video]
I finished buffing out just this small segment and then after we finished shooting the segment the camera guys came in and captured before and after using my iPhone again. We didn't get any side-by-side before and after shots so you'll have to watch this episode to see the side-by-side results.
One thing I tell people when it comes to polishing paint... don't skimp on compounds and polishes.
Paint is thin and easily scratched. Besides this the last thing you want to do is to do a job over a second time because you didn't get it right the first time.
Clearcoats are thin by Mike Phillips
Whatever you use... be sure to clean your pad often as you work around the car.
Always work clean.
