detailing/OC questions

[wallace03]

Hello.
I am new to these forums/detailing, and have some questions about preparing to opti-coat a new car. I was told that the combination of pads and product that I have chosen will work for this new car. My question is how often should I clean and change out my pads? Will a hand ccs pad work to remove swirls from smaller areas that the 6.5 pads cant get to? Can I use the same method of swirl removal for tail/head lights? Is 303 fabric guard safe to use on alcantara seats? If I wash the car with Chemical guys citrus wash after I polish will I need to apply eraser/ipa before I starting applying OC? What does a high spot look like BEFORE it cures? Should I buy 2 orange, 2 white, 2 gray pads or would I be better off by four white pads if that is what I plan on using for my entire car to remove swirls?
Thanks

Here is my list:
303 Aerospace Protectant 303 Aerospace Protectant 16 oz

303 Cleaner & Spot Remover 303 Cleaner and Spot Remover for Rugs & Upholstery. Use this multi-purpose cleaner from 303 to keep your interior free of stubborn stains.

The 303 High Tech Fabric Guard 303 high tech fabric guard, 303 fabric guard

Mothers Wheel Brush Mothers Wheel Brush makes cleaning your wheels more comfortable with a rubberized grip. Clean your wheels with Mothers Car Care Products!

5 Gallon Professional Wash Bucket 5 Gallon Professional Wash Bucket with Grit Guard - CLEAR

Total Microfiber Tool Kit Total Microfiber Tool Kit

16x16 Arctic White Microfiber Arctic White Microfiber Towels, detailing towels, microfiber cloths

Stoner Invisible Glass Cleaner Stoner Invisible Glass Cleaner With Rain Repellent, auto glass cleaner, rain repellent, rain repel, glass sealer, windshield glass cleaner

16 oz Chemical Guys GlossWorkz Paintw We Are Car Care -- Car Wax, Car Polish, Auto Detailing Supplies, Car Buffers & Car Accessories Store
auto-wash.html

16 oz Chemical Guys Stripper Scent Chemical Guys Stripper Scent Premium Air Freshener 16 oz.

Meguiars Smooth Surface Clay Kit - Meguiars Smooth Surface Clay Kit, meguiars detailing clay,

CarPro TRIX Tar and Iron Remove CarPro TRIX Tar and Iron Remover, paint cleaner

Optimum Opti-Coat 2.0 Optimum Opti-Coat 2.0 Permanent Paint Coating FREE BONUS

Griots Garage 6 inch Random Orbital Polisher Griot's Garage 6 inch Random Orbital Polisher, Dual action buffer, DA polisher

six Lake Country 6.5 Inch Flat Foam Pads Lake Country 6.5 FLAT Pads 6 Pack - Your Choice!

Meguiars DA Microfiber Correction Compound Meguiars Microfiber Correction Compound, polishing compound, paint correction

Meguiars #105 Ultra-Cut Meguiars Mirror Glaze #205 Ultra Finishing Polish, final polish, car polish, M205, Meguires

Chemical Guys Citrus Wash Chemical Guys Citrus Wash Red

3M Scotch Premium Automotive Masking Tape 3M Scotch 233+ Premium Automotive Masking Tape, scotch car tape, detailer masking tape, car masking tape

Chemical Guys Grime Reaper All Purpose Cleaner Chemical Guys Grime Reaper All Purpose Cleaner

 

[bmwgalore]

Replace the CG Grime Reaper with Optimum OPC, far superior.

For the cutting steps with a DA, I recommend Micro Fiber pads, not Foam (sure you can cut with foam, but it takes a LOT longer and it's not as good as Micro Fiber).
Optimum has the best micro fiber pads, but Meguiars has some good ones too.
For the Polishing steps stik to Foam pads, as they finish better (FLAT or HYDROTECH white and black pads. The CCS pads are not very good)

6.5" is too big, get the 5.5" instead.

You will need 2 micro fiber pads for the cutting process + 2 white for polishing + 2 black for fine polishing.

