Polishing with Menzerna

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DEwalt

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I started polishing today with the 300 Super Heavy Cut. What polishes should follow that one? I own almost every one of the Menzerna polishes including the Jescar Power Lock. Of course I don't want to use 6-8 of them. I'm starting to see how much work this stuff is! Wouldn't be as bad if I had a nice shop with A.C.

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I follow Menz 400 with 3500 and it comes out great. 3800 is a little too fine on hard paints, but on soft paints it would work.
 
Ok...I have all of of these, 2-3 bottles in some of them. Could I do 300, 2500, 3800? Also should I do #4 Liquid Carnuba Protection and the the power lock as my last step?
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Solid plan of attack. You could do half the car with #4 and other half with PL so you can experience both.
 
If you got a lot of haze from SHC300 I would test with SF3500. And if not much haze from the compound you could get away with SF3800. You can test spot the SF3800 first and see where it gets you. I would also after polishing the test spot use a panel wipe product to see how it got. The right combo of pad and SF3500 to the paint you working on would be enough cutting ability to clean up the SHC300. If you don't work on rock hard clearcoat and a high cutting pad. Then you might be need to do 3 step with PF2200 or PF2500. And follow up with the SF3800 on a finishing pad for the spit shine. It's all about what the paint tells you when inspection it with a panel wipe product or ipa wipe down and some great inspection light.

I would have the Power Lock as a base and maybe the liquid wax on top. Power Lock is great on it's own as a LSP though.
 
I'm using griot's MF pads...

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I would go with the SF3500 in that case. Do a test spot with a finishing pad. If you don't get the cut you need to clean it up. A polishing pad would get get you there. But the test spot will tell you if you need to step up in cut to the PF2500.
 
Thanks for all the advice. I spent about 7 hours and finished about half of my full size truck. It's a ton of work and very time consuming, but very rewarding. Just hope that my results last for long time. My only complaint is the 300 gets a bit dusty. Ended up using 300, 400, and 3800. I couldn't tell much difference between the 3500 and 3800. Used the Jescar Power lock and topped it off with Black Fire Midnight Carnuba wax. I could still see small scratches here and there after the 300 and 400, but they are not visible at all after the last step and Power Lock. It made me think I was doing something incorrect.
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Could it be the haze I was talking about earlier? But that is alot of tiny scratches also known as micro marring. If you got some deeper single scratches they could be to deep to be corrected. Then the last steps filled them to be less noticeble.

Did you use SHC300 and then followed on the same section with FG400? Or did you use them on different sections and then followed up with the SF3800? What pad did you use with the SF3800? And what kind of polisher do you have?

The results lasts as long as you don't install new defects in the paint. Use quality wash products and technique. And have a gentle drying method to dry the truck. Then the use of Power Lock would help to protect the paint from environment damage. It's all about how you touch your paint that is most important to have dialed in. Cause it can go fast to do new damage on the paint. The use of a old wash mitt and or mf towels that is micro marring the paint.
 
rlmccarty2000 said:
I follow Menz 400 with 3500 and it comes out great. 3800 is a little too fine on hard paints, but on soft paints it would work.
Click to expand...

I would second this. Although I think I've read some go from 400 to powerlock unless they feel a need to polish further. Myself, I've only used heavier cuts on small sections and then go over the whole car with 3500.
 
I did 300, 400, 3500, and power lock on all the panels. I used Griots mf pads on all steps except I used a large wax foam pad for power lock.

One quick question, can you use a pad to remove polishes after applying them? I'm trying to find a way to speed things up. I spent a huge amount if time whiping things down by hand. I think I may order a larger backing plate and pads. That would help some, but they may not spin as fast as the 4in that I used.

I'm using a new Griot's DA. It is a lot more powerful than the old one that I had.
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I would decide on either the SHC300 or FG400. If you feel you don't get the cut you wants with the GG mf finishing pad you are useing if it's that in the picture you have. Some paint don't like finishing with mf polishing pad. I would recommend if you like GG polishing pads to look at the BOSS pads. There are a simple line of pads and would suit your GG 6" polisher great with a 5" backing plate on it. The pads are 5.5" to that backing plate and is thinner than the regualar line of pads.

