AndyH
6th December 2007, 12:58 PM
Following on from the Good Wash Guide i thought a total rundown of Polishing by Hand was in order.
This thread will cover Product, Technique, Lighting, Applicator Pads and Microfibre cloths. Its also a bit of an experiment for me to find out what polish is best by hand.
Products
I'll be covering a range of products here. Infact i didn't realise how many polishes i had http://www.zsoc.com/forum/images/smilies/zsoc/laugh.gif
The polishes being used:
Meguiars Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner - Done
Meguiars #80 - Done
Meguiars #83 - Done
Menzerna PO85RD - Done
Menzerna PO85RD 3.02
Menzerna Final Finish PO 106 FA
Menzerna Intensive Polish PO91L
Menzerna Power Gloss S34A
Sonus SFX-2 Enhance Polish
Poorboys SSR 2.5 Super Swirl Remover
Poorboys SSR 1 Super Swirl Remover
Dodo Juice Lime Prime - Done
Autoglym Super Resin Polish
Clearkote Red Moose Machine Glaze
So 14 products to test http://www.zsoc.com/forum/images/smilies/zsoc/ohmy.gif This thread is going to be EXTREMELY picture heavy!
Lets get started!
The car:
Vauxhall Astra 1994 - Blue
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG001.jpg
As you can see a nice amount of swirls in the bonnet http://www.zsoc.com/forum/images/smilies/zsoc/smile.gif The perfect platform for testing.
The bonnet is then divided up into segments:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG003.jpg
Megs DC Paint Cleaner
This is an older product of mine that i wantd to see how it stood up against my newer products.
The product:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG015.jpg
So the panel started like this:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG006.jpg
Product worked into the paint until i felt i'd had enough:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG016.jpg
First removal of product:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG018.jpg
Not bad. Lets see how another application went.
Applied and worked in:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG020.jpg
Buffed off:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG021.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG022.jpg
I felt the DC had a good feel and worked well with the white side of the German applicator pad. Its quite runny and allows a good work time and lots of pressure without drying out.
I'm so impressed with this product i'm thinking about starting to use it as a pre wax cleaner!
The product was worked in straight lines with alot of pressure. The product was worked until the residue started to go transparent.
Meguiars #80
Same method as the DC. Work the product in straight lines until the residue goes clear. LOTS of pressure applied to #80 as i wanted to get the heat into it to break down the abrasives. The white side of the German Applicator Pad was used.
The product:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG023.jpg
Before:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG005.jpg
Working the product in:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG025.jpg
After the first application:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG027.jpg
Now following with a 2nd hit:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG030.jpg
(Single stage paint turning the applicator pad blue http://www.zsoc.com/forum/images/smilies/zsoc/laugh.gif)
After:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG032.jpg
I'm very impressed! Its worked very well by hand...much better than i expected. Its a highly lubricated product which makes application very easy!
The only down side is that it left micro marring. This is tiny scratches caused by the abrasives not being broken down properly http://www.zsoc.com/forum/images/smilies/zsoc/sad.gif To get the best out of the Megs #80 by hand you would have to work it for a long time!
Meguiars #83
Now if #80 was not being broken down properly we've got no chance of breaking #83 down!
To increase the abrasive breakdown i switched to a smaller Megs foam applicator to see if that did the business.
Product and Pad:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG033.jpg
Before:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG008.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG036.jpg
After first application:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG038.jpg
Not a massive difference (if any at all!) So i stepped up the pressure and changed to a larger microfibre applicator pad.
Pad and Paint After Application:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG040.jpg
Quite impressive with the new applicator! I think its because it allowed me to get a better grip and apply more pressure and work the product harder. Compared to #80, #83 is alot more difficult to work. I found it to be quite "sticky" when working with lots of pressure. Still a pleasing result though!
So far my personal favourite is #80.
Menzerna PO 85 RD
Some people may not have heard of Menz 85RD. Its a very popular abrasive polish on DetailingWorld due to its finishing properties. You can use the 85RD to get a crystal clear finish which is ready to wax to. I really wanted 85RD to do well!
Product:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG051.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG052.jpg
Before:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG054.jpg
Ignore the bird etching. It'll have to be wetsanded so i know the product wouldn't do much about it.
Product worked in with lots of pressure and with a Megs Applicator:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG055.jpg
After:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG057.jpg
Not bad but i know a 2nd hit will make the difference...
2nd application:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG058.jpg
After:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG059.jpg
Better but not perfect http://www.zsoc.com/forum/images/smilies/zsoc/sad.gif The majority of swirling has gone and it just ALOT of RIDS (Random Isolated Deep Scratches) that remain.
Its as easy to use as #80 and doesn't leave the micro marring. This is on par with #80 IMO.
Dodo Juice Lime Prime (Wildcard)
I've put in a couple curve ball products in the list to see how they get on alongside the major abrasive polishes. Dodo Juice Lime Prime is the first one this far.
Lime Prime (LP) is a pre wax cleaner which contains mild abrasives. Its main use is to prepare the surface for the application of wax. It contains special oils which release into the surface and nourish the paint. The mild abrasive particles help remove any surface contaminates and oxidation.
Product:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG041.jpg
Before:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG042.jpg
After 2x hits:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG048.jpg
The product was applied with a microfibre applicator (the same as Megs #83) and was worked for a long time to ensure the abrasive particles were broken down fully.
The result wasn't bad considering but certainly not a touch on the abrasive products. The LP is an exceptional pre wax cleaner and is so easy to use.
