# Choosing a Polish & Pad Combo



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

You know the situation - your own car, or someone else's car is sitting in front of you with swirls you want to remove... But what products and pads to do it? How hard or soft is the paint, what products are needed?? In this thread I present a *generic* set of possible product combos for attacking the majority of swilrs on the majority of paints... This is intended as a guide only, not hard and fast combos to use as each and every car is different with different requirements, but the following should get you on track. 

First of all, regardless of the car you presented with and regarless of the reputation the car may have for hard or soft paint, always always always mask off a test spot to trial least abrasive combinations first. You just never know when a car may throw you a curve ball and be harder or softer than you expect, and for all the time a test spot takes to do, its always better tp be safe than sorry. Work up through the abrasive levels until you get a combo that removes the swirls and then work with that over the car... This way you ensure you are not removing any more paint than is necessary for the removal of the paint defects.

Below are possible routes you might like to take with some of the most popular polish brands you'll hear mentioned here on Detailing World... The below are just meant as a guide, so not all cars will follow them to the letter, but as a rough guide they can get you started... Start at the top left, and work down: Green arrows represent a successful combo, red arrows represent a combo that wasn't successful so lead you to a more abrasive combo to try...


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## stupidmonkfish (Sep 4, 2006)

A very helpfull guide that Dave, ill keep a note of it

Thanks:thumb:


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## GlynRS2 (Jan 21, 2006)

That is a very good guide.
I am sure the mods will make it a sticky.
How is your book coming along?


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## dino (Oct 26, 2005)

Excellent guide Dave :thumb:


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## AndyC (Oct 25, 2005)

Yet another excellent guide Dave - so moved to the guide section to add to your ever increasing portfolio :thumb:


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## Neil_S (Oct 26, 2005)

Nice one Dave!


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

GlynRS2 said:


> How is your book coming along?


Its coming along nicely thanks, quite slow progress cause I dont have much time to dedicate at the moment cause I started my PhD a few weeks back, but its coming along at a nice relaxed pace.


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## dodger (May 20, 2006)

A Good guide there Dave, alot of people will find that very useful.


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## Squarepusher (Jul 10, 2006)

Super Guide.
Once I get my PC it will prove very handy in deciding where to start on my own motor and which products/combo's to start with.

Cheers


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## Epoch (Jul 30, 2006)

Fantastic Guide Dave, just need to pick a range and make sure i have all the options.

I Have some Menzerna so will populate that first


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## NeilB (Oct 26, 2005)

Top Guide Dave!


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## Dream Machines (Mar 13, 2006)

Good guide there mate, however the paint ain't finished with 85RD. Two more steps to go yet when I do a car

Pink moose and JW prime acrylic or pink moose then ultra gloss with LC blue or Edge white.


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## CK888 (Apr 23, 2006)

Very handy sticky.

Nice work Dave:thumb:


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## Justin-172 (May 18, 2006)

lsp? what does that stand for ?


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## Rich (Oct 26, 2005)

Last Step Product - ie wax or sealant


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## ClarkeG (Jun 17, 2006)

Fantastic guide..helps me out when I get my new pc


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## Mr OCD (Apr 18, 2006)

These charts are absolutely spot on 

They helped me get my head round Menzerna!


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## speedsix (Feb 8, 2007)

Excellent guide Dave.

On the megs chart, would you go to #80 on a cutting pad after #80 on a light cutting pad? Noticed you mentioned this in another thread.


Dom.


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

speedsix said:


> Excellent guide Dave.
> 
> On the megs chart, would you go to #80 on a cutting pad after #80 on a light cutting pad? Noticed you mentioned this in another thread.
> 
> Dom.


It would depend really on the paint - on paint which I felt was hard, possibly, but ideally I would be stepping up to a more aggressive polish after #80 on a light cutting pad.


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## Manners (Mar 9, 2007)

Thanks dave great post


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## Guest (Aug 15, 2007)

Fantastic!!!


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## wookey (Jul 13, 2007)

really helpful - especially being a :newbie: 

would it be worth stickying this as it has answered a lot of my questions, which you've probably been asked hundreds of time


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