GabiOsz

Pedro..... thanks.

P_carfan, Thanks for the info.

akolodesh

you can also look to autopia.com for a lot of detailing information. earlier derivatives of clay got a bad rap because they were more difficult to work with. The current genearation of clay products are very user freindly and provide an awesome contaminant free base for the application of polishes, sealants and waxes.

pzull

An alternative to "cutting" the paint to remove swirls is to "fill" the swirls with something like Zaino Z5. Alot safer, requires less skill and less effort. Like applying wax, 3-5 coats and your swirls are gone....unless your paint is deeply scoured

Traffic53

3-5 coats! is that all? i was looking for a good, labor-intensive second job.

PedroNole

I have a fresh perspective as I washed the car today. Products I had at my disposal were:

Rejex
Zaino #5
Zaino #2
Dura Gloss Clear Coat Polish

First, washed car.

Second, used Zaino #5 to get rid of surface scratches, spider webs, etc. Although it did a decent job, it made its own set of fresh scratches. Also, extremely difficult to get off. Not overly impressed with the product.

Followed Zaino #5 with Rejex. Great product. Goes on easy and comes off easy. HOWEVER, and this is what I don't understand, on the right side of the car and hood it produced a lot of swirl marks. I had to Zaino #5 again and then switched to Zaino #2 instead of Rejex to get the swirls out.

Zaino #2 was not nearly as easy to work with as the Dura Gloss. Especially when you consider that they tell you to leave it on for 30 minutes before taking off. By that time, it's brutal to get off.

I don't know what to think. I started with the Rejex and thought man, is this great. Then the swirls came. Zaino was a total dud in my opinion. I guess I'll just stick with the Dura Gloss until I figure out what is going on with the Rejex.

I saw a post earlier in the thread where someone didn't have a clear coat finish on their paint. How can we tell?

Traffic53

were the cloths you used a possible cause for the rejex-induced swirl marks?

PedroNole

Cotton, terry cloth.....

kdurg

Microfiber ONLY touches the C4S' skin !!!

Cotton/Terry Cloth towels.....OUCH !!! Scratches and Burns the surface....

Traffic53

the swirl mark culture is a difficult one to nail down. have you thought of selling your cab and buying a new swirl-mark-free ferrari 360 spyder with the f1 transmission?

PedroNole

That beats microfiber

p_carfan

PedroNole-
"Followed Zaino #5 with Rejex. Great product. Goes on easy and comes off easy. HOWEVER, and this is what I don't understand, on the right side of the car and hood it produced a lot of swirl marks. I had to Zaino #5 again and then switched to Zaino #2 instead of Rejex to get the swirls out. "

It was my understanding not to use Rejex over fresh Zaino .

Here's whwt Berry said in a prior thread;

if you've recently applied zaino, you can either chemically strip it with the appropriate product, or if it's been a while since you've applied it, then you can give the car a thorough washing with a decent automotive detergent. this should take away most anything that might introduce compatibility problems. another - and highly recommended - step is to clay bar the car after you wash it. i think this adds a great deal of beautification to the final result. after claying, the car is ready for RejeX. apply a small amount to a clean, soft cotton cloth (buffers work well too). don't go overboard thinking that more is better. RejeX goes on like soft butter, and it comes off easier than anything you have every used. use it on smooth and/or polished metal, paint in good condition (no oxidation), and all your glass. then, apply it to your wheels to keep the brake dust from sticking.

mnmblu

I like the way traffic thinks. I don't think the rejex would be the prob. You most likely got your swirls preparing the surface for protectant. You may want to try the 3m swirl and mark remover followed by the 3m glaze, for fill, then rejex. Also, use a porter cable or at least a cheap orbital buffer. You just can't get good results by hand trying to remove swirls.
Good luck Mr. Phelps. And... as always the state dept will disavow any knowledge of your actions if you get caught.

JasonAndreas

Isn't the 3M hand/machine glaze meant to be used in place of a wax on a freshly painted surface? So wouldn't REJEX be used in place of the glaze if you want durability? My first "professional" attempt was;

1) Wash
2) Clay Bar
3) 3M Finesse-It 2 Fine Cut rubbing compound
4) 3M Finesse-It 2 Swirl Mark Remover
5) Rejex
6) 2nd coat of Rejex

Next time around I will skip the rubbing compound and swirl mark remover if I'm careful washing the car. Hopefully I won't need to use the rubbing compound again and maybe once a year only I'll use the swirl mark remover. FYI. The first time I tried REJEX was after a straight wash and the car looked awesome (obviously not as good as it does now) and had I not stripped the finish with DAWN and rubbing compound, the paint would still be shiny now (6 1/2 months later and at least 10 washes)

mnmblu

Jason,
Sound nice. I think it is recommended to glaze after any abrasive (smr) to fill any remaining impressions. Thus providing as flawless a surface as possible before applying the final coat of Rejex. Inasmuch as Rejex has no cleaning power it is essential to get your surface as smooth and flawless as possible before application. Works fer me. However, you can always give Barry a call, he is the expert after all.
Keep up the good work soldier.

dak911

Geeze, whatever happened to throwing some kerosene in a bucket of water and washing with that...worked for the oldtime fire engines....