Sanding & Compound & Polishing experts help needed.

[Dpate]

So after letting 2K clear coat fully dry it had decent amount of orange peel.  So after using micro mesh 3200-12000 not skipping a single stage i than use Meguiars scratch 2.0, and the gloss is back and looking nice.  BUT there was still orange peel in the finish so i went back through the entire process of micro mesh this time 2400-12000 without skipping a step, and followed up with meguiars scratch 2.0.  This time the orange peel is completely gone, and looks really good until you hold it at the right angle at a light.  You'll see i guess you could call it "superficial" scratches all over the body like exactly how you see on a 1:1 car in the sun.  No amount of scratch 2.0 i use will remove the super fine scratches, so I'm thinking i need a different product or I'm screwed? Did i even need to use scratch 2.0 after doing micro mesh? Should i get and try mequiars ultimate compound and polish or just the polish? I'm thinking after micro meshing up too 12K i should of used a polish without cutting properties? Any help would be greatly welcomed.  

[stitchdup]

Did you alternate direction when using the micromesh pads? If you did all the rubbing in one direction you will get the small scratches while alternating direction seems to negate this.

[StevenGuthmiller]

57 minutes ago, Dpate said:

You'll see i guess you could call it "superficial" scratches all over the body like exactly how you see on a 1:1 car in the sun

If this is the case, your job is done!

What better result could you ask for than "looking exactly like a 1:1 car"?

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[Bills72sj]

Add rubbing compound step between the last sanding and the Meguiar's 2.0.

[jchrisf]

 

[Dpate]

21 hours ago, stitchdup said:

Did you alternate direction when using the micromesh pads? If you did all the rubbing in one direction you will get the small scratches while alternating direction seems to negate this.

Yes but maybe i didn't do good enough job.  

21 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

If this is the case, your job is done!

What better result could you ask for than "looking exactly like a 1:1 car"?

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

lol Yeah like someone who didn't know what they where doing.  It looks like the picture on the turtle wax bottle in the picture but cleaner.

16 hours ago, Bills72sj said:

Add rubbing compound step between the last sanding and the Meguiar's 2.0.

I thought meguiar's 2.0 was a rubbing compound? I haven't added any wax yet cause I would like to fix this issue before hand.  If I'm not able to fix it i guess i will have to settle with it.  Like in the picture below but cleaner and running left to right exactly how i was rubbing the meguiars 2.0.  There are zero swirl marks its just light scratches in the clear coat spaced out a tiny bit.

Edited September 27, 2021 by Dpate

[ZTony8]

I don't know if it's still produced but years ago there was a product called Liquid Ebony for use as a scratch hider on black vehicles.

[Bills72sj]

3 hours ago, Dpate said:

Yes but maybe i didn't do good enough job.  

lol Yeah like someone who didn't know what they where doing.  It looks like the picture on the turtle wax bottle in the picture but cleaner.

I thought meguiar's 2.0 was a rubbing compound? I haven't added any wax yet cause I would like to fix this issue before hand.  If I'm not able to fix it i guess i will have to settle with it.  Like in the picture below but cleaner and running left to right exactly how i was rubbing the meguiars 2.0.  There are zero swirl marks its just light scratches in the clear coat spaced out a tiny bit.

 

There are rubbing compounds (usually a paste) and then there are polishing compounds (usually a liquid). The paste is a good step between the last sanding and polishing.

[tbill]

My method is wet sand with 2000 grit paper, then I use meguiars 105, then follow that with 205, usually have a mirror finish when I’m done.

 

[jaymcminn]

I use automotive papers (2000 then 2500) and follow up with Meguiar's Ultimate Compound and Polish. I like them a little more than the old 105 and 205. As a bonus, they work great on my 1:1's. 

[Dpate]

Thanks everyone for your help.  I'll give ultimate a try, but from now on instead of using micro mesh system I'll use regular sandpaper.  Seems to get the same results from what I've seen.

[Claude Thibodeau]

2 hours ago, Dpate said:

Thanks everyone for your help.  I'll give ultimate a try, but from now on instead of using micro mesh system I'll use regular sandpaper.  Seems to get the same results from what I've seen.

Hi Dusty!

Once, to get absolutely no scratches on a pure black model, I finish-sanded it with the polishing "plastic sheets" you may get in electronic shops, used to try to save CD's or DVD's who have been scratched. They are VERY fine grit, to say the least. While using it, you feel you are wasting your time, but believe me, it DOES impact the surface. Then a compound, and Scratch-X, and voilà!

Good luck. 

CT