Doing some side work-Need compound advise bad!

[CanadianBacon]

Hi Guys,

So I've recently started taking on some side work, both solo and with a detailing friend of mine. As such, I need to expand my arsenal with some essentials. Right now I have Adam's compound in stock, but that won't make the cut (no pun intended) on some of the tougher jobs. I also have some Sonax, but that is not cost efficient at this point. I have used some Meguirs products before but not on enough paint types to know exactly how it will respond. My buddy uses Adam's and M105/M205 almost exclusively.

Currently working with a Flex 3401 and primarily with foam pads. What well rounded products would be good to stock up on? Meguirs M105, M101? Menzerna?

Much appreciated!

 

[Kamakaz1961]

I have had great success with Menzerna FG400 and 3M's Perfect Compound. Both are excellent and I believe the 3M compound is more aggressive than the Menzerna. I use Menzerna FG400 significantly more. I would look into those.

IMO I would guess Menzerna FG400 is all you need for MOST applications.

 

[jkrig]

The Griots Boss Creams are all great, very forgiving (long work time), smell good, and no fillers......I would also suggest adding some micro-fiber pads to your collection.

 

[brettS4]

FG400 is good, but it doesn't have much affect on a lot of hard paints like on german cars. I'd add some M105/M205 for those. Or at least check out Walmart or Advance Auto to see if they carry it near you. You could pick it up same day if you're in a pinch.

 

[CanadianBacon]

I have had great success with Menzerna FG400 and 3M's Perfect Compound. Both are excellent and I believe the 3M compound is more aggressive than the Menzerna. I use Menzerna FG400 significantly more. I would look into those.

IMO I would guess Menzerna FG400 is all you need for MOST applications.

Thank you! I often forget about 3m!

The Griots Boss Creams are all great, very forgiving (long work time), smell good, and no fillers......I would also suggest adding some micro-fiber pads to your collection.

Yes! I've been intending to try Griots so glad to hear it's quality. And I'll have some microfibres on order!

FG400 is good, but it doesn't have much affect on a lot of hard paints like on german cars. I'd add some M105/M205 for those. Or at least check out Walmart or Advance Auto to see if they carry it near you. You could pick it up same day if you're in a pinch.

Good to know. That's more or less what I was afraid of, so I might pick up some M105 as I do a lot of German paint...where the Adam's doesn't do all that well.


Thanks for the rapid tips guys! I try to do as much research as possible but its nice to know what others "Go to" products are when pressed for time!

 

[LEDetailing]

I'm blown away with the finish of both FG400/Heavy Cut 400 and Griots Fast Correcting Cream. Theses both finish down to near LSP ready with MF cuttting pads.

I had not tried MF cutting pads until hearing so many great reviews. The MF cutting pads are the easiest way to safely remove heavy defects with a DA.

 

[BudgetPlan1]

What machine ya using? With a Flex 3401, M101 w LC Force pads is a great combo. switch pads for different needs/conditions. Quick defect killer...

Works well with gg6 too.

D300 w microfiber cutting discs is nice regardless of machine.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

[LEDetailing]

I'd love to see what a MF cutting pad on a Flex 3401 could do. I have a Rupes LHR 15 MkII, MF pads makes the Rupes a cutting machine.

Used to use my Dewalt 849 for cutting with a light cutting LC Orange CCS pad. Now cutting is done with MF and Rupes.

I need to get some wool for my Dewalt, but have only used foam on a rotary. Had one wool pad way back, but never used it enough to get comfortable with it.

 

[dlc95]

With the 3401, Menzerna FG400 / PF2500 / SF4000 can cover a lot of bases. For me FG400 always out cuts M105, and is way easier to work with - generally speaking.

FG400 uses an agglomerated abrasive, where M105 uses a non diminishing micro abrasive. The deceptive thing about 400 is that the agglomorated cluster (which diminises through the cycle) is comprised of non diminishing micro abrasives. Essentially, FG400 is a "diminishing abrasive" that diminishes into a "micro abrasive". In trying to figure out why 400 consistently cut harder for me, I stumbled upon that info - in an article written by Todd Helme.

