I picked up what I hope is a decent buffer and I want to do as much paint correction as possible on my basically 20 year old black Subaru. It has plenty of scratches and some recent ugly paint gouges from removing errant concrete splatter. I have a basic plan, but could use help on the details.
I need to touch up the paint in multiple places. I was thinking Dr Color Chip. The little touch ups with brushes are find for chips but I have some larger scratches.
First I will clay bar - probably with a mitt since I am lazy and will absolutely drop the clay on the ground - any mitt's that folks like?
Do I use the touch up paint before or after compounding/buffing the paint?
The paint needs love, which brands and types of polishing/compounding solutions or grad should I use for the initial correcting step?
How do I know what type of pad do I use for the compounding? I am not sure on how they are graded.
I have read plenty of wax reviews, I have a few in mind that appear to fit the bill but will take opinions.
I am afraid to open this can of worms, but I am not sure I get the whole ceramic coating thing for an older not quite a beater vehicle. I think wax is just easier. Or do I go ceramic wax, is that a thing or a gimmick? Thanks for sharing.
Not sure it’s considering paint correction, but here’s how I detail my paint: How to easily, quickly detail your paint.
Touch up before buffing. Touch up after claybar. Never used the mit, but i like the mothers synthetic claybar. 3m is the good compound. Finesse it 2 in the purple bottle, white foam pad on the buffer followed by a black foam waffle pad on the da with it. Work it wet to dry.
Lots of information on autogeek. More than i can brain dump.
What Duster said, all of it, yes. So it can smooth out the touch ups as you go through the steps. I do have to add though, watch out with Autogeek and some other youtubers and instagram detailers and such as everyone thinks they know what detailing, paint correction, and coatings is and think they're experts after doing their car for the first time after watching an IG video and bought some stuff from Chemical Guys or something. As far as paint correction, how deep into it do you wanna go? Like wet sand and level and then correct and then polish it out to get it deep as glass or just remove scratches and get it super shiny? As far as compounds and polishes, really they all do good jobs. I usually like to make a special sauce, compound and polish mixed together to speedline the process for simple paint corrections. It's not so much the actual brands or whatever it's more on the technique and when to use what and what pad and so on. I do this daily as it's my job haha been doing detailing as a career for damn close to 20 years now!
Menzerna HC400 is unlike anything I've ever tried. Will take paint wet sanded with 1500 grit to a great finish without a tremendous amount of work.
Menzerna is really good. As far as compound, I do like Angelwaxx Resurrection. Amazing and proper results with a rotary, need to get heat in to level the clear and take scratches out, just obviously not too much heat and pressure.
NickF40 said:
....... I do this daily as it's my job haha been doing detailing as a career for damn close to 20 years now!
Maybe you can write an article for GRM starting with a dead clear coat car and bringing the paint back to life , or as good as it can get .
The guys on YouTube etc make it look so easy and we know it not !
Cheers
In reply to NickF40 :
As far as depth goes- just take out scratches. Thanks for details.
In reply to californiamilleghia :
I would LOVE to! And exactly, everyone thinks paint correction is easy and it takes no time. 99% of the time people don't realize all what's involved, that's what the majority of these youtube detailers and the videos fail to project.
In reply to GTwannaB :
Minor scratches and swirls can be taking out with a light wool pad buff followed by a foam pad polish, hell, even a medium cut foam pad with a compound/polish mix on an orbital will level everything down, medium speed, dig in but go slow, enough to get the clear hot to the touch without burning it and take out the scratches. If you're using a rotary, have to with the rotation and "grain" of the paint, you'll want heat but not too much! And for the love of god stay away from edges and corners.
I'm a rotary guy through and through, especially with correction and leveling. Orbitals are for polishing.
In reply to NickF40 :
So, explain in small words what the hell you just said. Pretend you're talking to a guy with a public school education from the 79th lowest county is the 37th lowest state. That then got brain damage.
I THINK i know what youre laying down, but thats based on my experience, not on actually knowing what you're saying. Which means the new guys at this game will be confused as hell about burning, grain, etc.
I'll reiterate that I've had great success with Menzerna HC400.
i'll add:
Even with an orbital, even with basic foam pads. (Low risk of burn through)
I've messed around with multi stages, wool pads, microfibre pads, rotary polishers (fast, higher risk).
And then go back to Menzerna HC400. Takes scratches out, finishes to a high gloss. One step, done. (Then wax / protect)
Successful on clear (e30, Land Rover discovery) and single stage (different e30)
In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :
Haha ok so as far as burning through, the buffing pad will create friction and actually build up heat in the clear coat. If you stay in one spot too long or really apply a lot of pressure in spot you will actually burn away a layer of clear and even paint. A rotary this is even more of problem because it spins stationary in one direction and grabs more in a way, more resistance, which builds up heat quicker than say, an orbital, which doesn't spin in a stationary rotation, it also moves around in an orbit style pattern, think of planets. They generate less heat and less of a chance of burning though, very beginner friendly. They also take longer to actually correct the paint and do AS GOOD of a job compared to a rotary. They are perfect for polishing and getting light scratches out, general buffing let's say.
As far as grain, that's not really something to fully worry about unless you are wet sanding and using a rotary. Clear coat can kind of have a grain that when you sand it down a little and buff smooth it will look like glass. It's like spraying a car, is actually the beat comparison. You buff the same way and direction you would spray a car
Also with rotary buffers you don't want to keep the pad flat on the panel all the time, won't work fully and also will grab like an sob and can rip stuff off, bend things and again, burn through the clear. Having it at an angle is how it cuts (buffs) the clear. What position you're holding the buffer is also a big deal because you want to hold it so you are buffing the same way as (with the rotation of the pad) the pad is spinning. For example, if the pad is spinning clockwise, you'll want to angle the buffer slightly forward and move to the left and right in a horizontal line. All this compared to an orbital or dual action buffer where you can and should keep the pad flat as much as possible as it won't grab at all like a rotary. Too many people are also too stiff when they buff haha move your arms, go with the flow of the buffer.
I feel like I didn't help at all and I appologize hahaha I am horrible at trying to put in words that a newbie or someone like you described can understand. Buffing and paint correction is definetly something that needs to be seen in person compared to explaining on a forum.
Nathan JansenvanDoorn said:
I'll reiterate that I've had great success with Menzerna HC400.
i'll add:
Even with an orbital, even with basic foam pads. (Low risk of burn through)
I've messed around with multi stages, wool pads, microfibre pads, rotary polishers (fast, higher risk).
And then go back to Menzerna HC400. Takes scratches out, finishes to a high gloss. One step, done. (Then wax / protect)
Successful on clear (e30, Land Rover discovery) and single stage (different e30)
I prefer gear driven rotaries as they are smoother but yeah as far as what you just described, I love that stuff. Medium to light foam pad, medium to low speed on an orbital has done WONDERS! Throw on a sealant or like you said a wax yet, like butter for a good half of the year