Griots Garage 5.5 inch BOSS Foam and Microfiber Pads

It looks like you got great results. But 2 steps polishing would cut down the time. Then again test spot and inspect with a good lighting and a panel wipe product or ipa wipe down. Will tell what you get from the polishing. It's hard to see from pictures if those is not taken with a lighting source or in the sun. A camera with the flash on you can also get some inspection pictures with.

The wipe off of the polish can be hard if you overworked it. Or use alot of polish or to little of it. The environment you polish in plays a part to. And the best way is to use a quality mf towel for polish removal. I link to some good ones. And I have the Sonax towels myself and they are good and 2 sides with different nap. To use the side that works best. Often both sides works good. Wash the mf towels even when they are new. And use a microfiber detergent like 3d Towel Kleen to have clean and great performance from them.

Sky Blue Edgeless Polishing Cloth

SONAX Ultrafine Microfiber Cloths

How many passes per sections do you do when polishing?

And how many pads do you use with each polish?
 
SWETM said:
I would decide on either the SHC300 or FG400. If you feel you don't get the cut you wants with the GG mf finishing pad you are useing if it's that in the picture you have. Some paint don't like finishing with mf polishing pad. I would recommend if you like GG polishing pads to look at the BOSS pads. There are a simple line of pads and would suit your GG 6" polisher great with a 5" backing plate on it. The pads are 5.5" to that backing plate and is thinner than the regualar line of pads.

Griots Garage 5.5 inch BOSS Foam and Microfiber Pads

It looks like you got great results. But 2 steps polishing would cut down the time. Then again test spot and inspect with a good lighting and a panel wipe product or ipa wipe down. Will tell what you get from the polishing. It's hard to see from pictures if those is not taken with a lighting source or in the sun. A camera with the flash on you can also get some inspection pictures with.

The wipe off of the polish can be hard if you overworked it. Or use alot of polish or to little of it. The environment you polish in plays a part to. And the best way is to use a quality mf towel for polish removal. I link to some good ones. And I have the Sonax towels myself and they are good and 2 sides with different nap. To use the side that works best. Often both sides works good. Wash the mf towels even when they are new. And use a microfiber detergent like 3d Towel Kleen to have clean and great performance from them.

Sky Blue Edgeless Polishing Cloth

SONAX Ultrafine Microfiber Cloths

How many passes per sections do you do when polishing?

And how many pads do you use with each polish?
Click to expand...
Some great info there! It's guys like you that help novice detailers get the info they need.
I'll check into the boss pads for sure. I was making 2 passes on each panel one horizontal and one vertical. I was wondering if that was even enough. I would go over areas that were heavily scratched several times until they were removed or less visible. As far as pads i only bought 3 to try. I did stop and wash them about half way through. So I used an old tooth brush to "spur" them lol. I forgot to order a conditioner tool, so I wasn't quite prepared as I should have been. I found some free time and went ahead and started. So if you have any recommendations for conditioning tools feel free to share. I'm sure there will be a 4th sale going on, and ill order more pads.

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The entire BOSS line is just incredible.

Agreed on the BOSS pads, and paired with their creams, it's a wonderful combination.
 
DEwalt said:
Some great info there! It's guys like you that help novice detailers get the info they need.
I'll check into the boss pads for sure. I was making 2 passes on each panel one horizontal and one vertical. I was wondering if that was even enough. I would go over areas that were heavily scratched several times until they were removed or less visible. As far as pads i only bought 3 to try. I did stop and wash them about half way through. So I used an old tooth brush to "spur" them lol. I forgot to order a conditioner tool, so I wasn't quite prepared as I should have been. I found some free time and went ahead and started. So if you have any recommendations for conditioning tools feel free to share. I'm sure there will be a 4th sale going on, and ill order more pads.

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Click to expand...

