# DAS6 Pro 'micro' paint burn. Help!!



## PhilipS (Oct 22, 2012)

Hi,

After lots of lurking, reading guides and posts I had a go with my DAS6 today, with mixed results. 

Overall great finish with menzerna SF4000 on the menzerna black finishing pad, but I started with it on the yellow polishing pad (my thinking was that I'd use the finishing pad to run over it with SRP, then EGP by hand)

Now, I realise that I broke the first rule of starting with the finest combination first, and on reflection maybe I didn't prime the pad with enough polish, and maybe I moved up through the speed too fast, and the coldish day didn't help...(ok a catalogue of mistakes probably) but I was fairly comfortable as (I thought) that it would take quite a lot to do any harm with a DA considering I was using a finishing polish and quite a soft pad and not pressing too hard...but...within seconds I noticed what I think is micro scale paint burn on a small area (<12" square). It looks like tiny bubbling/pitting in the clear coat. Worryingly it almost seems to be inside the clear coat. Now this is only visible when looking closely at the paint with a light source/reflection and not visible in normal viewing - but the art of this game is in the detail!

I tried removing it with the finishing pad and SF4000, no joy, scratch x (by hand) has helped a bit. I'm scared to go back onto it with the yellow pad in case it makes it worse, but maybe the answer lies in more correction

(I've also got SF2500 and SF500, and harder pads - well scared of this thing now!)

Any ideas? 
Many thanks
PhilipS 

(ps. 61 plate Touareg, original factory paint, if any help)


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## turboyamaha (Nov 18, 2010)

Be very surprised if you did that damage!


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## PhilipS (Oct 22, 2012)

Hmmm...I think I did :-( 

I clayed and polished the bonnet with SRP (halfords style orbital) and EGP by hand a few months back and it wasn't there then. The damage is exactly where I started my first 'attack' today, and I was periodically wiping with my finger between passes to see what was happening to the paint...one second nothing, next second micro-bubble-tastic...


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## lowejackson (Feb 23, 2006)

turboyamaha said:


> Be very surprised if you did that damage!


Agreed but have no idea what could have happened or indeed what micro paint burn is

Do you have any pictures


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## lowejackson (Feb 23, 2006)

Did you wipe the panel down with IPA or similar after polishing


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## Wheelzntoys (Jan 28, 2012)

Post a photo


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## PhilipS (Oct 22, 2012)

Thanks all for thoughts...

No wiping with anything after, just a little SRP a bit later by hand after trying the scratch x.

'micro paint burn' not a technical term, it just looks a bit like paint burn (from photos I've seen) and the fact that in the past I caused a similar effect when i was polishing something with my dremel (not a car!) when I know it got too hot.

Will try and photo it tomorrow...


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## PhilipS (Oct 22, 2012)

Had a crack at photoing...actually looks worse in the picture than in real life. It's hard to describe, it's like it's slightly pitted, almost very fine orange peel, just lost the glass like shine.

Ran over it this morning with the finishing pad, thought it looked better, so thinking I was on a roll, went over with the yellow pad, this time well primed and slower speed, but you know what, it's worse again??

Any hope?


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## ford nut (Dec 12, 2011)

Possibly a bird dropping etch in the paint, the polish may have highlighted something you hadn't seen before, ????

Again to echo the offerings above, i would be very suprised with the product and pad used that you would have caused this type of damage, too small and too localised....


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## davewhitt (Aug 30, 2009)

detailing world members are very friendly ,i've been help out a few times perhaps if people posted which city they live in it would be easier for them to get help.

you really can't see much from the photo

damage with a da is really hard to do,,remember this is with a rotary


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## PhilipS (Oct 22, 2012)

Pretty sure it's not bird related, too big an area. Unless by some bizarre chance there was a pre delivery smart repair done, exactly in the spot I started on first, then I'm sure it is related to me and somehow building up to much heat in the pad.

I've worked the area with sf4000 again and got it as good as I'm going to I think. It is only visible when you look for it and catch a reflection. I reckon 85-90% corrected, so will have to live with it. You can still see tiny little imperfection in/under the clear...hard to describe and even harder to photo...think..a toads back, in miniature and metallic grey!

