Working at my usual snail's pace.
Wet-Sanded by hand with hard block and 1000. Followed with 1500 on a DA wet working a few spots by hand.
First picture is 3M Ultra Cut with 100% twisted wool pad (2 passes)


Next is Menzerna Intensive polish and a white CCS pad:


Finally, Menzerna 85 with a black CCS pad:

All the pics look the same! But with just 2 passes with the Ultra Cut,
i doubt you removed all the scratches...?

Finish with some Zymoil, and you're good-to-go.:D
Metallic paint looks good. How did you spray it?
Did you fog on your last coat?
Thanks.

Han wrote:All the pics look the same! But with just 2 passes with the Ultra Cut, i doubt you removed all the scratches...?

Your eyes must be failing you from those 3000 plus posts you've written.
This was really just a test section to see what needs to be done and the pics really don't convey the difference you can see in person.
The clarity of the halogen light and the depth of the color is what I look at in the pictures. In the shop I am looking across the surface of the clear into the reflection of the lights to check for scratches.
The first pass of the Ultra Cut probably gets about 60% of the scratches. (1800-2000 rpms) The second pass removes nearly all of the rest.
My plan is to follow the Ultra Cut with Menzerna Power Gloss and the Orange CCS pad to be sure all the scratches are gone. Then I will work it with the Intensive polish and finish with the 85. (Both these polishes last longer than my arms do.)
I'm sure it will never be as nice as DBS can do but then I want to drive this again before too much longer.

CoolasIce,
Yes, I sprayed a heavily reduced coat of base from about 12-14" to finish things off.

OK, 68, thxs.

Pics look very nice. I have a couple of questions:
*Are you seeing any pigtail sanding marks from the 1500 via DA?
*What pads (color and manufacturer) are you using IP / 85RD with?
*What's the process when working with Menzerna polishes (as far as buffer speed and polish breakdown)?
*Are you wiping down your finished work with alcohol?
*Are you washing after compounding?
*Have you inspected your work outside?

You might want to switch out Power Gloss for Meg's 105. It will save alot of time and deliver a more refined finish.

Looking good 68.. You can buff my next one if you want

Those halogens really help when looking for your sanding scratches don't they?? Its the only way I will buff these days.. You can side sight the panel and know for sure if the sanding marks are gone.. You cant always tell depending on color with florescent lights in your shop..

Keep plugging away and you will have it done in no time flat..

Finish looks great btw

ProTecht wrote:Pics look very nice. I have a couple of questions:
*Are you seeing any pigtail sanding marks from the 1500 via DA?

I was getting pig tails until I started wet sanding with the DA. I keep a small squirt bottle of filtered water and when I see the panel start to dry I add a little more water.

ProTecht wrote:*What pads (color and manufacturer) are you using IP / 85RD with?

I am using Lake Country CCS pads with their yellow backing plate.
White pad with the Intensive polish. Grey Pad with the 85RD

ProTecht wrote:*What's the process when working with Menzerna polishes (as far as buffer speed and polish breakdown)?

INTENSIVE POLISH: I lightly spray the pad with water, apply the polish to the panel and spread it around with the pad before turning the rotary on. Next I turn the buffer on its lowest speed (about 800 rpms) and quickly cover the area I am going to buff. Next I increase the speed to about 1200 rpms and work the panel slowly covering about 12" in say 5 seconds. I work horizontally with at least a 50% overlap and then vertically and repeat this process until the polish is starting to disappear from the panel.
At this point I wipe the panel clean with a MF towel followed by 50/50 and a different MF towel.
85RD: Same process as above except that the 85RD seems to last forever. I polish until I am tired and then try to go another couple of minutes.

ProTecht wrote:*Are you wiping down your finished work with alcohol?

Yes.

ProTecht wrote:*Are you washing after compounding?

I wipe the panel clean with a damp MF towel and then 50/50.

ProTecht wrote:*Have you inspected your work outside?

Not yet due to overcast skies and rain but I'll posts pictures when I do.

ProTecht wrote:You might want to switch out Power Gloss for Meg's 105. It will save alot of time and deliver a more refined finish.

Actually I have been considering giving the 105 a try after reading so many positive things about it.

BondoKing wrote:Looking good 68.. You can buff my next one if you want

Do you think I could get $2500 for just the buffing???

BondoKing wrote:Those halogens really help when looking for your sanding scratches don't they?? Its the only way I will buff these days.. You can side sight the panel and know for sure if the sanding marks are gone.. You cant always tell depending on color with florescent lights in your shop..

I agree completely. I thought I had it looking nice and then I brought the halogens over and what a surprise scratches everywhere. Now I inspect every square inch of the panel under the lights.

BondoKing wrote:Keep plugging away and you will have it done in no time flat..
Finish looks great btw

Thanks. I am really ready to be done with this. After this is done each piece I restore can be installed on the car and that will give me some major motivation to get this thing finished.

How fresh is the paint? So the polish and the soft white CCS pad are really getting all of the wool holograms out (even in sun light)? I was having problems taking twisted wool holograms put in using cutting compound out with polish (although not nenzerna, the presta 1500) and foam, the next step. I had to use cutting compound with wool, followed by cutting compound with foam, followed by polish with foam, followed by finishing polish/swirl remover. Although I'm working very cured refinish clear, like, years old.