Polishing 3M protection and tips with edges

Well I was able to make a few videos of the vehicle I just completed, 2007 MazdaSpeed 3.

Again I share this to show/illustrate how I do things, my technique/way of doing things may be different then yours but just thought I'd share and hope it helps eace:

Again I apologize for the long download time but I'm all about quality and I do my best to deliver quality :thumb:

First video illustrates how I polish the 3M protection on this vehicle, products used is a Metabo (no more then 1,100RPM setting 2), 3M Backing Plate, 3M Black Polishing pad (UK), 3M Ultrafina (UK).
http://www.detailingbliss.com/downloads/desktops/Video 1 wmv.wmv

The second video I decided to do because this vehicle has some nice curves and thought it would be good to show how I treat edges, with the intention that it would help others. Same products/items used as in the first video but the RPM's were bumped up to 1,500RPM (speed 3 on the Metabo):
http://www.detailingbliss.com/downloads/desktops/Video 2 wmv.wmv

The Last video is basically to show the difference a good polishing technique can accomplish:
http://www.detailingbliss.com/downloads/desktops/Video3wmv.wmv


Hope you enjoy and like always feed back good or bad is always appreciated. Hope the videos help :mounty:

Here is the full detail of this vehicle:
http://www.detailingbliss.com/forum/f46/divine-detail-2007-mazdaspeed-3-a-3894.html

 

another great video. I had a question though. How come you are using a black 3m pad to finesse it? I thought the blue ones were softer and more of a finishing pad?

 

Yes, you are correct the Blue Finishing Pad is the one for finessing and I tried it combined with UF (UK) and it just wasent removing all the micro marring that was on the vehicle. So this time I bumped up to the Black 3M pad as it has a slight better bite to it compared to the Blue one.

Certain areas of the vehicle required to bump the polish as well but you'll see what I mean when I post the write up.

Nice thing is that the Black pad is just as soft as the Blue and it finished off really well with the vehicles clear coat.

Thank you for the feed back and glad you enjoyed the videos eace:

 

Very well done, once again.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed watching these videos, can't get enough of them.
I appreciate the effort you put in to making these videos:applause::worship2::worship2::worship2:

 

To those that have used the "Thanks button" thank you for the feed back...man that button sure was a good idea :headbang:

Thank you bigpoppa, glad you enjoyed the videos :thumb:

My home boy distrbd, glad you enjoyed it bro :chest:
The funny thing is that recording/making the video is easy, it's the conversion and making sure to maintain that HD quality that takes for ever :wall: But that will soon change as I'll be picking up my MacBook Pro soon :cheerl: Video rendering will be much faster soon :woo:
Thank you for the feed back, very much appreciated and I'm glad you enjoyed the videos.

 

Is there by any chance I can download these? I have a mac and it doesn't work!

 

Should, i have a mac and downloaded it fine. Just click the link, let it download, and then play with WMP.

 

Awesome vids. Thanks for the teaching!

Not only did I learn something about the rotary, but also about the UF. I was not working it enough...

Great job SIR!

p.s. Nice accent.

 

Thanks for another great set of videos. It seems I need to work UF a little bit longer also.

Just one question - In the last video where you are using UF on the paint (not the 3M protection) how did you handle the correction step and the edges? Smaller bp/pad combo? Wool?

 

Another question... In Vid 2, where you used the 3 tiny drops of polish... Was that a fresh clean pad you used, or had it been primed in some way?

 

Yet another set of great videos Carlos! I definitely enjoyed watching them and thirst for more, LoL.

As 1f1fan questioned, how do you handle your correction steps with body lines like that in those videos? Also, what 3M backing plate are you using as well?

Thanks again for your efforts to help us all out Carlos!

 

It should work, just like matrix_808 said.

Thank you, I find UF has a great working time and a little goes a very long way. I'm glad you found the video usefull..lol..what accent hahahahahah

Thank you for the feed back 1f1fan, as for the paint corection to be honest it was the same process as what I did on the video the only difference is that I used a bit stronger polish 3M Perfect-it III Extra Fine Compound. The thing to note is that becuase I used the 3M (UK) foam pads, they are quite soft and you can get a way with using a bit larger pad. If you use a firm foam pad like Menzerna for example there is no way I would use the 5inch 3M backing plate I would have to change the backing plate to a 4 or 3 inch backing plate and use smaller foam pads 4inches or so.

