Meguiar's Scratch X

Bit of a strange one this, but I'll post it anyhow. I've been rubbing out an S2000 TS Camel Yellow paint job now for a little while (well minus the 10 day break due to a flu virus) but using Tamiya Finish Compound I can still see very light scratches.

I firstly flatten the paint all round with 3200 micro mesh. My orange peel wasn't very bad, and so to flat the paint was pretty easy, as a few light sands and the paintwork was even and flat all round, with no dimples.

I then used Tamiya Fine Compound to bring the shine back, which it did, and I had a mirror finish. But a few scatches. Not deep, more like swirl marks. Tamiya Fine removed many, and after about three rubbings of Finish, the marks are still there.

So, time for the big guns. Meguiar's Scatch X in the garage. Use it on my real car, and it removes scatches, and I've heard some of you using it before. So I give it a go. Wow...!! No more marks, no more scratches its a mirror. I can see (if I look REAL close) VERY light swirl marks, and, my finish still lacks that deep gloss.. So, tonight, plenty of waxing. Not sure if I should apply Meguiar's paint cleaner. As this is a light swirl mark remover, plus polish. I can then apply Meguiar's wax or Tamiya Wax afterwards. Should I do that, is it OK to do that?

And not that impressed with Tamiya Finish Compound. It did nothing, wereas a tube of Meguiar's did plenty. Oh well, learnt a new method that worked for me last night.

I use Meg's Scratch X on my real cars and my models too, also combine using Scratch X with some Meg's Gold Class polish too, brings a really nice gloss up.

Dan.

mickbench, You should have used Tamiya regular compound after the #3200 cloth then Tamiya Finish or Scratch X compound and your scratches would be gone.

In effect you jump too many grit sizes going from 3200 to Finish compound. The grit in the Finish compound is too fine to remove the scratches you put in the paint with the 3200.

I have three types of Tamiya Compound. Red, Blue and Black. I used the Blue compound first, then the Black afterwards.

Not sure what you mean by regular compound. Is this the red one, as i skipped this, and went onto the Blue.

Mick,
Brian meant that you should have done the following...

1. 3200 MicroMesh cloth
2. 4000 ""
3. 6000 ""
4. 8000 ""
5. 12000 ""
6. Any polishing compounds...i.e. Tamiya/Meguairs/3M/MicroMesh etc
7. wax
8. enjoy the view...;-)>

You asked too much of the Tamiya compound by going directly to it from a 3200 grit sanding. Had you used the finer clothes you would have been able to sand the more coarse scratches and get to a point where the Tamiya compound WOULD work...

At least I THINK that's what he meant...
hth,
Bill

Glad to see you are feeling better Mike :)
Without doubt veyron and bvia are right that it's not a good idea to leapfrog through the grades in general.
Having said that I think I had an experience maybe something similar to yours where a finish (gloss black) that looked to me pretty smooth was actually lightly scratched AFTER using the finish compound. I thought that it was down to the closth I used but maybe it is the compound.
Luckily it all came out after using maguires wax and cleaner

This is confusing...

This is something I found, and it mentions nothing about going from 3200 right up to 12000.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=332711

I have in the past use 3200 up to 12000 but it's a pain, and takes ages, and it is risky as it's so easy to go through the paint. Ah well, if this is what has to be done, then it has to be this way. I just thought it was like real automotive polishing. In the real auto body shop they just flat the paint out, then use compound with an auto circle polisher, and bring on the shine. Not go over it with grades of grit paper. Unless I'm wrong..!!

EDIT - also the paintwork is "Almost" perfect. There are a few swirl marks, wonder if gold class would remove them, as I've got some of that. Use it on my real car..

mickbench, You have a good grasp on the polishing process....but on this one you somehow made some deep scratches with the 3200 that compound is unable to remove.

I suggest going back with the 3600 cloth and going up to 6000 then use the compound again, this should get you the perfect finish.