Presta

S

strum456

Oldtimer
I can remember when Barry had right on "The Perfect Paint Job" instructions to use Presta Ultra Cutting Creame and a wool pad after wet sanding.

1. Is Presta still the buffing compound of choice?

2. Should I use it on a black wool pad, as recommended by Presta?

3. What would be the next step, a foam pad and Ultra Polish?

4. What is the shelf life of Buffing Compound? My jobber only has Presta in Gallons. I'm new to buffing...about how much would I go through per car?
 
I personally thought the presta and wool was to aggressive for the softer SPI clears. I have the clear prepped down to 3000 trizact and then rub with wool and I have aggressive marks that won't go away. I use white 3m foam pads and 3m #1 compound followed by a black pad and 3m #2 for perfect results for me. I've never seen compound go bad at least I have a 7+year old can of compound from the laquer days and that still works when I use by hand on stainless trim.
 
i will not lie... i still use super duty sometimes for first cut. i switched back to the chemical guys because i just cant seem to get others to work. i know it's not the product but rather the operator :)
 
Shine,

I think I remember you saying on another thread that you like to use really low speeds, so you prefer more aggressive compounds. What is super duty? By "chemical guys", do you mean 3m? Sorry, I am just a hobby painter, so I'm not familier with all the lingo.

How fine do you go with paper before you buff?
 
3m super duty is what i use for first cut. i really dont like wool but have a few pads. seems the newer compounds require high speed and heat. i buff at 1000 and just take my time.
i take it to 3000 on sanding. sanding is easier than buffing.
 
Thanks for the info guys. It sounds like I don't really need to get a wool pad then. I'm trying to get everything I need to buff my first job. I can remember Barry's instructions though..."wool pads cut and foam pads polish, period". I guess I am not really cutting that much if I go up to 3000 paper? By the way, are we talking 3000 DA?
 
shine, I tried Super Duty again a few years ago, but they must have thrown sand in the quart I bought, it left deep circular scratches in the paint! :eek:

I seem to remember paint buffing easier than it does now, I used to buff out 1200 marks with ease. Now 2000 scratches seem tough to remove. I don't know what has changed, me, the paint, or the compound...:confused:
 
i notice with presta i use ALOT less then 3m. 3m seems to get more waterd down over the years.. id rather buff aggressive then sand forever.
 
Buffing Made Easy With Presta Products

Presta Products are water based compounds are very easy to clean out of jambs, require very little product to use and they are very inexpensive as the typical gallon of compound or polish sells for about $38.00-$45.00 per gallon. The Presta finish will look the same after the car has been washed or set out in the sun!

Light and Dark color cars for a show car shine:

Step 1. Wet sand with 1200-2000 grit then begin buffing with Presta Ultra Cutting Crème with a white twisted wool pad. Twisted wool is very important as it cuts twice as fast as non-twisted wool pad. If you aren’t sure what type of pad you have ask your paint store. Place a quarter-sized glob on the panel and place the center of the buffer on top of this glob as this will keep you from slinging compound all over the place. Wool pads are designed to cut fast only at high speeds between 2300-2800 RPM’s. If you are afraid to run the buffer this fast then throw the wool pad away and get a cutting foam pad and anticipate on spending twice as much time buffing. Now buff a 2’x2’ square at a time with the Ultra Cutting Crème until all the scratches in that area are gone.

Step 2. Once you have removed your scratches with the Ultra Cutting Crème switch to a yellow wool pad and buff at the same RPM’s with Presta Chroma 1500 Polish. Start with a drop the size of a dime and work a 2’x2’ area. If you ever have a greasy surface then you used way too much polish. 2-3 quarter sized blobs of Presta 1500 will do an ENTIRE full size pickup hood! If a show car shine is not needed you can stop here.