That's why I mentioned about using a firm pad on the video. To be hones this vehicle responded extremely well to the 3M UK polish I was blown away by it, you'll see what I mean when I post the full detai later on tonight, I wanted to post it last night but just ran out of time :doh:

Oh good point reefer_bob, yes the pad had been well primed with UF, so once the pad is well primed three dots it took to do that panel. Sorry I should have mentioned that, glad you asked eace:

Glad your enjoying the videos Denzil and thank you for the feed back, very much appreciated. As for hte backing plate, I'm using the 3M 125 mm Perfect-it III Rotary Backing Plate - 5/8"


Happy to help Denzil eace:

 

Oh another thing to note about the 3M protection, well you see how I taped it all up right, well all the tape had to be removed and areas were the tape was covering up had to be polished...in other words the seem/edge of the 3M protection had to be polished and I polished the exact same way as you saw me polish in the video.

I have a friend who owns a shop where he installs 3M protection and every time he sees me he tells me "don't polish 3M protection, you don't need to" Well he came over and I showed him this vehicles 3M protection and the state it was in, when he saw th 3M he said it was a bit odd...odd in the sense that the vehicle is only a 2007 yet the 3M looked to be in bad condition, well I showed him how I polish the 3M and as I was polishing he was placing his hands on the areas I had polished to feel how much heat was being put on the 3M protection, hardly any heat was applied to the 3M but keep in mind the maximum I went was 1,100RPM (speed dial #2 on the Metabo) I dont' go higher then that due to heat build up. The other thing to note is the speed I was moving the rotary and the passes.

Any who point of the story is that my friend was quite impresd with the difference I made to the 3M protection and I had no issues with the polishing process.

So like I said the purpose of the videos was to show how I do things, now keep in mind that just becuase it works for me it dosen't make it right, but it works for me. Oh the side view mirrors also had the 3M protection and those were also polished the exact same way as on these videos..mmm...:shead: Maybe I should do a video of polishign the side view mirrors too..mm...any who just be carefull and if you want to try polishing the 3M start at 700RPM, well basically the first speed on the rotary and maintain a nice steady movement on the rotary.

Oh and yes, polish reside is built up on the edge of the 3M protection. I like to make sure that I get all the polish residue off right away as I find that if you let it dry up it's harder to remove.

The last thing I want is members here run off try it out and damage the 3M protection. So just be carefull with how much heat you allow to build up on the 3M protection.

Oh another thing I keep on forgeting to do on the videos is a wipe down but I usually do the wipe down at the very end when all the polishing process is done, I'll have to remember to show that on the next video.

Well I welcome questions, so ask away and I'll do my best to answer the questions :hippie:.

 

How hot does the hood get on a sunny summer day? I would assume the 3m protection should be good for well over 100degF, maybe even up to 150? :shrug:

 

I think you've sold me on that backing plate that you use Carlos. I just can't resist not trying it out! I guess I'll have the Edge system AND the traditional backing plate and pad combo, hehe. I'll pick up that backing plate from Phil at DD but I'll have to figure out how I'm going to get my hands on those UK pads, hehe.

 

very helpful videos nica. salute to you.

 

Exactly that exact same thinking is what got me to start polishing the 3M protection...but I'm just carefull when doing it as as I'd hate to damage anything that's all.

You'll love the 3M Backing plate, it makes polishing on the edges much safer compard to the conventional backing plate...that yellow foam makes a huge difference. I honestly couln't polish with out it...I just wish they made a larger one for the wool pads :giggle:

As for the UK pads, oh I'm sure you can get your hands on them if you wait about a week or so

thank you jake_b glad you found the videos hepfull eace:

 

Nica, have used wool on a 3M clear bra yet. If not, just to let you know it works well on it.

 

Oh really, no can't say I've used wool on it just yet....but to be honest I haven't had the need to use wool, well so far...but it's good to know as it could come in reall handy, thanks for sharing Asphalt Rocket :worship2: