Mark
09-16-2014, 04:29 PM
155156157
Two days ago I set out to do many areas of my '97 Tahoe, concentrating on the Hood, both sides, and Rear Tailgate. Began at 7am, temps were cool, low 60's but knew things would warm up and peak of the day would probably be in the 80's.
First a wash, then a clay. Started with Pinnacle Blue, then resorted to Clay Magic Medium Grade. Not sure how a vehicle that's usually covered with a Covercraft NOAH gets like this, but it was pretty nasty.
Tried starting on the Hood with Menzerna SF4500, with new Blue LC 5.5" Flat Pads and while the product is great, it was just too fine a polish to get out some very light RIDS I was seeing, just wasn't getting it. I decided to call upon the "Wolfgang Twins" again, Total Swirl Remover with new White Pads, and then Finishing Glaze then with the Blue Pads. Much better looking.
Upon inspection of the sides and back, all panels were extremely good, and only needed to do a 1-step with WG Finishing Glaze, and Blue Pads. A total of 5 Pads were used, 2 White, 3 Blue.
Was slightly worried that CP Eraser would not remove any possible Oils, but it worked perfectly fine it appears.
CQuartz UK was applied with a Carpro Foam Block, and MF Suede. Application was a breeze, but the clouds were beginning to rear their ugly heads around noon time, and was worried I would not complete both UK, and Reload applications. It did in fact sprinkle lightly for about a minute, then stopped. I was under my carport, so no water got on any paint.
Application of CP UK went flawlessly, very easy to do, the product applied, leveled, and vanished upon the paint so well, it almost looked as if I didn't even need to do a final wipe with MF Towel, but of course I did, with a brand new Boa, immediately wiping after each section was coated.
Perfect, simple, a little draggy, but IMO a heck of a lot easier to apply than any spray type coating such as DP-Pinnacle products.
I was feeling under the gun, and doing such outside, with our unpredictable weather over the past 8-9 weeks is truly a chancy crap shoot. I was extremely concerned, and distracted by the possibility of rain, and a total screw up of the application. Read on, and you'll see what this distraction ultimately caused.
I noted the time when application began, and to remember to wait a minimum of 1 hour before the application of Reload.
Exactly 70 minutes passed, and began the application of Reload, again with a new Boa MF Towel.
Again, easy as pie, I simply sprayed like I was applying a spray detailer, paying no particular attention to how liberally it was applied, usually more than 2 squirts per panel, and it applied flawlessly, easy, and could feel bit more slickness of finish as I went. Smply walked around again in the order the UK was applied. I made it! Did finally do a last wipedown, again with another fresh Boa Towel. Wow!
About a 1/2 hour later, decided to check with hand, and a visual under bright Halogens I was using, all looked to be flawlessly applied, perfect. As I stepped back to admire my work, I was very impressed, the truck I don't think ever looked this good, not even on the day I took Delivery of it back in '96.
Paint felt smooth as silk via bare hand, but decided to check also with the "baggie test", and what I discovered was not at all pleasing. It appears both clays, polishes, and Eraser wipedowns did not fully rid the finish of "something" still on the paint.
The clays were staying very clean, and the white polish pads with WGTSR looked like I just took them out of the package after use. This something has me kicking myself, because evidently I slipped, and did not fully, and properly decon the paint prior to the coating. The distraction of being under the gun, and the worry of rain really threw my brain a curve.
Confused as to what this was, I also checked all glass, and yep, same story with the baggie test.
Now I know in the past I had decon'd my paint better than this, but the dilemma is how did this paint get so bumpy again when the vehicle is covered 24/7 with a NOAH Cover? I tried looking with both Magnifying Glass-Loupe under light, can see zero, nothing on the paint, the paint looks just beautiful even at the microscopic level.
With 2 60' Italian Cypress trees in a neighbor's yard just 75' away, I figure these must be the culprits, and that the deposition is indeed sap.
I wouldn't have felt so bad if all this work, about 7-1/2 hours total was spent applying either a wax or sealant, but feel like an ass sealing such contamination with CQ UK. I don't feel that it is worth stripping the entire coating again just to rid the paint to pass the baggie test, and am thinking that "what" is trapped under the coating will probably have no detrimental effect to the paint, that the only downside is another probable 2 years passing before I'll deal with it again.
I know maybe I'm being a bit critical, anal, but do also as well know that one should totally perfect a finish before coating application and I have somewhat failed in this regard, and step.
The Roof, and the Lower Rocker Panels beneath the Side Molding Trim have yet to be CQ UK'd, but I am of the belief that I'm going to have to insure such is perfected and smooth before continuing.
It appears Clays of any make-sort are proving quite innefective with decon, and thinking that I'll either need to try a different product, maybe a Poly Shave Bar, or perhaps forego such all together as these methods-tools might all prove ineffective and that a chemical strip of some sort (Trix-Tar-X, or Tarminator)might be more effective.
I am very wowed at how well and how easy both CQ UK, and Reload worked, the finish feels rock hard, a fingernail test shows the paint is like hard glass. Gloss and appearance is off the charts the vehicle has never looked this good in 17 years.
Live and learn I guess, and in retrospect, this is the effects of not having a Garage, where I wouldn't have to be so concerned with weather conditions changing within a matter of mere minutes, that I could've take a week to perfect the finish. My error due to haste and forgetfulness to fully scrutinize-check paint before the coating, certainly no products can be blamed in this instance.
