Here is my question of the week, out of curiosity. What are you guys using for polishing in cold weather? Below 45F kind of cold. Have you found something that works well in those kinds of conditions, or at the very least, works better than most? Thanks!
my take on this would be a polish that has silicone in it, as it would withstand the cold a bit better than water based polishes. just a guess. :shrug: not sure if they exist or not though.
I keep my polishes warm by keeping it near the halogen. Not too close as to fry it but I keep them close. That being said I use whichever polish I have in my arsenal. I am curious though if it's better to use non diminishing abrasives because diminishing abrasives will be harder to breakdown due to the colder weather, longer work time? having to use QD to keep things from drying up?
Have read Opt are pretty decent. I know you use Menz and those polishes where meant to be used in a factory setting so made to be used within a temp range. I would assume any polish that is not taken directly from factory finishing use would work pretty well. Dont think Dim and non-diminishing will make a deliverance as heat does not break down polish but the act of abrasion and friction. Heat plays no role in polishing and is just a nasty by product of friction, if you could somehow get rid of the head generated polishes would work better IMO, but that cant really be done due to the nature of abrasives. You could keep polishes warm by using a heating pad and put them in a cooler to keep them warm while not using them and when you do they can be somewhat warm.
I have no scientific basis in which to state my opinion, but I think most detailing products work better between 60-80 degrees.
For polish prob come down the the lubrication used starts to thicken up at low temp same with any other product that needs lubrication.
I hadn't thought of keeping the product(s) themselves warm. That's an interesting angle. For me, it sure seems like the white-colored Menzerna stuff is very temperature sensitive. IP, Power Finish, Power Gloss, etc. PO85RD and 106FF seem to be less sensitive. I'm not sure why that is, or if it's my imaginiation.
The ones you listed are all high in abrasives and less oily, I think, so less to gel up. Then again more oil can keep it more "liquid" but thicken...it is a fine line probability. Could also be the type of lubrication used to give it that color as the gray one are all finishing polishes. To keep them warm, get yourself some 8oz bottles to keep them in and wrap them in something that keep in head after keeping them warm. Make a little polish coozy :lol:
You're probably about dead on with that... all of our products perform their best in that temp range (give or take 5* on either side) Thats not to say they won't work in lower or higher temps, but they may become a little more temperamental as the temp gets farther out of that range. I have very limited experience with low temps (SoCal so not many days below 50 here) but in the dead of summer on a 95-100* day if I start polishing in the morning (70-75*) and everything works flawlessly, but as the day winds on and that mid-day sun heats the garage north of 90* the polishes get really finicky and my approach has to be adjusted to compensate.
I have a scientific basis on which to state my opinion- 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. With a surrounding air temp (ambient or room) must be 55.oF (12.oC) + to ensure the minimum vehicle surface temperature of 50.oF (10.oC) which is recommended as a minimum by most car care product manufacturers
Jon...betrween my usually accurate opinions and your always accurate facts, readers always get steered the right way. Thanks.b
