[Tommywho156]

I can't really tell from the pic if it's superficial or if it's any more serious.
Polishing plastics is a different animal to polishing metal and there's a couple of things you need to be aware of before you begin.
Firstly you can't use a paint gauge on plastics, so knowing that you'll want to take it easy.
Secondly plastic doesn't disperse heat like metal does so you'll have to make sure you keep the polisher moving more than you would on a metal panel otherwise you run the risk of burning your lacquer, even with a Das6.
Clean the area, clay it and two stage polish it using Meguiars M105 with a cutting pad (two passes) followed by M205 on a polishing pad (two passes). I wouldn't jump straight into wet sanding until you've tried the more gentle approach first.

 

[_The_Editor_]

I can't really tell from the pic if it's superficial or if it's any more serious.
Polishing plastics is a different animal to polishing metal and there's a couple of things you need to be aware of before you begin.
Firstly you can't use a paint gauge on plastics, so knowing that you'll want to take it easy.
Secondly plastic doesn't disperse heat like metal does so you'll have to make sure you keep the polisher moving more than you would on a metal panel otherwise you run the risk of burning your lacquer, even with a Das6.
Clean the area, clay it and two stage polish it using Meguiars M105 with a cutting pad (two passes) followed by M205 on a polishing pad (two passes). I wouldn't jump straight into wet sanding until you've tried the more gentle approach first.

As usual, top tips Tommy :thumbup:

Hard to get a decent picture of the area, but there's certainly some material gouged out...

Will try a gentle approach first and see how that goes.

 

[Tommywho156]

As usual, top tips Tommy :thumbup:

Hard to get a decent picture of the area, but there's certainly some material gouged out...

Will try a gentle approach first and see how that goes.

You're welcome mate.
Shame you're not closer as I'd have done it for you or at least shown you how to do it.

 

[_The_Editor_]

You're welcome mate.
Shame you're not closer as I'd have done it for you or at least shown you how to do it.

Nah it's better this way, now I've got an excuse to buy a polisher/buffer

 

[Tommywho156]

Have a look at PerfectlyCleaned.co.uk they have some great deals on Das6 Pro kits. The PoorBoys is an excellent machine as it has a little more power than a normal one (900w compared to 800/850). It comes with pads, backing plate and Megs 105/205.
I'll ask the owner (David) for the current discount code to get you another 10% off.

 

[Tommywho156]

Have a look at PerfectlyCleaned.co.uk they have some great deals on Das6 Pro kits. The PoorBoys is an excellent machine as it has a little more power than a normal one (900w compared to 800/850). It comes with pads, backing plate and Megs 105/205.
I'll ask the owner (David) for the current discount code to get you another 10% off.

Discount code: 10DISC

 

[_The_Editor_]

Have a look at PerfectlyCleaned.co.uk they have some great deals on Das6 Pro kits. The PoorBoys is an excellent machine as it has a little more power than a normal one (900w compared to 800/850). It comes with pads, backing plate and Megs 105/205.
I'll ask the owner (David) for the current discount code to get you another 10% off.

Ahh sweeeet!

Would you recommend the Hex or the Megs pads?

I don't think I have the code of PerfectlyCleaned.co.uk.... Have pretty much stuck to ioclean and Autobrite direct for my goodies so far

EDIT: I do now

 

[Tommywho156]

Ioclean is also pretty good and Rob is a good bloke to deal with. I can't stand dealing with AutoBrite Direct directly, their customer service sucks and they don't like constructive criticism of their products so I buy mine from resellers.
I really like the Megs microfibre pads but the hexlogic pads are fine for soft paint like that used on Alfa's.

 

[_The_Editor_]

Ioclean is also pretty good and Rob is a good bloke to deal with. I can't stand dealing with AutoBrite Direct directly, their customer service sucks and they don't like constructive criticism of their products so I buy mine from resellers.
I really like the Megs microfibre pads but the hexlogic pads are fine for soft paint like that used on Alfa's.

Fair enough!

1x Poorboys DAS6 Pro with Megs pads and 105/205 compounds on the way! Chucked in a block of Bilt Hamber Soft clay as well, found the medium a bit tough to use a few weeks ago!

Now off to Youtube I go to study techniques!

 

[Tommywho156]

Fair enough!

