kiran

Hi

I am looking for some pointers on how to apply wax to the car? What cloths do i use? should i use circular motions or forward/back?

Any hints appreciated.

Cheers.
Kiran

JDN

Kiran, the best way to apply wax to prevent scratches is with your bare hand. You can feel anything that might scratch the finish. The problem with that is that it is slow. It takes longer to put the wax on. So, I normally use a clean soft cloth and turn it often in case I pick up something along the way that could harm the finish.

Circular motions are not good and can form swirls. So can buffers. Apply the wax in the same direction that the wind goes over the car. Back and forth is OK as long as you hold the line. That way if you do scratch the surface, it will not be as visible from all directions as swirls are.

It doesn't take a lot of wax. I had a can of carnauba that lasted seven years, over the life of the car and it was always waxed.

Jimbo

If you have a lot to rub off after it dries you're applying too much.

I used to use a microfiber applicator but is seemed to absorb too much of the wax.
I now use a birdeye cotton diaper that's been washed about 20 times. It doesn't absorb much and they're cheap.

With the Solar Polish wax and Paint Guard acrylic sealant, I use a circular motion in the large areas and a back/forth for smaller areas. With titanium silver, it doesn't seem to matter as swirls are not visible.

jtxc

One way to get a nice shine with less work is to go with a polish, not a wax. Zaino bros. out of new jersey has a nice line of products, multi-step process with very good results. The best wax I have used however is Griot's. Griot's also suggests a random orbital polisher. Now I have seen polishers before and often if used by non-professionals gives a bad result (permanent too). I have read their literature and why they recommend this orbital polisher and I believe the hype. I may invest in the polisher next year and give it a shot.

One simple suggestion is a "dawn wash" and clay bar before starting to rid the finish of contaminants.

Griot's (porter cable)random orbital

below : notice the non-swirling application of polish, or "wipe with the wind" that JDN described.

kiran

Thanks, for the replies. Has given alot of insight.

exceldetail

Polishes and waxes/sealants are not the same.....To avoid product waste go with a foam applicators, if you need a little bite in your applicator, go with microfiber.....

Proper PC methods...
For those of you already familiar with a Porter Cable 7424, some of this may be old news, some new, I just hope it helps those who are just considering or just bought a PC:
Your main goal with a PC, is to give your Mach, a surface treatment, unequal to what you have been doing by hand. The orbital polisher pad, travels in multi dimensional circles. The pad itself rotates, and the base itself rotates, sort of circles inside of circles. This makes it nearly impossible to leave swirl marks, due to its random movement. Also, chemicals react differently to temperatures built up within the pad and product. We?re not talking real heat, just warming it up, more than your hand could.

There are a variety of foam pads available, anything from cutting, to finishing. Obviously cutting pads which are more abrasive, will require less of an abrasive product to perform there work , whereas a more abrasive product, with a less abrasive pad, may perform identically. A cutting pad with an abrasive product rated at 5, may perform the same as a product rated at 7 with a polishing pad (less abrasive). The majority of your "maintenance" work should be performed with either a polishing or finishing pad. I?m assuming you have a backing plate ? PM me with questions??. Polishing pads may be referred to as a Meguiars yellow or Propel Blue or Green, finishing pads may be referred to as a Tan Meguiars or Propel Black pads. Either of the above are great for most needs, and we will only refer to these two types for this discussion.
Assuming your surface prep (wash, clay) has been completed, we can now address the capabilities and directions for use.
The PC, is a lot lighter than most conventional rotary polishers, however it can become heavy when you?re using it for hours on end, to polish, level, and finish a job. It cannot perform miracles, you may think it can and you may think it did. But we need to keep the job in perspective, it?s not a rotary polisher, and we are not using wool pads here. Anything worse than moderate swirling, and you may end up wasting your time, your product, and your patience. It does deliver though, and in a big way. Light scratches and swirling will diminish with proper pad, and product selection.
The worst thing I could imagine is letting the PC loose while on hi speed, and having it run across your hood or toes! The machine is equipped with speed settings from 3-6, it come with a handle, which you should leave on until your very comfortable manipulating it. I highly recommend leaving it on for several uses. I have performed many jobs with mine and still have it on; I guess it?s my little security blanket.
I prefer to ?get busy? and work on a rather large area at a time, say ? a hood, im talking Suburban here guys. But im comfortable doing that, ive been doing it this way for some time. Until you get comfortable, and real comfy I may add, stick with a smaller section, say ? hood etc. I apply my product in little spots, at 12, 3, 6, 9 o?clock, to the pad. Then I smear it in with my fingers for even distribution, immediately. Set at a low speed, say 3.5 (were polishing, so its either a yellow Megs pad, or Blue/Green Propel pad) set the pad on the surface, and kind of smear the product around in a small area. Turn the machine on, while holding firmly, and go to a starting point, (lets work ? of the hood) preferably ? the distance from the other side, always work towards yourself, this alleviates the cord from getting on areas you have just polished. Also, it?s a good practice to put the cord over your shoulder. I use three passes for each area. My 1st pass is a left to right, this applies the product, make sure you overlap each pass at least ? pad width. The 2nd pass, at about 4.5-5, is a up/down pass, this gets the product in the pores, and begins the polishing stages, again, overlap each pass. The 3rd pass is where I ?hook it up?! This is where I get the work done, where the clear meets its destiny, this is where edges are rounded, oxidation is removed, and product dries, im at speed 6 now. At each level, let the machine do the work, its weight, I feel is sufficient for the work desired. Now all of this aforementioned advice, works for me, with the product im using, normally Meg?s #80, or DACP, or a maintenance polish (Stuf Polish is above average) The first pass is a slow introduction pass, I move the machine slowly, but fast enough so by the end, the product hasn?t dried! Second pass, I move a little faster, but so is the machine, so there?s compensation, and finally the last pass, the machines at 6, which is a good clip. The product may actually be dried at this point, but with diminishing abrasives, that?s ok! Its very important to experiment with speeds, that your comfortable with, with the various products you may be using, to obtain the desired results your expecting.
Now with sealants, or waxes, your not expecting oxidation or swirl removal, all your worried about is even product distribution. I usually use the Propel Black or Blue Finishing pad, or Meg?s Tan pad. Sealants wont dry as fast as polishes so you have more time to accomplish evenness. I usually operate the machine at about 4.5, but again, distribute, then cover?..
Last but not least, I will remove the sealant by hand with a good microfiber, then throw a new pad on the PC, add a microfiber Platina Bonnet, set the machine to 4, and hit the on button. Feel free to take wide paths while doing this, its amazing what that machine with a microfiber bonnet will do !!
For a list of providers (other than myself), just PM me. I?d be happy give you some ideas.
Good luck and I hope this has helped at least one of you !!

NY525

Welcome exceldetail good to see a fellow detailer here.

exceldetail

Thanks NY.....