Shoulld I now wax this paint finish?

[mickbench]

I am sorry for asking this, but I am a little confused. I read the FAQ on polishing, but I don't know what I'm to do next.

I have sprayed my car, the thread will give you a progress update if needed and I was happy with the result.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=347891

I waited 12 days and not 14 days before I started to polish the body. I was going to use compound, but the compound I ordered for HLJ hasn't arrived, so I thought I would use Micro Mesh instead.

Results are stunning. I started with 4000, and "VERY" slowly worked up to 12000 across the entire body. I did this with a "VERY" wet car body, with the sheet covered in water. It took ages, in fact all day - and I mean all of today. Slowly and gently rubbing away. I have now dried the car of wet spots and as you will see below the shine is almost a mirror.



What do I do now? Do I now leave it, as it was micro mesh I used, or polishing still with compound and then wax, or just wax? I am a little confused, and I'm sorry if you think I'm being a bit dumb. It's the first time I've used micro mesh, and TBH, this process has almost left me in cold sweats. Talk about worry, I thought I was going to get through the paint.. But I didn't.. Phew..!!

[freakmech]

the picture is dark so i cant say if it needs to be polished but go ahead and wax it. you can always wash of the wax and rub it down if you feel its needed.

[mickbench]

I either have a very poor digital camera, or I'm total rubbish at taking photo's.

If I use no flash it's really dark, if I use a flash it looks over exposed. Anyhow, is this better?

[freakray]

Digital cameras need lots of light to take good photos, try taking a photo outside in daylight.
The flash on a digital camera is little to no use in average light conditions.

[Fkouch]

Nice work. The 12000 grit should have left your finish smooth (which it looks), but with extremely small scratches.
You now use compound (Tamiya, Scratch X etc) to remove those last scratchs.
You should now put your wax on. Remember some waxes are abrasive and some aren't. If you're finish is smooth enough you could just use an abrasive wax like The Final Detail (that Alex Kustov uses) without using compound.

Cheers

Farrokh

[freakmech]

Outdoor pics are best with digi cams but i would highly suggest buying a mini tripod as well to get good clean shots indoor/or outdoor. there less then $20. what camera is it??? i might be able to help you set it up for better pics.

[drunken monkey]

....not to mention that those little flashes on cameras are for filling in 'dark patches'.
they're not meant to act as a primary light source.

nothing beats daylight (apart from a studio set up with spots)

[mickbench]

Originally Posted by freakmech

Outdoor pics are best with digi cams but i would highly suggest buying a mini tripod as well to get good clean shots indoor/or outdoor. there less then $20. what camera is it??? i might be able to help you set it up for better pics.

It is an Olympus C-460, and I think I know what you are saying. Outdoor shots look great, even for me but the shots of my car look bad when indoors.

Problem I have, most of the time I work late at night, so it's always dark outside. I will try and get an outside shot though, as the car looks great. Even for me, and this is my fisr attempt at a "real" top finish.!!

BTW - Yes it has got some "VERY" fine scratches. They are almost invisable. You can see them but only just. I am worried that I will go through the paint if I use anymore abrasive materials..!! I applied 2 mist, 1 slightly wet and two full wet coats, but the paint isn't thick, or I would have lost the panel lines.

[mickbench]

OH - My wax (when it gets here from HLJ) will be tamiya, is that abrasive?

I don't think I can get fine detail wax in the UK, and I don't have any scratch X. I can get some though..

Thanks all

[freakmech]

OK, for indoor use try the Flourescent Light setting, and use the spot meter function. also try and light the model from the back of the shot angle (from behind but not in the shot). set the camera on something solid instead of holding it. stack books if you have to. use flash on low and center your aim on the side air intake just behind the door. put some printer paper under and around car so the cam can auto-white balance. basically if you play around with the menu functions enough youll find good settings for your cam in different light. i also work at night so my pics are dodgy as well but i have a worst cam then you but learned to use it by playing around.

[mickbench]

Thanks for the advice, but I should have messed around with these before. Typical, just shot with the defaults, and never think to try other settings..

Anyhow -

Shot 1 - slow shutter + flash, WB set to night



Shot 2 - Slow shutter with flash WB set to indoor light



Shot 3 - No flash WB set to night



Any better...??

[hirofkd]

I'm a polishing fiend, so I know how the surface look like after 12000 grit polishing kit. What you need is one of those finer compounds, like Tamiya's finishing one (they have three kinds now), Modeler's Top Compound 2000, or Hasegawa's Ceramic Compound. (Among those, I recommend the Hasegawa one.) That will make the surface like a mirror. Then, you'll be obsessed with polishing like me.

[Scale-Master]

OH - My wax (when it gets here from HLJ) will be tamiya, is that abrasive?

No, Tamiya wax is not abrasive.
From the pictures it looks ready to wax.
If you find you've missed some spots, I'd use the Tamiya Compound for those areas and then just wax over those spots, no need to strip any wax.
That 360 is looking very nice... - Mark

[Fkouch]

Thats pretty damn smooth


If you're worried about sanding through to the paint you could try a couple of coats of clear. That way you'll know if you've sanded too much when you start to see colour on your polishing cloth.

Cheers

Farrokh

P.S. Hasegawa Ceramic compound is great stuff!