Sorry for the long winded post.
Two days ago I set out to do many areas of my '97 Tahoe, concentrating on the Hood, both sides, and Rear Tailgate. Began at 7am, temps were cool, low 60's but knew things would warm up and peak of the day would probably be in the 80's.
First a wash, then a clay. Started with Pinnacle Blue, then resorted to Clay Magic Medium Grade. Not sure how a vehicle that's usually covered with a Covercraft NOAH gets like this, but it was pretty nasty.
Tried starting on the Hood with Menzerna SF4500, with new Blue LC 5.5" Flat Pads and while the product is great, it was just too fine a polish to get out some very light RIDS I was seeing, just wasn't getting it. I decided to call upon the "Wolfgang Twins" again, Total Swirl Remover with new White Pads, and then Finishing Glaze then with the Blue Pads. Much better looking.
Upon inspection of the sides and back, all panels were extremely good, and only needed to do a 1-step with WG Finishing Glaze, and Blue Pads. A total of 5 Pads were used, 2 White, 3 Blue.
Was slightly worried that CP Eraser would not remove any possible Oils, but it worked perfectly fine it appears.
CQuartz UK was applied with a Carpro Foam Block, and MF Suede. Application was a breeze, but the clouds were beginning to rear their ugly heads around noon time, and was worried I would not complete both UK, and Reload applications. It did in fact sprinkle lightly for about a minute, then stopped. I was under my carport, so no water got on any paint.
Application of CP UK went flawlessly, very easy to do, the product applied, leveled, and vanished upon the paint so well, it almost looked as if I didn't even need to do a final wipe with MF Towel, but of course I did, with a brand new Boa, immediately wiping after each section was coated.
Perfect, simple, a little draggy, but IMO a heck of a lot easier to apply than any spray type coating such as DP-Pinnacle products.
I was feeling under the gun, and doing such outside, with our unpredictable weather over the past 8-9 weeks is truly a chancy crap shoot. I was extremely concerned, and distracted by the possibility of rain, and a total screw up of the application. Read on, and you'll see what this distraction ultimately caused.
I noted the time when application began, and to remember to wait a minimum of 1 hour before the application of Reload.
Exactly 70 minutes passed, and began the application of Reload, again with a new Boa MF Towel.
Again, easy as pie, I simply sprayed like I was applying a spray detailer, paying no particular attention to how liberally it was applied, usually more than 2 squirts per panel, and it applied flawlessly, easy, and could feel bit more slickness of finish as I went. Smply walked around again in the order the UK was applied. I made it! Did finally do a last wipedown, again with another fresh Boa Towel. Wow!
About a 1/2 hour later, decided to check with hand, and a visual under bright Halogens I was using, all looked to be flawlessly applied, perfect. As I stepped back to admire my work, I was very impressed, the truck I don't think ever looked this good, not even on the day I took Delivery of it back in '96.
Paint felt smooth as silk via bare hand, but decided to check also with the "baggie test", and what I discovered was not at all pleasing. It appears both clays, polishes, and Eraser wipedowns did not fully rid the finish of "something" still on the paint.
The clays were staying very clean, and the white polish pads with WGTSR looked like I just took them out of the package after use. This something has me kicking myself, because evidently I slipped, and did not fully, and properly decon the paint prior to the coating. The distraction of being under the gun, and the worry of rain really threw my brain a curve.
Confused as to what this was, I also checked all glass, and yep, same story with the baggie test.
Now I know in the past I had decon'd my paint better than this, but the dilemma is how did this paint get so bumpy again when the vehicle is covered 24/7 with a NOAH Cover? I tried looking with both Magnifying Glass-Loupe under light, can see zero, nothing on the paint, the paint looks just beautiful even at the microscopic level.
With 2 60' Italian Cypress trees in a neighbor's yard just 75' away, I figure these must be the culprits, and that the deposition is indeed sap.
I wouldn't have felt so bad if all this work, about 7-1/2 hours total was spent applying either a wax or sealant, but feel like an ass sealing such contamination with CQ UK. I don't feel that it is worth stripping the entire coating again just to rid the paint to pass the baggie test, and am thinking that "what" is trapped under the coating will probably have no detrimental effect to the paint, that the only downside is another probable 2 years passing before I'll deal with it again.
I know maybe I'm being a bit critical, anal, but do also as well know that one should totally perfect a finish before coating application and I have somewhat failed in this regard, and step.
The Roof, and the Lower Rocker Panels beneath the Side Molding Trim have yet to be CQ UK'd, but I am of the belief that I'm going to have to insure such is perfected and smooth before continuing.
It appears Clays of any make-sort are proving quite innefective with decon, and thinking that I'll either need to try a different product, maybe a Poly Shave Bar, or perhaps forego such all together as these methods-tools might all prove ineffective and that a chemical strip of some sort (Trix-Tar-X, or Tarminator)might be more effective.
I am very wowed at how well and how easy both CQ UK, and Reload worked, the finish feels rock hard, a fingernail test shows the paint is like hard glass. Gloss and appearance is off the charts the vehicle has never looked this good in 17 years.
Live and learn I guess, and in retrospect, this is the effects of not having a Garage, where I wouldn't have to be so concerned with weather conditions changing within a matter of mere minutes, that I could've take a week to perfect the finish. My error due to haste and forgetfulness to fully scrutinize-check paint before the coating, certainly no products can be blamed in this instance.
Sorry for the long winded post.