Cquartz question

[Mikertt]

Hey Mike,

Question for you. Have you guys worked on a car in the studio and applied CarPro Cquartz? I've seen your video about applying GTechniq on a red Mustang. I was wondering what your experiences have been regarding the consumer version of it. I have gotten a lot of tips and tricks from Nick @ Autowerx but, I was wondering what else I could learn about it from you. I applied it to the hood of my dad's Mercedes E320 here in the Bay Area part of California. Warm 70's temperature with about 15% humidity. I have a hard time judging of when it actually flashes because it goes on kind of wet, and sometimes, it looks like it is it starts to flash right away. I'm using the white circle cotton applicator and cross hatching when I wipe it on.

I most likely wiped it off too early as it was smearing all over and was left with finger print marks from using the suede microfiber towels in the kit. With such little humidity, do you think waiting 45 minutes to 1 hour would be better for me? I did apply a second coat on the hood after trying my best to wipe off the residue of the first coat. I just had such a hard time wiping off the residue that I might have inflicted some very minor toweling marks either into the clear or on the coating itself. I'm looking to avoid that on the rest of the car.

I've just had a tough experience with it and I know it is user error. I'm just trying to figure out a better way of getting the great results others have been getting with it.

I'm the one who commented on the video you guys applying Blackfire. "Absolutely!"

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Hey Mike,

Question for you. Have you guys worked on a car in the studio and applied CarPro CQuartz? I've seen your video about applying GTechniq on a red Mustang. I was wondering what your experiences have been regarding the consumer version of it. I have gotten a lot of tips and tricks from Nick @ Autowerx but, I was wondering what else I could learn about it from you. I applied it to the hood of my dad's Mercedes E320 here in the Bay Area part of California. Warm 70's temperature with about 15% humidity. I have a hard time judging of when it actually flashes because it goes on kind of wet, and sometimes, it looks like it is it starts to flash right away. I'm using the white circle cotton applicator and cross hatching when I wipe it on.

I've never been a big fan of the crosshatch application technique. My guess is the technique is recommended as a way to enable anyone of any skill level to apply a uniform coating over a specific panel without missing any areas.

Just a guess...

The problem with this technique is it's hard to spread a liquid out using a crosshatch pattern.

It's much easier to spread a product out using an overlapping circular motion. MUCH EASIER.

The reason why is because as your hand circles around back to your touchdown area where you first dabbed the liquid onto the surface, you'll be grabbing more of it and then spreading it out.

Easier to show than to type about.

The key is to look at the surface at an angle where you can see the product or lack of product and then continue to apply so that all of the panel is coated evenly.

Then, look at the panel for the visual signs of the flashing off of the product and before too much time goes by softly wipe off any high points which is a silly term people use for excess product.

I most likely wiped it off too early as it was smearing all over and was left with finger print marks from using the suede microfiber towels in the kit.

The problem with using a towel with a flat sheen, and that's what these towels have, is that there's a very limited amount of surface are for product to accumulate before the act of wiping off becomes the same act of applying and spreading out.

In other words trying to use a flat sheen cloth results in you fighting yourself.

Instead, use a short nap or flat weave microfiber towel with a soft touch.

With such little humidity, do you think waiting 45 minutes to 1 hour would be better for me?

The colder it is and the more moisture in the air, the longer you wait to lightly buff a coated panel. With low humidity and warmer temperatures you should be able to lightly buff the surface sooner than later.

See some drying time recommendations here,

CarPro Cquartz 30ml Kit

I did apply a second coat on the hood after trying my best to wipe off the residue of the first coat.

I just had such a hard time wiping off the residue that I might have inflicted some very minor toweling marks either into the clear or on the coating itself.

I'm looking to avoid that on the rest of the car.

The problem is related to the flat sheen suede cloths you're trying to use. Switch to soft microfiber towel like the green microfiber towels I used in the write-up below and you'll find the excess residue wipes of easier with a lot less risk of marring the paint.