1x Poorboys DAS6 Pro with Megs pads and 105/205 compounds on the way! Chucked in a block of Bilt Hamber Soft clay as well, found the medium a bit tough to use a few weeks ago!

Now off to Youtube I go to study techniques!

I use the medium in the summer and the soft in the winter as the ambient temperature has an effect on how malleable the clay is. Alternatively you can soak the clay in hit water after each panel.

As for instructional videos, Junkman2000 on YouTube has a series of beginners videos and the machine polishing one is very good, you'll learn a lot from them.

 

[_The_Editor_]

Just finished the 72k service under the bonnet, so I'm settling in for the afternoon with his playlist on :thumbs:

 

[alexGS]

I've found it surprising what improvement can be made to quite bad scuffs, especially by wet-sanding with 2000 grit and 3000 grit Abralon (foam/nylon fabric abrasive pads) before the polishing stage. If the scratches snag a fingernail, then in my opinion sanding is needed - otherwise you'll just polish the grooves rather than smoothing them. If the scratches are down to the primer or plastic, I fill them with touch-up paint before wet sanding (obvious but just thought I'd clarify).

It does take careful judgement and practice to know how much sanding you can do, and Tommy was right to recommend against it until you've had chance to practice.

But it is certainly helpful in some cases, particularly to remove any material (other paint, plastic, etc) that's been transferred onto the surface. If you do a very little bit of wet sanding (soapy water) and then wipe the surface dry, you can see the untouched shiny areas and the areas that are now dulled. Remaining scratches will be more obvious, so you can see your progress.

I know there is a risk of messing it up. But I think the way to look at it is that it needs a respray to be perfect again, so as long as you make a noticeable improvement, you have succeeded.

I use a DAS6 as well. It's essential to use a silicone-free polishing compound so that you can see when you've achieved a genuine shine (rather than a silicone shine that will soon fade in a few days and leave a dull patch). My favourite is Chemical Guys V36 (from the US). It's a diminishing abrasives compound, easy to clean up and finishes well from as low as 1500 grit, though much faster from 3000. A European favourite of mine is Mirka T10, though it is a tad coarser and needs Mirka F05 to finish (the V36 is capable of replacing both).

Maybe the reason I wet-sand first is because I have a 'tame' compound and a DA machine, which I know doesn't remove much material (just puts a shine on what is there). That's safer than using a rotary machine with a coarser compound (to get out the scratches) and potentially burning through the paint where you weren't even trying to polish, which is what used to happen in some of my early disasters... I would never use a rotary for any detail work now - only perhaps for a van roof or some other big area. DAs are wonderfully controllable in comparison.

-Alex

 

[alexGS]

I really like the Megs microfibre pads but the hexlogic pads are fine for soft paint like that used on Alfa's.

Amazingly, those are the two types of pad that I use... Orange hex-logic and the Meguiars white microfibre pad with the thinner, dark red foam backing. I know there are loads of options out there and I've tried many of them, so I think it's funny (and highly encouraging) that we've arrived at the same products, particularly as we're on opposite sides of the world.

I have to order this stuff online from a supplier elsewhere in the country, as local shops sell only ridiculous laced-on sheepskin bonnets and the like :devious:

-Alex

 

[_The_Editor_]

I've found it surprising what improvement can be made to quite bad scuffs, especially by wet-sanding with 2000 grit and 3000 grit Abralon (foam/nylon fabric abrasive pads) before the polishing stage. If the scratches snag a fingernail, then in my opinion sanding is needed - otherwise you'll just polish the grooves rather than smoothing them. If the scratches are down to the primer or plastic, I fill them with touch-up paint before wet sanding (obvious but just thought I'd clarify).

It does take careful judgement and practice to know how much sanding you can do, and Tommy was right to recommend against it until you've had chance to practice.

But it is certainly helpful in some cases, particularly to remove any material (other paint, plastic, etc) that's been transferred onto the surface. If you do a very little bit of wet sanding (soapy water) and then wipe the surface dry, you can see the untouched shiny areas and the areas that are now dulled. Remaining scratches will be more obvious, so you can see your progress.

I know there is a risk of messing it up. But I think the way to look at it is that it needs a respray to be perfect again, so as long as you make a noticeable improvement, you have succeeded.

