Did I ruin my paint?
Okay, I had my day planned out, first detail the old Jeep to practice, and then on to the Bimmer.
I was nervous, but I took my time reading over and over several posts I had printed. First I started by washing with Dawn, then claying with Clay Magic, then polished using my PC (one side with McGuiar's Swirl Remover, and the other with Einszett Lack-Politur), then Klasse AIO, and finished off with P21S Carnuba Wax. I prefer the Einszett polish over McGuiar's. The old '94 red jeep looks great.
Now I have a little confidence, so on to the Jet Black BMW. A few days earlier I had touched up three paint chips on the hood using David Bynon's instructions from the autopia.org web site. During my detailing today I would do the final step on the chip repair, level and buff.
I started by washing the car with McGuiar's NXT car wash rather than Dawn because the car in only a five months old and has been in the parked garage since Dec. Next Clay Magic, THEN I sprayed Clay Lubricant heavily on the hood, wrapped a sanding block with 3M 2000 grit paper and pulled the paper gently towards me over the chips as the directions indicated. As the article said "The sanding block will dull the paint. Don't fear, as your polish will ealily restore the luster." HELP.
Sure enough you can see the scratches. I didn't panic yet, because the article said "Don't fear" So I polished the hood with Einszett and buffed, now I , you can still see the scratches from the sand paper. Next, I tried McGuiar's Swirl Remover, no luck. Then I tried Einszett again. No luck. So I completed the entire detailing, Klasse AIO and P21S. The car looks beautiful except for the hood.
You can't imagine how sick I am. Is there anything that can be done, or am I in for a new paint job on the hood?
I was nervous, but I took my time reading over and over several posts I had printed. First I started by washing with Dawn, then claying with Clay Magic, then polished using my PC (one side with McGuiar's Swirl Remover, and the other with Einszett Lack-Politur), then Klasse AIO, and finished off with P21S Carnuba Wax. I prefer the Einszett polish over McGuiar's. The old '94 red jeep looks great.
Now I have a little confidence, so on to the Jet Black BMW. A few days earlier I had touched up three paint chips on the hood using David Bynon's instructions from the autopia.org web site. During my detailing today I would do the final step on the chip repair, level and buff.
I started by washing the car with McGuiar's NXT car wash rather than Dawn because the car in only a five months old and has been in the parked garage since Dec. Next Clay Magic, THEN I sprayed Clay Lubricant heavily on the hood, wrapped a sanding block with 3M 2000 grit paper and pulled the paper gently towards me over the chips as the directions indicated. As the article said "The sanding block will dull the paint. Don't fear, as your polish will ealily restore the luster." HELP.
Sure enough you can see the scratches. I didn't panic yet, because the article said "Don't fear" So I polished the hood with Einszett and buffed, now I
, you can still see the scratches from the sand paper. Next, I tried McGuiar's Swirl Remover, no luck. Then I tried Einszett again. No luck. So I completed the entire detailing, Klasse AIO and P21S. The car looks beautiful except for the hood.You can't imagine how sick I am. Is there anything that can be done, or am I in for a new paint job on the hood?
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Can you post some pictures?
bjsbuds said:Okay, I had my day planned out, first detail the old Jeep to practice, and then on to the Bimmer.
I was nervous, but I took my time reading over and over several posts I had printed. First I started by washing with Dawn, then claying with Clay Magic, then polished using my PC (one side with McGuiar's Swirl Remover, and the other with Einszett Lack-Politur), then Klasse AIO, and finished off with P21S Carnuba Wax. I prefer the Einszett polish over McGuiar's. The old '94 red jeep looks great.
Now I have a little confidence, so on to the Jet Black BMW. A few days earlier I had touched up three paint chips on the hood using David Bynon's instructions from the autopia.org web site. During my detailing today I would do the final step on the chip repair, level and buff.
I started by washing the car with McGuiar's NXT car wash rather than Dawn because the car in only a five months old and has been in the parked garage since Dec. Next Clay Magic, THEN I sprayed Clay Lubricant heavily on the hood, wrapped a sanding block with 3M 2000 grit paper and pulled the paper gently towards me over the chips as the directions indicated. As the article said "The sanding block will dull the paint. Don't fear, as your polish will ealily restore the luster." HELP.
Sure enough you can see the scratches. I didn't panic yet, because the article said "Don't fear" So I polished the hood with Einszett and buffed, now I
You can't imagine how sick I am. Is there anything that can be done, or am I in for a new paint job on the hood?
My guess is that you might not be using an agressive enough polish. You'll have to start agressive to buff out the scratches, and work your way down to a finer product to get the shine.