Look at the towel Todd is using to give the panel a final soft buff after Trista applies the EXO this is a flat weave

Gtechniq EXO Application Instructions with Trista

Super Soft Deluxe Green Microfiber Towels with Rolled Edges
Microfiber Gloves - 6 pair

I've just had a tough experience with it and I know it is user error. I'm just trying to figure out a better way of getting the great results others have been getting with it.

Practice makes perfect and coatings are trickier to perfect your technique with than traditional waxes and sealants. Don't give up...

I'm the one who commented on the video you guys applying Blackfire. "Absolutely!"

Oh yes... I remember you and the comment. My follow up was that I think saying the word absolutely is a SoCal thing...

 

[Mikertt]

Thank you for your advice Mike. I went back and tried the trunk deck and was having trouble wiping off the residue still. I did it when it was warm in this afternoon and waited a half hour to let it flash. Wiped off with a short loop microfiber towel and still had an oily residue that wouldn't come off. I could only see it with the Brinkman though. When you wiped off the Mustang with GTechniq, did it leave an oily residue in the towel pattern? Or is it supposed to be clean like when you remove wax and sealants? The regular microfiber towels did a lot better job of removing the residue than the microfiber suedes like you said.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Thank you for your advice Mike. I went back and tried the trunk deck and was having trouble wiping off the residue still.

I did it when it was warm in this afternoon and waited a half hour to let it flash.

Wiped off with a short loop microfiber towel and still had an oily residue that wouldn't come off.

That just doesn't sound right. The only thing I can think of that could be causing incomplete wipe-off of the residue is too warm of temperature or possibly bad products.

I could only see it with the Brinkmann though.

That's why I call the Brinkmann the Cruel Master... she's hard to please.

The Brinkmann reveals lots of defects the human eye cannot see without the aid of the light from a Xenon bulb.

Locate an area with residue still remaining and give this area a slow wipe using the technique I describe in this article and then inspect...

The Final Wipe – Tips for creating a streak-free, show car finish



IF the residue is not removing then it could be you waited too long and it is now hardened and will not wipe off but will need to be abraded off.

When you wiped off the Mustang with GTechniq, did it leave an oily residue in the towel pattern? Or is it supposed to be clean like when you remove wax and sealants?

The old GTechniq EXO wiped off clean as a whistle. One thing about that "version" of that product though you didn't want to wait too long or the coating solidified and would have to be abraded off.

The regular microfiber towels did a lot better job of removing the residue than the microfiber suedes like you said.

I figured that...

Try the slow wipe technique and let me know how that goes...

If the coating has completely dried and hardened, what appears to be an oily residue might actually be hardened coating and simply put... won't wipe off.

A way you could test would be to take your finger and place it into the microfiber towel and RUB HARD over some paint with the problem you're seeing.

If you can't rub the smear off that means it has become a functional part of the paint and it isn't gong to wipe off. This means you're not wiping the high points off fast enough after application.

Something to think about that actually might make more sense...

 

[Mikertt]

Thank you for all of your help with the tips and tricks Mike. I finally found out what I did wrong. I was using the little microfiber suede towel (applicator) to try and wipe off the residue. FAIL!!! I applied with the cotton makeup applicators and unfortunately, it scratched the paint in the straight lines I was applying it in. I applied with the least pressure I could but, for some reason, the paint on that Mercedes so uber scratch sensitive. I was having a good laugh with Nick @ Autowerx about my FAIL from the past week. I applied more Cquartz to the front of my car and wiped off with two different microfiber towels. I used a cheaper microfiber towel with a short nap to to buff it off and a Woobie microfiber towel to remove all the leftover residue. It took it off like a charm. I will say that Cquartz residue loads up the microfiber towels fast though. I might have to go back in a few weeks to polish the hood that I messed up on because I can see some shallow scratches when I applied with the cotton applicator and my horrible wiping with the microfiber applicator. The sun at a certain angle shows just a hint of ghosting. I "ABSOLUTELY" can't live with that on the car...

Thank you for everything Mike.