Hi Spiney,
Hope you don't mind but I edited your original post so it wasn't one HUGE block of text to make it easier for others to read and for myself to reply to using the multi-quote option on vBulletin.
For everyone reading this into the future, when posting to a forum, don't type in large blocks of text as it's hard to follow from line to line and most people will simply click away instead of struggling to read the text. Just a friendly tip... Use the [Enter] key to add white space between sentences... :xyxthumbs:
Mr. Phillips I have a few questions on the Meguiar's DA MF system. I just watched the video that your in from Detail Fest 2011 about the system. I have it and need to correct my 96 SVT Cobra which is black. It scratches very easily, or so it seems to me.
Paint hardness or softness is an unknown variable between car makes, models and years. A friend of mine in the auto industry coined a term back around 1990 as clearcoat paint systems became the norm. Here's the term,
Scratch-Sensitive
What it means is although modern clear coat paints are much harder than traditional single stage solvent evaporation pains like lacquers and enamels, they still scratch very easily.
I have an article on this topic here,
The practical differences between single stage paints and a clear coat paints
Here's the deal, because clear coat paints scratch easily, it's up to you to use the best products you can obtain and use the best technique you can muster any time you "touch" the paint. Including when you wash the car or wipe it clean. I cover a lot of tips and techniques for all aspects of paint polishing in my new book...
Detailing How-To Book and Detailing How-To E-book by Mike Phillips
Wish it were more simple but it's not and you can give your thanks and feedback to the paint manufacturers that make the paint and the car manufacturers that use the paint they make.
In the video after each step when wiping off the compound they wiped all over the place, not one direction.
Won't this add swirls?
If a paint system is so soft that it scratches from wiping in circular motions it's going to scratch in any motion you move your hand while holding a microfiber towel.
I use an overlapping, circular motion for every product I wipe off all the way through every step. I think I show this and a TON of other tips and techniques in this somewhat of a sleeper video we made a few years ago...
How to remove shallow RIDS and how to machine
apply both a paint sealant and a finishing wax
[video=youtube_share;3xJH_MGgbLw&hd=1"]How to remove shallow RIDS and how to machine...[/video]
This how-to video also covers,
- RIDS - Random Isolated Deeper Scratches
- Removing watches and any jewelery
- Using a DA Polisher without the handle
- Placing cord over shoulder
- Priming the pad on a DA Polisher
- Speed settings for removing isolated defects
- Downward pressure needed for removing isolated defects
- How to clean a pad on the fly
- Where and why to mark your backing plate with a black mark
- Rotating the body of the tool to keep the pad flat to a panel
- Why to allow the pad to stop spinning before lifting the pad off the paint
- How to swap backing plates from a 3.5" to a 5"
- Machine waxing using 5.5" Hydro-Tech Crimson Finishing pads with Menzerna Power Lock
- The "Kissing the Finish" Technique
- How to do the Swipe Test to check if a wax or paint sealant is dry
- How to remove dried paint sealant using a microfiber bonnet on a dry pad on a DA Polisher
- How to clean a microfiber bonnet on the fly with your fingernails
- How to apply a paste wax by machine - Souveran Paste Wax
- How to carefully wipe a WOWO wax off by hand using Microfiber Gloves and plush Microfiber Towels
- How and why to fold a microfiber towel 4-ways to wipe wax off
- How to break-open a coat of wax and then creep out to carefully wipe off a coating of wax
- How to do the "Final Wipe"
I want my final step to be Ultima Paint Guard Plus sealer. Can I use the Meguiar's polish/wax and still use this sealer?
Most "manufacturers" of synthetic sealants have their own specific recommendations for how the surface should be prepared before applying their product for maximum adhesion of the "protection ingredients" to the paint.
I just read the label on the product and all it says is to use the product on a clean, dry surface. They do offer a product called Ultima Paint Prep Plus which states it preps the surface for the Paint Guard.
If not, what should I use?
Years ago I coined the term,
Synergistic Chemical Compatibility
The short version of what this means is that if you stay inside a specific brand of product you'll have a greater chance of product compatibility and thus product performance because the same chemist makes all the products and thus knows how to make the second and third step products work better because they made the first step products.
Make sense?
So if you're going to use the Meguiar's MF System, for a secondary wax use something from the Meguiar's line-up.
Do you have any other tips on the Meguiar's system before I do this?
Instead of watching the live broadcast video of the Meguiar's MF System for years ago at Detail Fest watch the version myself, Jason Rose and Mike Pennington made...
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhJYFLgIjhE&feature=player_embedded]Meguiars Microfiber DA Correction System - YouTube[/video]
Should I wipe down the car with a 20% IPA before applying the UPGP?
Forum consensus would tend and trend to say "Yes". I post my thoughts on the topic in the article I wrote on how to chemically strip paint.
How to Mix IPA for Inspecting Correction Results
Besides swirls and rids there are some etched water spots on my roof. Any tips on removing them?
You can always try using a more aggressive compound with a rotary buffer. Keep in mind paint is thin. I cover this in my how-to book...
Detailing How-To Book and Detailing How-To E-book by Mike Phillips
Do you know the proper speeds for the compound and polish steps using the Griot's Garage GG6?
Meguiar's recommend using 4800 OPM with their pads, on the Griot's I don't remember the EXACT speed settings but the BIG PICTURE is to maintain pad rotation without generating excess heat.
I would suggest trying the 3-5 speed setting range.
I want to get my car prepped for show season. It is garaged all the time. Never sees rain. I think the water spots came from washing it in the sun.
Consider this for the future...
How to use the CR Spotless Water Deionization Systems
Wash, rinse and go with CR Spotless Water Systems!
[video=youtube_share;xnU2KdJIfrY&hd=1"]
Wash, rinse and go with CR Spotless Water...[/video]
Thanks much for your feedback. I really enjoy your Videos and your teaching on the Speed Channel shows.
Why thank you very much. Myself and everyone involved here at Autogeek with all the projects we undertake work very hard to create top quality, professional grade material. It's always so easy for people to complain especially when they have nothing to offer themselves. So I really appreciate the positive feedback...
:dblthumb2:
