First/Second attempt with DA..

[Boothy]

Yesterday I used my new DA with some Menzerna polish and Sonus pads and posted up for some advise on breaking the polish down correctly.

Well I've had another blast today and did the bonnet with Menz FG500 and the white SFX-2 pad. I had already done the bonnet yesterday with some Menz PF2500 and achieved some correction but it just wasn't right so went with the FG500 this time around.
 
Came up ok I thought but then in the sun I could see some holograming which I believe is caused by either not breaking the polish down correctly or using a harsh compound?
 So I went back and finished the bonnet with some PF3000 and it seems to reduce the holograming but not totally. The clarity if the paint has improved loads but in the sun I could still see some swirling and what I can only describe as clusters of very tiny spots/dots?
 So this time I tried a small section of the bonnet with the FG500 and the SFX-1 pad and inspected that afterwards. That doesn't seem to have done anything above and beyond the SFX-2 pad and the light swirling and holgraming is still visible in direct sunlight.

So I need to know where to go from here really? Do I just do the bonnet again with the most aggressive pad/polish combo or buy a pad with more bite?

I'm also worried that if I keep doing the bonnet I'm gonna end up going through the clear coat?

Anyway some pathetic photos with me Galaxy S2 mobile:

Before......




After......

[stealthwolf]

Okay you seem to be faffing around too much. Have you read this guide clicky

Did you work the polish properly? I dont' know about the newer Menzerna range (or whether they're just rebranded old range) but you need to work the polish properly. You also need the polish to be warm - I actually wrap mine in a plastic sandwich bag and then dunk it into a small pot of hot water. This warms up the polish and helps speed things up.

Use this chart to switch between the old and new names: clicky

Go slowly, work the polish and use the zenith method. All described in the above guide.

As for clear coat, it's around 100 microns thick I think. You will probably remove a max of 2-3 microns so unless you stay in the same spot for a few hours, highly unlikely.

The first time I polished the car, I used the lightest cut polish on a finishing pad. It helps you get used to using a DA and you get used to the contours of the car. Once you're confident, only then would I advocate moving on to other polish/pad combos. I'm sure the pros here can help give you some tips! 

[Boothy]

Cheers Stealth. I've read that guide a fair few times which is why I ended up messing about really? Started with the finest polish and worked up until it removed the swirls, which I thought it had. Only later did I spot the golfeams etc when in bright sun light.
 Done the front of the car now and feel relatively comfortable with the machine. I just want to do the process correctly. Initially I couldn't get the polish to break down but I was told I was using too much so used less on the next panel which I think has come up ok?
 Read loads,  watched loads of youtube videos but don't seem to be getting the results and don't wanna be doing the same panel ten times.
 
Also, if I use a harsh polish should I then follow up with medium and then fine before glazing? Or should I just go harsh to fine in one?

[alexperkins]

Depending on how heavy the cut is, you will need to refinish it with a lighter final finish.

[keano]

Menzerna get me so frustrated with their bullsh*t names!

it's like deciphering the bloody Davinci Code choosng a sodding polish! 

[Boothy]

So if I've used the PF2500 / PO 203 S and still got swirling with a SFX-2 pad I should move up right? To a more aggressive pad or polish or both? 

[matsu]

and this is why my brand new da has stayed in the box with all the polishes....just not had the courage to have a go...even on my sons old clio lol
matsu

[stealthwolf]

Only later did I spot the golfeams etc when in bright sun light.

What did you do to assess the swirls? Most pros use an IPA wipe down to remove the polish residue. Polishes can fill in a lot of swirls so you need to remove the residue to see the final effect. You also need decent light sources to detect swirls from different angles and brightness/intensity.

Done the front of the car now and feel relatively comfortable with the machine. I just want to do the process correctly. Initially I couldn't get the polish to break down but I was told I was using too much so used less on the next panel which I think has come up ok?

Depending on the panel, I use two or four pea-sized blobs. Any more and you can't work the polish properly, or it takes longer to do so.

Also, if I use a harsh polish should I then follow up with medium and then fine before glazing? Or should I just go harsh to fine in one?

As above, depends on the aggressiveness. I think you should have started with an SFX-3 pad, not SFX-2 and then worked your way from there. Read the guide - you need to use the least aggressive polish and least aggressive pad first. In your case, FG500 is the most aggressive Menzerna polish so no surprise about what happened.

I think I'd have started with SFX-3 and UF5000. If that didn't work, then move to the next aggressive polish - either SF4000 or  FF3000. If no joy, then switch the pad. I wouldn't go beyond PF2500 and SFX-2 (though TBH you should have had a decent response to P2500 and SFX-3).

List the polishes that you have. Have a look at the Menzerna chart. FG500 is the most aggressive and not something I'd use IMO. I wouldn't go beyond a cut of 6 - otherwise you're looking at getting a pro to do a good job of it.

[Boothy]

Only later did I spot the golfeams etc when in bright sun light.

