[ Although there is no such thing as perfection; if we work towards perfection hopefully we can achieve excellence] Vince Lombardi
Process over Product
A wax or sealant can only
reflect what is underneath it, so a clean, level well-prepared surface is the
most important consideration (85% of a surfaces reflectivity is its
preparation) along with applied product clarity. If you apply a product over a
surface that is dirty or one that has surface imperfections a wax or sealant
will not disguise it, only highlight them.
Always start with
the least aggressive abrasive / pad combination first
Foam Pads
White -
Compounding
Orange - Polishing
Yellow – Finishing
Orange - Polishing
Yellow – Finishing
Dual Action 5-inch (125mm) backing plate
Menzerna GMBH EU Abrasive Levels and
Reference Numbers
·
FG 500 – Fast Gloss (1500 grit): Cut 10/10: Gloss 5/10 9 ( not sold in the US, due
to VOC regulations)
·
FG 400 - Fast Gloss (1200
grit) Cut 9/10: Gloss 7/10
·
PG 1000 – Power Gloss (1500 grit) Cut 8/10: Gloss 3/10
·
IP 2000 – Intensive Polish (grit) Cut 7/10: Gloss 6/10
·
PF 2500 – Power Finish (grit) Cut 6/10: Gloss 8/10
·
FF 3000 – Final Finish (grit) Cut 5/10: Gloss 9/10
·
SF 4000 – Super Finish (grit) Cut 5/10: Gloss 10/10
·
SW - Sealing Wax Cut
2/10: Gloss 10/10
Menzerna GMBH, EU polishes have slightly different formulations and
cut levels compared to the Menzerna US versions
Menzerna USA Abrasive Levels
and Reference Numbers
·
PG 1000 – Power Gloss Compound (S34A) Cut: 5/5.0 - Gloss: 1.5/
5.0
·
FG 400 - Fast Gloss (1200
grit) Cut 9/10: Gloss 7/10
·
SI 1500 – Super Intensive Polish (PO83) 2000 Grit Cut 3.8 – Gloss
3.2
·
IP 2000 – Intensive Polish (PO91E) Cut 7/10: Gloss 6/
·
PF 2500 – Power Finish Polish (PO203) Cut:3.5/5.0 – Gloss;
3.5/5.0
·
FF 3000 – Final Finish Polish (PO85U) Cut 5/10: Gloss 9/10
·
SF 4000 – Super Finish Polish (PO106FA) Cut:2.5/5.0 – Gloss;
5/5.0
·
SF 4500 – Super Finish Polish (PO85RD) Cut:3.5/5.0 – Gloss;
5/5.0
Lake Country
(LC) Mfg. Pads
• Wool ---
compounding, aggressive cutting (Menzerna power gloss compound)
• Yellow –
compounding, aggressive cutting (Menzerna power gloss compound)
• Orange--
polishing /med cut (Menzerna intensive polish or super intensive polish)
• Green
--polishing /med cut (Menzerna intensive polish or super intensive polish)
• White-
light polishing (Menzerna PO106FA /PO85RD)
• Blue -
finishing/glazing, no abrasive abilities (Menzerna po106fa /po85rd/or a liquid
wax or glaze)
• Black -
finishing/glazing, no abrasive abilities (a softer pad than blue)
• Red –
finishing, no abrasive abilities (very soft pad used primarily for waxing)
FG 500 (S100) Fast Gloss, PG1000 (PO203) Power Finish and
SF 4000 (PO106FA) Super Finish should be all you need to
meet any paint surface polishing needs
I have used and tested all
of the automotive polishes that are currently available for aftermarket use; like
all abrasives used for car care they must be used with extreme care, as some
are capable of removing a substantial amount of paint in a very short space of
time. As a result, I would recommend that they are only used by professional or
experienced hobbyist detailers and always in conjunction with a paint thickness
gauge (PTG).
Menzerna Polishes
Founded in 1888 in
Pforzheim, Germany by Friedrich Menzerna to meet the polishing needs of the
region's jewellery industry, Menzerna stands today as the leading producer of
high quality polishing materials with worldwide presence Building on over a
century of application experience and technological innovation, their dedication
to quality manufacturing and customer service has earned us the reputation for
world-class polishing solutions.
For three decades, Menzerna
GMBH has been the factory source for the full line of Menzerna
compounds in addition to providing technical product and application
information.
We have successfully
introduced the Menzerna line to the optical, jewellery, furniture, musical
instrument, automotive assembly plants, collision repair, and detail
reconditioning markets.
With offices in New York and
distribution throughout North America, MenzernaUSA
offer an exceptional service and the full range of Menzerna compounds to meet
any polishing requirement.
Recognizing that the
polishing process is a system of interdependent components, buffing wheels and
polishing pads were included in the product offering to ensure the highest
level of compound performance and compatibility
In 1950 Menzerna came under
the management of Dr. Walter Burkart, who began researching industrial
polishing technology, culminating in his writing of a guide to sharpening and
polishing.
This guide is still
recognized as the standard guide on the subject. With the 1960s came the advent
of liquid polish emulsions, which is still the norm in the auto industry. Menzerna
quickly adopted this new way of processing and applied to it some of the
highest standards of quality that the industry has ever seen.
Driven by this commitment to
quality and consistency, Menzerna went on to become one of the top producers of
polishes for automotive and industrial consumers.
These polishes were designed
to work by utilizing kinetic (or dynamic) friction to break-down the
diminishing abrasives, while in the controlled temperature / humidity
environment (working temp range 60 – 80.0F (15-26.0C) of
a vehicle manufacturer’s paint shop finishing line.
It is possible to obtain
results with Menzerna polishes utilizing a random orbital polisher; but these
products were formulated for use with large offset (0.75-inch) pneumatic
Festool orbital or a high-speed rotary polisher that produces high kinetic
(dynamic) friction and by using the correct pads. Using them in ways that they
were not designed for could impact their ultimate performance and the results
obtained.
Working with PPG, BASF and Mercedes
Benz, Menzerna 2003 developed special polishes for use on PPG
CeramiClear™ Clear Coat for removing scratches, swirls and paint defects Beyond superior
abrasives,
Menzerna has pioneered the development of polishes
designed specifically for the hard clear coats, like those used by General Motors on the Corvette
and PPG CeramiClear™ Clear Coat being used by Mercedes Benz. Super Intensive
and Nanotechnology Polish are currently used by Mercedes
- Benz in Germany on their production line
to remove swirls and over-spray incurred during the painting process.
A unique family of abrasives developed by Menzerna
allows these polishes to remove defects, even on brand new paint finishes, with
no loss of surface gloss and no micro-marring. The abrasives are just one
factor in the equation; lubricants, solvents, emulsion and their carrier system
will determine the actual functional ability of the polish
Super Intensive Polish
(SIP), Power Finish (PF2500) and Nano
Polish (FG4000) these polishes contain nanotechnology ceramic micro particle diminishing abrasives,
that are milled as fine as 0.3 µ (micron) and /also contain a higher abrasive
content, 7% whereas the other polishes contain 3% abrasives
Why Menzerna
What sets Menzerna apart is
quality, they have long been the benchmark of European abrasives. Their plant in Germany has some of the strictest quality control
standards in the industry. They mill their own abrasives, rather than buying
them from abrasives distributor, which allows them to control the size and
uniformity of the aluminium oxide abrasive used in each polish.
Uniform silicone free abrasives
give the end user consistent, dependable results. They are the most
technologically advanced polishes created to date; each of Menzerna superior
emulsions is water-based, silicone-free, and easy to clean up.
A unique family of abrasives
developed by Menzerna allows these polishes to remove defects, even on brand
new paint finishes, with no loss of surface gloss and no micro-marring. When a
silicon-free polish is used to eliminate surface scratches it works on the surface
of paint using aluminium oxide spheres, suspended in water and hydrocarbon oils
and a mechanical process to abrade the surface of the paint down to the level
of the bottom of the scratch.
As enthusiasts become more
sophisticated in their knowledge and use of car care products, they demand
better products. They want to use the same products used by the car
manufacturers.
