This is another question both I and the blog get quite a bit. Even among us detailers there are always questions such as “What was the process?”, “What combo did you use to finish down?”, etc. As you can imagine, due to the extremely large amount of polishing combinations (machine, polish, pad, technique, etc.), many detailers and enthusiasts alike have completely different processes and methods for achieving good results. I’ve listed below a few combinations that I use on a regular basis along with a short explanation on each combo. For what it’s worth, I use my Flex XC 3401 VRG polisher a good 95% of the time when detailing, so these pad and polish pairings are based on use with that specific polisher.
Meguiar’s “307.5 WGCI” & Lake Country Orange Cutting Pad
So what is 307.5 WGCI? It’s a fake, joke of a name given to a mix of Meguiar’s 105 Ultra-Cut and D300 Correction compounds. The name came about after I did some non-sense calculations with the numbers 105 and 300. Then, after repeating it a few times, my helper at the time realized it sounded a lot like an introduction to a local radio station, WGCI, so Meg’s, or just M, “307.5 WGCI” stuck :).
Aside from all the nonsense, it was made by mixing 1 part D300 with 3 parts M105 in order to make a pretty aggressive combo while cutting down on the dusting from M105. I have kept it around as it did exactly what I hoped for and it has become one of my favorite products to use when doing a 2-3 step polishing job on some medium-hard paints. Paired with a Lake Country Orange Cutting Pad, this polish combo can do some pretty serious correction and leave behind a nice finish, which can be finished down with two or less steps.
Meguiar’s 205 & Lake Country White Polishing Pad
This is a regularly used combination among many detailers as well as enthusiasts. Meguiar’s 205 Polish paired with a Lake Country White Polishing Pad is one of the most versatile pad/polish combos out there when doing anything less than a serious 3+ step correction. The combo is aggressive enough to remove swirl marks from all but the hardest paints, while it can easily finish down perfectly well on all but the most finicky and soft black paints. Thus, it is a great pair to use following a more aggressive step on certain paints to leave a nice finish. It’s also one of the best 1-step polishing combos out there as it both removes a lot of the defects that dull the paint color and results in a nice, glossy finish.
Sonax Nano Tech Paint Cleaner (NTPC) & Lake Country Crimson Pad
I was introduced to Sonax NTPC by Todd Cooperider in early to mid 2011. To get a great feel for what the product is all about, I’d highly suggest thoroughly reading Todd’s NTPC Review. To completely summarize Todd’s review and give a very short explanation, NTPC is one of the best AIO products around today. It finishes down extremely well, even on the most tricky black/soft paints, and it leaves a good coat of protection in the process. Used by hand or machine it’s a must-have product for any professional.
I have since used NTPC regularly with a Lake Country Hydro Tech Crimson Ultra Fine Finishing Pad (that’s a mouthful!) when doing any 1-step AIO type job and both I and my clients are more than pleased with the results. The correction, while minor as expected, is always noticeable and the gloss it leaves behind is amazing. I like to use it with the Crimson pad because it ensures I don’t leave any pad-induced marring in the paint while leaving a great finish, but it can easily be used with more aggressive pads on anything but the softest of paints.
Well that about does it. I could go on with at least another 5-6 pairs, but these are the three combinations I enjoy using regularly as I find they give me great results and are extremely easy to use.
I encourage any readers to leave their own favorite combos in the comments below. We can only learn more by experimenting with other combinations.
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