Perfect Finish for Opti-Coat Winter Project

[crxman2010]

My next project is to tear into some Harleys for minor paint correction followed by opti-coating. The first color up is Vivid Black followed by a Sedona Orange. I have a heated garage and all winter, so I am planning to remove the fenders (Front and Rear), remove the dash, seat, fuel gauge/fuel cap, and the bars to get them out of the way. I will be using a Griots 6" DA everywhere I can reach but I do not want to remove the tanks so I know there will be a couple hidden areas I won't be able to do by machine...

I do not think either is going to require much correction, but I know the vivid black has some swirls to remove just because it is so soft. I plan on using Optimum Polish II for correction, I do not think much more than that will be required. I do have Optimum Compound on hand for something more aggressive. And finish the parts with Optimum Finish Polish.

My question is pad selection and equipment. Foam or Microfiber Pad? I may be misguided but so far I am leaning to foam, particularly because of the soft vivid black and that I am not looking for quick easy swirl removal. What would you go with if your trying to get the best possible shine on the paint? (I won't be ordering any more chemicals this year as they are guaranteed to arrive frozen, so I will be working with my Optimum Polishes.)

For the foam line up I am looking at:
Crimson Lake Country Hydro-Tech 4 x 1.25 Inch Foam Pads --> Polish II
Gray CCS 4 Inch Spot Buffs Foam Pads --> Final Polish
3.5" Dual Action Flexible Backing Plate

For the microfiber line up:
Optimum 3.25" Microfiber Polishing Pad --> Polish II and Finish Polish
Which backing plate would be better, one of these or something else?
Rotary 2 7/8 inch Flexible Backing Plate
2-3/4 inch Hook & Loop Rotary Backing Plate
D.A Adapter 5/8" X 11

 

[crxman2010]

Any takers? Want to get the best possible finish out the Optimum line up I have.

 

[mjlinane]

The listed foam pads are roughly equivalent in terms of cut (none). The MF pad likely has more cut than you need.

So, do a test spot with least aggressive combo (grey & Finish) and see if that does you. If not, try grey and Polish II. Still not, MF & Finish. Even still, MF and Polish II.

Then follow with Crimson and Finish Polish.

Odds are the ideal combo is somewhere between grey and MF (white or orange) but can only do with what you have. There is also always the chance you'll need more cut than MF + Polish II. At least, that's how I rationalize having so many pads and polishes.

 

[TLMitchell]

I can tell you with absolute certainty you'll get haze using MF on Vivid Black, especially on the tank where H-D uses a soft clear powdercoat instead of traditional clearcoat. I've found working backwards to be effective.. ie, a polishing or cutting pad with a finishing polish or a finishing pad with a compound that finishes well. 85rd with a Tangerine Hydro Tech or Crimson Hydro with M105 has given me the best results on Vivid Black. YMMV.

BTW, Opto Coat is THE ticket for that soft black! I still get some marks but it's in the OC rather than the soft clear. Poli Seal takes 'em right out by hand.

TL

 

[crxman2010]

That sounds about right, in all my years of black cars, including several Japanese, I don't think I have ever seen a paint treated so well have so many light swirls. Interesting they would use a soft clear on a color already considered a swirl magnet.

I will add a couple of the Tangerine Hydro-Tech pads to the list just for the chance Polish II and the Crimson Hydro-Tech cannot get solve the swirl issue.

If Crimson Hydro-Tech/Polish II takes care of all my defects, is Gray CCS/Finish the right next step or would a Blue/Red CCS (not cut) with Final Polish be a better combo to finish off with?

 

[TLMitchell]

Interesting they would use a soft clear on a color already considered a swirl magnet.

I have no clue if powdercoat is inherently softer than traditional clearcoat. I surmised they may use it on tanks for fuel-spill resistance. :shrug:

If Crimson Hydro-Tech/Polish II takes care of all my defects, is Gray CCS/Finish the right next step or would a Blue/Red CCS (not cut) with Final Polish be a better combo to finish off with?

I've personally had little luck using a finishing pad and polish combo on Vivid Black without micromarring. I'd say if you get a defect free finish skip the finishing polish and go straight to OC... QUICK before it swirls when you look at it!

TL

 

[crxman2010]

I might not have much choice, if I do a once over on her bike and opti-coat it and next week do my bike followed by an attempt at jewelling it, I will without a doubt, find my self sleeping next to that bike. No matter how much the paint shines, my TV inside is more entertaining then watching myself in the reflection of the bike.

