optiman

Going to the next level
Hi
1996 deep purple metallic corvette
using griots 6" orbital polisher
used meguairs ultimate compound orange griots pad followed by ultimate polish red pad and gold wax by hand.
good results but still have mild scratches.

went to detail supply shop, they suggested sonax cutmax orange LC pad followed by meguairs 21 sealant red griots pad.
bought it.

question is do I need polish between theses 2 steps?
what speeds do I use for each step?
How many coats of sealant?
hand wax on top, last step? Or waste of time?

mike

yamabob

Mike, I don't use a Griots or those products. When I do C5 corrections I like Menzerna FG 400 on a LC orange. Bad marring I'll switch to a yellow but only if the clear is deep enough (a PTG is used for this). That being said Cutmax is a fairly aggressive cut and I'd go wiht something a little less so. It will not finish done well enough( at least for me) to make it LSP ready. It may and probably will leave marring in the paint which would need to be removed for max shine. Here I again to my Menzena and use a black pad with SF3800 ( replaces the 4500).
For correction use 6. Final polish step it done a bit. 4 or 5. If you are applying sealant wax use 3-4.
After you polish remember to do a IPA wipe down ( 50% IPA with distilled water) or a product such as CarPro Eraser to remove polishing oils before applying your LSP. Always sealant before wax. You do not need to wax over the sealant but it can achieve a different look. 2 coats max as more and you are wasting time and product, unless it is a product meant for layering. A second coat really just ensure you have complete coverage and did not miss spots. Unless the sealant contains a polycharger it's best to wait 24 for the second coat to let the first coat fully cross link.

optiman

What is LSP and IPA stand for?
Red pad with meguairs ultimate polish or orange pad after cutmax
Would that do the trick?

yamabob

LSP is the Last Step Protection. That would be your sealant/wax/coating. IPA is isopropyl alcohol.
Red pad is really used to apply a sealant or a wax. foam pads actually have a minute (very) amount of cut by the way they absorb the polish/compound.
I am not a fan of Megs products although the combo of M105 /M205 can do an excellent job. Ulitmate Polish I'm pretty sure is based off M205 with a heavier amount of oils in it. A black pad is better served with the mar/swirl / final polish's

cmonkey713

What ever products you use and the steps you take, be sure to check your work with a bright LED light to determine if the swirls and holograms are gone. It sounds like you are doing a considerable amount of correction. Be careful of the edges and be aware of the possibility of polishing through the clear coat. Check the panel often for clear coat rub through evidence.

optiman

What is the purpose of a IPA wipe Down?
I'm not doing a lot of correction, just using the Sonax cutmax to tackle the scratches ultimate compound didn't fix.
They are not deep scratches, but when the light hits them a certain way they are noticeable.

yamabob

Polishing/compounding leaves behind oils even after you wipe off. Removing these with either a product like eraser or an IPA wipe down helps ensure that your was/sealant/coating is bonding to the paint. This helps maximize the product

ronkh57

How are you using the products?

optiman

Orange LC pad with cutmax
Then ultimate polish meguairs with orange griots pad
Then meguairs 21 sealant griots red pad

That's my plan of attack.
Do you suggest any speeds for each step?
Using griots 6" orbital polisher.

ronkh57

I'm not familiar with griots pads, sorry.

cmonkey713

The IPA removes all the polishing product oils from the surface so your sealer will have a clean surface to bond to.