If you have a need to remove
blemishes, swirl marks, spider webbing, or any nasty paint problem, and / or
require a superior gloss finish the Menzerna polishes will become your go-to
polishes.
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) Polishes
These products were
specifically formulated to polish out any defects found on Nanotechnology PPG
CeramiClear™ Clear Coat, along with a high speed pneumatic ¾ - inch (19 mm) offset
orbital polisher on the OEM production line of vehicle manufacturing plants,
using high speed friction to break-down the diminishing abrasives, while in the
controlled temperature / humidity environment (working temp range 60 – 80.oF
(15-26.oC) of a vehicle manufacturer’s paint shop finishing line.
These are Germany's best
polishes and are used at OEM plants by
Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, VW and Porsche plants in Germany, Volvo in
Sweden, Renault in France, Fiat in Italy and here in the US at Daimler-Chrysler
and General Motors Corvette.
In 2002 Classic
Motoring Accessories first started to import Menzerna directly from Germany to the US
for the enthusiast market; as these products are formulated for German OEM and
this is the market sector they wanted to concentrate on
Menzerna polishes and
compounds are used by so many European vehicle manufacturers because they get a
premium product that allows them to produce consistent results on their
vehicles. Consistency is the ultimate goal of mass production. Many over the
counter (OTC) products use subpar abrasives, i.e., they’re chunky or irregular.
They have some of the strictest standards in uniformity, size, and shape of
their abrasives.
Menzerna mill abrasives as
fine as 0.3 µ (micron), all milling is done in house so they can maintain total
control over their polishes from start to finish. That’s how you know you’re
getting a superior product.
These polishing compounds
are capable of removing grit sanding marks with minimal or no loss of surface gloss.
Besides being exceedingly surface friendly, the polishes are water-based and
silicone-free. They are ideal for use on new paint finishes in a body shop or
manufacturing environment.
Menzerna polishes are
formulated for quick and clean defect removal with minimal finishing work.
Often you can go from compound polishing to wax (LSP) application without
additional polishing.
The Advantages of using Menzerna Polishes
•
Water-based
•
Contains no fillers (developed for the OEM market where a filler
is prohibited)
•
Safe on all types of paint, including clear coat, lacquer, nano
technology ceramic, and acrylic
•
Little or no loss in surface gloss
•
Uniform abrasives
•
Safe on new paint and factory cured paint
•
Clean, often one-step defect removal
•
Low or no dusting
•
Superior gloss on any colour paint surface
•
Minimal polishing is required to restore gloss to dark paints
Not only does Menzerna mill
abrasives as fine as 0.3 µ (micron), they have developed some of the tightest
quality control procedures in the industry. These polishing compounds are TUV
approved (the German Automotive Safety Council) and meet or exceed ISO 9001
standards, the highest in the world.
These polishes are
water-based; technically, they're an oil-in-water emulsion. They do contain a
petroleum distillate (mineral oils) a lubricant, not a solvent. They do not
contain any glazes or silicones.
These diminishing abrasive
polishes are foam pad ‘dependant’ as far as its paint correction / renovation
abilities are concerned and they appear to work better when the foam pad is
‘primed’ (a very slightly distilled water dampened foam; do not use a quick
detailer (QD) as most are formulated with either a wax or a polymer; however
they are not easily adaptable to a spray formula.
To be efficient they need to
be emulsified to work as a spray, to facilitate this they need to use an
emulsion of silicone oils and water. The wax will reduce the friction,
negatively impacting the diminishing abrasives; silicon-based products can also
have a negative effect on the surface / polish lubrication oils used by Menzerna
causing surface smearing. (See
also Silicone Removal, surface preparation)
Menzerna has customized many
of the formulas in the consumer line to allow the enthusiast to polish cured
paint. Slightly increasing the amount of lubricating oils already in the
formula gives the consumer the extra time needed to polish cured paint before
the polish starts to dry
These are Germany's best
polishes and are used at Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, Audi, VW and Porsche
plants in Germany, Volvo in Sweden, Renault in France, Fiat in
Italy and here in the US at Daimler-Chrysler and General
Motors Corvette.
PPG CeramiClear™ Clear Coat ®
Is a binary clear coat composition designed to offer long-term gloss and durability.
Formulated for use by Mercedes-Benz and first used on their 2005 Maybach
According to PPG engineers, this is the first automotive clear coat to use
Nanoparticle technology. PPG CeramiClear™ Clear Coat ® can still be damaged by
keys but most day-to-day use including degradation from ultraviolet radiation,
acid rain and salt is eliminated. Additionally, reported test results show that
it holds onto more than 80 percent of its gloss appearance after several months
of weathering and being run through the car wash.
This process results in an
extensively cross-linked, very hard paint finish that stands up better to
mechanical car washes and day to day abuse. This clear coat from PPG is the
only nanotechnology clear coat used on Mercedes production lines and is
approved for the repair of Mercedes and Nissans.
On the assembly line,
vehicles are painted by robot sprayers, proceed to an oven where the finish is
baked and travel about 100 yards to a “finessing” area. Here, while the paint
is still warm, inspectors walk around the vehicles and mark paint defects with
a grease pen. Still in the finessing area, paint technicians then go to work on
the vehicle, repairing the defects marked by the inspectors.
Technicians are given a
certain amount of time to correct all the paint defects. If a vehicle cannot be
completed, it must be shunted off the line to another staging area until all
the defects are corrected.
The problem with the ceramic
clear coat is that it is harder to correct than the comparatively soft clear
coats used by most other car manufacturers. Ceramic paint can still scratch;
just not as easily. When a scratch does occur, not all the polishes on the
market are capable of removing it from the new, hard-as-a-rock clear coats.
Shelf-Life
a) Polymers have a shelf
life of approx. 3-5 years if kept in their original containers and stored at
temperatures as above
b) Polish - technically 2
years, however if bottle is kept closed, and the product has not separated,
there would be no problem with use for four years after sale date.
c) Waxes will last almost
indefinitely, provided that they are stored a sealed in their original
containers and in the refrigerator or controlled environment once opened. The
liquids should last 18 months if stored at normal room temperature.
If product emulsion
separates it could be indicative of age (but not necessarily past its useful
life) shake vigorously for 5-10 minutes and see if the product remixes.
Temperature that affect Application
Detailing products should be
applied to a cool dry surface out of direct sunlight (actual surface
temperature of the vehicle) ideal range between 50 (10.oC) and 80.oF
(26.oC) the carrier system for waxes is solvents, while polishes
(and waxes) use oils for surface lubrication. At higher surface temperatures
they evaporate allowing products to dry out and start to solidify
These are the temperatures
and conditions that are relative to the application of car care products; the
most important is the actual surface temperature of the vehicle. The other
things that will have a direct bearing on this is the humidity as this will
affect the cross-linking (cure) time, excess humidity will also affect ‘how’ a
wax or sealant dries (i.e. it may cause hazing or clouding of the surface) and will
also prolong fabric / carpet drying
times
Humidity and dew point
saturation temperature (the temperature which water vapour will condense into
water) will also affect the application of waxes and sealants. Micro particles
of moisture will form on the horizontal panels and due to the oil content in
waxes it will inhibit the adhesion process, water will interfere with the
cross-linking of a polymer sealant
The other climate related
condition that should be avoided when applying car care products is direct
sunlight, as this will dramatically increase the surface temperature compared
to ambient temperatures causing the product to dry prematurely and may render
it ineffective.
·
Surface Temperature (actual surface temperature of the vehicle)
between 50 (10.oC) and 80.oF (26.oC) products
will work well within a much broader temperature range, i.e. 45. °F to 90.° F
(4.5-32.oC) but at 45 degrees it will take much longer to dry,
perhaps as much as two to three hours) but the best results will be achieved in
the 60° to 70° F (15-21.oC) range.
·
Humidity and dew point saturation temperature (the temperature
which water vapour will condense into water) will also affect the application
of waxes and sealants.
Micro
particles of moisture will form on the horizontal panels and due to the oil
content in waxes it will inhibit the adhesion process, water will interfere
with the cross-linking of a polymer sealant
·
Most detailing products contain solvents that if used on a hot
surface will flash (evaporate) and will negatively affect the product used.