The 303 Spot remover is not the concentrated version, get the 303 Fabric Cleaner because is concentrated and can be diluted. But the Optimum OPC can be diluted to clean carpets too, it's the best out there!



As for everything else you're spot on.

 

[bmwgalore]

Also, you can mix 2 pea size drops of D300 and 2 pea size drops of #105 on the face of the Micro Fiber pad, it does wonders.
You get good cut without dusting (if you're still dusting, it's due to excessive product and too much work time).

You must clean the pads after every section.


When you're finished polishing (but before the Opti-Coat), give an IPA wipe down to remove any polish Oils

 

[wallace03]

Replace the CG Grime Reaper with Optimum OPC, far superior.

For the cutting steps with a DA, I recommend Micro Fiber pads, not Foam (sure you can cut with foam, but it takes a LOT longer and it's not as good as Micro Fiber).
Optimum has the best micro fiber pads, but Meguiars has some good ones too.
For the Polishing steps stik to Foam pads, as they finish better (FLAT or HYDROTECH white and black pads. The CCS pads are not very good)

6.5" is too big, get the 5.5" instead.

You will need 2 micro fiber pads for the cutting process + 2 white for polishing + 2 black for fine polishing.

The 303 Spot remover is not the concentrated version, get the 303 Fabric Cleaner because is concentrated and can be diluted. But the Optimum OPC can be diluted to clean carpets too, it's the best out there!



As for everything else you're spot on.

Thanks for the input, i will switch to 5.5 since a lot of people have been suggesting that too. Would the microfiber pad be necessary on a brand new car that only probably wont have too many deep swirls/scratches? What about the spots that i cant get to like pillars? can i use the same product/pads on the lights? and IPA is necessary even right after a citrus wash?
Thanks

 

[bmwgalore]

Thanks for the input, i will switch to 5.5 since a lot of people have been suggesting that too. Would the microfiber pad be necessary on a brand new car that only probably wont have too many deep swirls/scratches? What about the spots that i cant get to like pillars? can i use the same product/pads on the lights? and IPA is necessary even right after a citrus wash?
Thanks

If you don't have scratches, chances are you won't need compounding at all, but it really depends on the paint hardness... But I'd get the micro fiber pads just in case if money is not an issue.

Yes, you can use MF and Foam pads on the lights. You can also use D300, 105 and 205 on the lights, depending how much correction you need.

The Citrus wash is fine, but you still need an IPA wipe down before moving on to the next panel anyway... SO you do the IPA wipe down to see if the swirls are gone, if they are gone, fine move to the next section.. If they are not gone you will have to do that section again... That's why the IPA wipe down is necessary (Imagine if you apply Opti-Coat only to notice 2 weeks later that some swirls weren't completely removed).


For the pillars you have to options:
1. Buy smaller pads and a smaller backing plate (I have 4 inches and 3.25 inches too)
2. Tape the surrounding areas with Blue Painters Tape and hit it with a larger pad, but if you're not careful enough you could end up scratching trim pieces... If you're very careful you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[wallace03]

If you don't have scratches, chances are you won't need compounding at all, but it really depends on the paint hardness... But I'd get the micro fiber pads just in case if money is not an issue.

Yes, you can use MF and Foam pads on the lights. You can also use D300, 105 and 205 on the lights, depending how much correction you need.

The Citrus wash is fine, but you still need an IPA wipe down before moving on to the next panel anyway... SO you do the IPA wipe down to see if the swirls are gone, if they are gone, fine move to the next section.. If they are not gone you will have to do that section again... That's why the IPA wipe down is necessary (Imagine if you apply Opti-Coat only to notice 2 weeks later that some swirls weren't completely removed).


For the pillars you have to options:
1. Buy smaller pads and a smaller backing plate (I have 4 inches and 3.25 inches too)
2. Tape the surrounding areas with Blue Painters Tape and hit it with a larger pad, but if you're not careful enough you could end up scratching trim pieces... If you're very careful you shouldn't have a problem.

Awesome, Thanks.