Rubbing Compound

[guest12345]

1. Where can I get rubbing compound from??? Repco? autobarn?

2. What is a good brand? what is a bad brand? Should I avoid cheap ones??

Brief reason why I'm searching, have a few tiny scratches in some pretty unnoticeable areas therefore bought some touch up paint from VW... The vw touch up paint is a tiny brush (like nail polish brush) therefore it leaves brush marks... colour is currently slightly different to original colour... hopefully it will be a match when it drys...

So i heard rubbing compound is some sort of sandpaper for cars... and it can get rid of swirl marks, unevenness etc. So i thought i would give it a try.

Thanks guys.

[DMS_Dan]

Stop right now lol.

the old school rubbing compounds will kill your cars paint. You will be left with hazy patches that are heaps and heaps of tiny swirls.

The only way to fix the brush marks is to wetsand the area then buff the sanding marks out. Its very easy to do irreversible damage doing this so read a lot and practice on scrap panels first, or pay a professional. You will also need to buff the swirls out of the paint with a machine.

Have a look here How To // Car Care Products at the machine polishing guide. Thats the only way to properly remove the marks from the paint.

[guest12345]

Stop right now lol.

the old school rubbing compounds will kill your cars paint. You will be left with hazy patches that are heaps and heaps of tiny swirls.

The only way to fix the brush marks is to wetsand the area then buff the sanding marks out. Its very easy to do irreversible damage doing this so read a lot and practice on scrap panels first, or pay a professional. You will also need to buff the swirls out of the paint with a machine.

Have a look here How To // Car Care Products at the machine polishing guide. Thats the only way to properly remove the marks from the paint.

Thanks for the reply dan,

What grade wetsand would you suggest?? 1500? 2000? or something else??

I don't really have any scrap panels, and as mentioned, it is really in a non visible part of the car, so i don't really want to pay 250-700 to buff something like that out, as i could easily scratch that part of the car out again. lol It would be a totally different story if it was the bonnet or door.

I also don't have a machine to buff...

Someone else suggested that i... 1. sand 2. buffing compound 3. finishing compound

Since you are a professional, for a job without machines what steps would you suggest after sanding?? and what products and brands would you suggest, which i (sydney) can easily allocate?

Or you can fix it for $50 lol

[Corey_R]

Or you can fix it for $50 lol

lol... it'd cost you more than $50 to just buy the "buffing compounds" (polishes, of which you'll require a few if you're going to do it yourself) and "finishing compounds" (waxes or sealants) to do it yourself.

But DMS Dan is right. If you're going to wet sand, it's rather difficult to then refinish the surface by hand.
If it really is on a "non sible part of the car", will the brush marks really matter?

[guest12345]

Just a small update, i bought a few things for the project.

1. 1500 and 2000 wet and dry sandpaper.

2. A bottle of Meguiar's Mirror Glaze 2, Fine-Cut cleaner (cut level 5/10).

3. Meguiar's Ultimate compound

4. Microfiber buffing towel

I'm not too sure if i got the right mirror glaze... there are a few different cut level... 3 and 7... (0 being light cut and 10 being heavy cut).

If there are other products i should use instead.. or something i shouldn't use... please advise me. I haven't used any of those products yet so i can still return and buy something else.

Thanks.

[barrenjoey owl]

Have you read the previous responses?

[Corey_R]

Basically one level probably will be a compromise. As per my above post, the theory is that you're meant to change the compounds from a "heavy" to a "medium" to a "light" and then you do a final detail with whatever regular polish and then sealant you'd use.

[guest12345]

Have you read the previous responses?

Yes, what are you suggesting??

Basically one level probably will be a compromise. As per my above post, the theory is that you're meant to change the compounds from a "heavy" to a "medium" to a "light" and then you do a final detail with whatever regular polish and then sealant you'd use.

Thanks Corey.

Would it be better to get 2 different cuts of mirror glaze instead of using 1 heavier cut mirror glaze and ultimate compound? I know it would be better for have a few different cuts, so you can work from heavy to light, but as i'm trying to reduce spending i don't want to get 4-5 bottles of stuff, as i only use it once.