Step 3. Now switch to a foam polishing pad and Presta Chroma 2000 Polish. Foam pads work best around 1500-1800 RPM’s. Start with a blob the size of a dime and work a 2’x2’ area. Complete the panel then with the remaining compound that is in your pad after spritzing the panel with Presta Aurora 4000 Spray N’ Shine. This will pull the polish out of the pad and break it down into a finer polish. Repeat this step as many times as you like if you are looking for a very deep show car shine.

Short cut: Light colored cars in a production shop:

Follow step one from above. With the Ultra Cutting Crème left on the panel switch to a yellow wool pad and spritz the panel with Aurora 4000. Buff at 2300-2800 rpm’s working a 2’x2’ area at a time until the panel is complete. This will provide a great finish on 99% of your light colored cars in a production shop.

Presta Products will work with foam pads, but you will NEVER find a foam-cutting pad that will cut as fast a wool-cutting pad. If you use foam pads anticipate using more product and time to buff and this is true with any compound line out there!
 
Thank you so much for the instructions, Barry. I already printed them out so I can add them to my SPI catalog.

Thanks to everyone else who gave advice. This forum is a wealth of knowledge and experience for someone like me who is trying to learn the basics.
 
Because Presta is not available locally, I am thinking of going with Malco products (Malco makes Presta). Could someone please tell me if I am on the right track?

Step 1: Malco Perfex w/ twisted wool pad

Step 2: Malco Buff Lite II Finishing Creme w/ blended wool yellow pad

Step 3: Malco Lite Finish w/ foam pad
 
Looks OK but first pad should be black as black is the most aggressive cutting pad.
 
how things have change . buffing today is so far removed from the days of lacquer. i remember buying super duty in a gallon can. stuff was red past you dug out with a stick. double sided wool pads and a buffing bonnet for finish. and a buffer that weighed 15 lbs .
maybe i'll get this new stuff figured out before i'm done. gives me fits....
 
Looks like your gonna make me dig out the wool and presta for another shot. I just couldn't make a rubbed surface sanded with 1500 or 2000 with wool and presta to look anywhere near as smooth as the 3000 trizact and foam 3m pad and #1. The trizact and foam surface is perfect. Very little heat is introduced in the paint since It's just being polished as the trizact did the cutting wet.
 
After 3000 sanding, foam is all you need.
It goes really fast from that point.
I sometimes go to 4000 with Abralon pads,
Just touching it with foam brings it out.
 
I might get away from the black wool eventually, I think it leaves a texture sometimes, especially in areas where the direction of the buffer can't be varied much. Foam is much slower for me, but does not leave any texture.
 
Brad J.;4750 said:
Looks like your gonna make me dig out the wool and presta for another shot. I just couldn't make a rubbed surface sanded with 1500 or 2000 with wool and presta to look anywhere near as smooth as the 3000 trizact and foam 3m pad and #1. The trizact and foam surface is perfect. Very little heat is introduced in the paint since It's just being polished as the trizact did the cutting wet.
Click to expand...

Correct me if i'm wrong here, but little heat to the paint when buffing should be good for it.. Helps get the solvents out.
 
jcclark;4753 said:
After 3000 sanding, foam is all you need.
It goes really fast from that point.
I sometimes go to 4000 with Abralon pads,
Just touching it with foam brings it out.
Click to expand...

Jim,I agree with ya. I have taken many jobs to 4000 and finished in one step- foam pad and 3M Finesse polish. I usually go to 3000 and hit it once with a foam pad and 3M xtra cut compound then a polishing pad and finesse-sometimes the blue presta polish. I've tried so many different approaches looking for the best results in the quickest time and it always seems to come down to one thing-what to you like to do more? sand of buff? 800 grit scratches can be cut out with superduty if you're careful and the clear is fresh but then it takes considerable amount of time with lighter compounds to take care of the superduty scratches. I just did a test with Norton's liquid Ice compound and 3M xtracut did the job in half the time. Presta stuff works good but xtracut still beats it timewise-just wish it wasn't $50/quart
 
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