Paging AM3R

"Svend" (svend) 03/21/2016 at 03:18 • Filed to: None

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Further to our messages.

Polishing outside isn’t an issue per say but you need to keep in mind atmospheric conditions such as are you in direct sunlight? Body panel temps can vary in direct sunlight while a silver car in a 10 degree C heat with direct sunlight may show a panel temperature of 15-25 degree C, a black car in the same conditions can read 50 degree C in direct sunlight to 30-35 degree C in the shadow side. The cooler the panel temperature the less issue you will have with polishing.

The same goes with waxing. Most waxes vary so read the instructions for the wax you will be using especially on how much to use (some waxes you only need a tiny amount of wax to a point it looks like you haven’t applied any to some which will need more and will show a white haze to show it’s applied and when to remove it), and curing times with a given temperature range (some curing times vary from remove straight away to letting it cure for half an hour remove too early and the wax hasn’t cured, too late and the wax residue will take a lot of effort and time to remove).

Regarding taping door handles and windows, you want to tape around the handles and as tight as you can on the rubber to paint work area. Many cars still have textured plastic around the wing mirror so you may want to place a bag over the mirror and tape it in place.

Regarding polishing the gloss panels on a car (usually the B and C pillars), open the door of the panel you want to polish and place tape on the edge (one third on the panel and two thirds hanging lose into the door aperture.

Like so (going all the way down),

Now closing the door tape up the rubber window surround.

Again going all the way down.

Now tape across the top and bottom.

This way it’ll stop polish dust getting into the door recess and onto door rubbers and plastics also stopping you running off and scuffing/marring surrounding areas.

Caution is need as these gloss plastic areas are incredibly soft and easy to scratch and so easy to polish through, a soft pad and a finishing polish on a low setting will bring them right up.

For an idea of how soft the gloss plastic is. Here is our old Mk2 Superb on the day we picked it up.

Taped up and Gtechniq P1 polish on a trifoam pad by HAND, removed the scratch in a couple of minutes.

Also. When polishing the bonnet/hood. Open the bonnet/hood and place some rags over the scuttle panel and close down the bonnet/hood. This will stop you getting polish residue on the plastic which will be a pain to remove.

Sam > Svend 03/21/2016 at 03:30

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I think the idea to put black gloss plastics on cars was invented by Satan himself. We would literally have brand new Range Rovers come in, we’d peel the plastic off the gloss plastic right before taking it to the showroom, and it would somehow get scratched up.

Svend > Sam 03/21/2016 at 03:40

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The trick is a quick polish and seal with a ceramic based coating to add some scratch resistance. I used Gtechniq C4. Worked a treat protecting them from micro marring and swirls but a key or finger nail would still scratch it.

AM3R shamefully returns > Svend 03/21/2016 at 10:33

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Thanks Svend, looks like I'll need a little more tape then. Depending on the time of day I start, I could have the car in some shade. The problem is that if I start too late or go for too long I'll run out of daylight and be working in the dark. Oh, the struggles of not having a garage!

Svend > AM3R shamefully returns 03/21/2016 at 10:57

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You should be able to get away with just the one roll of 3M Blue tape (or similar with low tack, many other tapes will leave adhesive residue when removed, 3M s good in that it’s low tack but near waterproof once on).

You can do it in sections if that’s your only option (ie front and one side one day and rear, other side and roof the next). Early in the morning is when you’ll find is a really suitable time say 8-9am so you could wash the car the day before, dry her, put her to bed then the following morning attack the car after giving the car a panel down. You should be done, depending on the car, in about two to five hours.

AM3R shamefully returns > Svend 03/21/2016 at 11:17

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The weather tomorrow should be cloudy and about 60, I'll just get an early start around 8 or 9 in the morning and try to have her all done by noon. I'm too excited to tackle it panel by panel hahaha.

Svend > AM3R shamefully returns 03/21/2016 at 11:24

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Nice. If you have a scrap panel laying around, get a little practice so your comfortable with the machine. A DA is quite forgiving but always good to ease yourself on a new machine.

If you finish early, just crack open a few beers and admire your work.

AM3R shamefully returns > Svend 03/21/2016 at 11:47

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Unfortunately I don’t have a spare panel laying around, but I have an offer from my parents to stop by their place and try it out on my moms old Honda if I'm looking for some practice.

Svend > AM3R shamefully returns 03/21/2016 at 12:00

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Families, always the optimists. Lol.

AM3R shamefully returns > Svend 03/21/2016 at 12:06

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Haha, if it turns out nice i’d hear praise for a week. If I somehow messed up i’d hear about it at every family gathering until I have kids of my own.

Svend > AM3R shamefully returns 03/21/2016 at 12:13

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So true. Also if you did a good job you’d always be getting asked to do the other cars of the family.

I did a colleagues car on Monday, his foster brother’s on Thursday and their mum and dad’s on the Friday. There is a car I do north of the border in Scotland, I’ve done her husband’s, son’s and I’m doing her father-in-laws new Hyundai Tucson on Wednesday. No rest for the wicked.

Have fun and you’ll be great.

AM3R shamefully returns > Svend 03/21/2016 at 12:15

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Thanks! That's the goal of it, right? Put some music on, have a good time doing it. Then eat some good food/drink and admire your work!

Rico > Svend 03/21/2016 at 12:16

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Also make sure you have multiple pads and are not just using 1 or 2 to do a whole car. Make sure you clean your pads while moving from panel to panel by using a MF towel. Look on autogeek for pad cleaning tips. A pad that’s saturated with product and finished paint will not be as effective.

Svend > Rico 03/21/2016 at 12:37

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True though I’ve done cars with one pad. It’s cleaning the pad before it gets clogged with product but rate of clogging depends on how much product, type of product, etc...

I tend to use Gtechniq P1 which is a water based non diminishing pad dependant polish which is prone to dusting but a spritz of water is enough to continue working it (too much water you get very messy fling off, ruined a pair of shorts for the day at a detailing meet that way).

Autogeek is good but have a look at detailingworld.