·
The oils and waxes used in polishes to provide surface
lubrication will evaporate, leading to dry buffing and surface scratches
·
Using cold water on hot metal will cause heat stress, which will
lead to the metal deforming, cracking and failure (rotors, engine parts) once
they are warped the brakes cannot work, thermal shock could also cause the
engine block structurally fail.
·
The same principle applies to hot water on a cold surface (i.e.
defrosting ice from a windscreen)
·
Cold ambient temperatures
(40.°F >) - water- based products (polish, wax, fabric cleaners, etc.)
will be negatively affected at lower
temps i.e. some polishes use wax as a lubricant, which will solidify during
lower temp conditions, causing the polish to 'clump' and become unworkable
Polish Methodology (polishes and pad selection)
Diagnosis is the key; not guesswork;
examine the vehicles bodywork, a ‘bag-test will ascertain the need for
detailer’s clay, and a 3M Sun Gun or a Brinkman light will help you find any
evidence of surface blemishes i.e. swirl marks and scratches.
The most important first
step in the process of paint surface detailing is diagnosing the paint surface;
density of clear coat (hard or soft) or single stage paint, surface condition;
ascertain the severity of the surface blemishes with an inspection light and
the paint thickness available.
The paintwork should be
evaluated with a paint thickness gauge to see what thickness of clear coat
remains before you decide how much paint renovation can be safely carried or
wither paint preservation would be the appropriate option, before you proceed,
measuring with a paint thickness gauge will dictate the choice and abrasiveness
of polish / compound for correction or renovation level required or indeed possible
Measuring with a paint
thickness gauge will dictate the choice and abrasiveness of polish / compound
for correction or renovation level required or indeed possible. Assess the
correction level working through the range of polishes from the lightest abrasive
upwards until the desired level of correction is reached. Selecting the correct
pad / polish combination for the vehicles paint / defects can take just as long
as the paint correction process
When removing defects from
the paint surface, consider not only which polish / compound you'll be using,
but how you'll be using it. You choice of machine speed, pad construction, pad
size and applied pressure will all impact the abrasive abilities of the
polishing liquid.
Decide on a one, two or
three step polishing routine and select a suitable pad. After testing a section
to confirm this method, Select an area of 18 x 18-inches and tape it off with
painter’s tape, as this is an optimal working section to perform a product test
spot; this will help establish a process that will produce the best possible
finish, once this is established repeat the process over the entire paint
surface.
Select a Test
Spot – or typical area (i.e. one
that represents the type of defects that you want to remove) and starting with
the least abrasive polish and / pad combination and then proceed until the
defects are removed. This is the polish / pad combination you’ll need to use.
Selecting the correct pad / polish combination for the vehicles paint / defects
can take just as long as the paint correction process
Always choose the least intrusive product, it is preferable to
polish 2-3 times to restore the paint film surface than to use an unnecessarily
abrasive machine polish / foam pad combination.
Grit Numbers
Sandpaper
or finishing paper is the most common item from a larger group of products
known as "coated abrasives" i.e. Aluminium oxide.
When
talking about "grit" is a reference to the number of abrasive
particles per inch of finishing paper (sandpaper). The lower the grit the more
abrasive and conversely, the higher the grit number the lesser (smoother) the
finishing paper
When talking about abrasive
finishing paper, "grit" is a reference to the number of abrasive
particles per inch of paper. It eliminates the risk of deep sanding scratches
by providing a uniform grit size. This makes sense if you imagine how small the
grit particles on a 1000-grit finishing paper would need to be to fit into a 1-
inch square. Grit finishing paper is referred to by the size of its abrasives
(i.e. 1500-grit paper) the grit you use depends on what you are trying to do.
Foam Pads are also rated on
a grit number, that is to say the scratches they will remove after using grit
finishing paper along with a similarly rated polish (i.e. 2500 grit rated pad and
polish combination will remove the marks left after using 2500 grit finishing
paper)
Auto
polishes and compounds have a grit number associated with them. This is the
level of grit made on a paint surface by finishing paper on newly applied OEM
paint on the production line i.e. before it has been oven dried and cured
Be cognizant that both
polish / compound and pad grit numbers are referenced to a rotary polisher
using wool pads (to the best of my knowledge they have never been changed to
suit orbital polishers or foam pads)
Select an abrasive polish to
match the scratch you are trying to remove. It makes no sense to use a very
aggressive polish, that will remove most scratches but at what cost to clear
coat thickness. Both foam pads and polishes have a grit number) most polishes
will state the level of scratch removed by stating grit numbers i.e. will remove 2000 grit scratches caused
by using 2000 grit finishing paper
Once you have identified the
scratch ‘grit’ marks you can match a polish and a foam pad (i.e. 2500 grit
marks, require a polish that is capable of removing 2500 grit (number) marks,
matched with a suitable cutting pad (e.g. Menzerna Power Finish
(PO203S) this is a one-step scratch remover polish that will remove 2500
grit, matched with a LC White light cutting foam pad)
1.
1000 < grit Heavy - (Compound) levels and removes heavy
defects
2.
1200 grit Heavy - levels moderate to heavy defects
3.
1500 grit Medium - levels light to moderate defects
4.
2000 grit Moderate - levels light defects and removes hazing
5.
2500 grit Light - levels swirl marks, light defects and removes
hazing
6.
3000 grit Fine - very minor corrective ability, burnishes paint
to high gloss
Polishing Technique
Start by
polishing a small area for a few seconds to ‘warm’ the oil lubrication system
and the wax thickener within a 5 - 6 inch area with a few small passes. The
idea here is to polish for a few seconds just to liquefy the wax and warm the
oils that are used for surface lubrication.
Spread the
polish over the work area, it should spread easily, continue your passes at
1200 – 1500 RPM until the diminishing abrasives have broken down, the polish
will become translucent, similar to the look of Vaseline® and then reduce the
speed to 1000RPM for one or two final passes
A non-linear abrasive that
require kinetic friction and applied pressure, while the majority of polishes
on the market use a form of diminishing (non- linear) abrasive, which you
polish until it turns translucent; when a polish "flashes" from a
liquid paste to a light semi-dry haze, much like a coating of Vaseline®,
proceed until it looks like a clear oil and then stop; the diminishing polish
has then broken down and is ready for removal.
Diminishing abrasives, as
the name suggests; the abrasives become smaller with friction, and therefore go
from removing paint defects to polishing the paint, which produces the shine.
If you don't break them down sufficiently, you are just grinding those abrasive
particles into your paint, without polishing it, which can leave behind marring
and other paint surface imperfections.
Levelling paint
When a paint renovation detailer uses this
term it really means that they are going to be abrading the surrounding paint
area that that contains the defect (scratch, swirls, surface marring, etching,
pitting, etc.)
It is possible to remove a
scratch by abrading the clear coat to a lower level then the base of the
scratch, which will remove clear coat, just be aware of how much you remove, as
you don’t want to compromise the paint systems protection.
What makes a scratch visible
is that it makes the paint surface two-dimensional and the light reflects from
the microscopic fissures and scratches differently from the rest of the paint
surface
Polishing or levelling a
paint surface refers to the process of removing scratches, using different grit
finishing papers of progressively finer grit or foam / wool pads with
progressively denser pads to get a smooth finish.
Each scratch has a
corresponding grit number to identify the depth of the scratch i.e.1000 grit
scratches are deep, whereas 3000 grit are very fine surface scratches. The
process involves identifying the scratch by its grit number and then removing
them progressively by using a range of grit numbers i.e. a surface that has a
1500 grit scratch is polished with a corresponding 1500 grit polish and foam
pad, this combination will leave its own fine scratches that correspond to the
size of the abrasive used, this can then be removed with 2000 or 3000 grit
polish / pad combination
Proceed with this
in mind; always choose the least intrusive product, it is preferable to polish
2-3 times to restore the paint film surface than to use an unnecessarily
abrasive machine polish / foam pad combination. Before commencing polishing do
a test panel on the car, once you have achieved the desired results with your
selected polish / pad combination then proceed to polish the rest of the panels
Paint
System Thickness- Most
modern vehicle paint film systems comprise; Primer coat of 2Mils, Colour coat
of 1-2Mils, Clear coat 2-3Mils. Removing more than 0.3 mil (7.5µ) of
clear coat will cause premature paint film failure. As a point of reference two
sheets of Saran wrap placed on top of each other measure 1.5Mil (0.0015")
a surface scratch that will `catch' your fingernail is approximately
0.004" deep will usually require wet sanding and refinishing.