That would be the cause you had trouble with wipe it off. Menzerna uses deminishing abrasive which means you have a bigger cut the first two passes then the abrasives brakes down to smaller parts as it's a polish. So 4-5 passes in a crosshatch pattern with 1/3 of overlapping. The armspeed about 1 inch per second is a good thing to have in mind. And the armspeed you can look on Youtube videos when Mike Phillips polishing. It's easier to see it when it's done. One thing is when you see the polish clears up the abrasives is often broken down. When you come to areas where you feel needs a little more cut. Wipe off the residue when finished the section. And apply 2 dots and tap out on the little area you wants to go over again. Polish with with a width of 2 pads and go back and forth with 1/2 the pad overlapping. With around 4 passes. That's the downside with deminishing abrasives when they breaks down they don't cut anymore. With non deminishing abrasive and SMAT abrasives like Meguiars uses you have the cut till it dries up on you. They have different upsides and downside the different abrasives. Just you know to take advantage of them they all work great.

You did the right thing with washing the pads mid through. Just don't mix the different polishes on the same pad when useing them to polish.

This is the most common brush to clean foam pads and they work good on mf pad too.

Foam Pad Conditioning Brush cleans and reconditions foam and wool pads on the buffer. remove excess caked wax and polish from buffing pads.
 
SWETM said:
That would be the cause you had trouble with wipe it off. Menzerna uses deminishing abrasive which means you have a bigger cut the first two passes then the abrasives brakes down to smaller parts as it's a polish. So 4-5 passes in a crosshatch pattern with 1/3 of overlapping. The armspeed about 1 inch per second is a good thing to have in mind. And the armspeed you can look on Youtube videos when Mike Phillips polishing. It's easier to see it when it's done. One thing is when you see the polish clears up the abrasives is often broken down. When you come to areas where you feel needs a little more cut. Wipe off the residue when finished the section. And apply 2 dots and tap out on the little area you wants to go over again. Polish with with a width of 2 pads and go back and forth with 1/2 the pad overlapping. With around 4 passes. That's the downside with deminishing abrasives when they breaks down they don't cut anymore. With non deminishing abrasive and SMAT abrasives like Meguiars uses you have the cut till it dries up on you. They have different upsides and downside the different abrasives. Just you know to take advantage of them they all work great.

You did the right thing with washing the pads mid through. Just don't mix the different polishes on the same pad when useing them to polish.

This is the most common brush to clean foam pads and they work good on mf pad too.

Foam Pad Conditioning Brush cleans and reconditions foam and wool pads on the buffer. remove excess caked wax and polish from buffing pads.
Click to expand...

I agree regarding the number of passes.

Something overlooked regarding FG400 is that it uses a unique abrasive set up.

Todd Helme:

"Menzerna FG400 uses, what has been described to me, as Agglomeration Abrasive Technology.

Agglomeration, according to Marian-Webster, means:
the action or process of collecting in a massa heap or cluster of usually disparate elements

In terms of polishing abrasives, this defines Menzerna as a diminishing abrasive polish. The primary crystal aluminum oxide abrasives are joined together in agglomerations in order to higher level of cutting action with less abrasive load (less abrasives in the compound). Friction will break the larger abrasives apart (fracturing) until you are left with the primary crystal abrasives.

By using modern abrasive crystal refining, Menzerna looks to be attempting offer the best of both worlds. The initial high level of leveling that a diminishing abrasive offers as well as the high quality of finish that a non-diminishing abrasive offers. By using a lesser amount of abrasive powder in the compound, Menzerna can offer a wetter product that will dust less and has a higher potential to finish paint."

Link to article:
Meguiars M105 Ultra Cut Compound vs. Menzerna FG400 Fast Gloss Compound
 
AZpolisher15 said:
Abrasive tech is fascinating to me.
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Yeah it is!

I have got another brand not sold on AGO. It's a new kind of grinded aluminum abrasives in it. It's an one step compound that claims to get p600 sanding marks out and finish down like you have sanded with p12000 sanding paper. Have not take it to extreme test yet. Used it on a cutting pad and the finish after 5 passes was great. The cutting ability was hard to determind since it was on a single stage paint that had very faded color. It was at least on par with FG400 that I also used and think it finished a little better. Carpro ClearCut is another compound that cut fast and still finish great from all of I have heard about yet. 3D has some new abrasives coming out now too. So it's a little intresting time in the abrasives technology that is developing.
 
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