GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: raylarrabee on June 01, 2005, 11:06:17 AM

Title: polishing paste, or rubbing compund to finish clear coat?
Post by: raylarrabee on June 01, 2005, 11:06:17 AM
I'm finishing up my clear coat today and need to know what I am supposed to use to polish the clear after it hardens.  Auto parts store has 2 things that seem appropriate:  rubbing compound and polishing compound.

Anybody know which one is the right stuff?  I don't want to mess up the paint job on the last step.
Title: polishing paste, or rubbing compund to finish clear coat?
Post by: Roadstergal on June 01, 2005, 11:42:49 AM
You always go from harsh to fine.  Polish can come in any of a number of harshneses.  I'd go to a more auto-body-inclined store that might have a better selection of polish.  The one time I did clearcoat polish, it was on a car, and I used Griot's machine polish, full job in order from 1->2->3.

Rubbing compound tends to be harsher than polish, but I've run into polishes that were harsher than rubbing compound.  What you use depends on what state your clearcoat is in.  A masterful clearcoat spray won't need any.  A really bad one will need sanding.
Title: polishing paste, or rubbing compund to finish clear coat?
Post by: ktrim on June 01, 2005, 12:32:21 PM
3m micro finish.  it is designed specifically for that. could also try mequires mirror glaze
Title: polishing paste, or rubbing compund to finish clear coat?
Post by: raylarrabee on June 01, 2005, 01:26:41 PM
Quote from: RoadstergalA masterful clearcoat spray won't need any.  A really bad one will need sanding.

well, as rattle cans go, I don't think it's too bad, but it's probably a lot closer to "bad" than "masterful"

So, sand then polish.  I'll look for a store with a wider variety of polishes.