Cannot remove swirls for the life of me.

Discuss anything after that final masking comes off.



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PostPosted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 8:18 pm
Guys, I'm feeling at a loss right now. I have tried on so many occasions to buff out the swirl marks I've got in my brand new paint job. Everything I have done so far was by myself.

Here is a list of equipment I have:
-Harbor Freight/Drill Master rotary buffer
-Harbor Freight blue polishing pad/orange cutting pad
-Makita wool pad
-Meguiar's M105 & M205 compounds
-Mother's clay bar kit

This is what I have done:
-Previously wetsanded with 1200/2000 by hand
-Previously westanded with 3000 and block
-Wash 2x with Dawn soap, using a yellow generic sponge.
-Clay bar to remove fine nibs/etc.
-M105, directly to the surface, with the Makita wool pad using overlapping passes, cleaning thoroughly after each 2x2' square.
**Here is where I think my problem is. The buffer I have (read: can afford) slows down when you apply any sort of pressure, so just because you set it at 2000 RPM doesn't mean it's there when it's on the paint.**
-M205, directly to the surface, with the HF blue pad using overlapping passes, cleaning thoroughly after each 2x2' square.
Wash again a final time with Dawn and water...dry with microfiber towel.

I have done this numerous times on various speed settings from low to mid to max speed (could the speed be my problem?). I simply cannot get these stupid swirls out. The gloss and shine is coming through, but under a light it's scratch city.

After going through a half bottle of M105 with literally zero results, this is my next step:
Image


Thank you all for any and all help.

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PostPosted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 9:04 pm
Well, let's try to keep you from getting to picture #3 on that graphic.

I think you are having two problems.

First that "makita wool pad" - is it a 'real' automotive quality buffing pad or some sort of generic "fluffy" wool pad for waxing a car?

Second if the buffer is slowing down noticeably it's either because you are putting too much pressure on it or that wool pad is creating so much friction it is bogging the motor down. When I buff I literally let the buffer "ride" along the panel - hold the trigger with my right and and use my left hand to just guide the buffer around.

As a first step I would get a good set of Presta or Lake County wool pads and try that. I always start with a Presta black wool pad after wet sanding with 1500.

If you are still getting swirl marks then another option is to get a Dynabrade 61374 orbital head for your buffer. This thing is *not* cheap but since I got one several years ago I never have swirl marks.



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PostPosted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 6:34 am
im not upto date with the numbers on compounds, but is 1 of the compounds you are using for removing swirls??
I use a dedicated swirl remover, cant think of the brand I have right now as Im trying a new product, but have previously used the 3m swirl remover with great success.
also, what color is the car, darker colors are harder to get rid of swirls and you can get a swirl remover specifically for darker colors (which I have just bought for my mrs new car),
some may disagree, but I think 2000 is way too fast, I have my machine set of around 700-900rpm, and I like to use the foam waffle pads, the proper wool pads are expensive here and the slip on fake wool covers are just plain crap in my opinion.
maybe shoot up some pics for us to see whats happenin,
krem



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PostPosted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 9:27 am
chris wrote:First that "makita wool pad" - is it a 'real' automotive quality buffing pad or some sort of generic "fluffy" wool pad for waxing a car?

Second if the buffer is slowing down noticeably it's either because you are putting too much pressure on it or that wool pad is creating so much friction it is bogging the motor down. When I buff I literally let the buffer "ride" along the panel - hold the trigger with my right and and use my left hand to just guide the buffer around.


Interesting. I will have to try the little to no pressure technique, I thought it was opposite.

The Makita pad is brand name, hook and loop, good quality stuff. Reviews on Amazon are all 5 stars.


krem wrote:im not upto date with the numbers on compounds, but is 1 of the compounds you are using for removing swirls??
I use a dedicated swirl remover, cant think of the brand I have right now as Im trying a new product, but have previously used the 3m swirl remover with great success.
also, what color is the car, darker colors are harder to get rid of swirls and you can get a swirl remover specifically for darker colors (which I have just bought for my mrs new car),
some may disagree, but I think 2000 is way too fast, I have my machine set of around 700-900rpm, and I like to use the foam waffle pads, the proper wool pads are expensive here and the slip on fake wool covers are just plain crap in my opinion.
maybe shoot up some pics for us to see whats happenin,
krem


M105 is advertised/touted as being able to remove 1200 marks and heavy swirls, so yes. The car is a white single stage paint. Let me know when you come across that product name you're using.



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PostPosted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 3:04 am
Also if you continue to get swirls, you might have to resand lightly and start again using the info from the other posts, These urethane paints can be a pain , your basically buffing plastic so those swirls can get worked into the finish



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PostPosted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 8:43 pm
I'm not sure if i'm understanding correctly. Are you talking about getting the cloudyness out after the sanding completely?

Or are you talking about the compound swirls created from buffing?

If it is cloudyness you can't get out i would guess it is your buffer. If you cannot apply pressure you cannot clear out the cloudyness of the sanding. The speed of the buffer should slow down slightly when you put it against the panel but really the only thing you have to worry about with speed is burning into the paint. You will get it out faster the harder and faster you go,, but again the line drawn is burning into the paint which you want to stay a decent speed away from. Usually if you have a clean wool pad you should be fine with speed on flat panels, but on edges is where you can burn easy.

If it is the swirls streaks created from the compound buffing you have to go to the step that will remove it. I know with Perfect It system its the blue usually...

Buffing is a lot of work, personally i will respray if its a full panel of orange peel and dirt that needs to be rebuffed. Its really a huge pain to get it perfect with tons of slinging.

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