polish......

[andygod75]

Hi Guys,

Sorry if this is a stupid question but...what is polish and what does it do? you you need a machine to use it effectively?

Tar

Andy

[Heaton]

Visit this site http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/ This is where i have been reading up on cleaning and detailing.

[CliveP]

Hi,

People often get 'polish' and 'wax' confused....

Polish = physically removing a fine layer from the car's surface to make it smoother
Wax = a layer of protection

Essentially to make a car look great you need to polish it - to get the surface as smooth as possible - if you look at a lot of cars in the sun you'll see tiny scratches which are referred to as swirl marks - they are caused by bad wash technique (using sponges and leathers) which inflict marks. (there's ways to avoid this, extensive details on detailingworld.co.uk).

You can polish by hand or if you're into it, by machine, for far superior results - way better than showroom - and machine polishing is another whole topic in itself.

Here's mine after a nice little going over:
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/foru...d.php?t=226370

I think it's worth the effort but then it's one of my my hobbies (and one that pays as it happens!) but the results are worth the hours of effort in my opinion...

Enjoy!
Regards,
Clive.

[Streetfighter]

CliveP
Can't open the link,do you use a machine to polish you motor,What would you recommend to remove swirls from the car.I have Poorboys black hole and Britmax black wax ultra fine any of these good for the job.

[Buzz61]

polish = people who work in asda stacking shelves

regards,
clive.

efa

[andygod75]

thanks alot clive, I got meguiars ultimate compound and ultimate polish. Gonna have a go when the weather picks up

tar

[Heaton]

CliveP
Can't open the link,do you use a machine to polish you motor,What would you recommend to remove swirls from the car.I have Poorboys black hole and Britmax black wax ultra fine any of these good for the job.

Based on what I've been reading those sound fine mate if your car is a dark colour. (lol is this forum using English US? Wants me to change colour to color!)

[cyclone]

Based on what I've been reading those sound fine mate if your car is a dark colour. (lol is this forum using English US? Wants me to change colour to color!)

Only proper way

[CliveP]

efa

Lol, good quote Buzz!

thanks alot clive, I got meguiars ultimate compound and ultimate polish. Gonna have a go when the weather picks up

tar

Enjoy Andy, caution I think Ultimate Compound is quite aggressive (but I'd need to check), remember you only need to compiund polish severe marks - if you compound when you don't need to then you'll remove more clearcoat than necessary and you definitely don't want to do that...

Based on what I've been reading those sound fine mate if your car is a dark colour. (lol is this forum using English US? Wants me to change colour to color!)

Machine polishing is fine for any colour of car - take a look on detailing world in the showroom, there's some mighty fine light coloured cars in there that look out of this world. I did a Lancia Integrale for a show for someone and the paint looked simply wet after a machine enhancement. I've got a white car booked in soon...

Regards,
Clive.

[Streetfighter]

Based on what I've been reading those sound fine mate if your car is a dark colour. (lol is this forum using English US? Wants me to change colour to color!)

Car is red Clive what you recommend to get the swirls away.

[CliveP]

Hi Streetfighter,

I've also got a red car, I have a thing for red cars lol....

If you want to remove the swirls permanently then the only option is a machine polish (I can do this if you're not comfortable with it or lack the motivation).

Once gone of course correct wash technique is vital to keep them away (and DON'T let your friendly Citroen dealer wash it when it goes in for a service!)....

OK to 'remove' swirls by hand, the best way is by the use of 'fillers' - these literally fill the swirls meaning there is better light reflection and depth of gloss, etc. But this is not permanent but is easy enough to do......

One of the best products, in my opinion for this is good old Autoglym Super Resin polish available in your local Halfords....one of the most common mistakes people make with SRP is they over apply it thinking more is better, when the opposite is in fact true....

OK here's some useful Q&As on SRP I hope you find useful:

What is Autoglym Super Resin Polish (SRP)?
SRP is probably one of the most popular products from Autoglym.
It is a lightly abrasive polish with a lot of fillers and it also contains a light sealant.