Assuming we were working with a normal paint, not vivid black, would final polish and a zero cut red ccs pad be the right step towards jeweling? I plan to pick up some Menzerna Finish Polish PO85RD when temperatures return to normal to try but the closest I might find locally is 3M UltraFine if something other than Final Polish is recommended for jeweling. For the time being, I will only be ordering products that aren't freezable, lows approaching single digits already.

Side Note:
Will the polishing remove the wax for Opti-Coating or should I still do a step of Paint Prep/OPC (3:1) on the paint surface? I ask because due to weather, I won't likely be able to to rinse the bikes off with a live hose and in my minds eye risk getting Paint Prep/OPC in areas that won't be able to be rinse really well. And I want to avoid damaging the wrinkle/chrome areas while working on the paint.

 

[TLMitchell]

Assuming we were working with a normal paint, not vivid black, would final polish and a zero cut red ccs pad be the right step towards jeweling? I plan to pick up some Menzerna Finish Polish PO85RD when temperatures return to normal to try but the closest I might find locally is 3M UltraFine if something other than Final Polish is recommended for jeweling.

Best results for jeweling or burnishing are traditionally achieved via rotary. That doesn't mean you won't get any additional gloss using a DA. It's sometimes in the eye of the beholder. Try FP and see how it works. It is a finishing polish, after all. I've used red or black LC pads to finish most frequently.

Will the polishing remove the wax for Opti-Coating or should I still do a step of Paint Prep/OPC (3:1) on the paint surface? I ask because due to weather, I won't likely be able to to rinse the bikes off with a live hose and in my minds eye risk getting Paint Prep/OPC in areas that won't be able to be rinse really well. And I want to avoid damaging the wrinkle/chrome areas while working on the paint.

Clay removes wax, OPC removes wax, polishing removes wax. I still use an IPA wipe down prior to applying Opti Coat because Optimum recommends it... there's more than one way to skin that cat.

TL

 

[crxman2010]

Clay removes wax, OPC removes wax, polishing removes wax. I still use an IPA wipe down prior to applying Opti Coat because Optimum recommends it... there's more than one way to skin that cat.

TL

Completely forgot about clay, not in forgetting to write it down as a step but in its wax removing ability.

I know OPC removes wax, OPC also recommends to not let it dry on paint, and if I am trying to remove the wax from the tank with a liquid, I will get whatever I am using on the engine. If it is not suppose to dry on paint, I don't want it drying on chrome or wrinkle finishes. For the fenders that I am removing, I will use Griots Paint Prep or Optimum Power Clean to strip the wax because those detached pieces will be very easy to rinse well in comparison.

I know Optimum recommends IPA wipe down in general, but I thought from what I had read, when working with their polishes, an IPA wipe down was not needed. Unless your speaking in general, at which point I understand. Looking to avoid IPA especially with the vivid black.

 

[Lasthope05]

Even though Optimum says an IPA wipedown is not necessary with their polishes I would still do it. One of the main lubricating agents in their polishes is mineral oil which will leave some trace residue on the paint. Try it out yourself. Polish a panel with optimum polish and tape it down the center. Spray one side down with APC and wash the entire panel, you'll see a noticeable difference.

 

[dougaross]

Even though Optimum says an IPA wipedown is not necessary with their polishes I would still do it. One of the main lubricating agents in their polishes is mineral oil which will leave some trace residue on the paint. Try it out yourself. Polish a panel with optimum polish and tape it down the center. Spray one side down with APC and wash the entire panel, you'll see a noticeable difference.

Maybe Chris will comment

 

[crxman2010]

BTW, Opto Coat is THE ticket for that soft black! I still get some marks but it's in the OC rather than the soft clear. Poli Seal takes 'em right out by hand.

TL

By the way, have you had any luck opti-coating the windshields? I was thinking about taking mine off, removing the metal frame, cleaning it up and putting opti-coat on that as well. But one question I have for that is getting the windshield clean for opti-coat? IPA, Paint-Prep, and other stripping solutions safe for removing residue from these windshields? General just use bug slide on it for cleaning purposes but I know that leaves a good film. Windshield is OEM 2011.

 

[dougaross]

By the way, have you had any luck opti-coating the windshields? I was thinking about taking mine off, removing the metal frame, cleaning it up and putting opti-coat on that as well. But one question I have for that is getting the windshield clean for opti-coat? IPA, Paint-Prep, and other stripping solutions safe for removing residue from these windshields? General just use bug slide on it for cleaning purposes but I know that leaves a good film. Windshield is OEM 2011.

