I had to use a little Code 80 touch-up paint on a spot about the size of a pencil eraser, on the outboard side of my right sideview mirror. Under most lighting conditions, the spot can not be seen easily w/ or
w/o the touch-up paint..

I am about to use rubbing compound for the first time. How gritty is rubbing compound? Can it scratch the surrounding factory paint? Should I be extra careful to try to scrub w/ in one direction or does it matter? Ideas / suggestions?

Thanks,

Gburg

 

DON'T do it. I used a little polishing compound on a small spot and it took my clear coat off. Now it looks worse.

 

I'd start with a lighter abrasive like the DuPont white enamel polishing compound and a damp rag or old wash cloth - - -increasing pressure with that should do the trick.

Regards-

 

I use 3M 06062. It's used for 1200 or finer. It can be bought at any auto paint supplier. here's a link http://repaintsupply.com/pd_perfectit_3000_rubbing.cfm#

 

Another 3M product option is Perfect-It II 05973. I used it on my 2006 before polishing with 3M Perfect-It II Foam Polishing Pad Glaze to prep for Zaino. Excellent results with absolutely no damage, but I already had experience using it before I trusted it for my Corvette. When used with a Porter Cable 7424 random orbital polisher, 05973 is completely safe for your clearcoat...just don't take a nap holding the PC in one spot. I would not buy that white paste compound in the flat can at Pep Boys...some of that stuff is extremely coarse. Even doing it manually, you can do damage.

The 3M description of 05973 is as a "medium cutting" compound...I think that must consider glazes as fine cutting materials. To give you an idea of the aggressiveness (or lack thereof) of 05973, I used it with the PC7424 to buff out a color-sanded repaint...it took a lot of buffing to remove 2000 grit sand scratches. It was not an easy task by any stretch...I had to go over the car several times.

Don't expect rubbing compound to do more than it's intended for...i.e. compound should be used to remove swirl marks, micro-scratches, or oxidation. For example, use some 2000 grit sandpaper on a HARD block to CAREFULLY knock down ridges, dirt, or other raised imperfections BEFORE you start with the compound. Motor Guard makes a set of three small aluminum "run" blocks that is perfect for this task. If you try to buff down all imperfections with compound, I wouldn't be surprised if you broke through the clear before you got it flat.

Edit: Link to 3M product information...I especially like that part that says "When followed by the 3M™ Perfect-It™ Foam Polishing Pad Glaze, this two-step system delivers a show-car luster in record time." http://products3.3m.com/catalog/us/e...eme_us_aad_3_0

 

Agree with everyone do NOT use Rubbing Compound is is way too coarse and will make a mess.
If you cannot find the 3M Products, then look for Meguairs Fine Cut Cleaner or Swirl Mark Remover.
I have used both with a excellent results. Fine Cut Cleaner is a bit coarser than the Swirl Mark Remover.

 

would suggest that you very very very cautiously work on the spot itself. Yes, you can definitely scratch teh clear coat around a little spot if you just rub at it indescriminately. If the spot is uneven or elevated above the rest of the paint, you can use very very fine grit wet or dry sandpaper 2000 or higher, but ONLY on the new paint, don't go over into the surrounding clear coat. It takes very cautious, steady, light-handed work to do it right, but you can make the spot all but disappear. It's the technique that is used by restorers to fix little chips, and requires a slow and easy does it approach both with the paint application and the sanding.

 

Practice on a car you don't care much about. If you have too, go to a junk yard and buy a panel to work on. If you are new to this type of finishing, I would not recommend you try it on your new Corvette before you practice.

 

 

Everything you want to know about car care can pretty much be found on www.autopia.org.



Josh

 

Hey Josh, check us out.

http://www.crossflagscorvetteclub.com

 

How sure are you that a little polishing compound removed your clearcoat? What polishing compound, how did you apply it, and what does it look like now? The reason I ask, is I have a lot detailing experince on C5 and C6's and have never had a problem with the clear coat.

fastskyline brought is Vette to me for a detail and I used some fairly aggresive compounds and polishes and his clear coat came out looking great.



My point being, maybe you just dulled the clearcoat.

As far as the orginal question, what type of rubbing compound are you considering using?

