What paste to polish the car at home - an overview of 3M polishes and abrasive pastes
Content
The body of any modern car has a multilayer coating that protects the metal from external influences and provides a decent appearance. Usually this is a phosphate treatment, primer, base paint and varnish if the machine is painted in metallic technology. Worst of all is the last layer, which can be weathered, covered with a network of microscopic cracks or just mechanical scratches.
If the depth of damage does not exceed the thickness of this layer, then the paint layer (LCP) can be restored by polishing.
What are 3M polishes used for?
3M is a leading manufacturer of automotive chemicals, in particular body polishes. They are suitable for both professional processing and self-use by car owners. As a rule, various compositions are used in a complex, uniting in lines, where all means complement each other, performing different functions.
The best-selling 3M Perfect-it III polishing system to date includes:
- fine and extra fine sanding papers of the 1500 and 2000 grit groups;
- abrasive polishing pastes of different grain sizes;
- non-abrasive paste for finishing gloss;
- protective compounds that preserve the results of work for a long time;
- auxiliary means and tools for work, polishing wheels, sponges, napkins.
Each element of the system has its own corporate catalog number, by which it can be purchased or its properties studied, obtaining additional information on the application.
What polish to choose?
The degree of granularity of the selected composition is determined by the depth of the damage. The thinnest pastes can also remove scratches, but this will take too long, and it will be difficult to get a smooth surface.
Therefore, work begins with relatively rough compositions, gradually moving to finishing and zero abrasiveness. For complete and high-quality processing, the entire system will be required, the only question is the time to work with a specific tool.
Types of abrasive pastes 3M
The coarsest grit paste is also called ultra-fast, since it is with its help that the consequences of working with waterproof sanding paper, which removed deep damage, are eliminated.
Then work with the next numbers in the line.
Paste 3M 09374
This composition has the highest abrasiveness among polishing pastes. Its label says "Fast Cut Compound", which accurately characterizes the ability of the paste to literally cut off all the small risks from the skin.
And the output is already quite a deep shine. It is still far from full gloss, but the first stage of polishing will be completed quickly and efficiently.
Abrasive polish 3M 09375 Perfect-it III
The next most abrasive polish can already be called a finishing polish, it will provide the final result in the form of a decorative gloss:
- as well as a coarser composition, it contains an abrasive, that is, it can remove the consequences of the onset of the destruction of the coating, if the cracks have not yet reached a level that requires the intervention of sanding paper;
- the result of the work will be a high-quality glossy surface;
- due to the fineness of the abrasive, there is less chance of “digging holes” during careless work;
- it is possible to eliminate the consequences of overpainting due to painter's mistakes or work with overlapping layers;
- prepares the surface for finishing with non-abrasive and protective compounds.
An important quality of this paste is the ease of removal, it does not linger in the pores and defects of the coating.
Polishing paste 3M 09376 Perfect-it III
This paste does not contain abrasives and is intended for the final finishing of problematic surfaces. For example, it is indispensable for dark shades of paint, especially black, which is critical for any haze and streaks.
If the slightest traces remain from all previous compositions, then the paste will eliminate them and give the coating a new look.
Technology for removing scratches from the body with a set of polishes 3M
Deep polishing should be carried out using the entire set of system tools:
- before starting work, soak fine sanding papers in water for a few minutes 1500 и 2000, so the risk of unnecessary risks will decrease;
- if a machine is used when sanding with skins, then the edges will still have to be passed manually so as not to cut off the coating;
- even a slight pattern left by the sandpaper 1500 eliminated with a number 2000 movements along the car, so the risks will be the least noticeable;
- after the skin, you need to use a polish 09374, going directly to the next number will not give a good result;
- before working with polish, it is necessary to remove possible dust from the skin, this is done with special napkins included in the kit;
- the speed of the polishing machine must be increased gradually, the paste is put into action at 1000 rpm, and only then can the speed be doubled;
- after changing the polishing pad, perform the same actions with a less aggressive paste 09375;
- the surface will acquire its final appearance after processing with the thinnest finishing paste 09376, after it a mirror gloss is formed without streaks and matte marks;
- the result obtained must be protected by manual application of the paste 09377, it should dry for a minute, after which it can be polished without using a machine, so the layer will remain even during mechanical body washes.
In some cases, it is possible to deviate from the above procedure, for example, with slight winding of the surface without scratches and scratches, it will be enough to start immediately with paste 09375. But under other lighting conditions, a more careful study, or just after a while, there is a chance to detect unrepaired defects.
Therefore, it is better to polish the body throughout the complex, this will be compensated by a significant increase in the period between treatments. You don’t have to worry about the preservation of the thickness of the paintwork layer, even sanding paper, when used correctly, removes only a few microns from the surface, and deep scratches still cannot be removed with paste alone.