If you didn't go through clear coat then you're OK. After wet sanding I always start with rubbing compound by hand and cotton terry towel as applicator. Rubbing compound should safely remove 1200 grit scratches. The paint still won't be super glossy but scratches should be gone. Next you use less aggressive polish with PC to restore gloss.
BTW what color can is that Einszett polish? Green is mild, yellow more aggressive but still not on the level of 3M Fine rubbing compound.
BTW what color can is that Einszett polish? Green is mild, yellow more aggressive but still not on the level of 3M Fine rubbing compound.
I used Einszett Green. I took my car to the auto paint specialty store where I purchased the 3M 2000 grit sandpaper. The salesman looked at the car and said I could get the scratches out with 3M Imperial Microfinishing Rubbing Compound - Medium Cut. He said to put the PC on its slowest setting.
I did this and then put Einszett polish on it, followed by Klasse AIO, and P21S Carnuba. It does look better, but on an angle you can still see the original scratches from the sand paper. I let the PC do the work without putting any pressure on it.
I also have some Turtle Wax Rubbing Compound which I have had for quite some time, which I thought would be really risky to use??
I took pictures, but they didn't come out too good, so I'll try tomorrow in the daylight.
I did this and then put Einszett polish on it, followed by Klasse AIO, and P21S Carnuba. It does look better, but on an angle you can still see the original scratches from the sand paper. I let the PC do the work without putting any pressure on it.
I also have some Turtle Wax Rubbing Compound which I have had for quite some time, which I thought would be really risky to use??
I took pictures, but they didn't come out too good, so I'll try tomorrow in the daylight.
F1Crazy said:
Throw Turtle Wax away, stick to 3M brand.
Yeah, get the 3M polishes and be a happy dude for the rest of your life.
That said, you should really work in the diminishing abrasives, the abrasives gets finer and finer with every pass with the PC. If you stop before really working it in, the abrasive doesn't get break down and what you have is a bunch of scratches, swirls etc.
Again, work in with the PC until no product is visible on the paint and you have a nice glossy finish.
That said, you should really work in the diminishing abrasives, the abrasives gets finer and finer with every pass with the PC. If you stop before really working it in, the abrasive doesn't get break down and what you have is a bunch of scratches, swirls etc.
Again, work in with the PC until no product is visible on the paint and you have a nice glossy finish.
What pad are you using. If you're using a finishing (grey) or polishing (white) pad, you're not going to be able to remove those scratches. You need to use a cutting (yellow) pad and probally a more abrasive polish. SMR isn't going to touch wetsanding marks. Depending on who bad the scratches are, you may not be able to remove them with the PC. Find someone that's experienced with a rotary and it'll come out. The bad news is that it's going to reduce your clear coat layer no matter what you end up having to do.
I have the Sonus set of PC pads. I used the Orange one with the 3M medium cut rubbing compound, Green with the SMR, and Blue with the Klasse AIO.
I probably did not work the product in long enough with the PC. I was concerned I may do more damage.
I am going to have some rust spots removed on my Jeep next week, probably should have the body shop look at the hood on the BMW before I do anymore damage.
I probably did not work the product in long enough with the PC. I was concerned I may do more damage.
I am going to have some rust spots removed on my Jeep next week, probably should have the body shop look at the hood on the BMW before I do anymore damage.
You should be posting this on Autopia, that is the best site for this stuff.
The good news is you haven't ruined your paint. The bad news is that you will need to do a lot more work.
Most people wouldn't start wet sanding unless they had a rotary and some aggressive compounds to buff it out. Without a rotary, I think you should sand it again with 3000 or 4000 grade paper to improve the surface a bit more before polishing. Even then, it is going to be tough with an orbital polisher.
You'll get this one sorted out, you haven't killed it. I did my trunk a few weeks ago with 1500, and it still has clearcoat left. The 2000 was a good choice.
The good news is you haven't ruined your paint. The bad news is that you will need to do a lot more work.
Most people wouldn't start wet sanding unless they had a rotary and some aggressive compounds to buff it out. Without a rotary, I think you should sand it again with 3000 or 4000 grade paper to improve the surface a bit more before polishing. Even then, it is going to be tough with an orbital polisher.
You'll get this one sorted out, you haven't killed it. I did my trunk a few weeks ago with 1500, and it still has clearcoat left. The 2000 was a good choice.
Let me put it to you another way. Think of rough sanding a piece of wood with 60-grade paper...then going right to 400 grit and being disappointed. The proper procedure would be 60, then maybe 120, and 220, and finally 400.
That's exactly what you have done...you jumped from wetsanding to relatively fine polishing, too soon. By hopefully my analogy helps to show you that you haven't hurts things!
That's exactly what you have done...you jumped from wetsanding to relatively fine polishing, too soon. By hopefully my analogy helps to show you that you haven't hurts things!
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