Paint Removed by Polishing
Using a medium abrasive
polish and a rotary polisher will remove approximately 0. 1 Mil (3µ Microns)
from the paint surface (typically 4 passes at 1500-1800 RPM) but there are many variables such as
polish/compound and speed / pressure used that may affect the paint removed)
There comes a point when you must judge whether removing a scratch will compromise
the clear coat and if so you’ll have to ‘live’ with the imperfection. If you
have reservations about the amount of paint surface removed or the amount of
paint coating remaining the use of a paint thickness gauge (PTG) is arbitrary
To remove a scratch you need
to level the paint to the lowest point of the scratch. A random orbital
polisher requires more pressure to utilize an abrasive than a circular polisher
and its orbital action is a less efficient motion for removing a scratch from a
paint surface; due partly to its indirect application of pressure; using a
medium abrasive polish it usually takes 8-10 steps. A rotary polisher requires
less pressure and its circular motion is a more directly applied force will
remove more paint for each polishing step, which is usually 2-3 to remove surface
defects.
The dual action of a random
orbital motion will require more applied pressure to work the compound into the
scratch as opposed to the singular action motion of a rotary spinning with less
applied pressure; and for these reasons a random orbital polisher removes more
paint than a rotary circular polisher to remove the same surface defects
Block wet sanding (finishing
paper and a sanding block) is the most efficient process for paint defect
removal a polish or compound is applied by the sanding block with a constant
pressure applied to maintain a flat and even surface contact. Because of its
linear process you abrade the paint surface until the defects are removed.
There comes a point when you
must judge wither removing a scratch will compromise the clear coat and if so
you’ll have to ‘live’ with the imperfection. If you have reservations about the
amount of paint surface removed or the amount of paint coating remaining the
use of a paint thickness gauge (PTG) is arbitrary
Painter’s Tape (Masking Tape)
Use to mask around windows,
badges, vinyl or rubber trim, can also be used to mask panel edges to avoid
thinning the paint surface
3M Scotch® Safe-Release TM
Painters' Masking Tape, this tape removes cleanly from a paint film or glass
surface without adhesive transfer or surface damage for up to 14 days - even
when exposed to direct sunlight. It is a medium adhesion tape with a flexible
crepe backing allows for exceptional conformability to semi-smooth surfaces.
Surface Filling / Masking Abilities
Every polish that uses oils
or polymers for lubrication will fill surface marks that are not removed and
mask defects. If you don’t remove the lubricating oils (Anhydrous Isopropyl
(99%) Alcohol (AIPA) wipe-down then you are by passing the post polish inspection
and the oils left behind will mask the defects.
Priming / Seasoning Pads
The main reason for priming
a pad is to ensure that the accumulated mass of the polish / compound is on the
upper surface or contact area of the pad, this ensures that the working surface
of the pad has sufficient product allied to its lubrication, avoiding any dry
foam having contact with the paint surface for maximum polishing effectiveness.
By ensuring
the pad doesn’t become saturated with polish it allows the in-built cushioning
effect and the pads designed foam qualities; i.e. density (or rebound), compression
(‘hardness or stiffness) and without altering its in-built air-flow, which
will decrease its heat dissipating abilities, causing it to transfer more
kinetic friction heat to the surface
Polishes and compounds
appear to work better when the foam pad is ‘primed’ some things to note about
pad priming: the cutting ability is increased, a better finish is obtained, it
reduces any solvent-based product ‘flashing’ problems, it produces a more even
finish and the polishing machine is less
likely to hop.
Dampen the pad thoroughly
(do not over wet) as this will aid in compound/polish dispersion. You could
also wet the foam and press in a folded towel, do not wring the foam as this
could weaken the Velcro® backing. When the pad is dampened properly it becomes flexible
and much easier to use, this also helps the pad to absorb polish (capillary
action) efficiently.
Pad longevity may be increased as the water will dilute
any solvent, paint residue (oxidation) or abrasive materials as these will degrade
the structure of a pad, either by mechanical agitation or by absorption.
Dampened foam will be less
brittle and therefore less likely to tear or shred.
Spread the
polish / compound over the pad evenly and ensure it is absorbed into the foam, then spread that polish onto the pad by
hand until the pad face becomes 75 % saturated. After polishing for a minute or
two the pad will become more evenly saturated spraying water onto the surface
to induce capillary action to draw more abrasives to the surface of the pad for
more cut.
Once the pad
has been seasoned (pad face is saturated with product) you can reduce the
amount of polish / compound applied to the pad for subsequent passes; dependent
upon what you're trying to accomplish.
Once the pad is primed it
helps by spreading the abrasives uniformly and by keeping the pad flat thus ensuring constant paint /
polish contact it becomes similar to a piece of wet-sanding finishing paper,
the oils in the polish provide the lubrication (like the water does in wet-sanding)
Apply the compound or polish
to the surface and spread the polish using the foam pad with the (Orbital
Polisher) machine off. This coats the pad and the surface being polished with
product to prevent scratching or hazing the finish, then place the foam pad
flat on the surface and turn the machine on. Do no, under any circumstances,
turn the polisher on with any portion of the foam pad dry as this will produce
hazing.
Most polishes are formulated
by emulsifying a powdered abrasive in a carrier system (oil / solvent) the
right amount of pressure / friction heat is vital to allow the polish /
compound abrasives to level the paint surface and remove surface scratches /
marring
Some advantages to pad priming:
·
Increased cutting ability
·
Better surface finish
·
Eliminates carrier system (solvent) flashing problems
·
Surface is more evenly polished and polisher is easier to
control
Don’t use a quick detailer
or a pad conditioner as they are usually formulated with silicones, oils,
waxes, polymers, gloss enhancers, which will negatively affect the polish lubrication (exception Meguiar’s
Final Inspection Spray, diluted 1:1 distilled water) spraying water while polishing can
cause the foam pads abrasives to aquaplane, as water for all intents and
purposes is incompressible, so that the pad and the abrasive don’t have actual
surface contact, thereby negatively impacting the polishing process. Spread the
polish / compound over the pad evenly and ensure it is absorbed into the foam,
then spread that polish onto the pad by hand until it becomes 80% saturated.
To apply to the paint
surface; lightly raise the back of the machine so you are working with the top
1/3 of the pad. After polishing for a minute or two the pad will become more
evenly saturated with product and actually become softer from friction induced
heat build-up (seasoned). At this point, you can safely transition from a
tilted up to a flat polishing position. Every time you put a fresh pad on your
machine (and this should be done often) you should prime and then season it for
a minute or two before "flat" polishing.
Once the pad has been
seasoned (pad should be 80% saturated with product being used to compound /
polish) you can reduce the amount of polish / compound applied to the pad for
subsequent passes; dependent upon what you're trying to accomplish. If you use
too much polish or compound the oils will cause the surface to become over
lubricated, which will negatively impact the abrasive abilities
When you prime entire pad,
by spreading the abrasives uniformly and by keeping the pad flat thus ensuring constant paint /
polish contact it becomes similar to a piece of wet-sanding finishing paper,
the oils in the polish provide the lubrication (like the water does in
wet-sanding)
Polish
Lubrication
Gloss It EVP Pad Prime is
high-grade lubricating oil that greatly extends machine polishing times and
enables polishes to break down properly, even on the softest of paints. It
helps to extend pad life and reduce the amount of polish used, and therefore
pays for itself in the long run.
Works exceptionally well in
hot and humid conditions, where it prevents polishes from flashing off too
quickly, and is also useful in cold and damp conditions, where it prevents
temperature-sensitive polishes like Menzerna RD3.02 from clumping up and
becoming unusable.
