# 'Jewelling' - Share Your Technique, Hints & Tips



## Alan W (May 11, 2006)

I'm trying to achieve the very best machine polished finish and 'jewelling' is the final stage.

Please share details of your technique, hints and tips for the highest possible gloss, without wet sanding. 

Thanks,

Alan W


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## TOGWT (Oct 26, 2005)

* Finessing *(Jewelling)

The final step in the polishing process, in which any holograms are removed, how far we take this step will determine the final gloss. It can sometimes take up to four hours or more jewelling the paint if it is felt that a higher gloss is obtainable. If the surface is polished 'flat' it will reflect light evenly (as opposed to refracting it at high and low spots) which will increase the overall optics of the paint

The term 'jewelling' is a painters term used when they polished single stage paints, they would buff the paint and return the vehicle to the owner. After a curing process they would have the customer bring the car back and finely burnish the surface with a finish polish that had almost no abrasive abilities and a soft wool pad, this step was referred to as 'jewelling' to bring out a deep lustre in the paint surface.

Most of us associate machine polishing with removing swirls, scratches and water spots but show car owners, Concours d'élégance participants, detailers and paint renovation paint technicians have long known that all paint finishes, even brand new finishes, can be improved by paint burnishing or jewelling by machine polishing.

As an optional step after finishing, done with a non-abrasive ultra soft pad (although you will want to use a little pressure at the beginning of the pass to help fracture the abrasives since the pad isn't providing abrasion) and an ultra fine finishing polish, for the removal of any microscopic pad abrasion, which also reduces the chance of holograms and will increase the gloss of the paint by a final polishing step, taking the finish from 95% to 99% +

Typically the final step in surface polishing; using a finishing polish (Menzerna PO 85 or PO 106FF) in tandem with a pad that has no abrasive abilities (LC CCS Black (80 PPI) Finishing foam. If the polish runs out of surface lubrication add Gloss It EVP Pad Prime is high-grade lubricating oil that greatly extends machine polishing times

Jewelling is a process of reducing applied pressure and machine speed in combination with a longer polishing time. It is really effective with a rotary polisher and a diminishing abrasive. Be cognizant that excessive pressure will make the pad / polish combination more aggressive, this has the effect of increasing kinetic energy (friction heat) which may result in a strikethrough
By working the abrasives, so that only the finest particulates remain, these micro-fine abrasives will provide the highest obtainable gloss, without leaving any micro-marring of the paint surface.

Larger diameter pads can be beneficial for final polishing, since they can be used longer before they load up with buffing residue. This can be the difference between a pristine finish, and one that is mildly marred with ultra-fine hazing.

_*Rotary Polisher -*_ use a non aggressive foam pad (LC Black) and start at 1200-1500 rpm, using moderate constant pressure. until the diminishing abrasive goes clear (somewhat similar to Vaseline®) and then make few passes at 800 / 900RPM using little to no pressure.

*Random Orbital Polisher *- use a moderately non aggressive foam pad (LC White) and firm constant pressure. Set speed at about 5000 OPM (Flex 3401 using speed setting 3) until polish breaks down then reduce speed to approx. 3500 OPM and work until refined.

_Another technique_ when using a rotary by having your pads off- centre for an orbital style spin does work well at stopping holograms and should only be used with the jewelling process once the polish has broken down, or by using a non-diminishing polish.


