# "Pigtails" with finishing pad/polish on single stage?



## mollov (Jan 28, 2012)

Today I tried some polishing on my single stage paint BMW with white Hex pad and #205 (DAS6 Pro)... not to mention, that the pad got all blue, but that's not the bad part... once i've finished the set, I noticed few "pigtail"-kind of marks... they're really small and curly.. I'm not sure I can make a picture out of this.

I'm not sure if they weren't there before the set, but I can't think of anything else that can inflict such "patterned" damage. Haven't sanded the paint, used enough #205 on the pad... I've polished clearcoated BMW paint and didn't experience such problem...

Any comment???


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## empsburna (Apr 5, 2006)

Was your pad 100% clean? Sounds like either pad or paintwork was dirty.


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## mollov (Jan 28, 2012)

The pad was perfectly clean (washed and left air dry), the paint was just washed and cleaned extra with some QD...


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## tom-225 (Aug 30, 2009)

mollov said:


> The pad was perfectly clean (washed and left air dry), the paint was just washed and cleaned extra with some QD...


Was there any decontamination stage, Clay-Tar remover - Iron remover? as the pad can pick these bits up and move them round the paint aswell.


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## mollov (Jan 28, 2012)

Damn... just tought of the same thing... as it wasn't "dirty" to the touch, at the time I didn't think there will be something that abrasive... but it's never too late to sit down and think about it for a moment... and get out some Iron-X and spritz the damn paint...

Now that makes more sense... 10x for the "heads up"... :wave: I feel kind of stupid right now... :facepalm:


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

It might be that, or it might simply be sand marks that have been there from a prior job, but you couldn't see them as there was very little clarity in the finish. Correction can be like that, compound out, polish THEN find the scratches, go back and a dress those then re polish and finish. 

Am working on a single stage mk1 mx5 for the gf's mum, it's horrid to finish and have to clean many many pads every night lol


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## mollov (Jan 28, 2012)

stangalang said:


> Am working on a single stage mk1 mx5 for the gf's mum, it's horrid to finish and have to clean many many pads every night lol


Tell me about it... it was my first time with single stage... i've been told that it might need more pads, but hey... that was a shocker...


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

mollov said:


> Tell me about it... it was my first time with single stage... i've been told that it might need more pads, but hey... that was a shocker...


I've got to the stage where I change every panel, and keep 2 buckets out with water in and just throw them straight in to soak, and just keep rotating so they stay unclogged. A pain to say the least


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

Pig tails are a real sod. You must have picked up a piece of grit. Were you working outside???

They are a real sod to remove if you caught them in the pad, they can be 20 microns deep, so a lot of paint off to remove them as they are nasty little buggars. Hence why I clean my pads every panel.

Hope you get it sorted.


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## mollov (Jan 28, 2012)

Yep, I was working outside, but before I started, I did a quick wipe down with an Optimum QD and I was in a inside place with no wind and people/cars ...

Today I did what I had to do before I started to mess with the boot lid of my BMW - a full car spray with Iron-X... guess what.... quite a bit of purple spots... :facepalm:


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