Swirl remover creating more scratches

basko93

basko93

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I have a 69 camaro show car that uses DuPont base coat clear coat and after a year of car covers and washing the finish has tiny clear coat scratches. So instead of using my rotary, I bought a 3401, all the pads, chemical guys sample swirl remover kit and klasse polish and glaze. i started with orange pad and 2.5 swirl remover and i created more scratches! So i changed to more aggressive remover and it got worse, I finally finished up with a gray pad and klasse polish but i think i just covered them up. How does the swirl remover make more scratches when applying, what am i doing wrong. My paint is like new but with some tiny imperfections from washing, do i need to stay with rotary and 3m products?
 
basko93 said:
I have a 69 camaro show car that uses DuPont base coat clear coat and after a year of car covers and washing the finish has tiny clear coat scratches. So instead of using my rotary, I bought a 3401, all the pads, chemical guys sample swirl remover kit and klasse polish and glaze. i started with orange pad and 2.5 swirl remover and i created more scratches! So i changed to more aggressive remover and it got worse, I finally finished up with a gray pad and klasse polish but i think i just covered them up. How does the swirl remover make more scratches when applying, what am i doing wrong. My paint is like new but with some tiny imperfections from washing, do i need to stay with rotary and 3m products?
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start approach from least aggressive polish/pad combo that way you know when you have hit the mark... going from one extreme (aggressive to light) will leave the finish with what you are noticing now. also sounds like you have softer clear coat.
 
I believe you are right, my clear coat is soft, did i just hide my scratches by applying the polish over it?
 
So when i use a swirl remover I should see no scratches at all?
 
basko93 said:
I believe you are right, my clear coat is soft, did i just hide my scratches by applying the polish over it?
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try the gray pad with the swirl remover on a test spot and see what results you achieve... if you have a chance post some pic's
 
I only did a small section and stopped, How should I proceed with the rest of car?
 
Yeah, I was thinking the pads are causing the problem, but just was not sure, I am really upset when i saw what i did.
 
basko93 said:
Yeah, I was thinking the pads are causing the problem, but just was not sure, I am really upset when i saw what i did.
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make sure you are happy with the test spot you have started before moving on... you know with the gray pad it is the polish doing most of the work. if that does not produce the results you are looking for move up to a white pad.
 
I guess i will try the polishing pad and the lightest cutting swirl remover I have. So when i applied the Klasse polish I just covered up instead of removing the scratches? Or does the polish remove scratches as well?
 
basko93 said:
I guess i will try the polishing pad and the lightest cutting swirl remover I have.
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There you go.:xyxthumbs: Least aggressive method first. Honestly, with a 3401 and soft clear I'd be trying a finishing pad and your least aggressive swirl remover first.

So when i applied the Klasse polish I just covered up instead of removing the scratches? Or does the polish remove scratches as well?
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If you machine applied it you probably did a little of both. If hand applied it you probably just hid the marring with the Klasse.

Make sure to post a few photos then if you can. We love old Camaros!!!:coolgleam:
 
I am trying to figure out how to do that now.
 
Oh Man!!! That's one sweet ride!!! Red is one of the toughest colors to perfect. I wish I knew more about Chemical Guy's products, If I did I could give you some specific pointers on technique. If what I have heard is accurate (that their polishes are similar to Poorboy's World SSR line of polishes) I'd say that they're probably a diminishing abrasive swirl remover that needs to be broken down properly before they start to really gloss things up. If they are diminishing abrasives they'll probably work better with a rotary polisher.
 
The SSR line Starts with SSR1 then 2 then 2.5 then 3. 1 being the least aggressive. Do the Chemical Guy's swirl removers have a similar number system?
 
It is poor boys, my mistake. The paint on the car is a real stand out and is why it needs to be scratch less.
 
basko93 said:
It is poor boys, my mistake. The paint on the car is a real stand out and is why it needs to be scratch less.
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OK that changes things then. I used nothing but poorboys for the first few years of my detailing adventure. If you're using your 3401 and you have soft paint, I'd say give the SSR2 a try first with your finishing pad at full speed (6). Apply the polish to the pad and kind of spread it around lightly to lightly cover (lightly prime) the entire face of the pad and work it onto a 16 - 20 inch square test area for a few section passes at speed 3. When you get it good and spread in your working area then bump the speed up to full speed and with a very slow arm speed do about 6 more section passes. This should be enough to break down the polish. If you begin to see little putty balls of polish flinging off of the side of your pad it's time to stop and check your work.

The key with using SSRs is that you need to work it long enough to break the abrasives down. SSR2 in and of itself is a great polish that will finish very glossy without too much dusting. Gel coat on boats or buses is the only use I've ever found for SSR3, if you don't own or intend on polishing a bus or a boat I'd say toss the SSR3 in the back of a closet somewhere just in case you ever work on one. Don't even try using SSR2.5 unless you're correcting moderate to heavy swirls with a rotary polisher. It just will not break down properly with a DA polisher (even a Flex 3401) though it works great with a rotary for a first cut on heavier defect removal.

The SSR2 can either be followed with pro polish, SSR1 or PWS if you want a sealant. All three of these will work well to finish with but the Pro Polish can be a bit tricky to get the hang of and wipes off hard if you don't work it down thin enough. Pro Polish 2 is your metal polish and also works great on hard clear coats. I do not advise using Pro Polish 2 on soft clear.

With your red paint, either the Black Hole or the White Diamond Show Car Glazes will really help glass things up. The White Diamond will make the red very wet and bright while the Black Hole will give it a deeper darker wet look. Either will work. I enjoy the look of White Diamond. Not to HiJack your thread but check out the gloss on this light colored Buick hood I did with SSR2, SSR1 (both with rotary and finishing pad) then White Diamond with a DA and final finishing pad. Stellar gloss!!!

027-3.jpg
 
Ah, that is what I was looking for. OK i will try your suggestions tomorrow. Now all I have is the klasse stuff for polish on me now, will this work OK or should i order the other stuff you mentioned.
 
basko93 said:
Ah, that is what I was looking for. OK i will try your suggestions tomorrow. Now all I have is the klasse stuff for polish on me now, will this work OK or should i order the other stuff you mentioned.
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Oh, I thought you had the sampler kit with all of that other stuff in it. I have never used the Klasse and always read how it can be tricky to work with. I'd say do a little research on why it's considered to be tricky and how to use it the best way. Maybe you should start a thread on what techniques work best with Klasse and let the guys/gals with more experience using it chime in to help.
 
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