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## amiller (Jan 1, 2009)

Good finishing polish (Menz 85D or G|techniq P2 are my current favourites), low-medium speeds with long working times. :thumb:


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## Ojai (Feb 24, 2008)

A good finishing polish (M205, PO85rd, Ultrafina) combined with a finishing pad (Gloss it blue, 3m blue). For rotary use: Using the Zenith method i begin spreading the polish at a low rpm around 900rpm (only a few pea size drops of polish will do). Once the polish is evenly spread (i stick to working a 12"x12" area at a time) I move to 1200rpm for a few passes, then up to 1500, my main polishing speed. After a few slow passes at 1500rpm with little to no head pressure the polish begins to break down and become slightly transparent. At this point i begin working back down the scale through 1200 and finishing at 900. Then carefully remove the residue with a ultra soft microfiber polishing cloth. Once area is wiped clean you can follow up with an IPA (Isopropyl alcohol) wipe down to ensure no holograms or markings are left behind. Finish with a high quality wax or sealant, then stand back and enjoy your work!
There are many different methods of machine polishing, this just happens to be my preferred way of doing it. Hope that helps :thumb:


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## Alan W (May 11, 2006)

Thanks guys! :thumb:



Ojai said:


> A good finishing polish (M205, PO85rd, Ultrafina) combined with a finishing pad (Gloss it blue, 3m blue). For rotary use: Using the Zenith method i begin spreading the polish at a low rpm around 900rpm (only a few pea size drops of polish will do). Once the polish is evenly spread (i stick to working a 12"x12" area at a time) I move to 1200rpm for a few passes, then up to 1500, my main polishing speed. After a few slow passes at 1500rpm with little to no head pressure the polish begins to break down and become slightly transparent. At this point i begin working back down the scale through 1200 and finishing at 900. Then carefully remove the residue with a ultra soft microfiber polishing cloth. Once area is wiped clean you can follow up with an IPA (Isopropyl alcohol) wipe down to ensure no holograms or markings are left behind.


That's exactly what I'm doing with PO85RD and I'm very pleased with the results! 

However, is it possible to achieve an even higher gloss by other polishing means? I'm sure Dream Machines knows what I mean. 

Alan W


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## Alan W (May 11, 2006)

Bump! 

Alan W


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

alan you talking about _the step before step 1_ by a certain company people like to _glare_ at??

:lol:

have you used it? im SO tempted.. but the way its described.


> This very special chemical combination will initially transform the surface of the paint or clear-coat into a semi-liquid state with fluid movement when activated by heat causing friction


don't like the sound of fluid movement :doublesho ...sounds like paint runs to me :lol:

i'd be interested to know any enthusiast detailers results with this (non pro... i know dream machines rates this stuff)


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## Alan W (May 11, 2006)

Craig,

No not that one, but I think DM has somewhere between 4 and 7 additional stages of enhancement, depending on the colour and paint type, before applying the final LSP.

I'm keen to hear what/where/how/why and when, please! 

Alan W


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## Spoony (May 28, 2007)

Alan, to me the theory behind it is you wish to get the paint surface as "level" as possible at the microscopic level. 

Once you've used the finishing polish and refined get yourself a pad with zero cut essentially (Hexlogic Blue or Red is it?) and a very mild abrasive polish.

Start with it on the rotary with light/moderate presssure, spread at low revs and build up. Once spread and worked work down the rpm again and spend time breaking the abrasive down until it is totally uniform. Essentially patience and many passes with little to no pressure and low rpm.

At least this is my take. Dave KG/Gordon will know more - they add some gloss with Double Zenith method no?


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## Alan W (May 11, 2006)

Cheers Stuart, pretty much what I'm doing with good results. 

However, is there anything else that can be done to raise the gloss level just that small amount more?

Alan W


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

Yes....wet sanding first.

Take the peaks out of the clear then polish out. If these are not removed you will never get that crystal clear finsh, you can compound it out using the heat to flatten the paint or wet sand it down first. You do need to heat the panel to flatten the clear when compounding.

I prefer using wet paper than heavy compounding, I get the same result or better and never heat the panel up. Plus I can address all the scratches as well.

I also double refine UltraFina first then a glaze for the final part.

IPA wipedown, sealant and job done.


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

how many microns on average would you say need to be removed in wet sanding??
or is it a very varied range..

also how do you tell when its done.. do you need to keep polishing the scratches out and checking if the peel is gone. or is there a way to check when its still hazy and scratched up from the paper?


