I was wondering how to apply by hand.
If the paint is in bad or neglected condition then work an area about the size of a 16" microfiber towel at one time. If the paint is in good to excellent condition then you can tackle a larger area. The worse condition the paint is in, the smaller the area you want to tackle at one time.
I have M105 and i was thinking about correcting the paint on the trunk, hood, and roof of my 1991 Toyota corolla.
Because you specifically mentioned all the horizontal panels, is the paint turning whitish? I'm just curious if what you're trying to correct might be clear coat failure or the beginnings of clear coat failure.
If it is clear coat failure it will tend to absorb your product because it's dry, dead paint and this will make working any product more difficult. Also, you can't fix clear coat failure, the problem isn't "topical" it's throughout the layer of clear paint, thus removing a little paint off the top just exposes more bad paint. If the problem is topical then removing a little paint off the top surface will reveal a fresh base.
Right now I only have microfiber towels, microfiber applicator pads, and terry cloth applicator pads.
Plenty good for working by hand. Terry cloth can act like a mild form of abrasive in and of itself and give any abrasive product you use more bite. It can also leave behind some toweling marks but if it does, just re-polish using something softer and this will remove the toweling marks.
Can I get good results by just using those? How much pressure?
I rub out cars by hand once in a while and get good results, it's just a matter of using good technique. The most fun car I ever polished out and profitable by hand can be seen on page 3 of this thread...
Man versus Machine
Not bad for a Saturday...
Lasthope05 posted the link to this above, it is very in-depth as I explain how to rub out paint to remove swirls by hand using a multi-step system. If you haven't already, then maybe take a moment to read through it.
As for downward pressure, I think I cover that in the Man vs Machine article but just in case, anytime you're trying to undo damage you need to remove some paint off the surface, this means you need to apply enough pressure to engage the abrasives with the paint so they'll take little bites out of it, so you need to use firm pressure.
After you work a section for about a minute, then reduce your pressure for a few last passes as polishing paint is an art form, it's not just a grinding process. Make sense?
And once Im done can I use Megs paste wax to seal? or do I need a paint sealant?
Waxes and Paint Sealants do the same thing just in different chemical ways, what they do is "seal" the paint and leave behind a protective coating to slow down attack and deterioration.
Wax often as wax or paint sealant is a "Sacrificial Barrier Coating", it supposed to wear off or give itself up as it takes the brunt of an attack so your paint doesn't have to give itself up or wear-off. Because it wears off, the good news is you and I can replace it.
It's easier to apply a coat of wax or paint sealant then it is to turn your garage into a paint booth and apply a coat of paint.
I did it by hand with a microfiber app pad..... i had a problem tho.... it kept drying very quickly and dusting...... what can i do to stop this or at least slow it down. humid. was at 64% outside
- Read the article above, "Man vs Machine"
- Shrink the size of your work are downward
- Use more product, if you're trying to remove swirls, scratches, water spots or oxidation then you need to use your product wet or heavy. You want plenty of liquid or in other words the chemicals that enable the product to do the work you're trying to do, to be on the surface working for you
After you work an area with the M105, wipe the product off immediately and inspect, if it looks good move on to a new section and OVERLAP a little into the previous section. If it doesn't look good you can try repeating the process a second or even third time.
If more and more rubbing doesn't make the paint look more and more better, then this could be a sign the paint on the horizontal surfaces is past the point of no return and when that's the case then nothing you pour out of a bottle or scoop out of a can will fix the problem.
You can troubleshoot by trying your process to a vertical panel, if it's making known good paint look clear and shiny but it's not working on the horizontal panels, then this would be a good indicator that the paint on the horizontal panels is shot.
Let me know if the above helps...
