Inspecting Paint

Do you do a prep- sol or alcohol wipe down as you polish, why or why not?

How much time do you spend inspecting the paint after/ as you polish?

How do you inspect the paint?

 

I do an IPA wipe and if full sun is not an option I use a halogen or brickman torch.

 

what does IPA mean?

 

isopropyl alcohol

 

I use Menzerna top inspect + halogens and brinkerman

 

After I polish a panel I do a prep sol wipe down..2 reasons..one is to remove any lubrication oils and the other to ensure I did the correction right...

and after fully polishing I do a wash with CG's Citrus wash in a high concentrate to remove any residue and sling..dust ..clean cracks and crevices...then blow dry it and wipe down any residual water off and then apply a wax or sealant

Al

 

Menz Top Inspection, or a 50/50 IPA/Distilled.

I'm interested in trying the prep-sol, but haven't found it yet...

 

you can get prep sol at most auto stores..it does carry a few names..but all are the same..wal mart sells it also...Napa...carquest..autozone...any paint supply...

Al

 

To quote myself from the other LSP ready thread

 

So its just a wax and silicone remover then?

Do you need to wash the car after you use this or just continue on?

 

it removes oils..silicones ..wax....adhesives...

you can go right to a wax after wiping down..but I like to wash after to get any dust and residue off from sling...


if your careful and neat ..after a wipe down and rest of car is clean..then go to a wax or sealant....

I am a slob at times...so I do wash after

AL

 

Im anything but neat also....Thats why I asked.

 

what are some of the label names for the cleaner, is it just a thinner like what you use in the body shop?

 

Paint Inspection:
Remove all polish residue and oils before applying your LSP. This is a general rule of thumb for best results across all product lines, and you will notice an overall improvement in the clarity, gloss, and overall 'look' of your finish.

There is a need to differentiate between swirl marks in the silicon layer and swirl marks in the paint surface 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 surface remain unaffected by polishing.

1.Use 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, residue from polishing products accumulate in crevices, around handles, wiper arms, on trim, luggage racks, and aerodynamics. Hi-Temp's Prep Wash flows into these hard-to-reach areas and dissolves the build-up.

Hi-Temp's Prep Wash can be used to cleanse the finish before painting, and you can use it after buffing or levelling applications. It prepares the surface for the proper bonding of waxes, glazes and paint sealants. If this is not done properly, applied products may not bond, which will cause heavy streaking. It may be diluted, but is always used sparingly at any strength. Mist a cloth or sponge and wipe over the surface. Wipe dry with a clean towel. Hi-Temp's Prep Wash - Top of the Line Auto Detailing Supplies.


2.Paint Cleaning - there are a number of products that will clean a paint film surface of existing products, DuPont’s PrepSol II (Also for use when preparing surface for re-painting),a 1:1 solution of distilled water and Isopropyl Alcohol, Zaino All-In-One, and most pre-wax cleaners.

3.Cleaner wax or pre-wax cleaners are usually a mildly abrasive (CAS 1/10) liquid polish containing solvents for cleaning and Kaolin for an abrasive, that will remove surface contamination that either normal washing or using detailer’s clay alone will not remove, they are formulated with a high percentage of solvent

4.Inspect your work under full sun, holograms, fine marring hooks, etc. are very difficult to see under man made light. There's nothing more frustrating than having to strip off your LSP and re-do.

5.Brinkmann REI - most LED’s merely glow, but Rebel's highly efficient, finely focused lens casts a 40-ft. beam of far-reaching light. Fish-eye-shaped lens focuses the light from the single white LED bulb into a bright, consistent beam; no dark spot in the beam's centre, the LED bulb is nearly indestructible and draws very little power, greatly extending battery life; runs on two AA batteries, included, a tough ABS plastic is armoured with thick, no-slip rubber grips Push-button on/off switch inset in the back cap REI - Brinkmann LED ll Flashlight from REI.com

6.The 3M Sun Gun™ Colour Matching Light can be used throughout the refinish process, the percentage of light vs. natural day light is CRI (Colour Rendering Index) = 99.35%: identify paint defects such as swirl marks, burn through, sand scratches, etc., which will reduce the chance of costly re-work- TCP Global - Color Matching Light Kit or Autobarn - Brinkmann® MaxFire Dual Xenon Rechargeable Spotlight

7.Digital Microscope - this enables you to analyze and capture paint surface defects, the unit’s interchangeable lenses provide The ProScope™ with tremendous versatility. With the 0-10X lens, it becomes a high-quality video camera. Magnification can be increased to a startling 200X power in a matter of seconds (50x seems to be a good magnification for detailing work) the lens mount is an industry-standard C-Mount that will accept third-party lenses. ProScope HR™ CSI Science Level 1, includes- 1/0-10x Lens, 1/50x Lens, 1/Carrying Case - ProScope HR™ - Order Online

 

how could zaino leave such a gloss and protect when its a cleaner? If its leaving protection how is it allowing proper bonding of waxes?

Im thinking of cleaners like what we had when i worked in a body shop, prob similar to duponts pre-paint wash. which would take everything off so you could check the true finish with no fillers and then be able to go to lsp.

 

The only cleaner in the Zanio range is K-AIO, it is NOT usually used as a sealant / to provide gloss but as a prep type product, or am I missing something here?

 

this is what it says on the Zaino site "Z-AIO can be your true SINGLE polish & protectant product."