How far can I go??

[skenzer]

How much can car paint take with polishing? I mean, eventually won't the wear and tear of aggresive polishes take it's toll?

I just did an overall job with the following combinations and am looking to step it up now:

Washed
Mother's clay bar
Washed again
Orange pad with pooboy's SSR2.5
White pad with Poorboy's SSR1
Straight to wax with PB's Natty's Blue

Most of the swirl marks seem to have gone away..but I still am left with some light scratches. Nothing that I feel but can see pretty clearly. I feel that I can get rid of these but i'm thinking about taking a more aggresive route.

Either going with a Yellow pad and SSR2.5 or Orange pad and SSR3 or yellow pad and SSR3.

So this kind of takes me back to my question....will I be stressing the paint out by doing so much polishing?

thanks for any thoughts and help
Brad

 

[Jimmie]

Yes eventually it could be a problem. I can't give you the exact numbers of CC thickness and how much is removed with each PC polish. When those numbers were presented awhile ago I remember thinking that I could polish my car each year for 10 years before I had to consider abrading enough CC to be a problem. That was worst case. I'm thinking that you can push it much farther.

 

[trhland]

Yes eventually it could be a problem. I can't give you the exact numbers of CC thickness and how much is removed with each PC polish. When those numbers were presented awhile ago I remember thinking that I could polish my car each year for 10 years before I had to consider abrading enough CC to be a problem. That was worst case. I'm thinking that you can push it much farther.

i have asked this quistion many times to detailers and companys selling polishes and they all tell me that the p/c really doesnt remove any clear. very little if any . now if your useing it with a heavy cut pad and compound all the time then you might be cutting down a bit of the clear. just stick with a light polish and light pad and you can polish for many years .

 

[conan777]

How much can car paint take with polishing? I mean, eventually won't the wear and tear of aggresive polishes take it's toll?

I just did an overall job with the following combinations and am looking to step it up now:

Washed
Mother's clay bar
Washed again
Orange pad with pooboy's SSR2.5
White pad with Poorboy's SSR1
Straight to wax with PB's Natty's Blue

Most of the swirl marks seem to have gone away..but I still am left with some light scratches. Nothing that I feel but can see pretty clearly. I feel that I can get rid of these but i'm thinking about taking a more aggresive route.

Either going with a Yellow pad and SSR2.5 or Orange pad and SSR3 or yellow pad and SSR3.

So this kind of takes me back to my question....will I be stressing the paint out by doing so much polishing?

thanks for any thoughts and help
Brad

:iagree: I am wondering the exact same thing myself? I hope someone here can give us the answer to your question. I have wondered why the UDM cannot have the same cutting ability as a rotary if you simply use a more aggressive cutting Pad and or Compounding combination. I mean with the right compound you can rub the paint right off using your hand so why can't you correct a paint problem using the UDM or PC with an aggressive compound and aggressive pad. Obvioulsy you do not want to ruin your paint but if you tried SSR 2.5 with a yellow pad and it did not take out the swirls then I would find it reasonable to try SSR3 with a white polishing pad to see if the more aggressive SSR3 will do the correction on it's own, and if not then try the orange pad and of course then the yellow pad if you were still not able to correct the paint. I mean if that doesn't work maybe a rotarty with the same aggressive pad and compound will be required but how often will that be necessary?? That sounds pretty aggressive to me Yellow pad with SSR3? C'mon experts help us out here please.Feed back please

 

[BILL]

Yes eventually it could be a problem. I can't give you the exact numbers of CC thickness and how much is removed with each PC polish. When those numbers were presented awhile ago I remember thinking that I could polish my car each year for 10 years before I had to consider abrading enough CC to be a problem. That was worst case. I'm thinking that you can push it much farther.

:iagree: easy......not to often..

 

[Totoland Mach]

Generally speaking, a car can take 3 complete "cutting" sessions before the paint guage will show a measurable decrease in the clear coat. Cutting involves heavy compounding with wool or foam cutting pads. I'm doing an '01 BMW now that was cut once 4 years ago.

