Let's talk about M105!

OK, so I get on the board after being gone for a week, and read the latest M105 thread that got locked... First, great job on the car, Dust2Glory, it looks *very* good.

Second.... I think we can all agree that M105 is one of *the* break through products of the year, if not the most controversial due to how hard/different it is to use.

There have been a *ton* of suggestions of how to use it. Some people are cutting it with other products, others are suggesting pad/speed combinations, etc. etc.

I'm hoping this thread will be where peeps can post *their* method that works for them.

I posted a very long disertation on my experiences with 105 on that other forum, and I'm sure you guys get tired of hearing me prattle on, so I'm gonna keep this short... er... at least, short for me...

I apply it directly to a PFW pad. One small thread all the way around the pad. I then apply the pad to the paint, and turn the rotary to 1k rpm. I *do not* pre-spread the polish like I normally do. Just start polishing from the spot the pad first hits the paint. I then do three passes through a 1.5' by 1.5' area. I know I've used the right amount of product if there is no appreciable residue at the end of the third pass. I adjust the amount of product so that there is just about nothing left by the time I'm done with the third. Using a PFW, at 1k rpms and three passes, I'm able to do some pretty serious correction, and on most paints, it'll finish down haze, swirl, compound mark free. NOTE that I didn't say "LSP ready". A defect free surface (to me, at least) doesn't mean "LSP ready". Even though 105 willl (most of the time) leave a surface that is *completely* free of defects (even holograms), it can still be greatly improved in the gloss department with a finishing polish. When a surface is defect free, *and properly glossed* is when I consider it "LSP ready".

Anyway, that's just my method, and it gives me pretty good, consistent results. If the paint is warm, I'll pre-spritz my pad with a bit of 425. This also helps on really soft clears, too.

One thing to think about to those peeps that cut 105 with other products to make it work like more traditional compounds: M95 works exactly like a traditional compound, you don't have to cut it with anything, and it costs a ton less than 105. If you don't like how 105 works, don't try to make it something it's not; just buy the other something. It'll save you time, money, and frustration in the end.

Edit: forgot to mention that M105 seems to lose alot of it's game on very hard clears. I actually get better results using two applications of SIP and PFW on really hard clears than I get with two applications of 105 and PFW. If you have some serious correction to do on really hard clear, you might be better off looking to a different compound than 95 or 105.. Maybe something like 3M Extra Cut or Presta UCC or UCCL.

 

Thanks for that Supe! That should help others on learning how to use M105.

 

Well said. :thumb:

 

My process

 

I'm gonna sit this one out.

 

Well said Superbee.

 

Great info SB. I am surprised that you use it at 1K with such great results. I know alot of folks that use it a 1500 rpms. I wonder if this is contributing to the 105 flashing so quickly.

I agree 100% that this polish is one that has a huge learning curve.

 

good post looking forward to reading more.

 

i use it faster than you but am happy with my results.

 

What is a PFW pad? I don't know all the english words yet, so is there a guide or something?

 

Lake Country purple foamed wool.

 

Thanks..

 

why not higher rpms, anyone?

just for conversation....if it is not a diminishing abrasive how could it not work on harder clears?

both of these questions may not truly matter as far as results or technique go but in order to properly learn some things I think you need to be taught why you cant do certain things, then the proper way of doing something is more easily applied

 

The nature of the compound makes it *flash* rather quickly, in comparision to other products... The higher rpm will creat more heat and thus, accelerate the *flashing* process

I have used 105 on hard clears with great success..

All questions matter, these boards are for people to learn from and share their 1st hand experience so that others can use that as a stating guide or a *road map* ....

 

Hmm.. the more I think about this, the more I think I'm wrong...

Back when HTEC was all the rage, people would mix in some OP or OC to give it better working time. It made the product "something it wasn't"; something much better, actually. There's also other products that are quite the hit when mixed together. Scottwax's Pink Moose comes to mind. I also like to add a bit of 106 to SIP to get a longer working time out of it. Thinking about this stuff, and also Mindflux's discussions in the locked thread have me thinking that mixing products together often is the right thing to do... And no, I'm not just changing my mind cause fluxy is a friend of mine; we've argued about stuff before where we were both just stubborn and wouldn't change our minds. It's just that *this time* he *might* be right. (just don't get used to it, Fluxy. )

 

Wow, this is interesting. You were 100% correct when you said it will safe you time, money, and frustration.

 

There are two ways to think about it for sure.

 

Higher RPM's make it flash too fast. At 1k RPM's I can squeeze 35 seconds or so out of it most of the time. I do put more pressure on the pad when I'm working 105, though, to help compensate for the slower speed.

It does *work* on hard clears, it just isn't the amazing "holy cow, look at how much correction I just did!" kind of result you get with it on medium hard and softer clears. To me, 105 on really hard clears is about like using OC on medium clears: good correction, but nothing major.

 

On harder clears when the PFW is not getting as much correction I switch to a Megs Solo light cutting yellow wool pad. Great combo when I don't want to waste time re-levelling a trashed surface. I've been afraid to use M105 with the burgandy heavy cutting wool pad.

 

That's some great insight Supe. I'm all for mixing products in order to achieve better results and/or less work-in time. However with M95 on the market, it wouldn't seem necessary to cut M105 with anything else considering M95's similar cut and drastically cheaper price tag. :thumb: