I am finally doing it today. Let the fun begin
More info to come later provided there is still a muscle in my body that I can stand to move...

 

Yahoo!!! We want many many pics . Remember, be gentle, it can hurt the 1st time

 

 

i want to see picts too of bamatt at work and also the finished
product.

 

It's now dark, Bamatt. Where are the pictures?

 

She's passed out on the concrete beside her MINI. It will look great come dawn, though.

 

I'm tired & I don't think I smell all that pleasant either as the dog won't even sit by me. I hate doing all that work & not being able to admire the shiny results til tomorrow That's all you're getting out of me today. I'm going to sit down & have a beer(s).

Pics & thoughts will come tomorrow sneak peek... Meguiar's M80 & Klasse Sealant Glaze are both a b!tch to wipe off

 

You can use a spritz of water, QD or your breath to help get SG off. I've thought it was all off only to find a lot of it still on there days later. Great stuff, though.

I'm going for my second attempt with the PC tomorrow - first time scared me and I never went back. I left mini scratches on my black roof and I freaked out. I was using poorboy's polish and sonus pads. I got some LC pads and numerous polishes now, so we'll see how it goes.

mb

 

Hey, bamatt ! The M80 and Klasse glaze better make your MINI shine like the North Star or we'll be chanting at you... "Prima, Prima, Prima...".

Enjoy the beers and sleep well (I'm sure you will) ! We'll be looking forward to pics of the hottest looking 'Vertible tomorrow !

And btw, I second this request:

 

O I am excited for the results. I am all hyped up on Red Bull and its 1:21 in the AM. Not good.

 

Darn. It is almost 1:30 am. Theresa, put down the beer(s), run outside and take flash pictures. We'll wait. Can't sleep. I've still not taken the PC out of it's box. Every time I think "today's the day to learn how to use the PC," there's not enough time to tape off every stinking piece of plastic trim. So, I'm becoming a Kenchan convert. Hydro Hydro Hydro.... Spent this morning (yesterday morning that is) washing/hydroing Flo. She's squeeky clean/shining like a new penny. Luv Hydro. Guess I've said that already.

 

where did bamatt go? she's not still SLEEPING is she?!!

 

anxiously awaiting photos. . . . .

 

Do you think she's had one or two too many brewskies? Or maybe she's so sore she can't get out to take pictures? Drat, I've been up all night waiting for her pictures.......

 

I think we all have!

 

Sheesh, bamatt... these guys are impatient, aren't they?!

-Heather

 

OK here I am I feel like I have been beaten with a sock full of rocks but I can still move my fingers to type...
Well... I'm not real happy

It very well may be poor form & user error on my part as this was my 1st attempt at using the PC but the PC + Mequiar's M80 Speed Glaze didn't remove my swirls. All it did was improve them slightly. Last October I turned my MINI into a little CR mirror by using 3 grades in aggressiveness of Sonus polishes & applying them by hand. To most non-OCD laymen on the street my MINI would look really good. But to us Detailing 101'ers & me, it only looks "OK" & definitely doesn't represent the 8 hours that was spent on it yesterday.

Swirls before: (sry but I didn't get a really good swirl-representing before shot)


Finish After the PC:




Compared to how my finish looked after I used the 3 Sonus polishes by hand in October:


The only good thing I can say about the experience is that my bonnet stripes are the original ones that came on the MINI & after 2 years they were permanently dingy & would never come clean. I threw caution to the wind & ran the PC with some M80 over them & they are perfectly white & brand new looking once again:


I don't know what to say I am not very happy with my results. Hopefully I can show Heather & OG my results at the dragon & get some suggestions. MBE I need to be taught how to properly use the PC. But in comparing using the PC with M80 to the Sonus polishes applied by hand the Sonus wins. I mean when I used the Sonus & saw the MINI finish the next morning I was jumping up & down & walking around the MINI in awe & amazement at how perfect it looked but this morning when I saw the MINI for the 1st time in the light, all I could think is I want my 8 hours back

 

I'm sorry to hear that you didn't get great results! Don't worry though... although I can't get your 8 hours back, I'm sure we can help you out. You can remove those swirls- we just may have to tweak some things. So...

What pad did you use? How much time did you spend on each section? Did you use any other abrasive polish in your process?

-Heather

 

Sorry it didn't turn out the way you wanted. Definitely I think you can improve on your results - I've had good luck with the PC and M80 (and Swirl and Finish) on my minivan - haven't needed to polish out Blimey just yet.

 

I used the Mequiar's 8006 pad. I couldn't tell you how long I spent on each section as it was a long day & it's kinda a blur at this point . You know the color CR is kinda like black in that it shows imperfections more readily but it also looks twice as amazing when it is perfect. Ahhh well. Even though my swirls really weren't that bad to start with, I feel like I needed more agressivenes & frankly the MINI bonnet isn't the easiest to learn on with all the curves going on

 

bamatt, I'm sure you'll get tons of compliments on your shiny and gorgeous MINI, even if **you** know there are still some swirls remaining.

Maybe it's time to move over to the Prima line of products and go at it with some Prima Swirl (did a great job on my CR MINI). I don't think you need something as agressive as the Cut product, just Swirl and the white pad will probably do the trick.

Hope your weary bones and muscles get to feeling better soon !!

 

bamatt- this is all a learning curve so dont feel down.

the first time i tried my orbital i was at it for 11hrs+, didn't like the
results, stripped everything off and re-did it.

most found that they didn't let the product break down into the paint
long enough. take 4-5min per 18x18 inch area. 5 slow passes
and the last 2 passes is light pressure for me. super clarity.

 

I may try the Prima polishing products soon but I still have all of the Sonus polishes that I worked so well by hand & I may give the PC a shot with them 1st. I just dunno when I will have the energy to go thru all that again

That may very well be my problem but I had watched the CD & it kept saying that the M80 doesn't dry for a long time & that's why it is so easy to work with. Hec it kept drying on me & I wasn't in the sun & it wasn't even 80 degress outside. UGH I dunno. I will work it out next time I hope

Hey at least 8 hours of work got me some clean bonnet stripes

 

I had a similar experience last year where I got much better results by hand. It may seem that the easy answer is to buy a new batch of materials, but I think technique is more important. I'm still mastering the PC (after 8 hours myself today), so I'm very interested to hear Heather's suggestions...

mb

 

which CD did you watch? i just watched the free griot's DVD
and that got me going and got pretty good results so far... griot's
system is made for weekend detailers and you really can't go wrong
with them. the problem i had was i need to use a more abrasive
polish to get to the deeper swirls. so i got their polish1 and 2 and
that took care of my problem.

try these clips too...the technique is basically the same:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NURjFvmDpEc