 

if you have a blob of touchup paint sticking up:

first wet sand it with 2000 grit sandpaper. pm me if you need help finding some.

once the surface is smooth, and level with the original paint, but all the sanded area to perfect gloss with 3M product number 39009 and a Porter Cable. start with a white pad.

If you find the 39009 is not aggressive enough to remove the sanding scratches, you can move up to 39002 with an orange pad.

I've used both products and pads. For the Corvette, I think the 309002 is necessary. On other vehicles and bikes, the 39009 is enough to bring the gloss back.

When sanding, yes, sand in one direction and check your progess after each two or three passes. Check your progress frequently while polishing with the PC as well.

 

I have scratches, light, in the clear coat on my black hood because I did a crappy job with a paint chip touchup. I tried Meguiars Polish, and they simply got worse. I tried polishing compound, worse yet and a haze in the paint to boot (more of them, too). I went to New Finish Scratch Doctor and it took out the haze, used Crystal 7 (Meg's) and then NXT wax, but the scratches are still there.

I understand that the clear is very hard and you need to (if by hand) apply the ScrtchX/Scratch Dr. stuff vigorously and repeatedly. Also, you really can't hurt the clear by 'lowering' the surrounding paint to the level of the scratches--if they are fine and shallow, as these are. Is that correct? Meguiars forum says to repeat ScratchX until you get them out--and with good pressure. It really bugs me--my fault and I want to get the (&(^ things out. You can't even see them outside unless you look really closely, but I see them under the fluorescent lights in the garage. You guys seem to know what you're talking about. HELP!!!

 

I used turtle wax polishing compound and scratch remover that i had for years in my garage. I put it on a paper towel to try and remove a love bug stain on the front. I rubbed and rubbed it but the bug stain is still there. Now it is a dull spot with no shine.

 

I had to use it because I scraped into another car which made deep scratches. Probably very close to the primer. I used the rubbing compound onto the deeply scraped area, but was very careful because I didn't want to make the problem MUCH worse. There still remains portions of the deep scratches, (maybe 2 or 3 deep ones about 3"-4" long) but I stopped when I became fearful that I may go all the way down the primer. I then used McGuire’s Scratch X to get rid of the scratches made from the rubbing compound. I don't own a buffer, so this is a real pains taking process. I still haven't finished with the scratch X, as there are still rubbing compound scratches. My last step will to use a couple of layers of wax. Yep, I'm sure I went through the clear coat, but unless I pointed it out, a person wouldn't even notice it. As you all know, it's the first thing I see, because I know it's there. Maybe in a year or 2, when it's the best can be, and I'm no longer fixated with it I wont notice it as much.

 

This may give you a way to compare the cutting ability of polish / compound (as stated be very cautious when using a compound polish)

The abrasion or cutting ability of a polish on a 0-10 scale (least abrasive to most, a rating of 0 would constitute a functionally nonabrasive material (i.e. Diatomaceous earth )a 10 rating would be a 1000 Grit Abrasive

3M Perfect It
Extra Cut Rubbing Compound III- (05936) - 8/10 1
Micro Finishing Compound II - (39001)-7/10 1
Fine Cut II - (39002)-6/10
Machine Polish II- (39003) -5/10

1 Most polishes that have a CAS scale rating of 7/10 + will obtain better results when applied using a HS rotary polisher
2 Contains a chemical cleaner

 

You used a bad product, applied it poorly, and didn't follow up with a lighter polish. It's no surprise you're disappointed.

Paper towels should never touch your paint!

 

Thanks for the helpful replies to my original posting. I think this is more involved than my skills and experience will permit. I was judicious in my application of touch-up paint. The touch-up paint does not raise above the level of the factroy paint. I have to search to see the spot. 99.998% of the population will not see it. It is seen only under specific infrequent lighting conditions. I even forgot to look for it last weekend at the Vintage Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio. I think that I will leave it as good enough.

Thanks,

Gburg

 

I read through this and I didn't see where anyone suggested what I probably would have tried. For relatively small spots like that, I use a touch up paint to match the car color, and then some blob remover (Langka) or other. That is kind of a fine polish that doesn't cut into the cars paint, but does soften up the new touch up paint and you scrape it back level with with a little plastic spatula. Then, take your polish and rub it in either by hand or machine. I've got some pretty ugly looking scratches and chips covered up with this stuff.

Good luck.