I have had OC on my windshield for 6mos and it is doing well. My prep at that time was clay, Autoglym glass polish, IPA, OC. If I were doing again today I would clay, Carpro Eraser or Griots Paint-Prep, OC. I might use DP or Diamodite Glass Restorer before the Eraser. It is important to have a surgically clean surface to apply OC

 

[crxman2010]

I have had OC on my windshield for 6mos and it is doing well. My prep at that time was clay, Autoglym glass polish, IPA, OC. If I were doing again today I would clay, Carpro Eraser or Griots Paint-Prep, OC. I might use DP or Diamodite Glass Restorer before the Eraser. It is important to have a surgically clean surface to apply OC

What if we aren't talking about glass, I believe the windshield on a Stock Harley is along the lines of a Lexan product with a UV coating that gets destroyed if you try to polish it. (From what I have read so far).

 

[TLMitchell]

By the way, have you had any luck opti-coating the windshields?

It's on the winter agenda. On an Ultra the OEM windshield was too high for my taste so I've got a few cheapie aftermarket shields. Pure acrylic without the coating H-D puts on. I'm going to experiment with one that's swirled with D300/MF and if it comes out good I'll give OC a try.

I see no reason OC wouldn't be beneficial to an OEM shield. Hand polishing with Novus and an OPC wipedown ought to get it clean enough.

What model is the shield from... RK or Heritage?

TL

 

[dougaross]

I see no reason OC wouldn't be beneficial to an OEM shield. Hand polishing with Novus and an OPC wipedown ought to get it clean enough.

What model is the shield from... RK or Heritage?

TL

Sorry I guess I didn't realize we were talking plastic. The Important thing is cleanliness prior to OC. Polishing with various grades of Novus will help to clear up minor imperfections. OC is used as an UV protectant on plastic headlights after restoration.

 

[crxman2010]

It's on the winter agenda. On an Ultra the OEM windshield was too high for my taste so I've got a few cheapie aftermarket shields. Pure acrylic without the coating H-D puts on. I'm going to experiment with one that's swirled with D300/MF and if it comes out good I'll give OC a try.

I see no reason OC wouldn't be beneficial to an OEM shield. Hand polishing with Novus and an OPC wipedown ought to get it clean enough.

What model is the shield from... RK or Heritage?

TL

Neither, it is a HD quick release windshield for a Dyna, so there is plenty of clear to work with once I remove the braces, I think it is the 19" (27" overall), I will look into that Novus line and see what I can find locally that might be similar for the time being. Just not sure about using anything abrasive.

Now on the acrylics, I have read you are able to do quite a bit with those. At this point it will probably just be a claying, OPC, rinse and wipe, rinse, and OC.

 

[crxman2010]

Sorry I guess I didn't realize we were talking plastic. The Important thing is cleanliness prior to OC. Polishing with various grades of Novus will help to clear up minor imperfections. OC is used as an UV protectant on plastic headlights after restoration.

Less of a concern of removing the UV then being able to remove it evenly, from what I have read on here and personally seen, if you try to remove the coating, you can end up with something that looks pretty ugly and spotty.

 

[Chris Thomas]

Even though Optimum says an IPA wipedown is not necessary with their polishes I would still do it. One of the main lubricating agents in their polishes is mineral oil which will leave some trace residue on the paint. Try it out yourself. Polish a panel with optimum polish and tape it down the center. Spray one side down with APC and wash the entire panel, you'll see a noticeable difference.

There are polymers left behind from an ONR wash too, but it can be painted over with absolutely no bonding issues. We engineer our products to work together. You can use OUR polishes, remove the residue with a damp mf, and go directly to OC. There is nothing wrong with a strong wash...it's just not required.

On a side note. I am personally not an advocate of IPA for paint prep. It has no lubricants to keep from maring and can simply loosen waxes and oils for them only to be redeposited as it flashes away. I have always recommended a Power Clean wash and rinse as prep for OC...you just don't have to if you've prepped with our polishes.

-Chris

 

[Old Tiger]

Even though Optimum says an IPA wipedown is not necessary with their polishes I would still do it. One of the main lubricating agents in their polishes is mineral oil which will leave some trace residue on the paint. Try it out yourself. Polish a panel with optimum polish and tape it down the center. Spray one side down with APC and wash the entire panel, you'll see a noticeable difference.

Alan, are you talking about the new formulas? TIA!