Flex/Wolfgang Polishing Kit

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cleanfreak3

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Looking at purchasing the Wolfgang/Flex Polisher Kit. I have a 09 Black Crew Cab Silverado and I was wondering what I all need to tape off so I don't get compound every where and into grooves.
Also, how many pads will I need for compounding and applying a glaze?
What pad do I use to apply the glaze?
Lastly, what do I use for compounding those hard to reach places?
 
cleanfreak3 said:
Looking at purchasing the Wolfgang/Flex Polisher Kit. I have a 09 Black Crew Cab Silverado and I was wondering what I all need to tape off so I don't get compound every where and into grooves.
Also, how many pads will I need for compounding and applying a glaze?
What pad do I use to apply the glaze?
Lastly, what do I use for compounding those hard to reach places?
Click to expand...


Thanks for bringing this from PM's to the forum.





How to tape-off car trim before machine polishing
[video=youtube_share;WKFdlAFgio4&hd=1"]How to tape-off car trim before machine polishing...[/video]​






:xyxthumbs:
 
cleanfreak3 said:
Looking at purchasing the Wolfgang/Flex Polisher Kit.
Click to expand...

If you're going to purchase the the Flex 3401 I'd highly recommend also getting a copy of my book,


How to use the Flex XC 3401 VRG Dual Action Polisher
For both Production Detailing & Show Car Detailing

watermark.php






cleanfreak3 said:
Also, how many pads will I need for compounding and applying a glaze?
Click to expand...


For the compounding step
More pads are better. In a perfect world one pad per panel. Less perfect world one pad for two panels.

I'd get 6 Lake Country 6.5" Orange Hybrid Pads for this truck. Take my word for it that being able to switch to a clean, dry cutting pad as needed makes the job faster and you'll get better results. Clean dry pads cut faster than soggy wet pads.

For polishing you only need 3-4 and one for machine waxing. Stick with the Hybrid pads they are a very nice foam pad. I also strongly recommend these pads in my how-to book.



cleanfreak3 said:
What pad do I use to apply the glaze?
Click to expand...

Not sure what you mean by the word glaze. If it were me I would use a Fine Cut Polish after compounding. The word glaze no longer really has any definitive meaning in this industry.

If you're talking about the Wolfgang Finishing GLAZE then this isn't a glaze it's a fine cut polish and a great choice to follow Wolfgang Uber Compound which is in fact a real compound.


cleanfreak3 said:
Lastly, what do I use for compounding those hard to reach places?
Click to expand...

You can use Uber Compound by hand. Use a clean foam applicator for light defects. Use a microfiber applicator for heavy or deeper defects. Anytime you use a microfiber applicator by HAND you need to re-polish using a foam applicator by hand to remove the fiber marks the microfiber pad can put in when pushing hard with your 4 fingers against scratch-sensitive paint. I taught hand polishing all my life and while I much prefer to machine polish I know that in the REAL WORLD a guy needs to possess both hand skill and machine skills.


Hope the above helps...


:)
 
Thanks for the great info Mike! I purchased your Flex book last night. Is cleansing lotion from pinnacle a fine cut polish and would this work after using uber compound? Also, are you thinking that the tangerine pads are going to remove my scratches and swirls or should I be purchasing the cyan pads when using the uber compound?
 
manmeetsingh said:
Can u tell me mike, how to remove scratches from chrome trims??
Click to expand...

Sorry but "no".

You cannot remove scratches from chrome trim. Chrome is a very HARD and THIN layer and the ONLY way to remove scratches from ANYTHING is to ABRADE the surface surrounding the scratch to level the surface until the highest point of the surface is level with the lowest depth of the scratch or scratches you're trying to remove.

In my life I've NEVER seen an abrasive chrome polish or any polish that will abrade chrome to remove scratches without at the same time leaving scratches behind.

I've read, heard and spoke to people that say it can be done but NO ONE has ever shown me or proved it.

I would love to find a polish that will remove scratches out of chrome and leave the chrome looking flawless and new.

So if someone can show this on "their" chrome please step up to the plate.


By the way... what are you working on?

And... welcome to AutogeekOnline! :welcome:




:)
 
cleanfreak3 said:
Thanks for the great info Mike! I purchased your Flex book last night.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your purchase. I know you'll love the book.



cleanfreak3 said:
Is cleansing lotion from pinnacle a fine cut polish and would this work after using uber compound?
Click to expand...

No

Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion is a non-abrasive paint cleaner also called a pre-wax cleaner.

Paint cleaners are an either/or type product.

You either use a paint cleaner after washing your car and the apply wax and that's IT.

Or

You compound and polish a car before wax.

You never mix the two as they are redundant and one process removes defects while the other process ONLY cleans the surface.

Make sense?


cleanfreak3 said:
Also, are you thinking that the tangerine pads are going to remove my scratches and swirls or should I be purchasing the cyan pads when using the uber compound?
Click to expand...

If you're going to use the Flex 3401 then you want to get the Hybrid pads that I showcase in my how-to book and also strongly recommend.

