Annnnnd... the inaugural project!

03 Chrysler minivan. I'm not quite sue how it got like this, but Imma fix it! I will say I'm pleased with the results considering the compound and pad I had - both not the best.

Before:









En process. Note the funky action going on... it's pretty hot; I think I was heating the compound too much.







50-50 with minimal buffing.





Finished until I get my new stuffs in the mail. Overall, I'm pleased with the results. You can still see some of the uncorrectedness. Some swirl marks are left behind from the polish; I was in a rush. Next time I'll use a more abrasive compound and pad.

That is a vast improvement either way, dude!

Ryan

Very nice!

Thanks fellas!

looks very good...

Looks good.

If I ever need it done, I'll have to bring it down to ya- I don't have the patience for that kinda stuff.

looks good, but it's more old parts and rust(mopar)

nflfreak43 said:

looks very good...

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Thanks

john112deere said:

Looks good.

If I ever need it done, I'll have to bring it down to ya- I don't have the patience for that kinda stuff.

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Yea, it's a little time consuming. I just turn on the radio and have at it!

Evan's f250 said:

looks good, but it's more old parts and rust(mopar)

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I wasn't old enough to stop the sale when my grandmother bought it! I like the way it drives, hate everything else. She's crapping out on us and isn't even 10 years old yet!

Process and materials/supplies used? Looks good.

UTfball68 said:

Process and materials/supplies used? Looks good.

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Thanks Ben. Here's a quick break down of what I did. Note that all products used (except the pads) can be bought by consumers at local mega chains.

1. Wash the area with a soap of choice (not a dish soap... ever)

2. Clay bar the area (kits available at WalMart. This pulls contaminants out of the paint; try it sometime!)

3. Dry the area with a microfiber towel (don't use any dirty rags after this point, only clean MFs)

4. TAPE YOUR PLASTICS! Anything plastic you're working around needs to be covered; it will save you some curse words later!

5. Buff on compound using a cutting pad using a figure 8 pattern. (this was the step that hurt me, I didn't have the right pad!)

6. Wipe the area, and polish/seal. This is what brings the paint back to life.

Austin said:

Thanks Ben. Here's a quick break down of what I did. Note that all products used (except the pads) can be bought by consumers at local mega chains.

1. Wash the area with a soap of choice (not a dish soap... ever)

2. Clay bar the area (kits available at WalMart. This pulls contaminants out of the paint; try it sometime!)

3. Dry the area with a microfiber towel (don't use any dirty rags after this point, only clean MFs)

4. TAPE YOUR PLASTICS! Anything plastic you're working around needs to be covered; it will save you some curse words later!

5. Buff on compound using a cutting pad using a figure 8 pattern. (this was the step that hurt me, I didn't have the right pad!)

6. Wipe the area, and polish/seal. This is what brings the paint back to life.

Click to expand...

What's clay bar? Is the cutting pad included in the kit?

taxreliever said:

What's clay bar? Is the cutting pad included in the kit?

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A clay bar is exactly that - a bar of clay! Smilietease You will love if for your dent. The meguiars clay kit comes with 2 bars, a quick detailer (used for quick cleaning and as a clay lubricant), a quick spray wax (nice for before shows), and a good quality microfiber cloth. All of this comes in the kit for under $20. Buy it at WalMart the next time you're out.

What the clay does is take all of the crap off of your paint. Take your hand and rub it down the side of a clean car; it will still catch and have friction. The clay takes out all of the crap and leaves the paint as smooth as glass.

The cutting pad is used on the buffer for applying compound to remove and correct clear coats. The only pads I buy are available online.

http://www.autogeek.net/meguiars-soft-buff-2-pads.html

taxreliever said:

What's clay bar?

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Clay bars are awesome...lifts contaminants off/out of the paint. I do it about every 6 months. It alone can do alot for paint.

Austin said:

A clay bar is exactly that - a bar of clay! Smilietease You will love if for your dent. The meguiars clay kit comes with 2 bars, a quick detailer (used for quick cleaning and as a clay lubricant), a quick spray wax (nice for before shows), and a good quality microfiber cloth. All of this comes in the kit for under $20. Buy it at WalMart the next time you're out.

What the clay does is take all of the crap off of your paint. Take your hand and rub it down the side of a clean car; it will still catch and have friction. The clay takes out all of the crap and leaves the paint as smooth as glass.

Click to expand...

UTfball68 said:

Clay bars are awesome...lifts contaminants off/out of the paint. I do it about every 6 months. It alone can do alot for paint.

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I'll have to check it out when I go to Wally World next.....it would be in the automotive paint section, right? Thanks,

Oh yeah, and what compound did you use? I'm going to have to do this to the bump...pretty cool.

UTfball68 said:

Clay bars are awesome...lifts contaminants off/out of the paint. I do it about every 6 months. It alone can do alot for paint.

Click to expand...

Definitely!

taxreliever said:

I'll have to check it out when I go to Wally World next.....it would be in the automotive paint section, right? Thanks,

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Automotive cleaning/accessories section

taxreliever said:

Oh yeah, and what compound did you use? I'm going to have to do this to the bump...pretty cool.

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The compound is the run of the mill consumer Meguiar's Compound. (Can also be found in WalMart) Good luck to ya! - it should really make the bump shine!

Since my hands are bigger, I usually consolidate the 2 clay bars into one.


Side note...I've always wondered how long to use a clay bar. Are they one time use? Are they a couple time use? Or use em until they dry out? Usually, I'll use them twice.

UTfball68 said:

Since my hands are bigger, I usually consolidate the 2 clay bars into one.


Side note...I've always wondered how long to use a clay bar. Are they one time use? Are they a couple time use? Or use em until they dry out? Usually, I'll use them twice.

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Good question; I'll jump on that for ya. My thought is to use them until they don't hold moisture any more.

My thought process is that the clay bar is holding the contaminants...they're not going anywhere. So there comes a time where you'd just be rubbing the contaminants across/against the paint, causing more damage than there was to begin with. So I always limited multiple uses with a single bar.