What will the fillers do?
Fillers fill up swirls and light scratches for a certain amount of time. Since there is also a light sealant in SRP it means that it offers protection for maybe 1 or 2 months. The fillers will dissolve after some time so each time you wash your car, more swirls will be visible.

How much correction does SRP offer?
The cutting factor from SRP between 0 to 10 would be 0,5 or 1. It isn't meant to offer real correction, although it gives a corrected look to your car when applied correctly.

How can you apply SRP?
SRP can be applied by hand, dual action polisher, random orbital polisher or rotary polisher.

How do you apply SRP by hand
You can apply SRP by hand using foam pads like Meguiar's Gold Class High Tech Applicator Pad, German Applicator, or any other foam applicator. Microfibre pads work too.
Apply a few Skittle sized blobs on your applicator and spread it on the paint. Work on areas which have the size of about half a door. Then work it really well untill it becomes a little hazy or clear. Then buff off with a microfibre towel.

How do you apply SRP by machine?
Use a light polishing or polishing pad. Apply a few Skittle sized blobs on your applicator and spread it on the paint. Work on areas which have the size of about half a door. Then work it really well untill it becomes a little hazy or clear. Then buff off with a microfibre towel.

Can you apply more layers of SRP
Yes you can. The more layers you give your car, the more swirls that will be filled. Up to 5 layers would work really good.

Does SRP needs to cure?
It's not necessary, but you can let it cure.

Can you use a glaze after SRP?
Yes, you can use a glaze after SRP.

Can you top SRP with a sealant and/or wax?
Yes, one of both or both works great. A really good sealant to top SRP with is Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection. A good wax after SRP is Autoglym High Definition Wax but any other wax will work fine, as long it won't contain cleaners since cleaners remove the fillers.

Enjoy!
Regards,
Clive.

[Streetfighter]

Clive many thanks for the info much appreciated will get working on them swirls I think I might just purchase the machine lots cars round my house would speed the job up.I am in N Ireland so can't take you up on your offer just one more question what machine and pads for the SRP would you recommend.

[CliveP]

Worth getting a kit -I'd recommend a Kestrel DAS-6 (dual action machine) along with Meguiars or Menzerna polishes. I'd recommended it with associated pads but not the Menzerna ones (they make great polishes but not pads). Then grab a panel to practice on, there's a great guide on detailing world.

Of course you coud give my friend a call from Autobrite (Mark) and tell him Clive recommended him and I'm sure he'll sort you something out!

Regards,
Clive.

[Chris_Blue]

Used AUTOGLYM Super Resin Polish today- real good

Thought it would make the expectant torrential rain, roll off the car tonight

Now I read that it must be a wax to do that- That right?

Came up like a mirror though- marvellous
CBLUE

[CliveP]

Used AUTOGLYM Super Resin Polish today- real good

Thought it would make the expectant torrential rain, roll off the car tonight

Now I read that it must be a wax to do that- That right?

Came up like a mirror though- marvellous
CBLUE

Hi Chris,

Glad you followed my recommendation as SRP is very good - it is classed as an all-in-one product as it has light polishing capability and also contains some protection - the reason it brings a car up so well is because it contains 'fillers' which fill in swirl and other minor marks - this filling won't last forever but you can top it up in a month or so time.

Although SRP has some protectant qualities it's not a wax - if you want the rain to roll off (and, as importantly, seal in the 'fillers' for longer), I recommend you add a wax after applying (and buffing off) the SRP - my recommendation of a wax to follow SRP is Colinite 915 - this is about £25-ish - apply it with a wax applicator very thinly (so you can just see it, out of a tin I can do 60 car applications easily, to give you an idea of how thin!) - then give a few minutes to cure, then buff off with a nice plush microfibre cloth - if you think the shine is good now, wait till you see it after adding a nice coat of 915!

Hope that helps,
Regards,
Clive.