Jewelling - Definition

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Jewelling - Definition


This 1949 Chevy Sedan Delivery was Jewelled using only a Rotary Buffer
Bumblebee - Testing out the NEW DeWALT DWP849X
49SedanDelivery0042.jpg


How to Jewel Paint using a Rotary Buffer
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4PQfiXJLIc&hd=1]How to Jewel Paint using a Rotary Buffer - YouTube[/video]




Jewelling
Jewelling is a term for what I always called finish polishing, both terms mean to bring the paint to the highest degree of gloss, shine, depth, reflectivity etc. and this is done by making the paint as perfectly flat as possible at the microscopic level.

Just to make sure there's no confusion, when I use the word flat I don't mean as in dull or matte, I mean as smooth and equal in surface level, as in perfectly flat like the surface of a glass window. The car body panel itself can be curved but the paint on the curved panel must be perfectly flat and smooth.

I personally like the term jewelling better than finish polishing because the word jewel conjures up a picture in your mind, or the idea of a highly polished gemstone that glistens when light reflects off its surfaces.

A few years ago when the term jewelling reached the tipping point and became a commonly used term on detailing discussion forums I posted a request to one forum and asked for a volunteer to write an official definition for the term.

To this date I have not found an official definition written as such by anyone. So after waiting for a few years I'll volunteer to take a stab at it.


Jewelling - Definition
The final machine polishing step in which an ultra soft foam finishing pad with no mechanical abrading ability, (in and of itself), is used with a high lubricity ultra fine finishing polish to remove any remaining microscopic surface imperfections out of an automotive paint finish.

This step is performed after the paint has been previously put through a series of machine compounding and polishing procedures to have already created a near perfect finish.




Open to suggestions to tweak the definition and perfect it and standardize it for the detailing industry.

Also just want to add that while in most cases jewelling is the last step after a series of previous compounding and polishing steps, it is also possible to start with a near perfect finish. For example, at some other time the paint was already compounded and polished but needs to be refreshed to restore perfection.



1949 Chevy Sedan Delivery - Swirls removed and show car finish by Mike Phillips

49SedanDelivery0043.jpg


49SedanDelivery0046.jpg




:)
 
That's a great definition Mike, I'm surprised it hasn't been defined "officially" before. :applause:
 
That's a great definition Mike, I'm surprised it hasn't been defined "officially" before. :applause:

It may be officially defined, I just haven't found it defined anywhere. If you or anyone finds an official definition on a website or on a forum let me know as my posting history shows me to do my best to give due credit to where credit is due.

:)
 
You've been on forums way longer than I have, so if you haven't seen it then I highly doubt I will! I have no doubts in your word :props:.
 
I think I first read the term from Todd Helme on MOL a few years ago and I've read where he posted he picked it up from others. I found another thread where a forum member said the term goes back to the 1940's and 1950's but I've still never found an official definition.

I want to use the term for an article I'm writing but want to start by having a clear definition and since I couldn't find one I wrote one.

I know I asked someone else that was talking about the term to write the definition but can't find the thread.

:)
 
Also just want to add that while in most cases jewelling is the last step after a series of previous compounding and polishing steps, it is also possible to start with a near perfect finish. For example, at some other time the paint was already compounded and polished but needs to be refreshed to restore perfection.

Mike, when you mention previous polishing steps, does that include removing any light holograms or buffer trails? Or is that reserved for the jewelling step?

Also, most people usually mention jewelling with a rotary. In my mind, this means you risk causing new holograms.
 
awesome article MP! i was expecting a list of your fav pads/products combo for jeweling!
 
I think asfault rocket vette was jeweled
and i think thats where i first heard the term.
 
I have been using this term for as long as I can remember. I would always explain to my customers jeweling was like taking the finest jewelers rouge available and going over and over the surface bringing out max shine and mirror like finish until it was achieved
 
I have been using this term for as long as I can remember. I would always explain to my customers jeweling was like taking the finest jewelers rouge available and going over and over the surface bringing out max shine and mirror like finish until it was achieved

What do you think of the definition?


Jewelling - Definition
The final machine polishing step in which an ultra soft foam finishing pad with no mechanical abrading ability, (in and of itself), is used with a high lubricity ultra fine finishing polish to remove any remaining microscopic surface imperfections out of an automotive paint finish usually after the paint has been previously put through a series of machine compounding and polishing procedures to create a near perfect finish to start with.



Would you add, remove or change anything?


:)
 
Maybe we should ask Todd Helme. Wasn't hey the one who coined this term years ago?
 
Jewelling - Definition
The final machine polishing step in which an ultra soft foam finishing pad with no mechanical abrading ability, (in and of itself), is used with a high lubricity ultra fine finishing polish to remove any remaining microscopic surface imperfections out of an automotive paint finish usually after the paint has been previously put through a series of machine compounding and polishing procedures to create a near perfect finish to start with.

OK now we have a definition! So what products would you suggest for this process?:buffing:
 
Maybe we should ask Todd Helme. Wasn't hey the one who coined this term years ago?

I found a couple of threads where he stated he didn't coin the term or I would have given him credit. I do believe he helped to make the term popular, that was the tipping point reference.

I think I pointed this out in a previous post in this thread... see post #5 on the first page of this thread. I'm pretty good about giving due credit where credit is due after having stuff I've written over the years lifted with no credit ever given to me, so I do try to take the high road.

:)
 
OK now we have a definition! So what products would you suggest for this process?:buffing:


That would be in the article I'm working on and it's not finished...

A real popular ultra light finishing polish for jewelling is the Menzerna PO85RD, great finishing polish that should be in everyone's detailing arsenal.


:xyxthumbs:
 
That would be in the article I'm working on and it's not finished...

A real popular ultra light finishing polish for jewelling is the Menzerna PO85RD, great finishing polish that should be in everyone's detailing arsenal.


:xyxthumbs:

Not finished? and your excuse is? what are you doing between 10:00 PM and 6 AM? Just kidding.:dblthumb2:
 
Not finished? and your excuse is? what are you doing between 10:00 PM and 6 AM? Just kidding.:dblthumb2:

Well I posted this thread, which is part of a new article and also the one below which is a re-write of something I wrote back in 2007 or 2008...

DA Polisher Trouble Shooting Guide

But I hear ya... just can't work hard enough or fast enough on some days...


:D
 
Mike,

No doubt your great at giving props when its due. :dblthumb2: I was certain that Todd coined that phrase, but I was wrong. When I seen your post I gave Todd an email out of curiosity. Here was his reply.

"
Todd Helme [email protected] to Barry

show details 10:36 PM (10 hours ago)





Hey Barry, hope all is well.

As far as the whole jeweling thing, here is the best of my recollection. It's been almost three years so I'm a little foggy. I had a client, who when I was polishing his paint, asked me if I was jeweling the paint. It sounded cool so I stuck with it.


At the time, most guys where doing there final polishing with a polishing pad such as Meguiar's yellow foam or Lake Country white foam when using a rotary. I had noticed that this greatly increased the likely hood of holograms returning when using polishes like Menzerna which have a high tendency to fill and are difficult to 'strip' from the paint. Brian Brice and I had long been using 'no-cut' pads such as Lake Country blue/red/black pads or Meguiar's black pads.


The idea of finishing a rotary with a no-cut pad isn't (and wasn't) new, 3M recommended there black waffle pads, Meguiar's recommended (on occasion) their black finishing pad, etc. However this wasn't common practice in the forum world at the time. So we (Brian Brice and I) started using the term jeweling, which I stole from my client, to define the process. This was only to separate it from what other people were final polishing with.


I have been asked to define the term several times, and the original definition, as stated above, was "using a pad with no mechanical action in combination with a long work time and ultra fine polish to bring maximum gloss out when using a rotary polisher."


If you remember the slew of threads that asked "How to jewel with a DA?"... this is why.


This is because using a soft, non mechanical pad with a DA is really (except in rare occasion) pointless. The oscillating action of a DA requires a pad stiff enough to transfer the orbital action to the paint and a soft pad (unless pressed really hard) simply jiggles on itself like a bowl of Jello. It serves almost no ability to remove material from the paint in an even manner. On most paints you can achieve an equal/slightly better finish with a DA by using a slightly firmer pad that will transfer the orbital action with less pressure.


After using the term for a little while I was brought to my attention that other people have used it before, most notably Killrwheelz from Autogeek. I found a handful of posts where he referred to jeweling, usually using a specific technique. His technique was to use a soft pad, reduce pressure (at high speed) and let the pad wobble across the paint with a DA. I could literally write a 3 page paper on why this is a bad idea for achieving maximum gloss, so to each there own.


Using an ultra soft pad on a DA doesn't make sense, reducing pressure on a DA for the final step also doesn't make sense, and letting the pad whip across the surface in a jagged motion is the wrong choice for achieving a high gloss finish.


So at least to me, jeweling should be a term reserved for using a soft pad/rotary/long work times/diminishing abrasive polish since it is the only application in which the above will work.


However people are (of course) free to use the term how they wish and define it how they may, and if they are happy with the results they achieve then who cares.





Todd Helme's Bella Macchina: The Art of Detailing
BellaDetailing.com
[email protected]
Todd Helmes Bella Macchina Detailing, LLC

One of things I love about this internet stuff is that the knowledge we share and continue to do so. Its topics like this that allow us to not only educate each other but to stay in constant contact we various things. I actually loved the one article you had about nourishing paint to remove oxidation with good ole #7. I often read that article Mike. Its great to have guys like you around. Anyways I need to get back to work. Have a great day!

Barry

P.S. Finally took your advice and baught that flex a while back! It awas a smart move. :buffing:
 
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