What did you do to assess the swirls? Most pros use an IPA wipe down to remove the polish residue. Polishes can fill in a lot of swirls so you need to remove the residue to see the final effect. You also need decent light sources to detect swirls from different angles and brightness/intensity.

Done the front of the car now and feel relatively comfortable with the machine. I just want to do the process correctly. Initially I couldn't get the polish to break down but I was told I was using too much so used less on the next panel which I think has come up ok?

Depending on the panel, I use two or four pea-sized blobs. Any more and you can't work the polish properly, or it takes longer to do so.

Also, if I use a harsh polish should I then follow up with medium and then fine before glazing? Or should I just go harsh to fine in one?

As above, depends on the aggressiveness. I think you should have started with an SFX-3 pad, not SFX-2 and then worked your way from there. Read the guide - you need to use the least aggressive polish and least aggressive pad first. In your case, FG500 is the most aggressive Menzerna polish so no surprise about what happened.

I think I'd have started with SFX-3 and UF5000. If that didn't work, then move to the next aggressive polish - either SF4000 or  FF3000. If no joy, then switch the pad. I wouldn't go beyond PF2500 and SFX-2 (though TBH you should have had a decent response to P2500 and SFX-3).

List the polishes that you have. Have a look at the Menzerna chart. FG500 is the most aggressive and not something I'd use IMO. I wouldn't go beyond a cut of 6 - otherwise you're looking at getting a pro to do a good job of it.

I should have said in my original post - initially I did use a the FF3000 (PO 85 U) with the SFX-3 polishing pad but it did nothing so I upped to the PF2500 (PO 203 S) with the same pad and that, I though, had done the business. To check this I wiped down with a 50:50 IPA solution and then inspected with the poxy'est light source ever, the LED on the back of my mobile phone. I did think however that it had removed the vast majority of swirls but later that day in bright sun I could still see them.

So the next day, and this is where this thread starts I decided to use the PF2500 but with the SFX-2 pad to see if that would get rid of more swirls which it seems to have done but not totally. So I moved up again to the FG500 with the SFX-2 pad and did a very small section to try and totally remove the swirls but that didn't really do anything additional.
 After that the sun hit it again and then I could see some holograms so read a bit more and then did the whole bonnet with the FF3000 on the SFX-3 pad again to help refine the finish and remove them. I think that that may have worked but will only know when its in the sun. Maybe I'm just expecting too much?
 
After every polish I have wiped down with IPA and I have marked the backing plate up. Looking at 1 to 2 revolutions per second on speed 5 on the Das 6 Pro.

Since then I have also brought home my 200 lumen LED torch from work which will hopefully assist in correction detection!

[stealthwolf]

Sounds like you haven't broken down the polish properly. Do you use the zenith method? Once it's broken down properly, it should have a clear oily finish. There shouldn't be any polish residue. You need to keep inspecting with a light source whilst polishing and IPA wipedown in between each step up/step down.

[Boothy]

Initially I think I used too much polish on the bonnet so didn't break it down like you said. On the wings though I used less so maybe that's where I was going wrong?
 Only just seen what the zenith method and I don't think I followed it right. Spread polish on speed 2,then to speed 5 until the polish had virtually disasppeared. I now know I should move down to see lower speed at some point but at what point and should I just go back to speed 2?


I really don't know where is be without this place!

[stealthwolf]

I step down similar to going up. Doing it steps which multiple passes but not as many as going up. I stop at speed 3. Some may choose to then increase the speed and finish the polish with no pressure on the machine.

[Boothy]

Cheers stealth old chap. Gonna give it another crack on my days off next week so will use all the advice given and take my time. Thanks again mate for the assistance 

[stealthwolf]

It's okay. You can read as much as you want and watch all the videos bht it's practice that helps the most. The first time I polished my car, it took around nine hours. I ended up rushing the glaze and wax stages so it ruined the final finish. Which is why I'd recommend taking your time ans doin it in stages over a few days where possible.

[Boothy]

Had another blast at doing my bonnet today after researching the zenith technique and also watching the Junkman videos on 'The slow cut' technique. In the end I sort of did a combination of them both but its worked a treat. Other than one or two small RDS the bonnet looks pretty much perfect IMO.

Started off with Menz Pf2500/PO 203 S on a Sonus SFX-2 pad and worked it on speed 3 for a few passes with little pressure, then upto speed four for a few more passes with slightly more pressure. Then I sprayed the pad with QD and moved up to speed 5 and worked the polish until nearly clear with plenty of pressure and them back down to speed 4, 3 and finally 2 decreasing the pressure as I went.
 After that I did the same again with the Menz FF3000/PO 85 U but worked it on a lower speed for much longer than the other.

I ain't got a clue if thats the right way but its worked so I'm happy. Having watched a couple of other videos I'd not seen it became clear that I was not applying anywhere near the required pressure which I think was likely the main issue.

Once I've done the rest of the car next week I'll post up some pics