Finishing up the polish on PPG single stage black

[ARDan]

I painted my Cobra replica with PPG single stage black and sanded it down to 2500 in 3 steps (tried 3000 but didn't find any improvement with it) and polished it with the Norton Liquid Ice system. It looks great from a couple feet away but up very close I could still see a number of very fine sanding scratches and swirl marks even with the white pad. I picked up a bottle of Meguires machine glaze and tried it tonight with the white pad - both a 3 inch and a 8 inch. It looks a lot better overall and is probably going to give me a nice finish. Putting my eye right down on the surface I have to look pretty hard to find a faint sign of a sanding scratch anywhere. Although a glaze it is removing a little bit of paint as the pad does turn black slowly.

I also have tried both a rotary and an orbital polisher and I think the rotary polisher is working better. I can't explain it but my Groits orbital polisher almost appears to create an orange peel effect on what was a smooth surface before I tried it. Looks like I will stick with my electric and air rotary polishers.

Is this a good plan for trying to finish my polish work up on a dark color - the Meguires machine glaze polish? The Liquid Ice system was suppose to allow you to compound and polish the finish with one product but I had some doubts about that and it looks like they are being borne out - at least with a single stage dark color. I also have a finessing pad that is suppose to be a softer pad yet, than the current Norton white pad I'm using. I haven't tried it so it may offer some additional improvement.



Thanks

Dan

[Len]

I painted my Cobra replica with PPG single stage black and sanded it down to 2500 in 3 steps (tried 3000 but didn't find any improvement with it) and polished it with the Norton Liquid Ice system. It looks great from a couple feet away but up very close I could still see a number of very fine sanding scratches and swirl marks even with the white pad. I picked up a bottle of Meguires machine glaze and tried it tonight with the white pad - both a 3 inch and a 8 inch. It looks a lot better overall and is probably going to give me a nice finish. Putting my eye right down on the surface I have to look pretty hard to find a faint sign of a sanding scratch anywhere. Although a glaze it is removing a little bit of paint as the pad does turn black slowly.

I also have tried both a rotary and an orbital polisher and I think the rotary polisher is working better. I can't explain it but my Groits orbital polisher almost appears to create an orange peel effect on what was a smooth surface before I tried it. Looks like I will stick with my electric and air rotary polishers.

Is this a good plan for trying to finish my polish work up on a dark color - the Meguires machine glaze polish? The Liquid Ice system was suppose to allow you to compound and polish the finish with one product but I had some doubts about that and it looks like they are being borne out - at least with a single stage dark color. I also have a finessing pad that is suppose to be a softer pad yet, than the current Norton white pad I'm using. I haven't tried it so it may offer some additional improvement.



Thanks

Dan

Remember you need to "cut" in order to "remove" the scratches, if you are glazing you are only "fillling" the scratches with an oil or wax or whatever but the scratch is still there. We used two dozen different products for my first twenty years in this business but as I learned more and more my polishing got faster and better. We switched from Sure Finish which is similar to Liquid Ice and we started using Wizards Mystic Cut which leaves basically the same result as the Sure Finish but it's a lot faster. We cut back on using wool and now we do 90% of our polishing with the Sure Finish Orange Foam Pad because it cuts well and doesn't leave too many swirls.

[ARDan]

OK. I think the glaze is actually accomplishing a little polishing as there is some paint transfer, but it may just be a very good glaze and filling the scrtches as you say. I see the Wizards Mystic Cut (and I guess the orange pads) in the Store and can order them. Will that get me to the finish line with polishing on black - or will I still need to follow up with a glaze or some sort of ultra-fine polish?

Thanks for the help.

Dan

[Len]

OK. I think the glaze is actually accomplishing a little polishing as there is some paint transfer, but it may just be a very good glaze and filling the scrtches as you say. I see the Wizards Mystic Cut (and I guess the orange pads) in the Store and can order them. Will that get me to the finish line with polishing on black - or will I still need to follow up with a glaze or some sort of ultra-fine polish?

Thanks for the help.

Dan

I haven't finished my first black job with the Mystic Cut but what is done is real close to perfect. However, I'll probably wax the car when I'm finished to finalize the look and protect the finish.

[ARDan]

I placed my order so in a week or so I'll let you know how it works on black.

[williams772]

Just curious as to what PPG SS did you use?

[ARDan]

I used PPG DDC Concept - or were you wondering about the formula of black I used?

[williams772]

That answers it for me. I spray alot of PPG SS but always use the Omni line, don't have to but it's state owned trucks and equipment and we want to do the taxpayers as right as we can and protect the equipment as good and economically as we can, but someday I'll try the top shelf stuff on a home project.

[ARDan]

I don't have much experience. This was only the second car I've painted and the first with PPG Concept SS - but for what it's worth I'm very happy with it so far.

[dlmrun2002]

Remember you need to "cut" in order to "remove" the scratches, if you are glazing you are only "fillling" the scratches with an oil or wax or whatever but the scratch is still there. We used two dozen different products for my first twenty years in this business but as I learned more and more my polishing got faster and better. We switched from Sure Finish which is similar to Liquid Ice and we started using Wizards Mystic Cut which leaves basically the same result as the Sure Finish but it's a lot faster. We cut back on using wool and now we do 90% of our polishing with the Sure Finish Orange Foam Pad because it cuts well and doesn't leave too many swirls.

Len.. Are you saying you are using Mystic Cut to "cut" and "polish" with out using a polishing medium after the Mystic?

Doug M ny country

[bluerooster]

That answers it for me. I spray alot of PPG SS but always use the Omni line, don't have to but it's state owned trucks and equipment and we want to do the taxpayers as right as we can and protect the equipment as good and economically as we can, but someday I'll try the top shelf stuff on a home project.

Concept is top of the line. I love that stuff, all I use for single stage on my own jobs.

Omni is junk with an inflated price. (PPG rep will tell you that, PPG rep told me that Fullthane is better)

For State vehicles, and other fleet applications, try Delfleet essential. It's a very good industrial urethane, and costs less than Omni. Handles like acrylic enamel, and lays out slick with a good shine.
It can even be sanded and buffed if need be.