I don't recommend THIN pads on gear driven tools but on free spinning tools. The Hydro-Tech pads you're referring to are thin pads and work best on tools like the Porter Cable 7424XP.

You can use thin pads on the Flex 3401 but the purpose of a thin pad is for the lack of power by free spinning tools.

With the Flex 3401 there is no lack of power issue and thicker pads work fine plus give you more cushion to conform to curved panels. Plus more foam to wear through as you buff cars.


:)
 
It was a Honda accord 2015 boot chrome trim, customer bring the car and was asking for it if scratch can remove or not, thanx mike for ur precious time, have a good day
 
Thank you for providing good information in your book that I read last night. However, I have a few questions.

1. What color of pads do I use for applying Wolfgang Finishing Glaze and Wolfgang Sealant?
2. What hand applicator do I use to get to the hard to reach places with the three step approach?
3. After a few months, I'm sure I will have a few light scratches and maybe a few swirls. Am I going to have to do the three step approach again or will I get by with the two step...or will the two step cause the micro marring/hazing being I have a black vehicle?

Thank you for your time.
 
cleanfreak3 said:
Thank you for providing good information in your book that I read last night.
Click to expand...

Thank you.


cleanfreak3 said:
However, I have a few questions.

1. What color of pads do I use for applying Wolfgang Finishing Glaze and Wolfgang Sealant?
Click to expand...

Assuming you have the Hybrid pads then you use black for the finishing glaze and to apply the wax.


It wasn't until TODAY that the new Hybrid pads for waxing were introduced, so if you want to get a read Hybrid then you would use the red pad for the wax instead of the black pad.


Gold & Red HYBRID Pads! *NEW*

watermark.php


watermark.php







The BIG PICTURE is you use a soft pad for final polishing with a fine cut polish and and a soft pad or even softer pad for applying a finishing or non-cleaning wax or sealant.





cleanfreak3 said:
2. What hand applicator do I use to get to the hard to reach places with the three step approach?
Click to expand...

Either microfiber or foam.

I used to teach hand polishing at Meguiar's for years!

And here's the deal. It takes MORE SKILL to work by hand than it does to work by machine but when it comes to working by hand I am the guy to talk to. Like I always teach in my Detailing Boot Camp Classes

A person needs to have both hand and machine skills BECAUSE you can't always reach everything by machine.


Check this article out...

How to use a hand applied abrasive polish or paint cleaner by hand


Note how in the first picture my hand is a BLUR

That's because I'm moving it fast and pushing hard. After starting with microfiber, a type of abrasive you do the same step again using foam. It's all about working out your own scratches when working on scratch-sensitive clearcoat paints.


cleanfreak3 said:
3. After a few months, I'm sure I will have a few light scratches and maybe a few swirls. Am I going to have to do the three step approach again or will I get by with the two step...or will the two step cause the micro marring/hazing being I have a black vehicle?

Thank you for your time.
Click to expand...

What you want to do is get down a system that's fast and easy and learn to live with deeper scratches if this is your daily driver.

Wash
Machine polish with fine cut and finishing pad
Wax
Drive and enjoy


:)
 
Should I use the White, Yellow, or Black, finishing pad when I use the Wolfgang Finishing Glaze after 3 months of my first detail? And yes, it is my daily driver but I don't want to cringe too much when the sun hits it at the right angle ;)
 
Also, can the Hybrid pads be re-washed? If so, how many times? Or do I throw them away?
 
cleanfreak3 said:
Should I use the White, Yellow, or Black, finishing pad when I use the Wolfgang Finishing Glaze after 3 months of my first detail?
Click to expand...

I would recommend testing either the white or the black. Buff a section just like doing a Test Spot and see which pad is doing 2 things,

1. Removing the defects to a level that satisfies you.

2. Leaving behind a finish that satisfies you.


The soft the pad the less defect removal ability but the nicer the overall finish quality.

The more aggressive the pad the better the defect removal but the potential for a less perfect overall finish. That said, the Wolfgang Finishing Glaze is very versatile and finishes down very nicely with both pads.

Just do a little testing first.


cleanfreak3 said:
Also, can the Hybrid pads be re-washed? If so, how many times? Or do I throw them away?
Click to expand...


I cover how to wash pads in my how-to book from page 79 to page 87, that's 8 pages of different ways to wash and dry foam buffing pads.

The Complete Guide to a Show Car Shine




The answer is "yes" you can wash them and reuse them. The simplest way is to get a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with 4 gallons of water and some pad cleaning soap. After buffing a panel or two, place the pad into the bucket and squish it with your hands to work the pad cleaning solution, (the water in the bucket), into the pad and then let it soak till the end of the project.

Next squish all the pads even more and then re-squish them under running water to flush all the compound and polish residue out of them, (best and safest method for the pad).

Or after squishing them in the pad cleaning solution have a second bucket of clean water and squish them in this bucket to flush out all the residues and the cleaning solutions. Of coarse the water in the rinsing bucket will become "not clean" so you can see why the first option of squishing them under running water will be more efficient.

All you need is a a sink and running water that no one will care about what you're doing, for example the wife or girlfriend.


:D
 
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