Designed to be used
sparingly; only a single drop is required per panel to be polished; for best
results, add the drop to the centre of the pad and then place the pad on to the
panel to be polished and run your machine for a few seconds at low speed to
spread the oil evenly over the face of the pad.
CCS Foam Pads - patent pending, Collapsed
Cell Structure (CCS) Technology™, from Raisins Schaumstoffe, Gmbh., Germany
developed for and used by Mercedes-Benz These pads are manufactured from
thermally reticulated, urethane foam with an open cell structure, with a layer
of engineered, instant rebound foam between the pad and the backing plate to
absorb off-axis movements while keeping the pressure of the pad on the surface
constant.
The newer, harder,
scratch-resistant clear coats require longer polishing times to remove swirls,
spots and defects improves polish performance by slowing and controlling the
rate of polish absorption.
Quality foam pads used for
detailing are manufactured from specially engineered European foam, a blend of
thermal reticulated polyurethane with a 90% open cell structure, created
specifically for compounding, polishing and finishing vehicle surface paints.
This type of foam allows air to circulate through the pad to reduce spot heat
build-up.
In September of 2006, this
green, German foam was introduced with Collapsed Cell Structure (CCS)
Technology™ at Automekanica in Frankfurt, Germany. The newer, harder,
scratch-resistant clear coats require longer polishing times to remove swirls,
spots and defects. The longer you polish with conventional foam pads, the less
effective they become because polish migrates below the working surface of the pad,
it then dries out. It has a unique compression/load/deflection ratio which
means it conforms quickly to contours
This advanced, Collapsed
Cell Structure uses constant pressure
technology utilizes a layer of engineered, instant rebound foam between the pad
and the backing plate to absorb off-axis movements while keeping the pressure
of the pad on the surface constant, these foam pads were specifically developed
to polish the new, harder, scratch-resistant clear coats. Matching an
Engineered foam pad to a specific polish for maximum results takes a lot of R
& D to ensure optimum surface finishing results
Compounding, polishing and
finishing are different polishing methods that do not necessarily have to be
applied consecutively. The appropriate combination of polishing steps depends
on colour and quality of the coating as well as on the required quality of the
surface.
Never mix polishes on a foam
/ wool pad and never use a pad that been used for compounding for polishing
unless it’s been washed as there may be compound polish residue that will be
too aggressive for polishing
A System Approach
For the first time a
consortium of German and American companies have cooperated to enable a unique
solution for the care and maintenance of Nanotechnology surface coatings; an
American coatings manufacturer (PPG Inc.) a German abrasive compounds company (Menzerna
GMBH & Co) the largest supplier of polishes and compounds to Germany's
automakers and an American specialist manufacturer of Engineered European foam
(Lake County Mfg.) Proper Auto Care
first started to import Menzerna directly from Germany to the US for the
enthusiast market; as these products are formulated for German OEM and this is
the market sector Menzerna wanted to concentrate on, PAC asked LC to manufacture
the German Green foam pads for them as a re-labelled product
The Green CCS 6.5-inch foam
pads were specifically developed for use with Menzerna nanotechnology polishes
for the new, harder, scratch-resistant clear coats these include DuPont's
SupraShield™, PPG's Optech™ and PPG CeramiClear™ Clear Coat ™ the
new Nanotechnology ceramic clear coats being used by Mercedes Benz. While these
pads were specifically designed for use on these new clear coats, these pads
can also be used on conventional clear coats and single stage paints.
Nanotechnology (ceramic particle) clear coats
DuPont's SupraShield™, PPG's
Optech™ and PPG CeramiClear™ Clear Coat the new, Nanotechnology
ceramic clear coats being used by Mercedes-Benz. PPG CeramiClear™ comes in two commercial versions: CeramiClear,
a two-component clear coat, and Certech
Clear Coat ™ a single component
clear coat. Ceramic clear coat uses nanotechnology to
migrate silicon particles to the outer surface of the coating, creating a very
thin, hard, glass-like surface.
It sets a new standard for scratch resistance; at least three
times better than those of any prior coatings, while maintaining excellent acid
etch resistance
a)
Menzerna
polishes and compound
Super Intensive Polish
(SIP), Power Finish (PO203S) and Nano
Polish (106FF) these polishes contain nanotechnology ceramic particles, these micro diminishing
abrasives are milled finer and much harder, and also contain a higher abrasive
content, 7% were as the other polishes contain 3% abrasives
b) Lake Country
(LC) Mfg. CCS Technology, German Polishing Pads Green Foam Pad, these pads removes 2000 grit
sanding traces, swirls and paint defects with minimal or no surface dullness or
haze. The diminishing abrasives allows these polishes to remove defects, even
on brand new paint finishes, with no loss of surface gloss and no micro-marring
These products were
specifically formulated to polish out any defects found on Nanotechnology
ceramic clear coats, along with a high speed rotary polisher.
The newer, harder,
scratch-resistant clear coats require longer polishing times to remove swirls,
spots and defects. The longer you polish with conventional foam pads, the less
effective they become because polish migrates below the working surface of the
pad; the pad dries out. Collapsed Cell Structure technology solves this problem
using strategic patterns of partially closed foam cells. These cells slow the
rate of polish absorption, gradually releasing polish as needed by the
operator. CCS pockets reduce surface tension, prevent pad skipping and allow
the operator to run the pad flat on the working surface.
Both of these pads (German
Green and the Orange Power Pad) are thermally reticulated, urethane foam with a
99% open cell structure especially developed for Nanotechnology paints. These
foam pads provide ample surface contact to effectively work the paint.
The pockets are small so
they don't affect the amount of foam continuously touching the paint during
operation. Standard foam pads are flat-cut, CCS foam pads have the top edge
rounded over because it prevents pads from snagging while working in tight
spaces.
For most hard clear coats this combination will produce
excellent results - Menzerna Super Intensive Polish IP2000 on an Lake
County (LC) Orange pad and / or (LC) Green foam pads
Notes
Polish / Pad Combinations
All abrasive polishes are ‘foam pad and applied pressure dependant’ as
far as their paint correction abilities are concerned. If we consider the Lake
County (LC) White foam (50 PPI) polishing pad as the baseline; any polish used
will derive help from the abrasive abilities of the foam. Then
consider the LC Blue (70 PPI) finishing pad has no abrasive ability and will
contribute nothing to the cutting capability of a polish.
What is derived from this is
that a polishes abrasive ability can be ‘fine-tuned’ by using different
combinations (abrasiveness) of polish and foam (the same thing is true of wool
pads) and of course differing the amount of downward pressure (10-15 Lbs is the
usual range) applied will also have an effect on the abrasives capability of a
polish or compound as well as other factors (See also Foam Pad
Selection and Use)
Typical speed to spread
product; 600-1000 RPM, single pass, working speeds 1000 – 1800 RPM. Here are just a few examples of foam pad and Menzerna
polish combinations.
Polish - Pad Combination
Patience and methodical analysis is often
the only way to select the optimum polish, pad combination. I've found through
trial and error that with these polish / pad combinations you should be able to tackle
most paint correction problems.
The low profile 5.5 inch
buffing pads pack the same CCS technology and performance into a compact,
highly effective size that works best with dual action polishers and air
sanders.
Use with a moulded urethane
backing plate (0.5-inch smaller in diameter that the pad used) for excellent
flexibility and balance by Lake Country (LC)
manufacturing
·
Menzerna Super Intensive Polish IP2000 with a Lake County (LC)
Orange pad, or a SurBuf®
R Series or an LC Purple Foamed Wool pad
·
Menzerna Power Finish PF2500 with a Lake County (LC)
Orange or a Green pad
·
Menzerna Final Polish FF4000 with a (LC) White pad or
use a (LC) Black or Gold pad for finessing
·
Lake County (LC) foam pads- 2 each - Purple Foamed Wool (PFW),
Orange, Green, White and Black foam pads
·
A
flexible backing plate and a foam pad with a cut-out design can be of benefit when
dealing with surface contours and angles as they tend to conform to these
shapes better than a plain flat pad, they also tend to transfer less heat. They
also provide an extra level of cushioning while polishing curved surfaces,
distributes pressure evenly over the contact area of the pad, they are less
aggressive than a more rigid backing plate and will help to reduce swirls
Single-Step
When
performing this level of polishing, you're typically trying to accomplish as
much correction as you can while at the same time finishing down as well as is
feasible for a 1-step polish.
