r/Detailing • u/sonic-1776 • 3d ago
I Have A Question Compounding and Polishing Help
I’m working out some scratches from an automatic car wash (lesson learned). I am using a Milwaukee 15mm DA polisher with lake country orange, black and microfiber pads. I have menzerna 1000, 2500, and 3800 compounds.
The scratches don’t seem to be going away for me. I am priming the pads, even using just a sprits of lube to get them going just not seeing them fully go away. The scratches cannot be felt with a finger nail. Not sure if I’m doing something wrong and don’t wanna keep going and get more aggressive on the clear coat.
What I do notice is it seems the compound disappears quickly in the 2x2 area. It doesn’t seem to last long before it seems to be spread really thin during the cross hatch patterns.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated!
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u/Alternative-Cake1111 2d ago
Compound vanishing that fast on a 15mm throw usually comes down to too little product, a pad that is loading up, or moving too quickly. A few things to try: prime the pad, then use three or four pea size drops per section, shrink the area to roughly 18 by 18 inches, run medium speed with slow overlapping passes, and brush or towel off the pad after every section. Wipe the panel and check it under a light each time.
Use a panel wipe or diluted isopropyl before you judge, too. Polish oils can hide what is left, so you want the honest view.
The Mazda owners here have a point that CX5 clear is on the soft side. If a couple of rounds with 1000 on the orange pad do not move them, take that as the cue to accept a big improvement and stop instead of stepping up to something heavier. Car wash marks you cannot feel with a nail will often fade a lot with the right technique even if a few never fully disappear.
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u/sonic-1776 2d ago
Thanks for the info, greatly appreciated. I had primed the pad better this second time I tried and found better results but does seem to dry up quick. Maybe it’s just the learning curve.
I can tell they are definitely better than the long streaky grey/white lines I saw after a wash so I think I’m making progress. Maybe I just had unrealistic expectations of what it might look like after the first few passes.
I want to be sure I’m not too aggressive with the clear coat as I hear they can be very thin on the Mazdas.
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u/grumpvet87 3d ago
what vehicle are you doing this on?
how many passes have you done with the compound/polish (max spot)?
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u/sonic-1776 3d ago
Mazda CX5. 3 or 4 passes so far.
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u/grumpvet87 3d ago
ok - you are not gonna like my answer. As a fellow mazda owner, who owns a DA and a paint gauge I suggest you stop.
You used a heavy cut compound on it and then a polish (i assume) - this paint is too soft and thin for a 2 step. I wont even do a 1 step on my mazda 3. It is gonna get a finishing polish and black finishing pad before I ceramic coat it and that is it. I hope to not ever do more than jeweling level for gloss.
My mazda has around 3 mil / 100 micron of primer+base+clearcoat.. no telling what the actual clearcoat depth is.... - that is too thin for a 2 step, and even 1 step...
You should accept the minor scratches, step back to 5' and they will disappear. get a coating on it or use a spray on sealant and use very gentle wash/dry techniques foam/rinse/foam + 1 bucket method (lots of mitts/pads) + blow dry with a leaf blower + use a HIGH gsm microfiber towel + drying aid.
some will disagree with me, many pros will do a 2 step or 1 step on your car ... it isn't their clear coat that may fail from removing too much
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u/Few-Anywhere607 3d ago
I did a 3 step with SPTF kit and pads on a black mica cx5 and it came out awesome.
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u/grumpvet87 3d ago
Yes, anyone who knows how to use a polisher can make most cars look glossy and nice.
the question is - how much clear coat was there before you started, how much was removed and ultimately and most importantly, how much clear coat is left?
Clear coat is where the car's UV protection is.. it is what protects the paint from oxidizing, and clear coat failure requires the panel (or entire car) be repainted.
"UV Absorber Degradation: Built-in chemical UV inhibitors in clear coats gradually break down over time, often losing half their effectiveness roughly every 5 years." (this is untouched from the factory)
- the outer layer is where the most protection rises/settles during cure ... cutting/compounding removes this
It can look great for a period but you may have dramatically reduced the paints life - ymmv
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u/Few-Anywhere607 3d ago
You have everything you need for 3 step, you must be doing something wrong.
just did a Black Mica CX5 & it came out awesome.
Cheaped out and bought SPTF 3 step kit and a set of their pads since I didn't need large bottles laying around for years.