When do you guys stop doing additional steps?

I was out in the garage tonight, working on the S2000, getting it ready for a meet this Saturday. It's been rainy, humid and very hot here lately, so being in the garage was pretty miserable. As I pondered a second step with 85RD for jewelling, I started wondering about my fellow DBers. So, I come with a question:

When do you guys decide that you're done polishing a vehicle? What makes you decide it looks as good as it possibly can?

I'm not talking about done with correction; I'm talking about done refining the finish. Making it "better." When do you guys call it a day? On what basis do you make that determination?

Let's assume we're either talking about your own vehicle, or a vehicle where you've been asked to spare no expenses, make it as perfect as possible. Also, let's not bring LSP choice into play here - strictly surface preparation.

 

I stop when my customers wallet shuts...lol

Seriously I just have to figure out what needs done the most and how much there willing to spend

As far as my on car, sadly a couple of hours total and I'm done. I put a good carnuba on it and let it roll

 

Normally stop when I can no longer convince myself that spending another few hrs doing another stage is going to give me that much more correction or better surface than I already have. If I have done a pass of SIP/106FF/106FF w/ finishing pad I have gotten to the point were I can not think of doing anything else as the surface is already as good as I would like and doing another stage would not be worth it. I normally have a few things on my list that I would like to get done such as I mark a few swirls that I want to get out, or a few areas were I would like to work on a little more. Normally I would even skip the 106FF with a finishing pad as there is not a huge difference and doing it on a DD is not worth it to me as my car is outside 100% of the time and know its going to take a beating.

If I am getting ready for a show or photo shoot then yeah I will take the time to do that last jeweling/finishing stage but 95% of the time I cant convince myself on doing it as I hate polishing to start with.

 

I stop when there are no holograms after a through IPA wipedown. Unless the customer has paid me well, I usually won't do a finishing step. Jeweling does have amazing results though for those willing to pay.

 

Subscribed opcorn:

 

BTW, I finish EVERYTHING else before jeweling, besides the LSP.

 

Let's assume, for the sake of this discussion, that the customer has paid us well. Well enough that we're going all out.

 

I stop when I've done what the client has paid for. If he pays for a single stage polish, thats what he gets. Keep in mind, a single stage polish for me means I go around the car once with the most aggressive pad/polish combo I can without leaving holograms. On the Audi I'm in the middle of, that means Scholl S17 or S03+ on GI Yellow pad. That would be the kiss of death on a Honda. Each pass means two - three pea sized drops of polish and a spritz of GI pad prime. I use the double Zenith method - 1100, 1300, 1500, 1300, 1100 until polish is pretty much gone. With the GI pad prime, each pass can take 4-6 minutes depending on the polish. This way the panel does get a fair bit of jeweling because of the lengthened play time. The lengthened play time also means the polishes break down enough to virtually guarantee no hologramming.

 

I'm a jeweling freak. I spend more time jeweling than polishing.

 

As a newb, I've been using something as a point of reference, to visually measure the clarity of the object being held in front of it. Something as simple as a cereal box with various colors has worked well the couple times I've done this. If the reflection looks crystal clear mirror, then it's to to throw in the towel. LSP time :headbang:

 

Then I will do whatever is needed, say:

PO203S/Green
PO87/Blue
PO85RD/Black

The nice thing about multi-stages to me is that you don't need to completely break down the polish, you just need it to cut, then finish well, and then use the next step to refine it. I use the 2nd last step enough to make sure there isn't any holograms, then jeweling time. Jeweling, with PO85RD, my favorite for it, has a stupidly long work time, so I will spend 3-4 minutes doing a section, starting light pressure, going down, down, and then I like to finish by taking about half the Makita's weight off the pad, enough for it to work properly but so it has 3 lbs instead of 6 on it.

As long as the pay is there, I am going to do the best possible job I can in the time alotted.

 

What got me thinking about posting the thread is working on my own car. I just did 203 with a green Uber pad, mostly so I could try the pad (it's the first time I've used an Uber pad). I worked the 203 for minutes per section, until it was basically invisible.

Anyway, I was so happy with the finish as it was with just that, I got to wondering how much improvement is left on the table, and how you guys make that assessment. My guess is the answer is "try another step and see what happens," but I am hoping this will be an interesting discussion.

(Just as a side note - really great pads, those Ubers. I think they might be my new favorite. Product review coming early next week)

 

I love them too. Make sure you do IPA wipedowns, medium to hard paints its good for a one step, softer paints it looks good at first but holograms will show up later.

Here's something I did on a detail a couple days ago on a forum members car. Gave him a good deal, worked my ass off on it, but I was only doing a one-step. The paint was softer, so I used Uber Blue, 75% PO85RD with 25% 106FA. It knocked back the swirls very well, 90-100% and after the 106 had cut and flashed, the 85 would jewel the paint and I really worked it in. Left me with this, no LSP applied yet:







The clarity in the paint was just stupid for a 1-step, and I learned that combining polishes is my new favorite thing. I got the cut and the jeweling all in one step.

 

thats impressive for a one step...


as for me I only jeweled my wifes infiniti because it has the best paint (no chips) out of all the cars, in fact the corvette just got all the swirls out but no rds taken care of (don't have strong enough polish or pads) and left with no holograms

 

The clarity in the paint was just stupid for a 1-step, and I learned that combining polishes is my new favorite thing. I got the cut and the jeweling all in one step.[/QUOTE]




I love that Cloud Shot..^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Awesome :headbang:

Takes Skill to acheieve those Results with 1 step eace:

 

Thanks, if anyone is interested, combo was Uber Blue/25% 106 FA, 75% PO85RD. I started off with mediumish pressure for a pass, then went to light pressure for about 2-3 passes, then weight of the machine for 3 passes, then made 2 slowww passes where I was lifting the machine, taking about half of the machines weight off of the paint and moving it slowly across. Took about 3-5 minutes per section, but it was worth it.

BTW, machine was a Makita 9227 w/ 3M foam backing plate.

 

I did a one step on the impala ss. I was mad because the paint was REALLY hard, and the rds were everywhere from an improperly used cali water blade. So I used SIP on orange, with a drop of 85rd. It knocked back probably 60% of what was there.

But, I was only being paid 200 bucks, so I couldn't step up to wool, since that would've required refining.

I've found that it's kind of upsetting when customers don't want the full correction. I almost feel embarrassed giving it back with anything less than it's full potential.

 

I might have to give this a shot 1 day. Thanks for posting :headbang:

1 Problem though :shead: What is 106 FA & PO85RD? :help: an ole-timer Decrypt this :giggle:

Yep Nothing worse then Deleivering a $125,000(or more) Car That the Owner won't Spend another $200-$300 to get looking perfect. But hey if they can live with it then I guess I can to....:
I sure ain't doing it for nothig :hmph:

 

Menzerna Super Finish(106) and Menzerna Final Finish(85)

 

:gasp: Oh,I think I have some 85 in the Garage. Thanks. I'm 1/2 way there :giggle: