Opticoat 2.0 application NIGHTMARE

The Enforcer

The Enforcer

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This is the 4th vehicle I have coated with Opti-coat 2.0. The technique I have found best is where you put the yellow applicator in a disposable glove, and wrap the glove in a blue disposable shop towel. Shown here...




So far, I have encounted zero problems with this method. Until tonight. a BIG problem! I have never felt so sick and disgusted while detailing in my life. I spent 14 hours behind the FLEX to correct this black C6 Corvette to 85-90% correction. It looked great! Until Opti-coat application. These are some before/after shots from correction and prior to opticoat...







Evidentally, something was very wrong and very "defective" with the next blue disposable shop towel on my roll. It damaged every inch of paint that I Opti-coated. It induced the most severe case of marring I have ever seen in my life. The towel was brand new, straight off the roll that was bagged up, and I applied the Opti-coat with very little pressure and the criss-cross hatch pattern. Take a look at how the paint looks now...





Luckily, the entire car is not damaged. I did the top, hatch, and hood before I stopped to remove the high spots and inspect. Once I saw what I happened, I honestly didn't know anything else to do other than hit all the Opti-coat panels with IPA very quick so the coating would not cure. so...

1. What caused this?
2. What to do next? I imagine repolish the marred areas like normal and recoat?
3. SPREAD THIS. I wouldn't wish this on anyone, especially if you coated the entire car before you saw the damage...and at that...a rock hard C6
 
I would strongly recommend using micro suede cloth over a foam block applicator for coatings. There really isn't all that much quality control for shop towels.
 
I haven't read one negative thing about this application method from anyone on any forums, youtube, anything. Just my luck that I find out the hard way. And this coating was a "freebie" on top of that for a friend that has sent me a lot of business.
 
This is what I use all the time. I buy a lot of them and never had any issues

autogeek_2270_139236954


Optimum Dual Pro Applicator
 
Just02896 said:
I would strongly recommend using micro suede cloth over a foam block applicator for coatings. There really isn't all that much quality control for shop towels.
Click to expand...

:iagree: Use the foam block applicator wrapped with a MF suede cloth and apply OC or any coating. I have been doing that and have never encountered micro-marring at all.
 
Ya'll aren't answering my questions lol. I understand there are other methods and I'll surely use these methods next time. But are none of you surprised? This is a popular way of applying opticoat and to have it turn out like this is crazy!

What to do now?
 
The Enforcer said:
Ya'll aren't answering my questions lol. I understand there are other methods and I'll surely use these methods next time. But are none of you surprised? This is a popular way of applying opticoat and to have it turn out like this is crazy!

What to do now?
Click to expand...

Re-polish any affected areas and re-apply the coating
 
Will a quick IPA wipedown remove the coating? I did this 20 minutes after first applying.
 
I wouldn't use shop towels on paint. I use them on non scratch sensitive surfaces to apply different things - but not in paint. Who knows what is in the fibers of those towels? Wood? Metal? Piece of a finger of the guy at the factory?

Who knows.

Why not use a coating applicator? They are designed for this use.

The Enforcer said:
Will a quick IPA wipedown remove the coating? I did this 20 minutes after first applying.
Click to expand...

You have to re-polish anyway. That will remove it.
 
This sucks to see. I can only imagine the disgust after being so close to the "finish line" only to have to start over due to an unexpected problem like this.

Here's what would kind of be my next steps:

1- Re-polish the affected areas.
2- Find an alternative applicator for the coating. One that is potentially softer than the towels you were using.
3- Do a test spot applying the coating with your new "alternate" applicator.
4- Inspect results. If it works well, complete the rest of the car.

Best of luck! :xyxthumbs:
 
I'm not sure I'd trust a shop towel to touch corrected paint.. have you done the CD test with thAt towel?

Sent from my Alien Ship
 
Looks (on my phone) more like smearing than marring.

Anything change between your last paper towel application and this one? Like is it colder this time around?

Because its OC I'd at least do a quick polish before trying another application.

Do you use IPA or Eraser?

And on the applicator....

I know that rhe 4" ones are 10 for $12.99, which IMHO is ROBBERY!

But...... grab up a ten pack of the 16"x16" suede cloths for only $19.99. Take pinking shears (zigzag scissors) and you can make ONE HUNDRED SIXTY 4" applicators for only $19.99.

I wouldn't even THINK of applying a permanent coating with a paper towel. Just not worth the hassle. :dunno:

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using AG Online
 
How much pressure were you applying?
Considering how hard that clear is either that shop towel had some nasty stuff on it or you used a ton of pressure.
 
Thanks. The applicator that comes with the coating sucks. That's why I don't use them. They waste too much product, too grabby, I can go on and on. This method is used very commonly and is why I chose to do it this way..shown here...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyo_-UA8yM4]Opti-Coat Application Methods - YouTube[/video]

ya live and ya learn...
 
KillaCam said:
How much pressure were you applying?
Considering how hard that clear is either that shop towel had some nasty stuff on it or you used a ton of pressure.
Click to expand...

Very minimal pressure. I agree though, Bad luck and a case of a contaminated shop towel.
 
I feel badly that it happened this way but at least you didn't coat the entire car before discovering the marring! Hopefully you won't have to spend too much time to wipe the slate clean for another coating! Please keep us posted on your progress. If it helps any you could always wrap a foam block in a glove and them wrap the micro suede over to help keep from wasting product.
 
Like you should not wipe your glasses (plastic lens) with a paper towel (wood pulp).
 
Very sorry to see this happening.

+1 on those blue suede towels and carpro applicator pad.

This is a lesson for all of us. If you aren't doing so already (and you most definitely should be), you MUST check every panel before moving to the next panel with these coatings. If you caught it after one panel, you would've saved yourself alot of time and not have to redo as much. It sucks, but that's life.
 
I've never been a big fan of the blue shop towel method.

I used to find the generic applicators to be grabby, but there's a way to fix this. Only use half of the applicator (fold-up the other half) -- this seems to fix the grabbiness.

As far as using too much product, using the method I described above, I rarely use more than 6-7cc anyway.
 
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