I'm getting to understand what mirror glaze does from a few Meguiar's youtube videos... but still not too sure what ultimate compound is... a heavy cut? light cut?

[Corey_R]

I'm not overly familiar with the Meguiars products you've mentioned. You'd really be best talking someone who's done this numerous times before... but I fear that they too may also only be able to say for sure on the products they've used themselves.

[DMS_Dan]

You will not get the sanding marks out by hand with Meguiars Mirror Glaze 2, or Ultimate Compound or anything else. The only way to properly remove them will be via machine.

You say its a non visible part of the car. Where exactly is it? If its on a bumper then you need to be REALLY careful if your sanding. The paint on bumpers is different to the body. I personally would never wetsand a bumper as there is a very high chance you will damage the paint while removing the sanding marks.

And it would be more than $50 to fix it

[guest12345]

I'm not overly familiar with the Meguiars products you've mentioned. You'd really be best talking someone who's done this numerous times before... but I fear that they too may also only be able to say for sure on the products they've used themselves.

That is very true, i guess i will just have to take the plunge.

You will not get the sanding marks out by hand with Meguiars Mirror Glaze 2, or Ultimate Compound or anything else. The only way to properly remove them will be via machine.

You say its a non visible part of the car. Where exactly is it? If its on a bumper then you need to be REALLY careful if your sanding. The paint on bumpers is different to the body. I personally would never wetsand a bumper as there is a very high chance you will damage the paint while removing the sanding marks.

And it would be more than $50 to fix it

Well, i don't have a machine... i could get one, they are like $50 at supercheapauto.



The area parallel to the bottom of the exhaust pipe, the curvy bottom part.

I'm not too sure if the paint is the same, from just looking at it, i can't tell the difference.

Ps. was just joking about $50... because that is how much i'm looking to spend, hence why no machine tools, a bunch of different bottles etc.

Anyways, thanks for your advise, much appreciated.

[Mr_Bob]

Would it be better to get 2 different cuts of mirror glaze instead of using 1 heavier cut mirror glaze and ultimate compound? I know it would be better for have a few different cuts, so you can work from heavy to light, but as i'm trying to reduce spending i don't want to get 4-5 bottles of stuff, as i only use it once.

If you skip steps in the process, you will end up with an inferior finish.

The 2000grit will leave fine scratches,
if the compound isn't aggressive enough to remove it, the edges of the scratches will be rounded off,
However you won't take enough paint from the surrounding area to flatten it out, it will just make the area between the scratches shiny.

Same goes for skipping steps between compounds.

[Corey_R]

Well, i don't have a machine... i could get one, they are like $50 at supercheapauto.

Don't waste your money on a $50 machine...
and you'd still need to spend more on the appropriate compounds! And that area that you're pointing out would be difficult to practise on! And it's plastic, making it even worse... I can't really see what the damage is from that photo... I'd just leave it

[guest12345]

If you skip steps in the process, you will end up with an inferior finish.

The 2000grit will leave fine scratches,
if the compound isn't aggressive enough to remove it, the edges of the scratches will be rounded off,
However you won't take enough paint from the surrounding area to flatten it out, it will just make the area between the scratches shiny.

Same goes for skipping steps between compounds.

Thanks. I was just watching some meguiar's instructional videos on youtube, they said to use the lightest cut possible for the job...

So if i use the things i have and it doesn't remove the scratches, i can stop and go buy something else and continue on the job right?

Don't waste your money on a $50 machine...
and you'd still need to spend more on the appropriate compounds! And that area that you're pointing out would be difficult to practise on! And it's plastic, making it even worse... I can't really see what the damage is from that photo... I'd just leave it

Is that area plastic?? Plus that photo doesn't have the damage, it was just a photo i have on my computer.

The damage is not that visible, hence the DIY, not 100% perfect is fine, as with the scratches there are white scratch marks, hence i painted the area, so now i just want a smooth area, as it is the bumper it is not expected to be perfect.

[DMS_Dan]

That is painted plastic so a different type of paint. The machine you speak of from supercheap is a rotary and very dangerous to use on that section. Personally I would just live with the brush marks rather than risk it.