Menzerna Power
Finish PO203S and a Lake County (LC) Orange or a Green pad
Menzerna Final
Finish PO106FA on a (LC) White pad (single stage, soft
paint)
Two-Step Combinations
Some paints are hard,
finicky, or have deeper imperfections that won't correct after one pass with
your polish and you need to work them a bit in order to achieve that next
10-15% of correction.
a)
1. Menzerna Super
Intensive Polish SI 1500 on an (LC) Orange pad
2. Menzerna Final
Finish FF 3000 or SF 4000 on a (LC) White pad
Or b)
This combination removes
2000 grit scratches and produces a refined finish
1. Menzerna Power Finish PF 2500 on a
(LC) Orange or Green pad or a SurBuf® R Series
2. Menzerna Final
Polish SF 4000 on a (LC) Black or Gold pad
Or c)
1. Menzerna
Super Intensive Polish IP 2000 on an (LC) Orange pad
2. Menzerna Final
Polish SF 4000 on a (LC) White pad
Three-Step
Combinations
a) When performing this
type of polishing, you're typically trying to accomplish as much correction as
you can while at the same time finishing down to a level suitable to apply a
(LSP) paint protection product
1. Menzerna Super
Intensive IP 2000 on an (LC) Orange pad or a (LC) Purple Foamed Wool (PFW) pad
2. Menzerna Final
Finish SF 4000 on a (LC) White pad
3. Menzerna Final
Polish PO85RD on a (LC) Black pad
Or b)
1. Menzerna Power
Finish PO203S an (LC) Yellow or a (LC) Purple Foamed Wool (PFW) pad
2. Menzerna Super
Intensive Polish SF 4000 on an (LC) Orange pad
3. Menzerna Final
Polish SF 4500 on a (LC) White pad
Specific Paint types / Polish and (Lake
County (LC) Foam Pad Combinations:
a) Dark, Single Stage or Soft Paint Finishes - Final
Polish SF 4500 black or dark coloured paint surfaces, and 'soft' paint - 1200
RPM - (LC) White primary (softer less
dense foam (70 PPI) with a light abrasive cutting action) (LC) CCS foam pad
followed by a secondary (LC) Blue
finishing (very soft 100 PPI) (LC) CCS foam pad - 1100 RPM
b) Light / Medium Paint Correction - Power
Finish PF 2500 on and Final Polish SF 4500 on a (LC) CCS Green / (LC) Blue foam or Micro Mesh TufBuf ® black lamb’s wool pads 1500 - 2000 RPM, should be all you need.
c) Paint Renovation - Power
Gloss PG 1000 (LC) Purple wool pad 1500 – 1800 RPM, it has a short work time and
slow cut.
d) Hard
and medium hard paints - that require two-step correction Power
Gloss PG 1000 followed by a Final Polish SF 4500 as a
finishing polish.
e) Soft
and medium soft paint - Final Polish SF 4500
f) Paint
finishing - Final Polish SF 4500 on hard paints, PF 2500 Power Finish on medium and PO 106FA for soft paints
Combination for Most Polish Projects
Menzerna PG 1000 Power Gloss or Power Finish PF 2500 along with a suitable
Menzerna pad and SF 4500 will take care of 80% of
your paint renovation projects
·
Rotary machine 5" Menzerna Backing Plate M14 x 2 thread
·
This compounding pad
is very firm and has an aggressive cutting action which will remove even deep
scratches and severe oxidisation
·
This polishing pad
used at OEM levels by many major automotive manufacturers offers a softer less
dense structure over that of the compounding pad. What that means is you have a
pad that has enough cut to remove surface oxidisation and swirls whilst at the
same time allowing polishes to break down perfectly to a bright glossy finish.
·
The finishing pad
is a much welcome addition to the Menzerna line up of pads. It's the missing
link in being able to finish to the very highest levels of gloss. The pad is
also ideal for using on softer paints, so it's now possible to achieve the same
Menzerna trademark finish on all paint types
Menzerna Paint Refresh - formulated
to remove dust, dirt and fingerprints from all paint surfaces, leaving a high
gloss finish with the added benefit of a light protective barrier. With a
single application it will leave the surface looking great and will also leave
a smooth and slick-feeling without any harmful silicone. Paint Refresh will
help to keep the surface clean by repelling water, dust and dirt with its
anti-static formula. Safe for all surfaces, Paint Refresh can be used on chrome,
plastic and even glass without leaving any hazy residue.
Polish / Compound Application
If you were to apply polish
to a body panel, and then place a pad on the surface and turn the machine on,
it would be very difficult to control and will produce hazing. This is due to
most of the pad being "dry". (See
also Pad Priming)
Polishes and compounds
appear to work better when the foam pad is ‘primed’ some things to note about
pad priming: the cutting ability is increased, a better finish is obtained, it
reduces any product ‘flashing’ problems, it produces a more even finish and the
polishing machine is less likely to hop.
Use a very slightly
distilled water dampened pad, not too wet (otherwise the polish will clump);
then spread two or three pea sized drops of polish / compound
Do not use a quick detailer
(QD) as a pad primer medium as most are formulated with either a wax or a
polymer; however they are not easily adaptable to a spray formula. To be
efficient they need to be emulsified to work as a spray, to facilitate this
they need to use an emulsion of silicone oils and water. The wax will reduce
the friction, negatively impacting the diminishing abrasives; silicon-based
products can also have a negative effect on the surface / polish lubrication
oils used causing surface smearing.
As a polish or a compound
uses either oil or a polymer as a lubricant the water content of a quick
detailer (80 – 90%) is not miscible and therefore acts as a buffer between the
pad and the polish negatively affecting the abrasive abilities of both
diminishing and non-diminishing abrasives.
Apply the compound or polish
to the surface and spread the polish using the foam pad with the (Orbital
Polisher) machine off. T
his coats the pad and the surface being polished with
product to prevent scratching or hazing the finish, then place the foam pad
flat on the surface and turn the machine on. Do no, under any circumstances,
turn the polisher on with any portion of the foam pad dry as this will produce
hazing.
Most polishes are formulated
by emulsifying a powdered abrasive in a carrier system (oil / solvent) the
right amount of pressure / friction is vital to allow the polish / compound
abrasives to level the paint surface and remove surface scratches / marring
Work the polish until it
goes clear, somewhat like Vaseline™, proceed until it looks like a clear oil
and then stop
Surface Filling / Masking Abilities
Every polish that uses Kaolin
(China clay) oils or polymers for lubrication will fill surface marks that are
not removed and mask defects. If you don’t remove the lubricating oils with an
isopropyl alcohol (IPA) wipe-down then you are by-passing the post polish
inspection and the oils left behind will mask the defects.
Pores per inch (PPI)
Compressible, open cell
polyether polyurethane reticulated foam is usually specified by pores per inch
(PPI).The greater number of pores per inch generally equates to foam that is
softer; and has less abrasive ability, less density, more porosity and easier
compression.
There is no recognisable
standard for the abrasive abilities of foam, other than a colour assigned; most
foam manufacturer’s that supply foam to detailer’s product vendor assign their
own colours to donate abrasion. On this basis a PPI rating allows abrasive
ability comparisons between different foams
The thicker consistency
products (i.e. a hard wax) seem to work best with a more porous pad; a very
tight pad used with these types of products seems to load up and clog the pad,
which in a turn leads to product clumping.
When applying light
consistency products (i.e. liquid polymer) a more porous pad will absorb and
waste product
Abrasive Rating
Foam Pad Size (Area and Applied Pressure)
Smaller pads in general will
offer you more control with any buffer, as it can reduce the tendency for the
buffer to skip on the paint surface. Smaller pads also make it easier to
manoeuvre in tighter areas and closer to trim pieces.
Assuming equal orbital
speed, orbital radius and foam compression (50% - 15 pounds of force applied)
the difference between 4- inch and 6 - inch pads is their different surface
area and therefore surface friction applied.