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## -Raven- (Aug 26, 2010)

85RD on a soft pad. I like LC gold pads, these are the softest they have. Technique is pretty much the same as Ojai says.


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## fishbonezken (Apr 17, 2010)

I think greater gloss is better obtained from good surface leveling.

Some examples:




































































































You can put on the world's most expensive wax, sealant or coating, and jewel using the finest finishing polish but you can't attain maximum gloss without leveling the surface.

The results above are all achieved without sandpaper.

You can view how it is done in the full posts here:

Event: Team Hyundai Malaysia gathering at Osren Malaysia

Orange peel reduction and G|Techniq C1 on a Mazda 'Liverpool' 6

It is not a new thing as bodyshops have been doing it for a long time, but doing it on thin factory paintwork can be quite nerve wrecking.

I'm sure you can source for similar products in the UK.


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## MAXI-MILAN (Oct 26, 2008)

Menzerna PO85RD with LC black pad gives best finish , Without doubt PO85RD taking the car to the next level in shine . I tried Optimum Finish Polish , Menzena PO85RD , M205 and Imho PO85RD gives best finish . I like to go with this combo 106FF+LC white pad and PO85RD + LC Black pad . 
I'm thinking to try PO85RD with LC red pad next time .


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## Alan W (May 11, 2006)

Thanks guys! :thumb:

I've just received some LC Gold Ultra Finishing Pads and will try these with PO85RD.

Alan W

P.S. Wet sanding isn't an option as stated in the original post.


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## Dream Machines (Mar 13, 2006)

CraigQQ said:


> alan you talking about _the step before step 1_ by a certain company people like to _glare_ at??
> 
> :lol:
> 
> ...


Zero is a paint exfoliation cream which removes all impurities from finishes and actually makes abrasive polishing twice as effective (gloss and cut wise) as well as extending the working time of polishes and preventing dust

I use it before and after correction. before with a yellow glare pad and after with a black soft pad

Its strength is in reducing orange peel somewhat and making correction easier thus no need for compounds. I use single polish systems instead (S1, Xpert)

However it is insanely expensive at $200 per litre

Anyway - on to Jewelling
My technique is similar to what TOGWT posted (thanks champ)

But I work all the way down to 600 rpm at the end and finish with left to right one direction only passes that are very fast
And if I want to highlight a nice section of a panel (like front guards), I do very fast back and forth passes to "GLASS OUT" the paint giving superior finish to that of the traditional 1 inch/2 inch per second movement

And I also use DSMS (from detailing bliss) method of adding a tiny bead of more polish (in my case Xpert High Tech 1500 finishing polish which finishes a little better than 85RD)

After I've finished going from 1500 to 1200 to 1000, I add that tiny amount and buff for ages and ages at 900rpm. if the lubrication goes away, I either add more diluted black baron/water or add an even smaller amount of product and continue

Then I finish up at 600 rpm with first, slow movements and then fast

And also - I may do more than one jewelling step. Often I do it first with black then a Buff and Shine White 90 ppi ultra fine finishing pad and or a Lake country Gold 100 ppi pad

I doubt that I can claim to be a master jeweller but I am always working on my techniq

P.S. If you want hologram and marr free results with every step of machine polishing, always slow down your rpm speeds back to 900 rpm with each step

Even with foamed wool or 100% wool, I get no marring or holograms at all
It takes longer but who cares. We are in the business of achieving the best finish possible for each price bracket. whether hundreds or thousands of dollars


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## Dream Machines (Mar 13, 2006)

fishbonezken said:


> I think greater gloss is better obtained from good surface leveling.
> 
> I'm sure you can source for similar products in the UK.