I use a DAS6 as well. It's essential to use a silicone-free polishing compound so that you can see when you've achieved a genuine shine (rather than a silicone shine that will soon fade in a few days and leave a dull patch). My favourite is Chemical Guys V36 (from the US). It's a diminishing abrasives compound, easy to clean up and finishes well from as low as 1500 grit, though much faster from 3000. A European favourite of mine is Mirka T10, though it is a tad coarser and needs Mirka F05 to finish (the V36 is capable of replacing both).

Maybe the reason I wet-sand first is because I have a 'tame' compound and a DA machine, which I know doesn't remove much material (just puts a shine on what is there). That's safer than using a rotary machine with a coarser compound (to get out the scratches) and potentially burning through the paint where you weren't even trying to polish, which is what used to happen in some of my early disasters... I would never use a rotary for any detail work now - only perhaps for a van roof or some other big area. DAs are wonderfully controllable in comparison.

-Alex

Cheers for the input :thumbup:

It's horrible and rainy here, so I've not yet had a proper go at cleaning up the area... Got the DAS6, Megs 105/205, pads, and fresh bar of clay just waiting for the weather to pick up a bit...

I think I've got a load of wet/dry 1500/1600/1800 grit paper from when I tried lapping my CPU back in the days when I was PC mad... If the softly softly approach doesn't make things better, then I've got the kit to progress with... If it needs it I've got a colour match chip kit, so could knock back the scuff with the paper, fill the indents with the touch up kit, sand it back smooth again, then polish to a perfect finish!

 

[alexGS]

I think I've got a load of wet/dry 1500/1600/1800 grit paper from when I tried lapping my CPU back in the days when I was PC mad... If the softly softly approach doesn't make things better, then I've got the kit to progress with... If it needs it I've got a colour match chip kit, so could knock back the scuff with the paper, fill the indents with the touch up kit, sand it back smooth again, then polish to a perfect finish!

That's the right strategy (start off softly and then progress) but 1500/1600/1800 is just a little bit too coarse - you run the risk of sanding off more than you want to and also risk having a hard time polishing up the dull appearance. Also, abrasives effective on ceramic (CPU package?) are probably far more durable on paint than you'd want them to be - a useful characteristic of wet-sanding paint is that the abrasive wears out and gives a finer finish than when it was fresh.

It would be worth getting some 2000 and some 3000 sanding materials from a paint supply shop. Maybe sandpaper (to use with a block) or I suggest a sanding foam pad (to use by hand, probably better on a curved surface).

Keep us updated on how you get on

-Alex

 

[_The_Editor_]

That's the right strategy (start off softly and then progress) but 1500/1600/1800 is just a little bit too coarse - you run the risk of sanding off more than you want to and also risk having a hard time polishing up the dull appearance. Also, abrasives effective on ceramic (CPU package?) are probably far more durable on paint than you'd want them to be - a useful characteristic of wet-sanding paint is that the abrasive wears out and gives a finer finish than when it was fresh.

It would be worth getting some 2000 and some 3000 sanding materials from a paint supply shop. Maybe sandpaper (to use with a block) or I suggest a sanding foam pad (to use by hand, probably better on a curved surface).

Keep us updated on how you get on

-Alex

Weather forecast is good for the weekend :thumbup:

Picked up a 3 stage finishing project pack of wet/dry from the paint aisle of the local Halfrauds, only went as high at 2500 grit but that was the highest they had in the shop... That'll stay in the garage in case I need it, or I'm feeling brave!!!

 

[alexGS]

2500 will be fine. Good luck!

-Alex

 

[Tommywho156]

2000 and 2500 will be all you need. Megs M105 will easily remove the sanding marks, it can remove marks from paper as course as 1200 grit.

 

[_The_Editor_]

Had a go at it today!

Cleaned and clayed the area, then took a few pics of the scuffs... There was definite gouging of material, which threw up some burrs along the edge of the scuffs... Figured I didn't want those there when I broke out the polish/pads, so I dove right in with wet-sanding :wow::wow::wow::wow:

Pics are trying to highlight the damaged area... The fresh un-touched scuffs are my handiwork, whereas the touch up paint/filler was the previous owners attempt at covering up their handiwork!