Nanotechnology and Conventional Surface Coatings
While these foam pads and
polishes were specifically designed for use on Nanotechnology clear coats, they
can be used very successfully to remove surface defects on any isocyanate
polyurethane conventional ‘hard’ clear coats (i.e. Audi, GM Corvette, BMW, etc.)
and as the polishes are ‘foam dependant’ with the correct combination of polish
/ foam pad they can also be used successfully on ‘soft’ clear coats
Micro Mesh TufBuf® Polishing Pads
Black Lamb’s wool polishing
pads are designed to repair clear-coat finishes, made from natural lamb’s wool,
durable, well-balanced and effective that major automotive manufacturers use
them, leaves clear-coat finishes with less haze and swirl than conventional
foam or wool polishing pads.
The dense 0.75 – inch nap
material has 60,000 fibres per square inch versus 13,000 per square inch for
synthetic pads, this nap surface distributes and applies material evenly and
consistently. This very soft 100% lamb’s wool pad can be used for final
(finesse) polishing as it’s even softer the LC CCS Gold Ultra soft foam
CCS Technology Green and Orange (German) Foam Pad
These pads have separate and uniquely distinct layers-
1. The top foam layer is the European,
engineered foam designed for each specific detailing task (i.e. polishing,
compounding, glazing, finishing and finessing).
2. The bottom, blue, foam band is the
constant pressure, instant rebound foam that keeps the pad's pressure on the
surface uniform.
3. These advanced pads also feature a
curved convex design; this curvature allows easy transitions over seams and
ridges.
To restore gloss and bring out the brilliance that German paints
are famous for, use the 6-1/2 inch, CCS, Green, German Polishing foam (60 PPI) pad and a finishing polish (PO
106 FA - Final Finish Polish / Super Finish)
This pad features a curved outer edge to allow easy transitions over
seams and inclines.
Orange Power foam (50
PPI) foam pad with a compound or cutting polish (FF 4500- Super Intensive
Polish) to remove or reduce swirls, spider webs, light scratches, and water
spots; this unique foam has the cutting power of a compounding pad but is specifically
designed to minimize or eliminate compounding haze (surface dullness).
These foam pads are easy to
use; they improve operator control, prevent product waste, reduce surface
‘spot’ friction induced heat and help to positively improve polishing end
results. The secret to successful machine polishing is using the correct type
and size of foam pad, and the correct machine operating speed (RPM) Foam pads
are available in various sizes from 3.5 to 8.0- inches diameter, but I have
found that for the application of a compound or polish the optimum size of a
foam pad for the whole of a vehicle panel (i.e. trunk, hood, fender, etc.) is
6.5 x 1.25– inch, that has an effective contact area of 5.5 to 6.0- inches.
For ‘spot repair’ on a
specific surface blemish or paint defect my preference is a 4- inch pad as this
allows me to focus on the problem area without affecting the surrounding area.
Do not use the same pad to
apply differing products as cross contamination will reduce the effectiveness
or completely negate their purpose altogether. A new or freshly cleaned pad
must be used with each type of car care product.
Wipe-Down Process
Anhydrous Isopropyl alcohol [Molecular formula C3H7OH: Proper Name: Isopropanolind] contains approx. 99% isopropyl alcohol,
is a colourless liquid with a pleasant odour, and is highly flammable.
Wiping the finish with a
Micro fibre cloth you may feel that the swirls have been removed, only to have
them reappear when applying the final wax or sealant. After polishing a
section, mist and wipe to fully remove residues and reveal the true paint
finish
1.
Polymer sealants will not form a proper
monocular bond with a paint surface if there are any oils present and it will
affect durability.
2.
Silicone will cause surface smearing and
will affect both bonding and durability
Wipe-down after polishing or
compounding allows you to inspect the surface to determine if the surface is
defect free or if further work is required. When polishing or compounding to
remove fine swirls or holograms, it's easy for residues to settle in the
swirls, hiding the true paint finish. The effectiveness of this process is
dependent upon a few factors; strength of product used, surface temp of paint,
pressure applied and number of passes will all affect the outcome.
The wipe down process should
be carried out both before to ensure
a surface that is free of any debris and after
to ensure that defects have been removed as opposed to masked by any
lubrication oils or fillers left behind after the polishing process. The wipe-down
process may need to be repeated to ensure a perfectly ‘clean’, debris free
surface
Removing surface oils - Isopropyl
alcohol (IPA) primarily encapsulates the oils, but once the alcohol evaporates
the oils may resettle on the surface.
Use a 10:1 ratio of P21S Total Auto Wash (pH controlled detergent, which
means a pH 10<) and 1:1 Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) / distilled water or a
lesser dilution as required
Application
methodology - Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) if used undiluted it flash dries
(evaporates) rapidly, which lessens surface inspection time and will also
redeposit the oils you're trying to remove. Alcohol and water will emulsify any
oils, enabling them to be removed
Fill a fine misting spray bottle with an 8:1
ratio of (IPA) / distilled water solution. Spray
the surface you have just polished and allow the solution sit for approximately
15 seconds. If it flashes
too quickly (hot surface or environment) use further dilution
Agitate the area with a clean, soft 100% cotton micro fibre
towel (you may need to repeat this process) change the towel to a fresh quarter after each panel to ensure
oil and debris are not re-deposited and
observe. What you have done is remove any silicone, wax, and oils that may have
filled any remaining swirls.
Now using your surface
inspection light, shine the light directly on the panel and look for fine
swirls. If they are still present, you should be able to see them. If not you
will see a clear bright reflection from the panel with a great shine, and
clarity
Alternative
products
a) Isopropyl
alcohol (IPA) - fill a fine
misting spray bottle with a 8:1 ratio of Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) / distilled
water solution spray the paint surface, leave it to dwell for 30-45 seconds,
agitate before wiping the paint surface with a clean, dry 100% cotton towel
b) Menzerna Top Inspection (PP95) – use to inspect
your work, use this water-based cleaner that removes dust left by compounding
and any lubricating oils so you can see the real results of your work. There
are no silicones or fillers, just gentle cleaning agents to uncover the real
condition of your vehicle’s paint.
c) Hi-Temp's Prep Wash - to
prepare a paint surface for polishing, compounding, wax and / or polymer
sealant application (especially if changing from a wax to a polymer product)
this is a water-based paint cleaner designed to remove all traces of silicone,
oil, and buffing residue from any exterior paint surface
d) DuPont PrepSol II™ - http://www.xurex.com/products.html)
spray onto a 100% cotton or a micro fibre towel and clean the surface
Note – a strong concentration of alcohol
(or a strong solvent) will fill the paint micro pores and cause the majority of
paint to swell and may be detrimental to its durability.
How much polish
Add two or three dime sized
drops of polish to a primed foam pad (or two thin lines in a cross, about 2 or
3 - inches long). This along with the distilled water will help to avoid
polishing with a dry pad. Thereafter, two dime sized beads is enough to polish
an area of 18 to 24- inches square
Apply the polish to the
surface and spread the polish using the foam pad with the machine off. This
coats the pad and the surface being polished with product to prevent scratching
or hazing the finish. Work the polish onto the paint surface at low speed 600
RPM – then using a light pressure begin working polish at 900 - 1000 rpm –
increase the speed to 1500 – 1800 RPM were most of the polishing work is done,
until the diminishing abrasives have broken down, then reduce the speed to
1200rpm and finally burnish the paint surface at 900 RPM.
A rotary polisher should
‘glide’ across the paint surface, if the polish is clogging up the pad, clean
the pad with a spur and reduce the speed, maintain this speed until the polish
has spread, then steadily increase the speed as the lubricants can have
different reactions to differing paint types, so your technique needs to be
adjusted accordingly (see also Diagnosis is the key; above)
The speed at which the foam
pad travels across a paint surface is also important, moving too fast won’t
allow the micro-abrasive to ‘beak down’, Machine linear speed; machine left to
right movement shown as inches per second (IPS) apply polish at an MLS of
3-inches per second with a rotary polisher (1.0 to 1.5-inch per second random
orbital buffer).
Heat from Kinetic (or dynamic) Friction
Kinetic friction induced
heat is an often misunderstood concept of polishing / compounding; abrasives
require friction to breakdown, not heat; heat is just a resultant of friction
between two surfaces.