It also depends on the pad too. I prefer foam, where FG excels. Microfiber pads tend to like a non diminishing abrasive. My preference is Meguiar's M100 or D300 for that. However, I've used 400 on microfiber with excellent results too.

Tool type and the drive mechanism plays a role in typical decisions. With forced rotation, I always got better results - more consistently with Menzerna - especially finishing, than M205. On random orbit tools, I was pretty good at cutting and finishing with non diminishing polishes. At least I though I was doing ok lol!

If I had to choose one set of polishes these days, it would be Menzerna.

 

[CanadianBacon]

Wealth of information! Thank you!

Using a WaxedShine DD8 machine... a re-branded Flex 3401

I think this makes it pretty easy. I won't do a once size fits all...I'll pick up some 6.5' microfibre pads and the D300 for the heavier stuff, and pick up some Menzerna or Griot's to compliment as well as some finishing product.

Really appreciate the info.

 

[TTQ B4U]

I have used some Meguirs products before but not on enough paint types to know exactly how it will respond. My buddy uses Adam's and M105/M205 almost exclusively. Currently working with a Flex 3401 and primarily with foam pads. What well rounded products would be good to stock up on? Meguirs M105, M101? Menzerna?

I run Flex 3401's and use the Purple and Blue Wool pads for cutting. My go-to products are Meg's 101 for really heavy cutting needs and Ultimate Compound for the Medium to slightly higher than Medium cut. I will use Orange for cutting on softer paints. I too use lots of M205 paired with anything from Green Hexlogic to White Hybrid Force Pads for polishingtheir line up is excellent.

Here are a couple examples of what I've completed with these combo's. These were in really really bad shape as you can see from the before pics.

2007 Toyota FJ (Gallery) Photo Gallery by Private at pbase.com
1995 C36 AMG (Gallery) Photo Gallery by Private at pbase.com
2007 Toyota FJ - Black (Gallery) Photo Gallery by Private at pbase.com

All of them turned out like new. The yellow FJ had some light scratches left but the paint was way too thin to correct it all the way. 3.5mills in many places.

 

[CanadianBacon]

I run Flex 3401's and use the Purple and Blue Wool pads for cutting. My go-to products are Meg's 101 for really heavy cutting needs and Ultimate Compound for the Medium to slightly higher than Medium cut. I will use Orange for cutting on softer paints. I too use lots of M205 paired with anything from Green Hexlogic to White Hybrid Force Pads for polishingtheir line up is excellent.

Here are a couple examples of what I've completed with these combo's. These were in really really bad shape as you can see from the before pics.

2007 Toyota FJ (Gallery) Photo Gallery by Private at pbase.com
1995 C36 AMG (Gallery) Photo Gallery by Private at pbase.com
2007 Toyota FJ - Black (Gallery) Photo Gallery by Private at pbase.com

All of them turned out like new. The yellow FJ had some light scratches left but the paint was way too thin to correct it all the way. 3.5mills in many places.

So you use the foam pad compound with wool pads? Unorthadox but if It works...

 

[GSKR]

Hi Guys,

So I've recently started taking on some side work, both solo and with a detailing friend of mine. As such, I need to expand my arsenal with some essentials. Right now I have Adam's compound in stock, but that won't make the cut (no pun intended) on some of the tougher jobs. I also have some Sonax, but that is not cost efficient at this point. I have used some Meguirs products before but not on enough paint types to know exactly how it will respond. My buddy uses Adam's and M105/M205 almost exclusively.

Currently working with a Flex 3401 and primarily with foam pads. What well rounded products would be good to stock up on? Meguirs M105, M101? Menzerna?

Much appreciated!

I would stock up on everything.Different paintsystems different situations .You may have a job where 10 bottles of various polishes don't work and the 11th bottle of what ever it may be will get it done happens frequently with me as I work on airplanes.

 

[TTQ B4U]

So you use the foam pad compound with wool pads? Unorthadox but if It works...

Yep. Makes no difference. The above wool pads finish out very very well. With M101 you will need to polish of course but the haze is minimal. Not necessarily unorthodox either as it's commonly used with foam, but it's perfectly fine to use it with Microfiber or wool.