Fishbone - I absolutely agree

Getting rid of as much orange peel as possible by using a certain pad and product combination my business partner in america and I use often with an unconventional style of buffing, is so critical in achieving the ultimate gloss

The peel is screwing up the light thus screwing up the reflection, clarity and depth

If any paint is sanded finely or buffed in our way to remove 30 to 100% of the orange peel, the end result is a richer colour shade (sanding is best for this), increased clarity, wetness, reflection and depth

And after doing jewelling at the end, the finished result is mind blowing
Those final photos prove it. (THATS A WORLD CLASS FINISH MATE)

"GLASSING OUT" the paint is what does it

There is buffing to remove swirls/scratches using 1 to 2 inch per second movements with a rotary and then there is buffing to flatten the peel down and glass out the paint using much faster but consistent speed movements

Faster movements improve clarity far better than slow ones.

I hope you agree

However I will say this. Abrasive polishing only takes the paint so far. 
To Take it further requires paint cleansers and pure polishes/glazes which are basically, products which enhance a paint finish to an even higher level by use of chemical cleaners and glass like paint thickening chemicals) - IE GLARE/Restructure Marines products which replenish lost clear coat with glass like membrane up to 80 microns thick

Making sure the paint is purified first, then flattening the peel down, glass out the paint, jewel the paint then cleanse and glaze with one or more glazes (GLARE for me anyway) will provide for a truly world leading finish that very few can ever achieve

Mostly because they dont clean the paint enough and are actually buffing particles that are not reachable/removable with clay

And also because rotary buff at one speed and then stop. Thats what creates marring/buff trails


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## sicko (Jun 20, 2009)

what section at a time do you jewel?


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## Dream Machines (Mar 13, 2006)

sicko said:


> what section at a time do you jewel?


What I meant was - jewel with every product/pad step
this obviously cant always be done for some pro services where customer doesnt want to spend that much money


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## Alan W (May 11, 2006)

DM,

You appear to be using a Rotary for 'Jewelling' and 'Glassing Out' as I would expect (all your references to speeds such as 600rpm etc confirm this) and yet in a previous post on 'Jewelling' you said:



Dream Machines said:


> the rotary sets it up and gets close *but the RO/DA machines do take it to that slightly higher level. *


I'm confused!  :lol: Can you clarify please?

Thanks,

Alan W


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## fishbonezken (Apr 17, 2010)

Dream Machines said:


> Fishbone - I absolutely agree
> 
> Getting rid of as much orange peel as possible by using a certain pad and product combination my business partner in america and I use often with an unconventional style of buffing, is so critical in achieving the ultimate gloss
> 
> ...


:thumb::thumb:

One thing about jewelling though. Most finishing polishes tend to be lubricant/oil heavy, if you are about to coat the car with a glass coating, won't it interfere with the bonding process?

Most glass coating manufacturers recommend to clean/degrease the paint with a solvent before applying a coating as it is very fussy about it. Hence, I've never really tried the jewelling method unless I'm putting regular wax/sealant and not coating.

You mentioned 80 microns thickness? Wow I've never seen any glass coatings do that... how is the durability of those coatings? are they Si02 based?


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## Dream Machines (Mar 13, 2006)

Alan W said:


> DM,
> 
> You appear to be using a Rotary for 'Jewelling' and 'Glassing Out' as I would expect (all your references to speeds such as 600rpm etc confirm this) and yet in a previous post on 'Jewelling' you said:
> 
> ...


I'm sorry. Must improve my writing skills which I do lack somewhat
Jewel by rotary as normal but after that, switch to the forced rotation or a random orbital and use same technique to finish off (5 or 6 slowly back to 2)


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## Dream Machines (Mar 13, 2006)

fishbonezken said:


> :thumb::thumb:
> 
> One thing about jewelling though. Most finishing polishes tend to be lubricant/oil heavy, if you are about to coat the car with a glass coating, won't it interfere with the bonding process?
> 
> ...


Yes most require IPA at 15 to 25% afterwards which is fine but the technology I'm using is a little older and doesnt require that. 
I do coat the paint after applying the LSP, with Gtechniq C2 spray and wipe sealant


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