Polishing a paint surfaces
transfer’s kinetic (or dynamic) friction induced heat to the paint surface,
thermoplastic polymers have both tensile strength and elongation (elasticity)
which allow the surface to flex, expand
and contract in accordance to surrounding temperatures, solvents, resins and
other ingredients in polishes will expand causing the paint film surface to
expand.
As the metal substrate
expands the paint moves with it, due to its elasticity, thereby becoming
elongated (thinner) this is part of the cause of friction induced ‘burn’,
you’re applying pressure and an abrasive to a less dense (‘thinner’) paint
surface.
Kinetic Friction induced
heat can cause a rapid temperature rise; (i.e. initial surface temp 80.oF,
friction heat attained with a stationary cutting foam pad at 1,100 RPM for
approx. ten seconds is approx. 104.oF) the paint temperature can be checked by
utilizing an instant read-out infra-red ‘gun’ thermometer, paint surface ‘spot’
temperature should be limited to 110.oF
In accordance with the
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) a spot temperature of 115.oF will
cause the urethane clear coat to soften and the foam pad will cause scratching
that is forced deep into the clear coat.
Using a Sliding Scale
600-900-1200 rpm- commence
by spreading the product and then start polishing by setting the speed to 600
rpm, then adjust to 900rpm culminating at 1200 rpm then descend to 900rpm and
finish at 600 rpm; linear speed should be 2 – 3 inch per second (IPS) 1200 rpm
is where most of the paint surface defects will be removed. There probably will
be some polishing defects (holograms, etc.) by descending the sliding scale
(1200-900-600 rpm) you will remove these and any other minor defects
Diminishing abrasives
A non-linear abrasive that
require friction - while the majority of polishes on the market use a form of
diminishing (non- linear) abrasive, which you polish until it turns
translucent; when a polish "flashes" from a liquid paste to a light
semi-dry haze, much like a coating of Vaseline® the diminishing polish has then
broken down and is ready for removal. Diminishing abrasives, as the name
suggests; the abrasives become smaller with friction, and therefore go from
removing paint defects to polishing the paint, which produces the shine. If you
don't break them down sufficiently, you are just grinding those abrasive particles
into your paint, without polishing it, which can leave behind marring and other
paint surface imperfections
Aluminium oxide has a
hardness factor MOHS 9 and will not break down during polishing. Rather the
larger clusters of aluminium oxide reduce in size. Bear in mind that
non-diminishing abrasive polishes are particularly sensitive to applied
pressure; as they require friction to
activate them; they should not finish up dry (dusting) but will always have a
hazy film to them.
The particulates in the
formula fracture under kinetic friction and pressure so you need less of the
product and you’re less likely to burn the paint because it requires a lower
speed. The particles start off by acting like a compound and then as they break
down their properties change to act more as a polish. Menzerna are famous for
producing uniform shaped particles in their polishes and this reduces hazing,
so it’s possible to go directly from compounding to a finessing polish
It is important to know when
a polish has broken down because if you take it too far you (dry polishing)
will re-introduce surface marring conversely if you don’t work diminishing
abrasives sufficiently they will cause surface marring (this is due to the size
of the abrasive and its cutting ability, once an abrasive has broken down it
will burnish the surface as opposed to cutting it)
When the polish is broken
down properly you should have a clear surface (somewhat like Vaseline®) the
polish will become clear but still barely visible on the pant surface. If it is
oily (Menzerna uses both oil and wax for paint surface lubrication) then either
too much polish was used or the diminishing abrasives were not sufficiently
broken down, if you don’t allow the polish to haze as it diminishes the
abrasives, stopping to soon, is like rubbing sand paper across the paint
Note that silicone has an adverse effect
on the oils used for surface lubrication and can cause the polish to smear,
also be aware that working outside you may have issues like excess humidity,
heat, cold, etc. that will affect their performance especially with the Nano
polish (SF 4000) as it uses wax as a lubricant (colder temps may cause the wax to
harden)
It should also be noted that
these polishes use oil in water emulsion for lubrication; if you are using a
polymer after polishing it will be necessary to wipe-down the paint surface
with Menzerna Top Inspection, or a 1:1 solution of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and
distilled water or DuPont’s PrepSol solvent.
The appropriate combination
of polishing steps (Compounding - Polishing - Finishing) depends on the colour,
quality of the paint surface and the desired finish quality of the paint
surface.
Surface preparation
Surface preparation is one
of the most important steps when polishing to achieve a flawless finish
Prior to the polishing
process; you’ll need to remove the old paint protection and any oxidation first
so you can get down to the bare paint where these contaminants have attached
themselves, using a chemical paint surface cleaner as any dirt and or oxidation
on the paint can interfere with the polish.
If the paint surface is
heavily contaminated (Industrial fall-out, Metallic Brake dust, Rust Blooms or
Oxidation) it may require a decontamination process (See Paint Decontamination
article)
The paint surface should be
as clean as possible, this will ensure that nothing comes between the polishing
pad and the surface to interfere with the abrasives and the pads will not get
clogged with surface debris. After polishing a wipe down allows you to inspect
the surface to determine if the surface is defect free or if further work is
required. When polishing or compounding to remove fine swirls or holograms,
it's easy for polish residues (oils, wax, silicone, etc.) to settle in the
swirls, hiding the true paint finish.
Wiping the finish with a
Micro fibre cloth you may feel that the swirls have been removed, only to have
them reappear when applying the final wax or sealant. After polishing a
section, mist and wipe to fully remove residues and reveal the true paint
finish.
[Can you
remove silicon from a clear coat completely? It is impossible to remove silicon
from a painted surface without using a chemical process so aggressive that it
dissolves the paint. Wax and grease removers will chemically remove one layer
of silicon off at a time but are unable to completely remove all the silicon.
Tests by Dr Michael Hauber at Menzerna using a spectroscope showed the layers
become thinner but the silicon remains. Removing silicon completely can take
place over time and involves a lengthy process of oxygen, chemicals, time and
sunlight.] Menzerna
Preparation- If the car has been treated with
silicon, use a wax and grease remover to remove as much of the silicon as
possible before polishing. You will not be able to remove it all but it helps.
When a silicon-free polish
works on the surface of paint it uses aluminium oxide spheres, suspended in
water and hydrocarbons and a mechanical process to abrade the surface of the
paint down to the level of the bottom of the scratch. Silicon cannot be removed
this way. Silicon is removed by a chemical means and is designed to resist
being removed by mechanical means. Instead the silicon mixes with the blend of
paint dust and polish powder and it creates a smear on the paint.
We should differentiate
between swirl marks in the silicon layer and swirl marks in the paint
underneath. Some polishes may appear to remove the swirl marks in the paint but
are really only working on the layer of silicon. So the swirl marks in the
paint itself remain unaffected by the polishing and reappear after a few weeks,
as the silicon is being removed by time.
Removing Silicone - polishing is a mechanical process;
silicon is a product that has been designed not to be removed by mechanical
abrasion. When using Menzerna to polish surfaces which have been previously
treated with silicon, a smear may result. It is important to understand why
this occurs.
Further Information
Menzerna polishing compounds
GmbH & Co. KG, P.O. Box 60, 76468 Oetighei, Germany
Phone: +49-7222-9157 0 - office@menzerna.com www.menzerna.com
3.
For information from a factory source (e-mail)
polish@menzernausa.com
4.
Product Information (Download) - http://www.menzerna.com/93.html?&L=1
5.
Material safety data sheet (MSDS) -http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/pd...menzerna
Information resource
1.
1.Chemistry Definitions (Terminology) Hamilton
2.
Glossary of Chemical Terms - Faculty of Chemical Technology
3.
Scorecard provides detailed information on more than 11,200
chemicals,
4.
National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA)
5.
The Royal Society of Chemistry; Cambridge, 1995
Silicon-Containing Polymers Jones, Richard, G.
6.
The American Solvents Council (ASC) Annual Occupational Hygiene,
Vol. 40, No.6, pp. 705-710,
7.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention -
http://www.cdc.gov/Workplace/
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