Depending upon condition and owner maintenance, a car can be compounded once in 5-10 years (past the point of ownership for a lot of people).

With a random orbit (porter-cable, UDM, etc) I've never seen a paint guage difference...I suppose if you used compound with a random orbit enough times, it would decrease the amount of clear, but most folks compound once, then use polishes for swirl removal and maintenance.

Next time I have some time, I'll take some paint guage readings of a fresh car and another that's been compounded a few times.

Toto

 

[Rsurfer]

:iagree: I am wondering the exact same thing myself? I hope someone here can give us the answer to your question. I have wondered why the UDM cannot have the same cutting ability as a rotary if you simply use a more aggressive cutting Pad and or Compounding combination. I mean with the right compound you can rub the paint right off using your hand so why can't you correct a paint problem using the UDM or PC with an aggressive compound and aggressive pad. Obvioulsy you do not want to ruin your paint but if you tried SSR 2.5 with a yellow pad and it did not take out the swirls then I would find it reasonable to try SSR3 with a white polishing pad to see if the more aggressive SSR3 will do the correction on it's own, and if not then try the orange pad and of course then the yellow pad if you were still not able to correct the paint. I mean if that doesn't work maybe a rotarty with the same aggressive pad and compound will be required but how often will that be necessary?? That sounds pretty aggressive to me Yellow pad with SSR3? C'mon experts help us out here please.Feed back please

It sounds like skenzer, is either moving the pc to quickly or not applying enough pressure. C'mon, SSR3 with a yellow pad. That's pretty aggressive and should remove any scratches unless past the clear.

 

[Rsurfer]

Generally speaking, a car can take 3 complete "cutting" sessions before the paint guage will show a measurable decrease in the clear coat. Cutting involves heavy compounding with wool or foam cutting pads. I'm doing an '01 BMW now that was cut once 4 years ago.

Depending upon condition and owner maintenance, a car can be compounded once in 5-10 years (past the point of ownership for a lot of people).

With a random orbit (porter-cable, UDM, etc) I've never seen a paint guage difference...I suppose if you used compound with a random orbit enough times, it would decrease the amount of clear, but most folks compound once, then use polishes for swirl removal and maintenance.

Next time I have some time, I'll take some paint guage readings of a fresh car and another that's been compounded a few times.

Toto

That would be cool Toto and would put to rest the same old question on how many times can you polish without burning through the clear coat.

 

[budman3]

It sounds like skenzer, is either moving the pc to quickly or not applying enough pressure. C'mon, SSR3 with a yellow pad. That's pretty aggressive and should remove any scratches unless past the clear.

I totally agree. DO NOT not SSR3 and a cutting pad!! Actually don't use SSR3 at all. It is way too aggressive ... it's basically liquid sandpaper. I'm not sure what cars you are working on but if you can't get the scratches / marring out with with an orange pad and SSR2.5, they are probably too deep to remove without using a rotary and cutting the clear a lot more. It is a much better idea to live with a select few scratches on the vehicle and save your clear coat for later on down the road. If you really want to remove the scratches (pictures would really help) then I'd suggest doing another SSR2.5 treatment. If that doesn't work you could try the SSR3 but don't tell me I didn't warn you ahead of time...

If you want to use SSR3 in a select few places, use a polishing pad and speed 6. You'll have to work the polish in a long time and work slow slow slow. You'll have some hazing for sure which'll probably need another round with SSR2.5 and a polishing pad and then SSR1 again. So that's another 3 steps of polishing. A rotary may remove these marks in one... but it's hard to tell for sure without pictures.

 

[silent926]

I have never seen the pc take off a measurable amount of paint (at leaset with a polishing pad and a polish)

The cyclo, I have seen it take off 1-2 microns with a heavy compound and a cutting pad

The rotary.... no words are needed

 

[Torsion Tool]

Skenzer, it seems that you have a good routine. I'd stay with it for about three or four regular polishing sessions before adjusting to a more aggressive polish, especially if you have a new vehicle and/or machine. Budman's correct; it's probably best to live with a few disctinct flaws rather than trying for perfection and being disappointed.