This thread will cover Product, Technique, Lighting, Applicator Pads and Microfibre cloths. Its also a bit of an experiment for me to find out what polish is best by hand.
Products
I'll be covering a range of products here. Infact i didn't realise how many polishes i had http://www.zsoc.com/forum/images/smilies/zsoc/laugh.gif
The polishes being used:
Meguiars Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner - Done
Meguiars #80 - Done
Meguiars #83 - Done
Menzerna PO85RD - Done
Menzerna PO85RD 3.02
Menzerna Final Finish PO 106 FA
Menzerna Intensive Polish PO91L
Menzerna Power Gloss S34A
Sonus SFX-2 Enhance Polish
Poorboys SSR 2.5 Super Swirl Remover
Poorboys SSR 1 Super Swirl Remover
Dodo Juice Lime Prime - Done
Autoglym Super Resin Polish
Clearkote Red Moose Machine Glaze
So 14 products to test http://www.zsoc.com/forum/images/smilies/zsoc/ohmy.gif This thread is going to be EXTREMELY picture heavy!
Lets get started!
The car:
Vauxhall Astra 1994 - Blue
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG001.jpg
As you can see a nice amount of swirls in the bonnet http://www.zsoc.com/forum/images/smilies/zsoc/smile.gif The perfect platform for testing.
The bonnet is then divided up into segments:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG003.jpg
Megs DC Paint Cleaner
This is an older product of mine that i wantd to see how it stood up against my newer products.
The product:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG015.jpg
So the panel started like this:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG006.jpg
Product worked into the paint until i felt i'd had enough:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG016.jpg
First removal of product:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG018.jpg
Not bad. Lets see how another application went.
Applied and worked in:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG020.jpg
Buffed off:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG021.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG022.jpg
I felt the DC had a good feel and worked well with the white side of the German applicator pad. Its quite runny and allows a good work time and lots of pressure without drying out.
I'm so impressed with this product i'm thinking about starting to use it as a pre wax cleaner!
The product was worked in straight lines with alot of pressure. The product was worked until the residue started to go transparent.
Meguiars #80
Same method as the DC. Work the product in straight lines until the residue goes clear. LOTS of pressure applied to #80 as i wanted to get the heat into it to break down the abrasives. The white side of the German Applicator Pad was used.
The product:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG023.jpg
Before:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG005.jpg
Working the product in:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG025.jpg
After the first application:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG027.jpg
Now following with a 2nd hit:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG030.jpg
(Single stage paint turning the applicator pad blue http://www.zsoc.com/forum/images/smilies/zsoc/laugh.gif)
After:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG032.jpg
I'm very impressed! Its worked very well by hand...much better than i expected. Its a highly lubricated product which makes application very easy!
The only down side is that it left micro marring. This is tiny scratches caused by the abrasives not being broken down properly http://www.zsoc.com/forum/images/smilies/zsoc/sad.gif To get the best out of the Megs #80 by hand you would have to work it for a long time!
Meguiars #83
Now if #80 was not being broken down properly we've got no chance of breaking #83 down!
To increase the abrasive breakdown i switched to a smaller Megs foam applicator to see if that did the business.
Product and Pad:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG033.jpg
Before:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG008.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG036.jpg
After first application:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG038.jpg
Not a massive difference (if any at all!) So i stepped up the pressure and changed to a larger microfibre applicator pad.
Pad and Paint After Application:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG040.jpg
Quite impressive with the new applicator! I think its because it allowed me to get a better grip and apply more pressure and work the product harder. Compared to #80, #83 is alot more difficult to work. I found it to be quite "sticky" when working with lots of pressure. Still a pleasing result though!
So far my personal favourite is #80.
Menzerna PO 85 RD
Some people may not have heard of Menz 85RD. Its a very popular abrasive polish on DetailingWorld due to its finishing properties. You can use the 85RD to get a crystal clear finish which is ready to wax to. I really wanted 85RD to do well!
Product:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG051.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG052.jpg
Before:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG054.jpg
Ignore the bird etching. It'll have to be wetsanded so i know the product wouldn't do much about it.
Product worked in with lots of pressure and with a Megs Applicator:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG055.jpg
After:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG057.jpg
Not bad but i know a 2nd hit will make the difference...
2nd application:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG058.jpg
After:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG059.jpg
Better but not perfect http://www.zsoc.com/forum/images/smilies/zsoc/sad.gif The majority of swirling has gone and it just ALOT of RIDS (Random Isolated Deep Scratches) that remain.
Its as easy to use as #80 and doesn't leave the micro marring. This is on par with #80 IMO.
Dodo Juice Lime Prime (Wildcard)
I've put in a couple curve ball products in the list to see how they get on alongside the major abrasive polishes. Dodo Juice Lime Prime is the first one this far.
Lime Prime (LP) is a pre wax cleaner which contains mild abrasives. Its main use is to prepare the surface for the application of wax. It contains special oils which release into the surface and nourish the paint. The mild abrasive particles help remove any surface contaminates and oxidation.
Product:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG041.jpg
Before:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG042.jpg
After 2x hits:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/AHartigan/Hand%20Polishing%20Guide/HPG048.jpg
The product was applied with a microfibre applicator (the same as Megs #83) and was worked for a long time to ensure the abrasive particles were broken down fully.
The result wasn't bad considering but certainly not a touch on the abrasive products. The LP is an exceptional pre wax cleaner and is so easy to use.