Think I'll have to chalk it down to experience, stuff happens to cars, it's just annoying when you do it yourself especially when your trying to improve them! I'll also be vary wary about stepping up to the yellow pads again on it...knew I should have tested the DAS on the wife's car first...
Cheers PhilipS


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## lowejackson (Feb 23, 2006)

When you say the paint is original, are you 100% sure

VAG paint is _generally_ considered to be very hard so a very mild polish should not be doing very much damage or anything other than glossing the paint.

The issue could also be a paint defect from the factory or possible respray

I do not have any proper suggestions to help but along with others I would be surprised if the DA and polish were to blame. I am assuming you primed the pad or did not dry buff the paint

It is rather baffling


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## PhilipS (Oct 22, 2012)

Well...good point. I got the car with 30 miles on the clock, it's had no paint work done to the bonnet to my knowledge, but I got an Alfa Sportwagon back in 2009, with similar 'pre-reg' miles, that turned out to have had a sizeable bumper smart repair, solvent pop started appearing after 18 months - that was a bu99ers job to sort, eventually done under warranty, but after lots of hassle, and I was never sure the dealer believed me that I wasn't trying to pull a fast one after having a dodgy smart repair done myself. 

As for priming the pad, I think that might be part of the problem? I put blobs of polish over the pad, and spread it a speed 1. There was definitely polish over the whole working area, but I probably stepped up to too high a speed, too quickly. When I inspected the pad after, there certainly wasn't complete polish coverage, some yellow was showing. 

There is certainly no burn through, the clear is still intact, it's almost like the paint has 'lifted/bubbled' slightly from underneath. 

I suppose I thought a DA would be a bit more forgiving for an amateur. I'm interested now in where I might have gone wrong, or I've got a selection of pads and tougher polishes I won't be touching! I'm not discounting some odd paint defect that predisposed the panel to damage though...
PhilipS


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## Pugboi (Aug 17, 2012)

Maybe down to a dry pad ?? Silly question have you read throug the eave kg guide on here ?? Also have a look at the mike Phillips book it's worth it's weight in gold :thumb:


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## PhilipS (Oct 22, 2012)

Yep, read Dave KG...will read again though...twice!


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## davewhitt (Aug 30, 2009)

PhilipS said:


> As for priming the pad, I think that might be part of the problem? I put blobs of polish over the pad, and spread it a speed 1. There was definitely polish over the whole working area,


he's using a da for christ sake ,first time user he probably used 3 times to much polish

not worked it enough,try again mate


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## Aaran (Sep 18, 2007)

i am assuming you have tried other areas on the car and not had a problem?

because that looks alot like solvent pop or moisture in the base/clear. i would try it on another part of the car (out of the way like a door jamb) and see what it does.


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

Next time when you prime the pad put a couple of drops on and rub it into the pad with your HAND,and make sure you work the polish till it breaks down


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## john90 (Nov 22, 2012)

PhilipS said:


> Yep, read Dave KG...will read again though...twice!


Have a look for junkman2000 videos on YouTube too.

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=281047


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## alan hanson (May 21, 2008)

as said find it hard to believe you caused that through misuse of a DA and pads with the selection you choose, whilst i cant give an answer im with the above in that you have maybe disturbed a paint imperfection from factory and just made it more visible or react.


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

Have to agree with some of the guys here, I very much doubt that any damage like that was caused by a DA...

I've got 2 VAG cars, and just detailed a different one, the DA hardly touches the paint on mine, and I have to use a rotary and a wool pad (very heavy cut) to get anywhere...

OP, I would maybe post you your area and someone may be kind enough to have a better look for you.... 

:thumb:


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## dave- (Nov 8, 2012)

Orange hex pad / mags 105. White hex pad / megs 205. Only light pressure and dont stay in one place, keep moving. When the polish starts to dry, rewet it a little with detail spray because megs is expensive stuff at about 25 pounds for less than a litre.


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