Has anyone used the 3m trizec pad and had excellent results? My car was just painted and cleared with HOK. The body shop cant get all the scratches out. This may be a ID10T error but I dont know. My car has what looks like swirl marks in a lot of spots. I am taking it back for them to fix but are there any tricks or ideas to get my paint looking like it was just done and not like its 4 years old? For the most part it looks really good but there are some areas that look like ****.

 

I use the 3000 Trizact on a DA, works great. What's your question about the Trizact? Sounds like whoever did the final work at that shop sucks. Ask them how they buff and how they remove the haze left be the rotary buffer. They maybe just glazed over the rotary haze and not actually removed the marks with an abrasive polish.

 

well there are fine scratches in the paint and there is a lot of areas that look like swirl marks. I think they just dont know how to polish the paint. Do you use 1500 then 3000

 

If they didn't polish correctly, after buffing and just glazed it, the swirl marks might show up more, eventually as the paint fully cures and the glaze wears off. It really depend on what I'm doing, just de-nibbing I would 2000 dry or wet then buff then polish. Knocking down or flat sanding the clear surface peal, I would 1000 or 1500 wet, then 2000 wet, then 3000 Trizact wet on a DA, then buff, then polish. The paint needs to be gradually progressed to a high gloss after wet sanding, some people think (rotary)compound to glaze is ok, wich of course isn't. This is where a good finishing polish and polishing tool is key.

 

well i dont know wtf they are doing but it does not look "wet" and its very swirly. There excuse is that the clear is still soft who knows. I think I am going to take it to a different shop that knows how to do it.

 

Yeah they don't know what their doing. Their just using a rotary and some compound/glaze. Fresh clear is actually very easy to buff and polish, unless its black and under cured/hardened and too fresh for finessing. Sucks you have find someone who knows how to finish the job.

 

so explain to me the steps you would do, HOK recommends 1500 then right to 3000. So in between the 1500 dry and 3000 wet trizect pad, what do you use? After the 3000, what do you use, and what do you finish with?

 

For flat sanding start w/ 1000 to 1500 wet (1000 if the peel is bad or you know you have a thick clear build to work with 3+ coats)

2000 wet (OK to start w/ if surface peel is very minimal and/or you want to just knock it down a bit bit)

3000 Trizact wet on a 6" DA w/ hook-it pad

Keep the working area wet, and continually rinse off sanding scum, do not let it dry on any surface or in crevices or in jams.

3M perfect it II (or comparable compound) on a cutting foam pad. I have a red dynabrade air buffer, 100% trigger adjustable 0-2500rpm.

3M p/n 82878 Final Finish Easy Clean Up Polish (or comparable polish) This stuff works great. I have 2 high rpm, 5" dynabrade random orbit, DA air polishers. Don't just go over it, work in the compound and remove the swirls, use orange pad. Finish w/ a lighter cut pad if you need to.

Pretty much done, wait 45-90 days then re-polish if needed and wax.




Modified by powerflow at 3:17 PM 2/1/2008

 

HOK says 1500 dry then 3000 wet? I have a dewalt buffer. You wouldnt use a wool pad you use a foam cutting pad?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mikeycivic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">HOK says 1500 dry then 3000 wet? I have a dewalt buffer. You wouldnt use a wool pad you use a foam cutting pad?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I use a wool pad for the rough cut and a foam pad for the swirl mark remover and final glaze. Don't use the same foam pad for swirl mark remover AND final glaze, you need to use a new pad each time. Be very very careful around those edges, I would hate to see you burn through on a nice fresh paint job...

 

yeh thats what the painter did, burnt my door and both fenders. Needed to be repainted.

 

The 3000 is super fine. It reduces the buffing time and eliminates the need for a wool pad. Its do-able but going from 1500 to 3000 is a big step for fresh paint. If you do go 1500 to 3000 you need to be aggressive with the 3000 and make sure your removing all the 1500. Just because they recommend it doesn't mean its the best route for everyone, its just a basic recommendation. Also for final finesse work I like to wet sand throughout when doing a complete, except I use 2000 dry if I'm just de-nibbing ond only removing the dirt nibs then buffing. As far as burning through the edges, the trigger feel on most electric buffers is horrible so definitely be careful around edges. Those cheap buffers tend to have " on or off " triggers w/ a few speeds which really sucks compared to a 100% trigger adjustable buffer. Make sure the pad is rotating away from the edge. Don't even wet sand up to the edges unless you need to.

 

Sounds good my dewalt is fully adjustable. I dont know what they use on it. i do know Im pissed cuz my paint looks like ****. I was thinking about just doing it myself but I have never wetsanded and polished a freshly painted car. I have however used a buffer before. I need to talk to the shop about there process because I am unsure exactly what they are doing.

 

Yeah I would put the ball in their court, let them fix it, if you feel they are competent. I'm sure you already know, but I would be as nice as possible but let them know what will make you satisfied. Ask them how they remove the haze/swirl marks and if they tell you glaze w/ a glazing type pad, well then you know its a lost cause.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by powerflow &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ask them how they remove the haze/swirl marks and if they tell you glaze w/ a glazing type pad, well then you know its a lost cause. </TD></TR></TABLE>

How are you supposed to remove them? Just so I know!

 

Basically the compound swirls need to removed w/ a semi-abrasive polish. Some polish compound is a final last step, some more aggressive polish needs to be finished w/ a light cut pad and less aggressive final polish on darker colors.

I'm open minded so I'm sure there are a few ways, I know what works for me, I've seen many cars I've painted and buffed long after I've done the initial work. Like I said before, I polish w/ the above mentioned 3M final polish w/ a Dynabrade polishing tool. Glaze only temporarily hides swirl marks, good polish removes swirl marks. You can use polish w/ a rotary, but its not ideal and the proper pad needs to be used. Buffing=aggressive grit compound used w/ a rotary, polishing=semi-aggressive polishing compound used as a final step w/ a random orbit, DA tool.